Where to Eat in Beaufort NC: 7 Places for Foodies

When I first stepped foot in Beaufort, NC, I felt I had walked into the pages of a Nicholas Sparks romance novel. The town’s beauty is hard to describe.  I can only say there is a bit of magic in the air when you stroll through the waterfront town.  Aside from its gorgeous waterfront views, expect to be swooned by the food and drink of this Carteret County Town.  Often my travel experiences are less than 48 hours and Beaufort was no exception. As such, it is impossible to try every eatery in town. Following are my recommendations on where to eat in Beaufort NC for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Dessert.  Scroll down for all the info!

Where to Eat in Beaufort NC: Breakfast

CRU

I like to think of CRU as Beaufort’s one stop shop.  In addition to coffee, wine, ice cream, and chocolate, the shop also offers free WiFi and entertainment.  If you are undecided about what type of an artisanal latte to order, ask for the Tailor Made.  The Tailor Made is the specialty latte created by the shop’s barista.  Sure it is a bit of a gamble, but it is a great option if you are undecided.  Although I typically go for something sweet, the Lox Bagel came highly recommended by La Perla’s Chef Kevin Davis.  I give this menu item a big thumbs up as well.  CRU is located on 120 Turner Street, Beaufort, NC 28516.

Beaufort Cafe

For a more traditional breakfast, visit Beaufort Cafe.  The no frills cafe has a great assortment of menu items guaranteed to satisfy your taste buds.  My favorite breakfast item is the Red Eye.  The popular menu item consists of one pancake, three eggs, hash browns, a biscuit and coffee.  The best thing about the Red Eye is that its less than $10.00.  Pretty awesome deal, in my opinion.  The breakfast only cafe is located on 817 Cedar St, Beaufort, NC 28516.

 

Where to Eat in Beaufort NC: Lunch or Dinner

Black Sheep

Black Sheep’s Charcuterie Pie is just one of several beautiful hand-tossed brick oven pizza’s on the dockside restaurant’s menu.  The Charcuterie Pie, which I highly recommend, is topped with red sauce, pepperoni, fennel sausage, bacon, caramelized onions, mozzarella, Parmesan, basil, and finished with shaved Serrano ham.  It’s both indulgent and exquisite.  The restaurant offers both indoor and waterfront dining.  If the weather is sunny and pleasant, you must dine outdoors.  Black Sheep’s other menu offerings include sandwiches, salads, charcuterie, craft beer, and cocktails.  If you manage to save room for dessert, a little birdie told me their sweet creations are quite splendid.  The waterfront restaurant is located on 510 Front St, Beaufort, NC 28516.

 

La Perla

Although La Perla closed its doors in December, I am extremely grateful to have been hosted by the restaurant on my December Beaufort trip.  I was left in awe of Chef Kevin Davis cuisine and saddened to know that the restaurant would be closing.  I was impressed to learn that Chef Kevin curated every item on his menu from the cocktails to desserts.  If you had the chance to dine at La Perla before its closing, your can attest to the brilliance of flavors in every dish and drink.  One of my favorite dishes from La Perla was the Pork Belly Arugula Salad, tossed in a house made Fig Vinaigrette, Chèvre, and the best pickled Watermelon Rind I have ever tasted. 

Aside from traveling and experiencing the cuisine of various restaurants in North Carolina and beyond, I love sharing the cuisine of chefs and restaurants that I feel aren’t getting the accolades they deserve.  As such, it is very important that I share my experiences at restaurants like La Perla on my social media portals.  Although La Perla is now closed, I know we will see more of Chef Kevin Davis cuisine in the near future. 

 

El’s Drive-In

Despite the fact El’s Drive-In is not in Beaufort, I urge you to stop by this Morehead City staple before leaving The Crystal Coast.  As an avid cheeseburger fanatic, I was not quite sure how I would feel about a shrimp burger.  The cash only, old-fashioned drive-in managed to convince me.  I ordered the shrimp burger all the way with slaw and ketchup along with a fry and onion ring combo.  The shrimp burgers and onion rings are awesome.  My regret was not ordering two shrimp burgers.  Luckily for me, I did indulge in El’s delicious strawberry milk shake.  If you are too full, take the shake to go.  El’s is located on 3706 Arendell St Morehead City, NC.

 

Where to Eat in Beaufort NC: Desserts

Turner Street Market

I admit that Turner Street Market was not on my agenda.  However, a local suggested that I visit the shop and order the lemon meringue pie.  Unfortunately, the lemon meringue pie was not on the deli/market’s menu the day of my visit.  I did, however, get my lemon fix with their Lemon Curd cake.  If you ever come across this spot and they have the lemon meringue pie on their menu, please order it.  I have it on good authority that it is excellent.  In addition to pastries, the shop also sells savory items and specialty gifts.  I understand that they make delicious sandwiches and salads, too.  Turner Street Market is located on 133A Turner St, Beaufort, NC 28516.

 

City Kitchen

Sticky Toffee Pudding is a dessert that I rarely find on a menu.  You can only imagine my sweet tooth’s excitement when I saw this British dessert on City Kitchen’s menu.  The dessert is served with a chilled créme anglaise and topped with a scoop of whipped cream.  The Sticky Toffee Pudding is only elevated when paired with a Ciello Italian Prosecco.

City Kitchen is said to have the best sunset view in all of Beaufort.  I can attest that it is a gorgeous view that is only exalted by the fine desserts and drinks offered by The Crystal Coast restaurant.  That said, make a reservation to dine at their terrace before sunset.  Whether your are single or coupled, the experience is not one that should be missed.  My only regret about my dessert and sunset experience is that I did not make the time to enjoy a full dinner at the Town Creek Marina restaurant.  City Kitchen is located on 114 A Town Creek Dr, Beaufort, NC 28516.

In addition to food, Beaufort has an interesting array of antique shops, specialty stores, bed and breakfasts, land and water tours, and much more. I look forward to visiting the waterfront town again to visit more eateries and hopefully try Turner Street Market’s Lemon Meringue Pie.

In addition to El’s Diner, Morehead City is also home to Circa 81. To read more about this restaurant, click here.