North Carolina Seafood Boil, Fresh and Ready to Steam at Home

North Carolina is where the whole thing started. Topsail Steamer opened its first shop in Surf City in 2017, and the take-home seafood boil grew from there. Today you can pick one up along the coast or inland in Charlotte: a bucket of fresh seafood, packed fresh the morning you get it, ready to spread across the table at home. Order a North Carolina seafood boil, carry it back, steam it up, and pour it out. No shopping. No prep. Just the part everyone came for.

What is in a North Carolina Topsail Steamer steam pot

Every boil starts with a Bay Bucket, our take-home steam pot. Pick one of eight signature Bay Buckets or build your own from shrimp, snow crab, lobster, clams, scallops, sausage, corn, and potatoes. It comes in two sizes: the Low Tider for two to three people and the High Tider for four to six. Everything is portioned and seasoned, ready to steam. Add water to the pot, set it on the stove, and steam it about 40 minutes, then tip it straight onto a table lined with the heavy paper we give you.

Find your North Carolina location

From the coast where it began to the Charlotte suburbs, a fresh boil is a short drive away:

If you are away from the coast, Charlotte and Raleigh will give you that beach-gathering feel. Order ahead on busy weekends, and the pots are packed and waiting.

How the steam pot works: no toil, just boil

A Topsail Steamer boil is built for people who want the feast without the fuss. There is no seafood to clean, no broth to watch, no heavy pot to scrub afterward. Bring the bucket home, set the pot on the stove, add water, and steam it for about 40 minutes. Then the table is loud and the shells are stacking up. The bucket does the work; you just set the table.

Not near a North Carolina location? Ship a boil anywhere.

If your gathering is farther inland, or you want to send a treat to family in North Carolina, Steamer ships nationwide. It is the same Bay Bucket, packed cold and delivered to the door, ready to steam. It travels well for a birthday, a housewarming, or a thank-you to whoever always hosts.

The Topsail Steamer story

It began here, in Surf City, in 2017: one small shop with a big idea, the coastal seafood feast boxed up to take home. It caught on. The concept reached national television with a Season 16 Shark Tank appearance and has grown to more than 10 locations across five states, with its roots still in North Carolina. It is the leading seafood steampot franchise in the country, a category Topsail Steamer built. Family-run from the start, and still founder-led by Danielle Mahon.

Frequently asked questions

What comes in a Topsail Steamer seafood boil?

Every Topsail Steamer seafood boil is a Bay Bucket steam pot filled with fresh seafood, seasoned and portioned, ready to steam. You pick from eight signature Bay Buckets or build your own with shrimp, snow crab, lobster, clams, scallops, sausage, corn, and potatoes. You steam it at home in the pot it comes in, about 40 minutes on the stove, then pour it out. Compared with shopping and prepping a boil from scratch, it is a shortcut with no compromise.

Where can I buy a seafood boil in North Carolina?

You can pick one up on the coast in Surf City or Wrightsville Beach, or inland in Charlotte and Raleigh (coming soon). Order ahead for weekends and holidays, when the beach towns fill up. If you are not close to a location, Topsail Steamer ships nationwide, so a North Carolina gathering can still get a fresh boil at the door.

Do I have to cook it myself?

Only the steaming, which is the easy part. Add water to the pot Topsail Steamer gives you, set it on the stove, and steam about 40 minutes. Everything comes portioned and seasoned, so there is no shopping, no prep, and no seafood to clean. The steam pot is built to hand you the feast without the prep or the cleanup.

How many people does one pot feed?

One Bay Bucket comes in two sizes, the Low Tider, which feeds two to three, and the High Tider, which feeds four to six. For a bigger crowd, order several pots or ask a location about the Party Pot, sized for groups of 20, 30, or 40 and up. With a hungry group, size up.

Can I get a Topsail Steamer boil shipped in North Carolina?

Yes. Topsail Steamer ships nationwide, so you can send a boil to a North Carolina address or order one for your own table when you are away from a Steamer store. It arrives packed cold and ready to steam.

What makes a Topsail Steamer steam pot different from a restaurant seafood boil?

A restaurant keeps you at its table on its schedule, and cooking a boil at home means hours of prep and a pile of dishes. The Topsail Steamer steam pot puts the same fresh spread on your own table, on your own time, with none of the work. As the leading seafood steampot franchise in the country, it is a way of eating Topsail Steamer created.

Ready to gather? Find your North Carolina Topsail Steamer, on the coast or in Charlotte, and order your Bay Bucket, or ship one anywhere in the country. The table is waiting.