NAGS HEAD, N.C. — It's not an uncommon sight to see Kill Devil Grill filled with people inside and out during the peak summer season. But the locals usually steer clear until the crowds of summer dwindle, that's the case at many Outer Banks restaurants. The owners of Kill Devil Grill have now opened a sister restaurant called South of KDG (Kill Devil Grill) Kitchen and Bar, keeping in mind the people who call OBX home year-round.
"The locals don't come in in the summer, and that really bothered me. That was really what this was about, was having a place where locals could come, not only in the local season, but in the summer, and that we would accommodate them better than we can do at Kill Devil Grill," said Brett Babick, managing director of Iconic Restaurant Group's southern division.
South of KDG will be serving many of the favorites that KDG boasts, but also some cuisine of its own.
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"It's really about south of the border, South Pacific, I call it like surfer soul food kind of vibe, right? So having the Kill Devil Grill staples with these just bright, colorful, South American expressions of seafood and different dishes in one place," said Babick.
But it’s not every day that a new restaurant pops up in the Outer Banks, especially during the off-season. But that’s exactly what the restaurant has done and that’s partly so they are ready for the busy summer season.
“A lot of people would think, Oh, you want to open in the busy season so you get all those sales. But if you flip the script and you think about more of a longer term sustainability, you want to open the restaurant when you know you can truly deliver extraordinary experiences to every guest. You only get one chance to make that, wow, first impression, right? And so far as you can tell, hopefully we've done it here,” Babick explained.
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The restaurant workforce is also competitive in the summer, the off-season allows for more time and training to provide the unforgettable experience that guests have come to expect at Kill Devil Grill and now at South of Kill Devil Grill.
“We were pleasantly surprised with just the amazing caliber of both back of the house, of the cooks that we got and the front of the house servers, we got great talent, I mean, beyond what I would have expected,” said Babick.
It’s also a breath of fresh air for the workers in the restaurants.
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“It’s pretty exciting actually and a lot of our locals are really excited as well. Like you said, most restaurants do close in the winter and it just opening up, it’s going to be a big, big deal," said Marizol Muniz, a server at the restaurant.
Kill Devil Grill has set the bar for restaurants in the Outer Banks and the owners hope that South of Kill Devil Grill, alongside it, can do the same.
“We want people telling stories about their time. Our goal, is in a year, that the best two restaurants in the Outer Banks are Kill Devil Grill and South of Kill Devil Grill.”
You can learn more about the restaurant at their Facebook page here and website here.
