Located just over the bridge on the Intracoastal Waterway, Bluewater is a sprawling two-story restaurant that offers great food with a panoramic view of the waterway that you won't want to miss. Open daily for lunch and dinner year round, Bluewater serves hearty American cuisine with a distinctly coastal flair in a tastefully nautical atmosphere. Lunch or mid-day snack choices include a dozen tasty appetizer selections (the hot crab dip is a must), numerous salad options, soups and chowder, sandwiches and generous lunch-size entrees. The coconut shrimp plate and the seafood lasagna are excellent choices, but the lump crab cake entree is incredible. Bluewater's dinner menu is equally generous in its choices and, while fresh-catch seafood is an obvious feature, the restaurant also excels with prime rib and steak entrees, chicken and barbecue baby-back ribs. Seating is available indoors on two floors, on a waterside patio downstairs and an intimate covered terrace upstairs. Bluewater has all ABC permits and serves a full range of imported and domestic wine and beer.

Located at the foot of the Wrightsville Beach drawbridge on historic Airlie Road, The Bridge Tender Restaurant features the finest steaks and seafood with a spectacular panoramic view of the Intracoastal Waterway. Since 1976, this fine casual-dining establishment has earned its reputation for excellence through careful attention to detail, unparalleled cuisine and impeccable service. The Bridge Tender offers inside and outside dining with unobstructed views of the marinas, boats and waterway. The dinner menu includes a wide variety of appetizers and entrees along with several nightly specials. Served from 11:30 AM daily, the lunch menu has everything from salads and sandwiches to fresh seafood entrees. If you're in the mood for something lighter, visit the waterfront bar and deck to sample one of the unique appetizers as well as a selection of specialty cocktails. The Bridge Tender caters large and small events and is the perfect setting for a rehearsal dinner. The Bridge Tender serves lunch Monday through Friday and dinner nightly and is a non-smoking restaurant. Nautical enthusiasts can glide right up to the adjacent dock and go from sea to seat in a matter of steps, making this one of the truly unique dining locations in the region.

Full of character and friendly service, Causeway Cafe offers possibly the best breakfast in Wrightsville Beach. Traditional made-to-order egg plates are hearty and standard fare. Choose from 15 different omelets, including the Carolina Blue Crab and Beefy Vegetable as well as traditional options, made from three eggs and cheese, served with hash browns or grits. Not in the mood for eggs? The giant specialty Belgian waffles, in nine mouthwatering flavors, malted pancakes and French toast are tasty alternatives. Lunch options include daily blackboard specials, sandwiches and salads dominated by fresh seafood. Subs, burgers, steak and other sandwiches are also good choices. A children's menu is available for children younger than 10. In-season and on weekends off-season, be prepared to wait for a table. It's worth the time spent on the covered front deck, and the folks at Causeway thoughtfully provide complimentary coffee. Open seven days a week for breakfast and lunch, Causeway Cafe is located near the drawbridge beside Redix beach store. They do not accept credit cards.

The view of the Intracoastal Waterway alone is worth a trip to Dockside. But if you're craving delicious and well-prepared local seafood, you'll also find the dining experience to be a mouthwatering adventure. The menu, not surprisingly, is dominated by fresh seafood. Broiled or fried (lightly coated with fine cracker meal) combination platters, snow crab legs, shrimp Creole and the popular Baja tuna are just a few of the dinner options. The seafood lasagna, a Dockside favorite, is definitely worth a try. Ask your server about the day's fresh catch, and check Dockside's special board for daily soup, sandwich, wrap and chef's specials. The lunch menu, available all day, is a generous listing of soups, salads, sandwiches and house specials, including broiled or fried seafood plates, served with french fries and cole slaw. Be sure to try the homemade Key lime pie. A children's menu is available. Dockside has all ABC permits, wine, and imported, domestic and draft beers. Seating is spectacular anywhere in the restaurant, but you have a choice of indoors with a view, on the outdoor deck along the ICW or outdoors under the canopy. Dockside is open daily for lunch and dinner.

Fish House Grill is a throw back to the fun, old-fashioned "fish shacks" of yesteryear, according to owner John McLatchy. Formerly Airlie Seafood Company, the Fish House features seafood platters, sandwiches and burgers along with traditional favorites. The restaurant's casual atmosphere matches the new, budget-friendly prices with items ranging from $5.99 to $11.99. Enjoy the same breathtaking views of the Intracoastal that have made the location a favorite of locals and visitors for many years, with plenty of outdoor seating along the water. Fish House Grill offers a great value without sacrificing quality, as all food is made daily from scratch. Join them for lunch or dinner, seven days a week.

King Neptune has been in business since 1946, outlasting hurricanes and the competition but not its appeal. From soups and chowders to steamers, platters and hearty specialties that include steaks, King Neptune focuses on seafood and does it well. The dining room is large and bright, decorated in Caribbean colors, with local art, beach umbrellas and photographs. The children's menu is unique in that it was selected and decorated by the third and fourth grades of Wrightsville Beach Elementary School. After dinner, the adjoining lounge is lively and offers perhaps the widest selection of rums on the Cape as well as an international selection of beers. King Neptune serves dinner seven days a week and offers senior citizen discounts. Free parking is available in the lot across the street.

Few culinary experiences are as delightful as dining on the pier at the Oceanic, and there's nothing better than a pier table in the moonlight. By day, as pelicans and seagulls kite overhead and the surf crashes below, you could be enjoying a chilled beverage, fresh blackened tuna or some of the region's most acclaimed crab dip. Should the weather turn angry, the Oceanic's three floors of indoor seating offer breathtaking panoramic views. The Oceanic offers a menu that is satisfying, delicious and dominated by fresh seafood. From entree salads, seafood platters and specialties to chicken and steaks, the menu is quite varied and includes items for kids. Entrees include a variety of extras ranging from salads, seafood gumbo and heavenly she-crab soup to hush puppies, slaw, rice pilaf, vegetables, potatoes and confetti orzo. The Super Duper Grouper, pan-seared grouper in a crust of cashew nuts and sesame seeds served over celery mashed potatoes with roasted red pepper butter, is just one of the popular selections. Nightly specials feature fresh-catch seafood that can be grilled, sauteed, blackened or prepared with Cajun spices. Full bar service, including domestic and imported beers, is available, and the juices used in mixed drinks are squeezed fresh daily. Those seeking the perfect margarita should definitely stop here. The Oceanic also offers a generous wine list, with most available by the glass. The maritime decor features replicas of historic newspapers, the aerial photography of Conrad Lowman and a spectacular Andy Cobb sculpture of a huge copper grouper. Lunch and dinner are served daily with brunch served on Sundays. Parking is free for patrons; towing of all other cars is strictly enforced.

South Beach Grill offers exquisitely prepared fare in an exotic coastal ambiance. The decor is marked by rich colors with fresh flowers on each table and dark wood tables and armchairs. The location, immediately south of the fixed bridge near the center of the beach, is convenient and overlooks Banks Channel, which is especially nice at sunset from the patio tables outside. Most important, meals are tasty, healthy and creative, emphasizing fresh-catch seafood, poultry and beef, plus burgers, sandwiches, wraps and an array of interesting appetizers, such as crab meat nachos served on flour tortillas or South Beach's original fried pickles served with ranch dressing. All lunches include french fries or homemade potato chips; dinner entrees include a choice of house or Caesar salad. Lunch and dinner specials are offered daily. South Beach Grill has a children's menu and all ABC permits. Take-out orders are welcome. South Beach Grill opens for lunch and dinner daily. Reservations are accepted.

Trolly Stop, a beach tradition since 1976, offers hot dogs in a surprising array of choices. How about a Surfers Hot Dog with cheese, bacon bits and mustard? Or go Nuclear with mustard, jalapeno peppers and cheese on your dog. Want something more traditional? The North Carolina Hot Dog is as Tarheel as they come with chili, mustard and cole slaw. Trolly Stop offers a specially produced Smithfield all-meat dog, all-beef Sabrett dogs, no-carb veggie dogs and low fat/no-carb turkey dogs. Other popular items include a black bean burrito and nachos with toppings. The Wrightsville Beach location is open daily.

When it comes to tasty sandwiches, burgers and fries, why go for fast food when you can sample the succulent fare at Two Guys Grille? The burgers are sumptuous and come in several varieties, including a black bean burger. And while you're at it, try the knockout Philly cheese steak (also with a black bean option). In addition to several chicken, cheese and corned beef sandwiches, there are also a number of fish sandwiches on the menu, including the saucy grilled Cajun catfish. Toss in eight different salad choices and a heaping helping of good ole banana puddin', and you've got one of Wilmington's best quick stops for lunch or dinner.

The Smith family hoped to create a restaurant that would be the type of place they would like to dine, and their flagship establishment fits that bill to a tee. The all-American atmosphere at Wrightsville Grille is just the sort of place that families crave, featuring numerous bits of standard fare inspired with a bit of the Smith family twist. You'll go nuts for their signature crab dip appetizer as well as their seared rare sashimi tuna. The almond chicken salad is delectable, as are the Carolina crab cake sandwich and the sumptuous Tar Heel Blue Burger, a bleu cheese and bacon burger cooked to perfection. For dinner entrees, the Shrimp Fra Diavolo features a spicy marinara over angel hair pasta and the Filet Mignon Tournedos showcases succulent beef medallions served with tangy onion rings. Top off your meal with the chocoholic special, a coma-inducing sweet treat that will have you marking Wrightsville Grille at the top of your beach dining list.