Fish camps are casual restaurants that specialize in fried seafood, piping hot hushpuppies, and simple side dishes.
These restaurants are often family-run, akin tohometown barbecuejoints, with similar vibes and loyalties.
The original fish camps date back to before World War II in the Carolinas.
North Carolina, Calabash, Captain Nance’s Seafood, fried fish and shrimp lunch.Credit: Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Some of the fishermen saw entrepreneurial opportunities and hired cooks to help out.
Over time, these camps evolved into no-frillsseafood restaurants, a few of which remain in business today.
Some are in the same locations as the old camps, while others moved a little closer to town.
The fare provided hearty servings at reasonable prices.
Coastal fish camps cater to locals and tourists alike.
Fried freshwater fish and seafood hold center stage.
Few places do a better job of frying fish than a fish camp.
The shrimp are flash-fried, only until the batter sets and well before the shrimp overcook.
An order of Calabash shrimp, even a so-called half order, is a towering pile of shellfish.
It’s a fish camp favorite that never goes out of style.
Why Am I Also Served Hushpuppies In Fish Camps?
Some are round, about the size of a golf ball.
Some hushpuppies have a whisper of sweetness, while others are seasoned with finely minced onion.
It takes a lot of hushpuppies to keep a fish camp going.
People are coming for the fish, so side dishes are modest but good.
There’s usually a choice of potato (crinkly fries or baked) and a serving of creamy coleslaw.
Most fish camps offer simple desserts such asbanana puddingandpeach cobbler.
But who are they kidding?
Fish camps keep folks coming back.
