From a humble hot dog stand to an elevated dining experience, one Hatteras Island restaurant has dramatically transformed local fare since its inception more than 50 years ago.
Leaps and bounds from its origins, The Froggy Dog Restaurant – a refined bar and grill in Avon – offers a family-friendly dining atmosphere with everything from local seafood to curated five-course wine dinners.
Julia Taft and Blake Taft, a mother-son duo and longtime Hatteras locals, purchased The Froggy Dog in 2019. The restaurant had been a staple spot in Avon since the 1970s, and the Tafts tried to keep its old-school feel while expanding its menu to offer more than the typical seafood restaurant.
Kicking off their seventh season as owners of The Froggy Dog, the Tafts have upgraded previous offerings and installed an extensive new wine cellar.
“Last summer, we finished our fully climate and humidity controlled walk-in wine cellar,” says Blake, who is a certified sommelier. “It’s the only one of its kind on the island. We started with only four wines – two whites and two reds – but now offer a progressive wine list with multiple options for each varietal.”
Alongside their expansion of internationally sourced wines, The Froggy Dog now hosts monthly wine dinners with expertly curated pairings for both serious foodies and casual wine lovers.
“Our monthly wine dinner program is an intimate setting capped at about 30 guests,” Blake says. “It’s a five-course wine dinner where each course is perfectly paired with a glass of wine. We create a fine-dining feel with an elegant style menu and expertly crafted wines to ensure a beautiful experience.”
The popular wine dinners garner eager anticipation, and often waitlists, as the menus are released three to four weeks beforehand and enjoyed by reservation only.
For a more intimate experience, The Froggy Dog hosts chef’s table dinners inside the wine cellar, capped at six guests.
“The executive chef and I take care of the service, serving more elegant dishes with a prix fixe menu,” Blake says.
The chef’s table, the only table in the wine cellar, can be booked in advance for virtually any night or occasion.
For this cool experience, in more ways than one, Blake recommends bringing a sweater; the wine cellar is kept between 55 and 60 degrees.
During the summer season, Blake also hosts a weekly blind tasting, so you can come in and taste wines while learning a bit about them.
As for dining at The Froggy Dog, you are invited to take a leap from common offerings into adventurous culinary journeys curated by a passionate vision and staff. The kitchen sources local tuna, mahi and many other fresh-caught fish.
“We partner with Jeffrey’s Seafood to bring in fresh fish as often as possible, and we serve oysters from local oyster farmers in Buxton,” Blake says, adding that the oysters come in fresh from the sound three to four times a week.
Another local product they are proud to serve in some of their dishes is locally harvested salt from Hatteras Salt Works.
For special events and large family gatherings on the island, or even just quiet nights at home, The Froggy Dog provides off-premise catering, takeout and delivery.
“We deliver catering orders anywhere on Hatteras Island,” Julia says, “Most of the restaurants down here don’t do takeout, but we accept pickup orders throughout the summer season online or over the phone.”
For those ready to party, The Froggy Dog is the place for nightlife in Avon, hosting themed events, trivia and live music.
Kim Kalman, who’s been playing at The Froggy Dog since 2019, plays outside (weather permitting) on Wednesday and Friday nights from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Micah Iverson plays in the pub on Monday nights.
The Froggy Dog hosts trivia nights throughout the summer and does a couple of ’80s nights with accompanying trivia. On July 31 they go all out for the Harry Potter Birthday Celebration and decorate the bar like Hogwarts.
For the late-night crowd, there are summer karaoke nights on Wednesday and Thursday from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Karaoke attendees must be 21+ with a valid ID.
“Karaoke at The Froggy Dog is an institution on the island, so we definitely keep that going,” Julia says. “There’s very little to do these days in Avon for late-night offerings, so we’re happy to be able to provide a fun setting for that.”
While maintaining a relaxed, easy-going atmosphere, The Froggy Dog remains a core Hatteras Island restaurant and gathering place where delicious cuisine, fine wine, live music and a thriving nightlife scene come together.
(252) 995-5550 | FroggyDog.com
40050 NC Hwy 12, Avon
About the Author Gabrielle Giannone
Gabrielle Giannone is a contributing writer for OuterBanksThisWeek.com. She moved from Virginia to the Outer Banks in early 2023. Outside of writing and exploring the area, she is a server at three local restaurants and a fine art painter.
