The area has been a culinary paradise since the first explorers saw foot-long oysters and wild grapes along the shoreline some 500 years ago. Wilmington’s port city status brought edibles and influences from around the globe. Rich soils and so much fresh seafood provided added bounty that shaped an eclectic cuisine like no other.
The local foods cooperative Feast Down East makes sure chefs have premium ingredients from area farms. Staff and volunteers connect cooks and devoted growers, assuring diners flavorful ingredients – organic and sustainably raised. Can’t decide what to eat? Mix it up. Creative chefs are rooted in classics, but they’re known for inventing irresistible combinations. And it’s not just them. Master bartenders stir the perfect Old Fashioned or creative martinis. Breweries pour nationally recognized craft beers, and wine flows from award-winning lists. No worries if you’re not an oenophile. Seasoned sommeliers guide you.
Casual and fine-dining establishments pepper the landscape, but no need to dress up or break the bank at either. The buzz-phrase here is “upscale casual.” Khaki pants are fine even at the fanciest restaurants, and affordable prices are everywhere. Beautiful weather most days of the year mean you can dine outdoors in gorgeous settings. Choose sidewalk café tables or a pier extending over the sea. Sit on a riverside deck and watch boats cruise by at sunset. Relax, feel at home and remember to save room for dessert at these restaurants, where the food is always good, the prices are great and you’ll leave satisfied.
Giorgios Hospitality Group is about to revolutionize the dining scene in Wilmington with the highly anticipated debut of G Prime Steak & Cellar, a dynamic steakhouse capturing the essence of Wilmington-style cuisine.
In which the PubScout scopes out Waterman’s Brewing Company in Wilmington.
The PubScout and his OIB crew pay a visit to Leland Brewing Company — and like what they find.
Poe’s Tavern in Wrightsville Beach is an entire restaurant dedicated to the love of Edgar Allan Poe.
Meet John Scott Yada the Executive Chef at Oceanic.
Get ready for Crazy Mason Milkshake Bar, Wilmington’s newest ice cream experience!
The new Prost Biergarten has all the makings to become a long-lasting bar and eatery in Downtown Wilmington.
The PubScout checks out Outer Dunes Brewing in Wilmington and finds some beers he loves.
With an ambiance like the iconic pubs of New York, Philly and Boston, Fox’s Hole in the Wall in Wilmington is a friendly place to grab a beer and a burger.
Panacea Brewing Company, Wilmington’s only kombucha brewery, is celebrating seven years in business.
Ruff Draft is Wilmington’s first and only dog park attached to a bar.
5 Questions with Brian Ballard, owner of Pour Taproom and Ironclad Brewing
Getaway Cafe and Provisions in the Riverlights community, from the creators of Southerly Biscuit Company in Carolina Beach, proves that casual, quick dining and an upscale menu can work together.
Tap Time’s legendary Beer Skool events offer both education and fun.
“Those Who Dare Win.” A sign with those words hangs above a couch shaped like the tail end of a ’57 Chevy in Joe Apkarian’s new craft beer and cocktail bar called The Eagle’s Dare. Named in part for the famous movie starring Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood, this place dares to win and exhorts you to do so too.
The German Cafe in downtown Wilmignton, where you can celebrate all things German all year-round. Located on the ground level at the back end of The Cotton Exchange, this labyrinthine little place exudes old Germany and Bavaria, with food and beverage offerings that will transport you — at least mentally — to Deutschland.
Just be aware that there are some awesome alternatives. And one of them is a place in Wilmington called Hops Supply Co., a gastropub with great food, great beers and great cocktails to complement that fare.
Local hospitality group LM Restaurants is behind some of Wilmington’s most popular restaurants including Oceanic, Bluewater and Hops Supply Company. Though each location offers a variety of different private event spaces and semi-private event spaces able to cater to a slew of different occasions, what unites them all is their commitment to high-quality service and cuisine. Each restaurant employs an executive chef who wields creativity and control of the menus, which have a focus on seasonality to maximize flavor and utilize fresh ingredients.
“At LM Restaurants, not only offers waterfront dining, we also describe our core value as serving with a Heart for Hospitality. This means we lead with people in mind, whether it is for our guest or our team members. Treating people as if they were a guest in our personal home is the level of warmth and personal attention we strive to achieve,” she adds.
Having the courage to try new things isn’t always easy. For Haley Pinder and her husband, Shane, deciding to change course in life and take a leap of faith was the best decision they ever made. The couple opened Chicken Salad Chick in 2019 after relocating with their children from Virginia, a move motivated by their desire to slow down and enjoy life to its fullest.
The George On The Riverwalk recently received a facelift, and it looks fabulous. Edson Munekata took over ownership of the restaurant in January 2022 and officially opened for business in February, after finessing the menu, the service and the interior design.
