Colington Cafe, Kill Devil Hills — Gluten-Free Review

So, me and my daughter went back to Colington Cafe for an early dinner — a favorite of the locals and a place we remembered fondly from years ago. It had been excellent back then. Cozy, charming, tucked beneath the live oaks — the kind of place that whispers, “you’re on vacation, relax.” It’s like eating at someone’s home on Thanksgiving, and they’ve pulled out every last table and chair to make sure everyone fits. And hey, they even have a separate gluten-free menu now, which felt promising.

We let them know right away: gluten-free, tree nut-free, and dairy-free. They were accommodating and kind, which I deeply appreciate. I ordered the Le Grand Trio ($39) — grilled filet mignon, grilled shrimp, and jumbo lump crabmeat. My daughter had the grilled shrimp with their pineapple mango salsa.

Everything was cooked perfectly. The steak? Medium rare, spot on. The shrimp? Great texture. The crabmeat? Clean and fresh.

But here’s the thing: no flavor. Like… none. Not subtle. Not delicate. Just… bland. No seasoning, no olive oil, no garlic, no zip. Not even a whisper of lemon or salt. I get it — we gave dietary restrictions, but “free of gluten, nuts, and dairy” doesn’t mean “free of all taste.” There are plenty of ways to cook safely without stripping away everything.

It felt like the flavor got tossed out with the allergens.

When the waiter asked, “How was your meal?” I told the truth: “It was utterly tasteless.” He looked genuinely shocked… and then just sort of vanished, leaving us to sit there and, well, savor our blandness.

We left disappointed, wondering how a place with such high hopes could land so flat.

So while the service and atmosphere still shine, the food (at least for us dietary-challenged folks) didn’t hold up. Hopefully it was just an off night… but for now, Colington has slipped off our “must return” list.