Wilmington Packs Big City Flavor

There was a time when good barbecue, fried chicken and sweet tea sufficed for a good dinner out. And, hey, that is still plenty true here in the Carolinas. Not claiming otherwise! But the Port City is fast becoming a foodie destination for those seeking, not avoiding, temptation.

Even the James Beard Foundation agrees. In 2023, they named two local chefs as semifinalists for Best Chef Southeast: Dean Neff of Seabird and Keith Rhodes of Catch. Then, a year later, James Beard returned to the Port City, pushing Neff to the final round for its 2024 Outstanding Chef Award. Though he didn’t win, Dean Neff’s nomination for this prestigious national award will keep him, Seabird, and the Wilmington foodie scene in the spotlight for some time.

Not to be left out, Catch was named by USA Today on its list of 2024 Restaurants of the Year, one of only 47 restaurants nationwide to be so honored. 

But our national accolades even include barbecue and fried chicken. For its good old fashioned buffet, Wilmington’s own Casey’s Buffet finished number two in the country for USA Today’s Top 10 All You Can Eat. Belly up and enjoy.

And there’s more!

In 2022, Yelp released a list of top ten small towns with big flavor and Wilmington made the list! 

If you are eager to test that ranking, downtown Wilmington is the place to start. Any list must begin with manna, the first and only restaurant in Wilmington to receive the prestigious AAA Four Diamond Award year after year after year. From their creative mixologists getting things started to the executive pastry chef serving a sweet finish, the menu reflects Chef Carson Jewell’s creativity and fearlessness with every plate.  

Not far from manna is Neff’s Seabird which pairs locally sourced, in-season seafood with creative vegetable dishes made from the freshest local produce.

A few doors away is Pinpoint, where Neff was an original partner. Pinpoint is known for a menu that changes daily and a selection of local raw oysters on the half shell and fresh seasonal dishes.

Other downtown destinations to try: Circa 1922, with a full menu from land and sea; Fork n Cork, A Guy Fieri favorite for creative burgers; Olivero, a new restaurant opened by a celebrated Raleigh-based chef that features the flavors of Spain, Italy and New Orleans to rave reviews; and Savorez, which recently earned "the best new restaurant to try in North Carolina" by BuzzFeed.

If you're craving a great burger, Mess Hall is the place to go, while Slice of Life will satisfy your pizza cravings. Wilmington's food scene offers a delicious variety, from these local favorites to food trucks at breweries, ensuring there's something to please everyone’s palate.

If you have a taste for international cuisine, visit Quanto Basta and Tarantelli’s for authentic Italian; Caprice Bistro for traditional French. For southern-inspired cooking with a modern twist, try the Basics.

Just two miles from downtown you’ll find Indochine. Long a favorite of Wilmington locals, this reliable and acclaimed Thai and Vietnamese restaurant has an outstanding menu that is equaled by its authentic ambiance. The garden, with its lotus pond, is the stuff of dreams and makes the reliable wait so delightful. 

Further up Market Street, you’ll encounter the James Beard nominee Keith Rhodes and Catch. Rhodes appeared on Bravo TV’s "Top Chef." Catch, is a must-visit for its modern seafood cuisine and international flair. Vouching for that is international food vlogger Mark Wiens, who produced an hour-long video, one of the longest on his channel, about Wilmington seafood and Chef Rhodes. In a week, it had 1 million-plus views. Watch it here!

South of downtown, you’ll encounter Wilmington’s South Front District, with Benny’s Big Time Pizzeria. This is PBS Chef Vivian Howard’s foray into the Wilmington dining scene. Benny’s is right around the corner from South Front Tavern, offering a menu with regional cuisine from across the country, and Ellipsis, a clever new idea in dining: a pop-up restaurant space that will change its menu every 12 weeks. Pre-game at Satellite Bar & Lounge, a Wilmington favorite. 

Head a little further south along the Cape Fear River to the Riverlights community with its own dining scene. Smoke on the Water is a favorite local venue featuring a mix of seafood, smoked and signature BBQ recipes with a New Orleans flair and unbeatable sunset views over the river. Nearby, find Girls with Dough, a flatbread pizza and pasta eatery and the Getaway Café, for inspired breakfast and lunch dishes. 

Wilmington also recently celebrated the opening of its first fine-dining vegan eatery, The Green House. Here plant-based dishes center around modern American cuisine with a Southern flare, and ingredients from its on-premises greenhouse. 

Head toward Wrightsville Beach to find Origins, one of many local restaurants opened by Wilmington’s own Ash Aziz, who has rightly earned his place at the top of Wilmington’s food chain. Another Aziz destination, Perla, is a favorite new raw bar in this part of town.

Port Land Grille, Brasserie de Soleil (another Aziz fav) and Kipos, are located in the charming shopping and dining atmosphere of Lumina Station. Across the street is G-Prime, a top-of-the-line steak and seafood restaurant. And, don’t leave the beach without trying Ceviche’s, a local favorite serving what it sounds like; and Jerry’s, a fine dining restaurant, tucked in an unassuming strip center, but so worthy of a special occasion night out.

Seeking water views of the ocean or its tributaries? Grab a table at Bluewater Grill or the Bridge Tender along the Intracoastal, or at the Oceanic, where seats on its extended pier over the Atlantic make for great people, pelican and surfer dude viewing.

Can’t decide? Wilmington has that covered, too. Join the Taste Carolina tour.  You’ll sample an eclectic assortment of downtown restaurants, enjoy food and drink, meet the city’s best chefs and learn more about why the Port City is becoming a food lovers destination.

Or enjoy the Tasting History Tour, a guided walk through the streets of Carolina Beach with tastings at the most popular restaurants of Pleasure Island.

Indeed, there are all kinds of reasons to love Wilmington. And its food culture is surely one of them. That is to say nothing about its growing brewery and distillery scene. We’ll save that for another day. So much to eat and drink in this merry little town!