High Cotton BBQ is now open for the 2025 season!
Open Tuesday – Saturday 11am–8pm
Dine-in, Take-Out, Catering!
Any trip to North Carolina isn’t complete without North Carolina barbecue. The unique flavor of eastern Carolina style barbecue can be experienced at its very best at High Cotton.
Once you walk in High Cotton BBQ, you’ll work up an appetite. The restaurant is filled with the aroma of slow cooked barbecue. High Cotton BBQ uses Hickory coals to slowly smoke the barbecue, producing a sweet, tender meat that’s pink on the inside and brown on the outside.
The enormous dining room is filled with photographs depicting the heritage of barbecue in North Carolina. High Cotton BBQ offers a very laid back and casual atmosphere, perfect for the entire family. The wood floors and skylight offer an upscale feel to what is truly a southern country dining room with gingham table cloths.
The barbecue is available for dine-in or carry-out. So consider picking up lunch or dinner on the go, and don't forget our down-home seasonal sides!
Nobody Does North Carolina BBQ Like This NC Native
No stranger to the Outer Banks restaurant business, Will Thorp moved to the Outer Banks in 1984. After years spent learning the ropes in culinary school, he began his restaurant career working at Kelly’s and other famous restaurants up and down the beach. In 1989 he opened Tortuga’s Lie and in 1993 he started the Rundown Cafe.
A native of Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Thorp has always had a love and appreciation of real southern food. So in 2002, he found his calling, and decided it was time to open an authentic, Eastern North Carolina Barbeque restaurant right here on the Outer Banks. Nearly 20 years later and the rest is history. High Cotton Barbeque is loved by locals and has become one of the “must visit” establishments for any Outer Banks vacation.
Orders can be placed in person, by phone at 252-255-2275, or at highcottonbbq.com.
THANK YOU for Voting Us a Winner in the 2025 BEST OF OBX Contest!
GOLD – Best BBQ
SILVER – Best Fried Chicken
TAKEOUT FAMILY PACKAGES
Package #1 • $84.99 (feeds 6-8) 1 Pint Hand-Chopped Pork, 1 Whole Fried Chicken, 1 Full Rack St. Louis Cut Ribs, 1 Pint Chopped Slaw, 1 Pint Baked Beans, 1 Pint Green Beans, 8 Hushpuppies, Sandwich Rolls
Package #2 • $124.99 (feeds 10-12) 1 Quart Hand-Chopped Pork, 1 Whole Fried Chicken, 1 Full Rack St. Louis Cut Ribs, 1 Pound Sliced Beef Brisket, 1 Quart Chopped Slaw, 1 Quart Baked Beans, 1 Quart Green Beans, 12 Hushpuppies, Sandwich Rolls
Package #3 • $184.99 (feeds 14-16) 1 Quart + 1 Pint Hand-Chopped Pork, 2 Whole Fried Chickens, 2 Full Racks St. Louis Cut Ribs, 1 Pound Sliced Beef Brisket, 1 Quart + 1 Pint Chopped Slaw, 1 Quart + 1 Pint Baked Beans, 1 Quart Green Beans, 16 Hushpuppies, Sandwich Rolls
Consider High Cotton for catering as well.
The menu offers a great selection for events and holidays.
FULL SERVICE CATERING
Parties of 25 or more.
Full Service Outer Banks catering includes servers who handle the details before, during, and after the meal. We provide cloth-draped tables for buffet-style service, and black iron chafing dishes and baskets to capture that Southern charm. All basic caterings include chopped slaw, baked beans, cornbread, sandwich rolls, and beverage service (tea, sodas, bottled water) as well as paper products. The prices depend on the meats you select.
DELIVERY & SET-UP
Parties of 20 to 50.
Delivery and Set-up for our Outer Banks Catering is exactly as it sounds. We deliver the food, set it up in disposable dishes and the rest is up to you! (Aluminum pans and disposable chafers included for parties of 25+)
Standard side dishes included in price are baked beans, chopped slaw, cornbread and sandwich rolls. We provide paper products. Beverages are NOT included.
WHOLE HOG CATERING
Parties of 50 or more.
We will bring a fully cooked whole hog on a portable smoker to your Outer Banks Catering location for a true Pig Pickin’ experience!
Please call 252-256-2377 with any catering questions OR fill out this form to initiate your catering request.
Restaurant: 252.255.2275
Catering: 252.256.2377
Email: info@highcottonbbq.com
October 9, 2025
This year, the Duck Jazz Festival proudly reaches its 16th anniversary, and with it, we unveil our artistic vision:“Duck Grooves: The Sound of Jazz,” is an electrifying celebration of jazz’s dynamic, ever-evolving nature, set against the stunning backdrop of the Currituck Sound. It’s a fusion of past, present, and future, where the timeless traditions of jazz intersect with the vibrancy of new, innovative sounds. Just as the sound of jazz flows and adapts, so too does the landscape of Duck where the rhythm of the music harmonizes with the natural beauty of the water and the surrounding environment.
For a quick list of local businesses that offer great rainy day activities, check our Rainy Day Listings. Most Outer Banks vacations revolve around the great outdoors, with miles of undeveloped beaches to explore, dozens of watersports, and plenty of activities that thrive under the sun. But even a sunny vacation destination like the Outer Banks experiences a rainy day every now and then, so when the weather drives you off the beach, spend a day exploring these indoor and rainy-day friendly Outer Banks activities.
You’ll find ocean views in an absolute family-friendly property at ‘Hokie Heaven’. Personal touches accent this beautiful property just across the street from the beach! Wait until you arrive and step out onto the deck to take in this awesome ocean view! A day on the beach is a breeze with a quick trip back for bathroom breaks and snacks. Once you’ve had enough sand and sea, relax poolside while those energetic kids splash in the backyard pool. There is a grilling area set up for you in the back yard with a picnic table to enjoy meals together outdoors. This property is maintained by a family that loves their time together and they want you to make your own memories at ‘Hokie Heaven’. Kitty Hawk is a family-friendly location with family activities, movies, Wright Brothers Memorial, skate parks, bike trails, fishing piers, restaurants, and shopping all just a short drive away.Top-Level: Great Room with TV, DVD, Stereo, Wet Bar, Hall Half Bathroom, Kitchen with 2 Dishwashers and Bar seats 4, Dining Table seats 10, King Master Bedroom with TV and Private Deck Access.Mid-Level: King Master Bedroom with TV, Deck Access, and Attached Full Bathroom; Bedroom with Pyramid Bunk/Trundle with TV, shares Jack and Jill Full Bathroom with King Bedroom with TV and Deck Access; Queen Bedroom with TV; Laundry Room.Ground-Level: Covered Parking, Covered Entrance to Mid-Level.Extras: Private Salt Treated Pool (25 x 12), Hot Tub (6), Wireless Internet Access, DVD Player, 2 Dishwashers, Charcoal Grill, Horseshoes, Fireplace Not Operational, No Smoking, PETS NOT ALLOWED, Parking: 4 Cars, Milepost 4, Distance to the Beach: 50 ft.Additional amenity details: Private Pools are open from May 2, 2025 until October 12, 2025 and May 1, 2026 until October 11, 2026. Pool heat is not an option for this property. Hot tubs are available year-round. Fireplace seen in photos is non-functioning and not available for use.All Outer Banks Blue properties provide bed linens and bath towels for a small fee added to every reservation. We provide 1 bath towel and washcloth per advertised occupant. We provide 1 hand towel and 1 bar of soap per bathroom sink. We also provide kitchen towels. Beds are made prior to your arrival, and we provide a starter supply of toilet paper, bathroom soap, paper towels, and dishwasher detergent.Disclaimer: For the safety and security of our guests and property, this vacation rental may be equipped with a driveway-facing surveillance camera.Outer Banks Blue makes every commercially reasonable effort to maintain reliable information about the vacation rental properties we manage. As such, all information and descriptions are subject to daily updates and changes. We are not responsible for changes in furnishing, inventory, and décor implemented by individual homeowners. Photos, virtual tours, and floor plans are meant to be illustrative in nature. All vacation rental information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. If you have any questions please give us a call.
- Kitty Hawk
- 5 Bedrooms
- 3.5 Bathrooms
- Sleeps 14
