Circa 81: Local Flavor & Award-Winning Cuisine.
Circa 81 delivers a premier farm-to-table and sea-to-table dining experience in Morehead City. As a proud member of the Carteret Catch program, we prioritize sourcing fresh, sustainable ingredients from local North Carolina fishermen and farmers.
Since 2010
A History of
Culinary Excellence
in Carteret County
Our commitment to quality has earned us a place among the top-rated restaurants on the Crystal Coast. Notable accolades include:
OpenTable Diner’s Choice: Winner 2011–2020.
TripAdvisor Hall of Fame: Five-time consecutive Certificate of Excellence winner.
Culinary Competitions: Finalist in Fire on the Dock (2013/2014) and Best Dish NC.
Small Business Excellence: Owner Clarke Merrell was named the 2015 Arnold Murray Small Business Person of the Year.
Featured In: Cooking with Paula Deen, Cooking Light, and the NC Visitor’s Guide.
Clarke Merrell
Chef, Owner, Visionary
Chef and Owner, Clarke Merrell, created everything you see at Circa 81, from the custom-built bar, to the ever popular Circa 81 martini, Clarke has his hand in every aspect of Circa 81's operations.
Clarke grew up working in the restaurant industry, as his parents took over operations at Atlantic Beach's DJ Shooters in 1988. Creating memorable experiences for the many guests he has come to know during his culinary career is in his blood. After graduating with a degree in Culinary Arts from the Florida Culinary Institute in West Palm Beach, Florida, Clarke has worked in a variety of restaurants and trained with some of the best chefs in the industry.
In March 2013 Clarke opened up Beaufort Olive Oil Company, offering premium oils and vinegars, exotic salts and specialty provisions, many of which are used in the best-selling dishes at Circa. With three locations, the stores also feature specialty cookware, kitchenware, culinary treats and many of Clarke’s favorite products.
In May of 2014 Clarke rolled out a new food truck called the Dank Burrito, where only the freshest ingredients create new flavor bombs that shook up the quick service food industry. Since its inception, Dank Burrito has opened locations in Morehead City and Raleigh at Transfer Co. Food Hall. Dank Burrito was named 2014 National Food Truck Rookie of the Year and 2016 Best Food Truck Graphic Design by mobile-cuisine.com before franchising throughout North and South Carolina.
In 2019 Clarke also purchased and began renovations on a beautiful private event venue in Indian Beach called Merrell Estate & Gardens, nestled in the heart of the Crystal Coast with grand spaces, expansive greens and a stately, Southern charm. It is a popular destination for weddings and events of all sizes with a variety of unique spaces that flow together to accommodate any celebration or gathering - from an elegant ballroom, to a vast portico for covered outdoor seating or dancing, to a broad lawn infused with native flora, and more.
In 2020, Clarke started doing pop-up meals with Social Q Smokehouse and by early 2021 Social Q had its own location in Morehead City at 4047 Arendell, serving smoked meats and craft barbecue.
In 2023, Clarke opened up Prime Bistro and Wine Bar, an elevated dining experience that marries the classic with the contemporary, featuring wood-fired steaks, fine seafood, house-made pasta, and a robust wine menu.
Clarke was named 2015 Arnold Murray Small Business Person of the Year by the Carteret County Chamber of Commerce. Clarke's goal is for Circa 81 to provide creative, quality, delicious food in a beautiful setting. Offering small plates that are perfect for passing around the table in true tapas style, our dishes are meant to inspire and engage our diners. So, start a conversation, relax and enjoy a fresh take on cuisine. Clarke developed Circa 81 in hopes that guests will try something new and different and truly have a dining experience. Circa 81 offers great wine and cocktails too, with more than 30 specialty drinks on our cocktaileria menu. Our menu also includes medium and large plate selections - delicious sandwiches, homemade soups, local seafood and fresh-made desserts. Circa 81 also offers take-out and catering - just contact us for more details! Gather, Eat, Enjoy.
Liza Merrell
Owner, Head of Hospitality
Liza was born in Des Moines, Iowa and then moved to Raleigh in 1996. Since she was born, Liza and her family spent every summer and many holidays in Atlantic Beach, as her mother is from Eastern NC. Liza attended George Washington University and majored in Women’s Studies and Political Science. Liza was very active on campus and held a variety of leadership roles in GWU student activities. She was a member of Sigma Kappa sorority, where she served as Executive Vice President. While in college, Liza worked on-campus at GWU, for a law firm, and at Springboard Enterprises, as a research intern.
Liza started working in restaurants as a high school job at the age of 15. During college summer break she also worked as a waitress in Atlantic Beach. She and her husband, Clarke, met in 2002 while Liza worked at Shooters restaurant and bar in Atlantic Beach, which was owned by the Merrell family. Liza and Clarke started dating in 2003 and were married in 2009.
After graduating from GWU Liza worked at the Council for Entrepreneurial Development (CED) in the Research Triangle Park, where she was the senior manager for all industry conferences. She then moved to RegEd in August 2006 as an Implementation Project Manager and worked as a remote employee with them until July of 2022.
Liza manages the front-of-house hiring, staffing and reservations for Circa 81 and Prime Bistro. She coordinates all special events and caterings for both on and off-site events and Merrell Estate & Gardens. She also oversees marketing for 81 Hospitality.
Liza and Clarke have two children. Liza is an active partner of One Harbor Church and has served on the Kids Ministry team. She is passionate about serving children in our community and served as a Guardian ad Litem for several years in Wake County. Liza served on the Home and School Association (HASA) Board for St. Egbert Catholic School. She is a former Advisory Board member for Sigma Kappa (Gamma Phi chapter) at NCSU. Liza is a member of the Outer Banks Chapter of National Charity League and Young Men's Service League of the Crystal Coast. Liza loves to travel and spend her days off out on the water or at the beach.
A Values-Centered Culinary Business
Our Local Purveyors
We believe outstanding service starts with the best local partnerships.
Many of our ingredients come from:
- Garner Farms (Newport, NC)
- Blue Ocean Market (Morehead City, NC)
- Allan Benton, Benton Ham (Monroe County, TN)
- Ashley Farms (Winston-Salem, NC)
- Ashe County Cheeses (Ashe County, NC)
- Nelson Blueberry Farm (Bridgeton, NC)
- Anson Mills (Columbia, SC)
- Heritage Farms (Goldsboro, NC)
- Lady Edison (Chapel Hill, NC)
- Spinning Spider Creamery (Marshall, NC)
- Old Mill of Guilford (Oak Ridge, NC)