The Froggy Dog has been a Hatteras Island restaurant staple for more than 50 years, but what it is today is a far cry from the way it started.
When it opened in the 1970s, The Froggy Dog was a hot dog stand, hence the name. The second owners transformed the restaurant into a family-style seafood restaurant, adding on gradually over the years to establish the legendary building along Highway 12 in Avon.
In 2019 Hatteras Island locals Julia Taft and Blake Taft, a mother and son power duo, purchased the restaurant. Excited to bring their hospitality experience as well as their shared love of food and wine to Hatteras Island, the new owners began updating this timeless restaurant while preserving the much-loved name and the welcoming community atmosphere that locals and visitors had come to love about The Froggy Dog.
Over the past six years, Julia and Blake have elevated The Froggy Dog into something much more than a simple seafood restaurant. The building may look the same as it has for decades, but inside this renovated interior it is a multi-faceted restaurant and pub dedicated to food, wine and fun.
A FAMILY-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT
Serving lunch and dinner daily and brunch on Sundays, The Froggy Dog focuses on top-quality, house-made fare. Under the direction of Executive Chef Brandyn Powers, the kitchen makes nearly everything from scratch.
Still very much a seafood restaurant, The Froggy Dog uses as much fresh, local seafood and local land food as possible. In 2025 they are excited to incorporate Hatteras Saltworks local sea salt in their dishes.
Along with a large selection of appetizers and salads, dinner choices include seafood entrees, Surf & Turf, Filet Oscar and The Mutiny (with five types of seafood), numerous pasta selections and specialty entrees. The lunch menu offers a wide variety of burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches and seafood platters.
The culinary team is always freshening up the offerings to include tasty new dishes and seasonally appropriate specials. New signature dishes this year include Miso Glazed Salmon on a bed of charred baby bok choy and jasmine rice and Hawaiian Pork Tenderloin with grilled pineapple and jasmine rice. There’s also a Thai Shrimp Wrap with sauteed shrimp, sweet Thai chili sauce, veggies and spring mix.
The Froggy Dog is one of the largest restaurants on Hatteras Island, known for its ability to handle events, large groups and families while maintaining its high level of food quality and service.
A WINE DESTINATION
A certified sommelier, Blake has built The Froggy Dog into a wine destination, with one of the largest wine lists on the Outer Banks, monthly wine dinners, wine-tasting events and an in-house wine cellar stocked with hundreds of wines from around the world.
“We are really proud of our wine program and how it is continuing to grow,” Blake says.
His approach to wine is casual and humble. True to Hatteras form, he is approachable and easy-going with an attitude that drinking wine and learning about it is fun.
“My goal is for people to explore and learn about wines in the restaurant,” he says. “I love finding nice, affordable wines that drink like expensive bottles and bringing those to the restaurant for people to try. For me, it’s more fun to find a wine that has value and gives people an opportunity to enjoy it.”
The Cellar at The Froggy Dog
New at The Froggy Dog is a climate-controlled, walk-in wine cellar. Designed to safely store and age wine, The Cellar at The Froggy Dog allows Blake to greatly expand the wine program at The Froggy Dog plus offer tasting events. Customers can enjoy wine tastings in the cellar by reservation in the afternoons. Regularly scheduled for Thursday afternoons are blind tastings, a educational experience that includes charcuterie.
Wine Dinners
Every third Tuesday of the month through Labor Day, The Froggy Dog offers its popular five-course wine dinners, featuring a different wine region each month. For these two-hour, five-course dinners, Blake selects wines from a particular region, and Chef Brandyn creates a menu that goes nicely with the wine. Check the website to see the upcoming dinners, and sign up early as they always sell out.
A PLACE FOR NIGHTLIFE FUN
The Froggy Dog Pub is a favorite gathering spot on the island. The pub has a standout beer selection, craft cocktails and mocktails, a late-night pub menu and 13 TVs.
This popular restaurant has been a hotspot for karaoke on Hatteras Island for nearly 25 years, and that’s not changing anytime soon. On Wednesday and Thursday nights from Memorial Day to Labor Day, the 21+ crowd gathers at The Froggy Dog to sing their hearts out until 1 a.m.
In addition, The Froggy Dog offers live music, ‘80s nights, trivia nights and theme nights.
The most popular theme night is Harry Potter Night on July 31. With a costume contest, themed cocktails and heated rounds of Harry Potter trivia, it’s a much-anticipated summer event.
Be sure to check the website for all the nightlife offerings.
(252) 995-5550
40050 NC Hwy 12, Avon
FroggyDog.com
About the Author Molly Harrison
Molly Harrison is managing editor at OneBoat, publisher of OuterBanksThisWeek.com. She moved to Nags Head in 1994 and since then has made her living writing articles and creating publications about the people, places and culture of the Outer Banks.
