Boats docked along the Washington Waterfront.
Little Washington, a Coastal Town With a Growing Food Scene and Gorgeous Views!
Little Washington is one of my favorite coastal towns in North Carolina. It’s colorful waterfront and bustling downtown area have always felt incredibly welcoming and calming to my soul.
As a child we visited Little Washington regularly. My parents also loved this beautiful coastal area that was just a short drive from our hometown of Wilson. My parents would take us to walk down the waterfront and we would often visit the North Carolina Estuarium.
It wasn’t until I became an adult that I began to appreciate the amazing seafood that Little Washington is known for. Their seafood and southern cuisine is such a fixture of the culture and the city of Little Washington which is why I wanted to highlight it with this article.
Now, as with any of these “Where To Eat” articles I must warn you that this is a constantly changing list. If you don’t see your favorite place to eat let us know in the comments below or send us an email (ncfunfoodfamily@gmail.com). We are always looking for new places to visit and we want to highlight as many wonderful restaurants in Little Washington as we possibly can.
History and Location of Little Washington, NC
Washington, NC has a long and beautiful history going back to the Revolutionary War. Little Washington was the original Washington in the Unites States and was the first town to be named after George Washington in 1776.
The town of Washington has burned twice. The first time during the American Civil War and the second time in 1900. Much of the downtown area is original to the rebuild after the fire in 1900. It’s one of the most intact historical downtowns in North Carolina.
Little Washington is known for being situated mainly along the Pamlico River, but you can also see where the Tar River and the Pamlico meet right before the Washington waterfront walkway. These rivers are vital to the history and current culture of Washington, NC. The seafood in Little Washington, NC is some of the freshest you can find!
Now, Alyssa…you keep saying Little Washington when the actual city is named Washington. Yes! It is, but as a local I grew calling it Little Washington. This drives Andrew crazy (he’s from Virginia…), but if you want to appear like a local you’ll say Little Washington too!
Table of Contents
- Little Washington, a Coastal Town With a Growing Food Scene and Gorgeous Views!
- History and Location of Little Washington, NC
- Restaurants in Little Washington, NC
- Desserts and Coffee in Little Washington, NC
- Where To Eat Outdoors In Little Washington
- Other Things To Do In Little Washington
- Time To Plan A Day Trip!
Restaurants in Little Washington, NC
Backwater Jack’s Tiki Bar & Grill
Address: 1052 E Main St, Washington, NC 27889
Hours: Wednesday-Saturday 11am-9pm and Sunday 11am-8pm.
Backwater Jack’s Tiki Bar & Grill is a fixture of the growing food scene in Washington, NC. At Backwater Jack’s Tiki Bar & Grill you can sit outside on the patio where you can often listen to live music or you can sit indoors for a fun, yet quieter, atmosphere. My girls LOVE to sit up on the second floor outdoor deck where they can watch the boats come and go at the boat slip across the parking lot. You can often find this unique restaurant bustling and busy so be prepared to wait if you are visiting at prime eating hours. Don’t worry though the wait is worth it!
The loaded cheese fries are always a hit with our girls…and us if we’re being honest. A few of our other favorite Backwater Jack’s menu items are the mahi mahi sandwich, the coconut shrimp, any of the burgers and of course the Jack’s cuban!
You can find Backwater Jacks full menu by clicking here.
Bill’s Hot Dogs
Address: 109 Gladden St.
Hours: Monday-Saturday 8:30am-5pm.
Bill’s Hot Dogs has been open for almost 100 years which makes them a generational treasure! They began in 1928 and are still serving their famous red hot dogs today! My girls enjoyed watching their hot dogs be cooked and wrapped in paper for them. These hot dogs are a classic and the chili was perfect! You can order all the way or plain like my youngest. We took our hot dogs and walked down to the waterfront to eat. You can do the same or you can find another outdoor eating area from our list below.
Grub Brothers Eatery
Address: 156 W Main St, Washington, NC 27889
Hours: Sunday-Wednesday 11am-9pm, Thursday-Saturday 11am-10pm.
The Grubs Brothers Eatery is located on the main drag in downtown Little Washington, NC. We love the way Grub Brothers has fused southern food with cajun. You’ll find everything from bbq to seafood. Their menu names will no doubt make you chuckle. I mean, what is Possum In The Trash? Or a Nor’Easter? What about the Hot Brown Mess? You’ll have to visit to find out! But trust and believe it’s all AMAZING!
You can find Grub Brothers Eatery’s full menu here.
Down On Mainstreet
Address: 107 W Main St, Washington, NC 27889
Hours: Monday 11am-3pm, Tuesday-Thursday 11am-8:30pm, Friday and Saturday 11am-9:30pm.
This fun and upbeat restaurant aptly named Down On Mainstreet is located on the main street of historic downtown Washington, NC. We have eaten at Down On Mainstreet many times over the years and it’s always busy. They serve casual southern cuisine with a focus on seafood.
Some of our favorite menu items are the house made potato chips, the grilled tuna, the cajun dream pasta and the citrus grilled salmon. You’ll find something for everyone at Down On Main Street!
Want to see Down On Mainstreet’s full menu? You can find it by clicking here.
King Chicken Drive In
Address: 601 Carolina Ave, Washington, NC 27889
Hours: Monday-Saturday 5:30am-9pm and Sunday 6:30am-9pm.
King Chicken Drive In is a local legend. When friends of ours found out that we were trying out the restaurants of Little Washington, NC they said we HAVE to visit King Chicken.
King Chicken Drive In has been a fixture of Washington, NC since 1958. They serve the classic southern cuisine which includes fried chicken, collard greens, butter beans (Andrew said they were the BEST!) and the famous cathead biscuit! King Chicken also sources most of their ingredients locally which we LOVE!
Desserts and Coffee in Little Washington, NC
Val’s Gourmet Baked Goods
Address: 138 S Market St, Washington, NC 27889
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 11am-5pm, Sunday 12pm-4pm.
Let me just start by saying that anytime Val’s Gourmet Baked Goods is opened we have to go and get something. Andrew’s favorite is the banana pudding. I personally love everything! From the cakes to the pudding, cinnamon rolls to the cheesecake. It’s all AMAZING! Val’s Gourmet Baked Goods is also conveniently within an easy walking distance of the waterfront walkway.
Scoops
Address: 217 W Main St, Washington, NC 27889
Hours: Monday-Sunday 11am-9pm
I’m not sure why every time I visit Little Washington I feel like I have to visit Scoops, but I do. Scoops is one of those places that just feels special with it’s ice cream parlor decor, always fresh Hershey ice cream and handmade milkshakes.
Scoops in downtown Washington is the perfect spot to cool down on a hot summer afternoon. Plus, in the winter time they serve a great hot chocolate and coffee for you crazy coffee lovers! So grab a cold (or hot) refreshment and head out to the Washington Waterfront to enjoy the view!
Dairy Palace
Address: 120 Bridge St, Washington, NC 27889
Hours: Monday-Thursday 5am-4pm and Friday-Sunday 5am-9pm.
We just recently tried the Dairy Palace ice cream and it is without a doubt one of our favorite soft serve ice creams in North Carolina. The Dairy Palace has been in historic downtown Washington since 1986 and is a walk up style restaurant, meaning their are no tables!
My favorite is the hot fudge sundae with no nuts and my girls love to get a cup of ice cream. The Dairy Palace keeps it simple with flavors vanilla, chocolate and swirled. We HIGHLY suggest grabbing an ice cream from the Dairy Palace on your next visit to Little Washington, NC!
Giddy Up Coffee House
Address: 1101 Highland Dr, Washington, NC 27889
Hours: Monday-Friday 7am-5pm, Saturday 8am-3pm.
Fun fact, a beautiful, life long friend of mine who I consider to be a god mother to me lives in Little Washington and she invited me to grab coffee from the cutest little gas station turned coffee shop called Giddy Up Coffee House. Also, when I say “grab coffee” I mean I had a hot chocolate, don’t judge me! This beautifully decorated and delicious smelling coffee house is the perfect place to meet with friends, get some mobile work done or to read a book.
Currently Giddy Up Coffee House is located near the hospital in Washington, NC, but they are building a new location in the historic downtown Little Washington area.
Where To Eat Outdoors In Little Washington
The Washington Waterfront
The Washington Waterfront stretches from Pitt Street Brewing Company On The Pamlico and goes past the North Carolina Estuarium. We love to walk along and look at the many different boats that are docked there. You will also find along the Washington Waterfront there are a handful of benches and even swings! These are perfect for a quiet picnic with a gorgeous view.
About halfway down the waterfront there’s a small fenced in park with swings and ship themed slide. This park is called Papa’s Park and is one of our favorite parks in Little Washington, NC. There are also public restrooms conveniently located close by.
Havens Gardens
Address: 1001 Park Dr, Washington, NC 27889
Trust me when I say my girls BEG to go to this amazing playground every time we visit Little Washington. Havens Gardens is an inclusive playground that has multiple climbing features, slides and swings. This park is fenced in on the road side, but unfortunately is not fenced on the water side. Most of Havens Gardens playground is away from the water, but I do wish it was fenced on the water side as well.
There are public restrooms located a short walk from the park and there’s a beautiful pier with an amazing view of the Pamlico (go at sunset!).
Other Things To Do In Little Washington
- Visit the North Carolina Estuarium.
- Hike at Goose Creek State Park.
- Find local wares at Harbor District Market.
- Take a tour of the Underground Railroad Museum.
- Window shop in downtown Washington, NC.
- Visit the many Art Galleries.
Time To Plan A Day Trip!
We are excited for all the new and exciting food in Washington, NC and we know you are too! Now is the time to pick out a restaurant to add to your next North Carolina day trip itinerary and explore a new North Carolina town.
If you found this article helpful please let us know by either commenting below or you can email us at (ncfunfoodfamily@gmail.com). We would love to hear from you!
Please remember that this list is constantly changing and evolving. If you don’t see your favorite restaurant please let us know so we can visit it. If you own a restaurant and would like us to come see you please email us at the email above.
Thank you for being you!