If you want to eat real rib stickin’ Southern food, you must try out these delicious restaurants that serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner in true Southern style!
And if you want to make it a vacation here, to give yourself time to try all these delicious restaurants, check out our latest rental availability. We have many vacation properties to choose from! Bring your family and have an amazing summer on Oak Island.
Fixins OKI
8300 E Oak Island Dr, Oak Island, NC 28465 | (910) 933-1009
Fixins is a local Oak Island restaurant that has mastered the art of Southern comfort food and Southern hospitality through both its exceptional service and mouthwatering dishes. When morning hunger strikes, head to Fixins for breakfast and pair homemade buttermilk biscuits with Rise & Shine breakfast platters, fluffy omelets, and creamy yellow stone ground grits. Their lunch menu is equally impressive, offering the option to build-your-own burgers and salads, or dive into tasty Southern classics like Shrimp N' Grits and Chicken N' Dumplings.
Fixins is committed to bringing fresh and bold flavors to every dish using locally sourced ingredients. Their amazing attention to detail and authentic Southern-inspired taste is what keeps visitors returning time and time again.
Southern, a Gathering Place Kitchen & Bar
105 E Brown St, Southport, NC 28461 | (910) 931-0786
The name speaks for itself– a warm, inviting atmosphere where people are brought together by Southern hospitality and delightful dishes. The menu is constantly changing to celebrate North Carolina’s seasonal ingredients and prepare them with care and creativity.
Appetizers showcase regional flavors through offerings like southern fig flatbread featuring dried figs, pecans, and local country ham topped with artisanal cheeses and honey from Oak Island. In the fall, you can expect standout dishes using ingredients like grass-fed beef from local farms in Winston Salem or seafood dishes prepared with fresh catches from Potter’s Seafood.
With a commitment to authentic Southern hospitality, a thoughtfully crafted seasonal menu, Southern creates an atmosphere designed for creating memories and delivering a dining experience that feels refined and personal.
Cape Fear Boil Company
6402 E. Oak Island Drive, Oak Island, NC 28465 | (910)-250-1069
At Cape Fear Boil Company, seafood lovers discover what locals proudly call "Carolina's Best Pot”! Their signature seafood boils elevate the traditional Low Country boil, beginning with jumbo peel-and-eat shrimp, spicy andouille sausage, red bliss potatoes, sweet corn on the cob, and Vidalia onions and seasoned with their homemade spice blend. Their menu offers a variety of seafood boils ranging from the coastal shrimp boil to the lobster pot using Maine lobster tails.
Cape Fear Boil Company makes it easy to bring a seafood boil to your doorstep with their convenient “Steam Pot To-Go”. All you have to do is place the pot on the stove and you can enjoy a flavorful seafood boil in less than 30-minutes!
Frying Pan
319 West Bay St., Southport, NC 28461 | 910-363-4382
You’ll find Frying Pan serving up a southern coastal dining experience where Cape Fear River and the Intracoastal Waterway meet. This waterfront restaurant serves dishes prepared with fresh, local seafood paired with their savory rave-worthy homemade biscuits. The Seafood Platter also deserves special mention, offering a generous sampling of the kitchen's expertise with various preparation methods—from lightly fried oysters and shrimp to grilled fish and crab cakes.
Frying Pan sets the tone with their welcoming atmosphere and pet-friendly outdoor deck. Every Wednesday, dinner has never been easier with their all-you-can-eat crab legs. Enjoy a memorable dining experience where traditional Southern cooking meets coastal Carolina freshness.
Swain’s Seafood Shack
8317 E Oak Island Dr, Oak Island, NC 28465 | 910-933-6300
Swain’s Seafood Shack is a family-owned restaurant celebrating the Swain family’s heritage with Oak Island residents and visitors. Named in honor of the original Swain Shack that still stands on the island and the iconic Swain's Cut Bridge, you’ll feel like family as soon as you take your seat. When visiting Swain's, you're not just enjoying a meal—you're participating in a longstanding tradition where family bonds, delicious food, and cherished memories merge to create an unforgettable experience.
Stop in and enjoy fresh southern dishes that use local ingredients to consistently deliver your favorite dishes. Their signatures showcase what North Carolina’s waters offer with seafood platters, house-specialty crab cakes, and a plethora of sides to choose from.
Book Your Gateway to Enjoy Oak Island's Southern Classics
After exploring the Southern flavors that Oak Island and the surrounding areas have to offer, we know you're brimming with excitement to plan your first meal during your Oak Island vacaiton. Put yourself in the heart of our incredible Southern food scene when you stay with Better Beach Rentals. With convenient oceanfront vacation rentals throughout Oak Island, you'll be just minutes away from Fixins' Rise & Shine breakfast platters, a short drive to Southern's intimate dinner experience in Southport, and walking distance to the local seafood markets where you can source ingredients for your own coastal cooking adventures.
Book your stay with Better Beach Rentals today and immerse yourself in the authentic flavors, warm hospitality, and rich culinary traditions that make OKI a true Southern food lover's destination.
