Not sure what sounds good for dinner? Elizabeth City’s restaurateurs certainly don’t make it easy for you. From classic American cuisine to Asian flair, this place has plenty to choose from when it comes to dining out.

Toyama Japanese Restaurant

Known up and down the East Coast for its amazing sushi bar, you can find everything from sashimi and shogayaki to tempura and teriyaki at Toyama Japanese Restaurant. The kid-friendly environment makes dining here a great experience for the whole family, and the wait staff gets rave reviews as well.

Sidney’s Café & Bistro

One of the newest entrants to the local scene is Karen Patrick, who opened Sidney’s Café & Bistro in September 2011. Perhaps best described as all-American with a twist, Sidney’s serves as an outlet for this foodie’s desire to take the ordinary and make it special.

“I’ve been cooking my whole adult life, and it’s really my passion,” Patrick says. “At Sidney’s, we mix it up. Our Reuben is made with pastrami, for example, and the BLT comes with a pesto aioli rather than just plain mayo. I like for food to challenge the taste buds.”

And for those who might be wondering, the restaurant’s namesake is Patrick’s cat, as well as her hometown of Sidney, Ohio.

Cypress Creek Grill

Since 1997, locals in the know have kept the Cypress Creek Grill hopping. Begun by Bobby and Jane Plough in 1997, the restaurant’s menu showcases the Texas roots of its owners, with a little bit of seaside thrown in just to keep things interesting.

“We’ve got a brisket, which is kind of our signature dish, but we also are known for our crab bakes,” Bobby Plough says. “They’re Gulf style, so we spice them up; it’s not what you’d expect if you’re used to the Maryland version.”

Spicy is usually the order of the day around here, and because fresh seafood’s literally outside the door, Plough says he finds lots of ways to blend cultures and cuisines to test the local palate. That also means adding new things to the menu, such as a smaller-portion area, for those who might be dieting or cutting back on their dining budget.

“People around here know their seafood, so we have to work to keep them interested,” he says. “But we’re 15 years old now, so I’m starting to think that we’re going to make it.”