Many of us are now making, or have already made, plans for a summer vacation and Nags Head on the Outer Banks of North Carolina is a popular destination. Nancy and I like Nags Head because it’s more of a family beach, than the much-commercialized Virginia Beach. There are scads of things to do, the fishing is usually excellent and the food – ahhh, the food. There are some exceptional restaurants in Nags Head.
First on our list is Basnight’s Lone Cedar Café. The restaurant was dubbed “Lone Cedar” because of a single cedar tree that grew stubbornly behind the sound-front restaurant. It is called Basnight’s, because the Basnight family, Marc and Sandy, founded the place in 1996.
Marc Basnight served as a Democratic member of the North Carolina State Senate, representing the 1st District, from 1984 through his resignation just before the start of what would have been his 14th term in 2011. In years past, when the legislature was not in session, he would be frequently found waiting on and greeting guests personally.
We have found the food and service at Basnight’s to be consistently excellent. There is an art to cooking fried seafood and serving it hot and fresh and Basnight’s does just that. Their Fried Shrimp is unequaled and I have ordered the Fried Flounder before that fell off both sides of the plate. I don’t think it’s remotely possible to go there and leave hungry.
Whenever possible, Basnight’s serves locally caught seafood – shrimp, flounder, trout, oysters, scallops and rockfish.
Though the prices are a little steep, the portions are huge. But save room for their Crème Brule – the best on the beach.
Basnight’s Lone Cedar offers it all: Great local food, a panoramic view of Roanoke Sound and friendly, warm hospitality from an original Outer Banks family.
The restaurant is located on the causeway to Manteo at 7623 S. Virginia Dare Trail. Call them at (252) 441-5405 for more information.