Wine, Dine and Dance in Downtown Elizabeth City
carolina theatre and grille, culture, cypress creek grille, downtown, food, local restaurants, movie theater, streetscape,
Feel like treating friends to your special karaoke rendition of “Stairway to Heaven”? Or maybe supping on sushi?
Perhaps you’re in the mood for live theater‚ or want go dancing to a hot band? Or – wait‚ what about a 2 a.m. breakfast?
In Elizabeth City‚ the easiest answer to the old question “Whadda ya wanna do tonight?” is “everything.”
Nightlife options from mild to wild abound downtown‚ where you’ll find the sidewalks stay un-rolled until the wee hours‚ as local restaurants‚ bars and entertainment venues cater to growing crowds.
“The city really has cleaned up downtown‚ and there’s a lot more to do than there used to be‚” says Kristin Parker‚ 24‚ weekday manager of Cypress Creek Grille and a downtown resident. She says the StreetScape program that spiffed up sidewalks‚ added lighting and other amenities has been a plus.
“Since StreetScape‚ nice shops and places to eat and listen to music have opened‚ and people want to be downtown.”
Parker ticks off a list of spots that visitors or residents of nearly any age might enjoy.
Muddy Waters Coffeehouse on West Main Street attracts coffee-lovers of all ages with poetry nights‚ stand-up comedy nights and bands on the weekend. A pioneer in the downtown renaissance‚ the City Wine Sellar purveys not only wine‚ but baked goods‚ sandwiches and salads in a charming indoor café and‚ weather permitting‚ at sidewalk tables. Live acoustic music is featured on Friday evenings.
“We’ve had interesting local talent‚ and now we’re getting musicians from Raleigh and the beach‚” says owner Debbie Malenfant. “Our crowd is a good mixture of people. On any given night you can see people getting off work having a glass of wine‚ or couples with their kids or a group from the Coast Guard base. We have a very eclectic crowd.”
Malenfant has seen a decided uptick in nighttime business‚ which she says is complemented by surrounding dining and entertainment venues.
“The more business you have in an area‚ the better. Everything’s close‚ so people can jump around from place to place on the weekend. They’ll start here with a glass of wine and an appetizer‚ then maybe have dinner at Cypress Creek Grille and then maybe go to a play at Encore. Later at night we see people at Groupers‚ having a drink on the deck. There’s a lot to do.”
Dining options are varied. Cypress Creek Grille has an extensive menu that features everything from S.O.B.s – shrimp and oysters wrapped in bacon – to roasted pork loin to Key lime pie.
Groupers is known for delicious harborside dining and Toyama Japanese Restaurant for its sushi.
Enjoy a first-run film with supper at the Carolina Theatre and Grille‚ where diners are seated in a special section of the theater and order dinner on tabletop phones.
On nearby Main Street‚ Encore Theatre offers top-notch live productions during the November to May season‚ encompassing everything from farce to musicals and serious drama.
No Friday summer evening would be complete without a trip to Mariner’s Wharf for Harbor Nights‚ where food‚ music and arts and crafts are the order of the evening.
Feel like rocking out? Check out the live music at Levels‚ where a young-ish crowd dances to live bands and displays undiscovered musical talents on karaoke nights. Groupers also draws a lively crowd for music on its outdoor deck. And at Thumpers you can sample the Cajun cuisine‚ perform at Tuesday’s open mic show‚ or shake a leg as bands perform every other Saturday night. You can even wind up your evening with a late-night breakfast from 1 to 5 a.m.
“We don’t tolerate any rowdy behavior‚” says manager Linda Coy‚ “but people dance all over the place‚ wherever they want – except the bar.”
Story by Laura Hill
Photo by Stephen Cherry
