Black Pelican Restaurant, Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.”

Virginia Wolf

After a long but fun day on the Outer Banks, North Carolina, we checked into our oceanfront hotel and asked for a good place to eat. We had a recommendation from a friend in Augusta and then the hotel clerks confirmed and said the Black Pelican is a great place to eat.

We were told turn right onto N. Virginia Dare Trail heading north and we would see the restaurant about five miles down on the left side of the road. We got there on the early side about 5:00 and got right in and got a table. When we went upstairs, it was very quite with only one other table with people eating but within 15 minutes, there wasn’t an empty table anywhere to be found.

We loved the rustic charm with all the mariner decor displayed throughout. We visited right after Christmas so all the beautiful decorations were still on display. From the window near our table you could look out and see the ocean. Since it was cold that day, they didn’t have the outside porch area open. There are great views of ocean from there and would be a great place to enjoy a meal during the good weather.

Our waitress brought us the menu which we studied for a long time. There was so much to choose from since they serve steaks, seafood, vegetable dishes, wood oven pizza and sandwiches. We finally narrowed it down to wanting some kind of seafood. Then we noticed they had a meal called The Frogmore Clambake that had oysters, clams, mussels, shrimp, potatoes, corn, and vegetables for one person or two. When the waitress came back to our table with the fresh bread, we put in the order for The Frogmore Clambake for two.

When our meal was ready, it was brought it out to the table and it was huge. The meal was excellent with the perfect amount of seasonings and everything cooked just right. We really enjoyed our meal and our waitress was super attentive and nice. We had a great dining experience.

This a very unique looking building that was built in 1874 as a US Lifesaving Station, “Station 6”, one of only seven facilities of its kind on the NC coast. This building housed one keeper with a crew of six surfman who’s only job was to rescue those off this dangerous coastline. They risked there lives everyday patrolling the unpredictable waters.

Later this building was used as an active weather bureau and is where the Wright Brothers got the information on whether the conditions were right for their experimental flights. In 1903, after successful first flights, they came here to send their telegraph.

This restaurant was named the Black Pelican after the legend that a black pelican was spotted during a “Nor’easter” circling the coastline showing the men where the shoreline was located. This black pelican guided many a man through blinding storms and stayed with men until they were rescued. The first keeper, W. D. Tate kept an actual log of seeing the black pelican during terrible storms. When the Greek tank steamer, Kyzikes was sinking on December 3, 1927 the bird was spotted by the crew of the ship and stayed with the men until they were rescued. Back in the middle ages, the Pelican was considered a symbol of love, charity, and sacrifice. That description seemed to fit.

A wonderful bird is the pelican,

His bill will hold more

than his belican,

He can take in his beak

Food enough for a week,
But I’m damned if I see

how the helican.

By Dixon Lanier Merritt

This restaurant is open for lunch and dinner. It is not just a fantastic restaurant but a national treasure. They have a nice gift shop to check out either while you wait or after eat. We highly recommend this restaurant.

“So cast your gaze upward

Have no fear of nature’s wrath

Such a beacon of hope and security does exist

And will someday appear to all who seek

This beloved bird on the Bank…

The Black Pelican.

By Lisa Haraburda