wHERE IT ALL BEGAN...

Brantley P. Norman, Sr. came to Oriental at the age of six from Lukens Island, NC. Sylvia Boyd Norman was originally from Arapahoe, NC. Sylvia worked at Carolina Telephone Company in New Bern, NC after high school. They were married on June 1, 1958. They have three children, seven grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. 

Brantley Sr. worked many jobs throughout his lifetime which included working on a shrimp boat in Florida. He later purchased his own trawler named the Ken Mason. 

After returning from Florida with Mr. Brantley, Mrs. Sil took a job with Sagner's Sewing Room in New Bern, NC. In 1959, Mr. Brantley took a job at Commodore Boat Company in New Bern, NC. Unfortunately, a short while after he took the job, the company was destroyed by a fire. As for a few of Mr. Brantley's next endeavors, he leased and ran the Texaco Station in Oriental, NC. He and Mrs. Sil later opened Norman's Grocery and then added their first little eating establishment. It was connected to the grocery store and called The Harborview Galley. 

In 1978, the young entrepreneurs built and opened "The Village Restaurant." For eleven years, working seven days a week, the Norman's served great food and good fellowship to the people of Oriental and surrounding areas.

In 1989, they sold "The Village Restaurant" and started a wholesale seafood business named "Norman Seafood, Inc." It was ten years into the seafood business when Mrs. Sil was itching to get back into the kitchen and provide good food to the community. On the same property as "Norman Seafood, Inc.", they built a small, mostly take-out, establishment called "Mrs. Sil's Kitchen." As the business grew, they added on creating a small dining room. It wasn't long before the business was busting at the seams. It was around 1999 that the Norman's decided to go back home to the original "Village Restaurant" carrying the name "Mrs. Sil's Kitchen" with them. Years later they changed the name to "Brantley's Village Restaurant."

Brantley Sr. passed away in July of 2018 after fighting a battle with lung cancer. Sylvia Norman still works everyday. In 2010, Mrs. Sil's Lemon Pie was named Our State Magazine's best dish in Pamlico County. She is referred to as the "Pie Lady" and serves up fresh homemade chocolate, coconut, and lemon pies daily.

Brantley Sr. and Mrs. Sil's children and some grandchildren have worked in the restaurant industry but moved on to different careers. Some of their grandchildren still help them on the weekends and when they are needed.

Brantley Norman, Jr. , the youngest of three children came back to join the business in 2014.

Brantley Jr. and Mrs. Sil are now the owners of Brantley's Village Restaurant. It was, as it remains today, a family and seafood style restaurant. A lot of hard hands-on work have gone into the making of the success of it's family tradition. Brantley's has proudly served the local patrons as well as the tourist who visit the well known town of Oriental for many years.

Mr. Brantley Sr's slogan was always "Great Food, Great Prices, Great Service." 

Mrs. Sil's slogan is "We'll See You Soon." 

Brantley Jr's slogan is "The Tradition Continues."

Brantley's is proud to continue serving the freshest seafood and best home cooking on the east coast. Brantley's is the only full service restaurant in town that is alcohol free. It has always been, and still remains to be, the intent of Brantley's Village Restaurant to create a place with a warm family atmosphere for all customers.