About The Dunes Restaurant
Since 1983, Rufus and Roxie Pritchard have owned and operated
The Dunes Restaurant.
Rufus and Roxie met in Nags Head during the summer of 1971. A native of Manteo, Roxie, had returned home from college to work as a hostess at the Seafare Restaurant. Rufus, originally from Elizabeth City, was spending his summer at the beach managing the Ebb Tide Motel. After Rufus laid eyes on Roxie, he had to meet her, and so a one-sided blind date was arranged. They married in the summer of 1973, and soon after Rufus began working for East Carolina Bank. Ten years later the opportunity to purchase the Dunes presented itself to him.
It didn’t take long for the restaurant to become a family-run establishment and a Nags Head Tradition. Rufus began working the early mornings as the head breakfast cook and Roxie was the face of the front door. In addition, their three children, Davis, Patrick and Sarah, started helping in the restaurant at an early age. They loved to crack eggs and prepare toast. They had to stand on milk crates to reach the counters. Today, everyone in the family still contributes to the success of the restaurant.
The Dunes has never been afraid to lead the pack. It was the first restaurant on the Outer Banks to add a retail shop and to become a non-smoking restaurant. Now, after a total rejuvenation, the Next Generation of the Dunes offers a place where Southern Hospitality meets Contemporary Dining. In addition to new items on the menu, the restaurant features a Full Service Bar, “R-Bar”.
