Hi,

One of our families favorite places to go for dinner was the Duchess Of Dare Restaurant in Manteo. I remember the staff was so sweet to us and the food was delicious. I still to this day have not had a hush puppy as good as theirs! Does anyone know when they closed?

Thanks,

Doris Walker was the owner originally, for 50 years. Sadly, she had Alzheimer's and the family put the locals fav up for sale. Darn....cannot remember when they closed, maybe 1994? Carol Ann (owns Jolly Roger in KDH) bought it and changed it totally. Did not go over well, so it ended up closing and going back on the market. Malcolm Fearing ended up buying it and turned it into 108 Budleigh. Here is 108's website: [URL]Click to follow link...[/URL] The first photo is a postcard from the 40s of the Walker family in front of the restaurant. I have a photo somewhere when it was a dining car. The second photo is how it looks today from the same spot and the third is a postcard of the inside. The big photo on the wall was taken by Aycock Brown.

Hi, One of our families favorite places to go for dinner was the Duchess Of Dare Restaurant in Manteo. I remember the staff was so sweet to us and the food was delicious. I still to this day have not had a hush puppy as good as theirs! Does anyone know when they closed? Thanks,

All the waits standing in front of the diner, dressed up for Dare Day and went to the street dance after closing (1975). My daughter's grandmother is on the left...Miss Emma. Miss Alma is third from left with Lynn standing next to Alma on the right. Walter Davis once offered Miss Alma quite a bit of money if she would loose weight (one of her favorite customers no doubt) and she did and kept it off! Emma and Alma were best buds and quite the cutups at work. There use to be a suit of armor standing outside at the entrance. When I would walk my dog, she always had to let metal man know who was in control. The Duchess' son, Tom Thumb does catering, fish fries and pig pickin's. He is the best around and yes, he makes the hushpuppies just like they use to be at the diner!

Here is an aerial from 1939. Side note on Ortega's Grill. It was once the Green Dolphin Pub, former Fernando's Ale House and first, this gas station. When they recently redid the pub for the grill, they discovered the old gas stations exterior walls had been encased in the pub walls. You can still see the old wall inside the restaurant. Pretty cool!

Great Photos

Hi,

I can not thank you enough for the wonderful pictorial and history lesson. I did not realize that they had such a long run. I got a little teary eyed here as I have some wonderful memories of going to the Duchess Of Dare with my family. Our home in Southern Shores was originally my Puerto Rican grandmothers and she had it built in the 1970's. I remember many long days at Manteo Furniture while she shopped for furniture. Our home still has some of that furniture! I am sure we all stood out in Manteo my grandmother was a rather tall and flamboyant woman. I always thought of her as a hispanic Endora from Bewitched. It's good to know that the hushpuppies are still going strong!

RIP Stacey Stanton, you are not forgotten.

Wasn't it Walkers Diner before it was the Dutchess of Dare and they just changed the name? We used to go there and the food was always good.

RIP Stacey Stanton, you are not forgotten.

When I worked here the summers of 1981-83 I often ate breakfast there. I hated to hear when they closed in the 90's.

RIP Elizabeth "Stacey" Stanton. Gone but not forgotten.
11/16/1961 - 02/03/1990

RIP Elizabeth "Stacey" Stanton. Gone but not forgotten.
11/16/1961 - 02/03/1990

RIP Stacey Stanton, you are not forgotten.

RIP Elizabeth "Stacey" Stanton. Gone but not forgotten.
11/16/1961 - 02/03/1990

RIP Elizabeth "Stacey" Stanton. Gone but not forgotten.
11/16/1961 - 02/03/1990

I believe another murder, that of a young woman in KDH over 20 years ago, remains unsolved.

Life on the Outer Banks isnt always sunshine and fun.

I believe another murder, that of a young woman in KDH over 20 years ago, remains unsolved.

Life on the Outer Banks isnt always sunshine and fun.

Thanks, ez!

RIP Elizabeth "Stacey" Stanton. Gone but not forgotten.
11/16/1961 - 02/03/1990

This thread goes back to 2008.
I’m assuming that someone close to Stacey periodically posts here to keep her memory alive.
Author John Railey just released Murder in Manteo: Seeking Justice for Stacey Stanton.
It is a deep dive into this decades old murder.
I think he pretty much lays the mystery to rest.
Most likely the murderer had been dead since 2010. Unfortunately an innocent man spent decades in jail for this crime.

Stacey on what would have been your 63rd, you are not forgotten.

So sad and so senseless.

RIP Stacey Stanton, you are not forgotten.

Stacey would be just a couple years younger than me. So sad that she missed out on so many years.

RIP Elizabeth "Stacey" Stanton. Gone but not forgotten.
11/16/1961 - 02/03/1990