Stew on the Intracoastal Waterway

From the Intracoastal Waterway, Dockside is an alluring destination.

Imagine stopping for lunch on the Intracoastal Waterway and finding Brunswick stew on the menu. That possibility can happen in Wrightsville Beach, NC, if you stop at Dockside Restaurant and Bar. 

Customers can arrive by boat dockside ...

... or enter through the front door streetside.

Located on the westside of the waterway just south of US Highway 74/76, the restaurant attracts boating customers daily who may be as interested in boat fuel, power, ice, or other essential supplies as in lunch or dinner. A dining customer, on the other hand, usually arrives in search of great seafood and a cold beverage.

Tables on the deck by the waterway are popular.

When I began reviewing the menu, I was immediately attracted to blue crab and corn chowder listed in the soup category. Then “Uncle Satch’s Brunswick Stew” caught my attention. Even though its ingredients of pulled pork and chicken, corn, lima beans, potatoes, and tomatoes seemed ordinary, I was curious to know more about Uncle Satch. Although Dockside is better known for its seafood, any stew named for an uncle is worth a try.

“Uncle Satch’s Brunswick Stew” is a tasty choice.

The menu claims to support local growers at Xanadu Farms, but the vegetables in the stew seemed to be canned (typical today for most situations) rather than fresh from local suppliers. However, the stew was dense with its tasty ingredients, although more tomato content would have made the stew even richer.

Who Uncle Satch is still remains a mystery to me; however, I am now a fan of the stew that bears his name. If you are driving, boating, or even riding a bike near Dockside, stop in for more than seafood – try the stew, which definitely complements any sandwich or entree. On my next visit, I may even try the chowder – after I have another helping of Brunswick stew.

Across the street from Dockside, an elegant, tall, old tree laden with Spanish moss greets visitors arriving by car or bike.