Our Favorite Restaurants
 

Boca Bay - 2025 Eastwood Road - 910-256-1887

This is a fun spot to go - and the food is great! Owned by the same people as Circa 1922 (Historic District) they offer quite an international menu - pasta, seafood, paella, sushi, calamari, escargot, and shrimp and grits. Don't forget to leave room for their "Colossal Confections"!

$7 to $12. Dinner only.

Port Land Grill - 1908 Eastwood Road (Lumina Station II). 910-256-6056

Port Land has been a hit since it opened a few years ago. It's a popular bar spot, and they offer delicious food in a great setting - a meat lovers menu!

$17 to $28 (A la carte). Dinner only.

The Bridge Tender - 1414 Airlie Road (next to the drawbridge). 910-256-4519

The Bridge Tender has been here for years, but it was recently remodeled. It's a popular fish and steak house with great views of the Intracoastal Waterway. Be sure to ask for a table with a view!

$17 to $24. Lunch and dinner.

Savannah’s – 530 Causeway Drive, Wrightsville Beach. 910-256-6464

Savannah’s is owned and operated by the owners of South Beach Grill and offers delicious meals in a more upscale setting. Regional favorites with an emphasis on delicious and unique seafood entrees have made Savannah’s a favorite with locals and tourists. Call for reservations during peak seasons!

$17 to $24. Dinner Only.

Brasserie Du Soleil– 1908 Eastwood Road (Lumina Station II), Wilmington. 910-256-2226

Brasserie is owned and operated by the owner of Boca Bay, Max’s and Circa 1922 (downtown Wilmington), and enjoys the same popularity that all of his restaurants share. Appealingly decorated, it makes you feel that you’re in a traditional Paris bistro – except there’s no resident cat! Delicious hors d’oeuvres and entrees are enhanced by a “create your own” salad in which you decide which items you’d like included.

$17 to $24. Lunch and Dinner.

Tasty Casual Spots…

South Beach Grill - 100 South Lumina Avenue, Wrightsville Beach. 910-256-4646

Located steps from the beach or Banks Channel, this is a great spot for casual dining (indoors or on the patio). Good seafood, burgers, wraps and salads.

$5 to $20. Lunch and dinner.

Fish House - 1410 Airlie Road. 910-256-3693

A super spot for casual seafood dining. You can arrive by boat or car, and the outdoor seating is the spot to be - you'll understand what draws people to Wilmington! If the weather's cool, don't miss their seafood stew - it's terrific. Lunch & dinner.

$5 to $16

Dockside - 1308 Airlie Road. 910-256-2752

Arrive by boat or car to enjoy this local favorite - it's easier by boat; parking can be a hassle! Sit indoors or out, watch the boat traffic on the Intracoastal, and enjoy unpretentious seafood. You'll understand why this one's been here for years! Lunch & dinner.

$3 to $20

Sweet and Savory Bake Shop - 1611 Pavillion Place. 910-256-0015

Tucked away on a quiet street, you're unlikely to find this on your own, but it's another local favorite for casual dining. Open Monday-Saturday from 11 am to 6 pm, they offer delicious soups and sandwiches - breads are fresh-baked daily. Vegetarians can enjoy several choices (the Humdinger is our favorite), but they also offer pastrami, beef, chicken, tuna and shrimp (the Bubba Gump!). The bakery prepares delicious fresh breads and desserts - take home a Key Lime or Pecan pie!

$3 to $8

Lovey's Natural Foods & Café - 1319 Military Cutoff Road (Landfall Center) - 910-509-0331

The café offers hot items as well as a tasty salad bar - taboule, pasta salads, fresh fruit, roasted veggies. Open for lunch only, it's always busy. Also a good spot for bulk purchases of dried fruits, nuts, and grains or for organic fruits and vegies.

NoFo Café - Military Cutoff Road (The Forum) - 910-256-5585

Adjoining NoFo Collection, this is a fun place to shop and eat! They offer a range of soups, sandwiches and entrees. The food is good, the atmosphere is neat, and the Collection offers a wonderful selection of housewares, gifts and unusual gift items.

$4 to $15. Lunch and dinner.

Le Catalan - 126 S. Water Street (on the Riverwalk) - 910-815-0200

This is one of our personal favorites for lunch or dinner. It's actually a cozy wine bar, but they offer a delicious assortment of light meals…salads, charcuterie plates, quiches, croissants, tartines and soup. Don't miss their chocolate mousse - it's unlike any that we've ever tasted, and it's delicious! Great spot to sit outside and watch the sunset over the Cape Fear River. And Pierre, the owner, has a phenomenal CD collection!

$4 to $11. Lunch and dinner.

Caffe Phoenix - 9 South Front Street - 910-343-1395

One of the first "up-scale" restaurants to arrive with the renaissance of the Historic Downtown, the Phoenix continues to be a favorite. Open for lunch and dinner with great choices.

$14 to $26.

Caprice Bistro - 10 Market Street - 910-815-0810

Caprice is located just steps from the river in a delightful spot that offers cozy 1st floor dining and a neat 2nd floor sofa bar. Delicious continental cuisine with a Belgian influence - and it's a fun place to go.

$14 to $20. Dinner only.

The Pilot House - 2 Ann Street (Chandler's Wharf) - 910-343-0200

The Pilot house is also a long-standing favorite in Wilmington. Located on the river, they offer delicious regional favorites in a charming setting.

$16 to $27. Lunch and dinner.

Elijah's - 2 Ann Street (Chandler's Wharf) - 910-343-1448

Elijah's and The Pilot House are next door to one another (same owner) and share a kitchen. Elijah's is more casual (great oyster bar) and less expensive. You'll enjoy outdoor dining on the river.

$9 to $19. Lunch and dinner.

Circa 1922 - 8 North Front Street - 910-762-1922

Styled after a Spanish Tapas Bar, Circa offers a wide range of entrees in a great atmosphere. It's fun to go with several people, order in courses and share one another's choices. Be sure to save room for the Crème Brulee - it's incredible!

$5 to $12. Dinner only.

La Costa - 3 Locations : 3617 Market Street, near Forest Hills; 8024 Market Street, near Porters Neck; 5622 Oleander Drive, between College Road and Bradley Creek

When La Costa opened their first Wilmington restaurant in 1996, I couldn't have been more excited. As a California transplant who was accustomed to good Mexican food at least once weekly, I'd been dreaming of good tacos for 5 years. La Costa satisfied that need and more! Owned by a family who moved here from the West, they offer absolutely delicious Mexican favorites (tacos, burritos, carne asada, fajitas, quesadillas) as well as less-known treats - and their service is excellent. If you like lamb, be sure to order the Borrego. Polla La Costa is also super!

Open daily for lunch and dinner.

K-38 Baja Grill – 5410 Oleander Drive – (between College Road and Bradley Creek)

Memories return of the first fish taco stands in San Diego whenever I go to K-38. Great fish and shrimp tacos, delicious salsa (made fresh daily), fajitas, taquitos and “Hoppin Juan” are just a few of their delicious items. The décor is appealing and if you choose to sit in the bar area, you can watch surf movies. Incidentally, K-38 is a great surfing spot in Baja California (38 kilometers from the border).

Open daily for lunch and dinner.

Kiva Grill – 8211 Market Street, Porters Neck Center

Slightly more upscale than K-38 (their first restaurant in Wilmington), Kiva Grill offers the same delicious food with a somewhat expanded menu. Again, their décor is creative and appealing and their service is excellent.

Open daily for lunch and dinner.

Tower 7 Baja-Mex – 4 North Lumina Ave, Wrightsville Beach

Just opened in 2006, Tower 7 is located just a block from the ocean at the corner of Lumina Avenue and Stone Street. They offer inside service or take-out (great beach picnics) each day from 11 am and in a casual beach setting serve the same delicious food that you’ll find at K-38 (shirts and shoes required). Again, surfing is the theme and the old photos are great. Why is it called “Tower 7”? That’s one of the lifeguard towers at Torrey Pines State Beach (between La Jolla and Del Mar, CA).

Open daily for lunch and dinner.

Of course we have the usual - Domino's and Pizza Hut, but we also have Incredible Pizza in three locations (near Wrightsville Beach, Porters Neck, on South College Road). Good designer pizza available "to go" or delivered. We like getting it unbaked and baking it at home.

We have a wide selection of Asian restaurants…Chinese, Japanese, and Sushi, but to me, Indochine stands out.

Indochine – 3007 Market Street (near Forest Hills) – 251-9229

For several years this has been a popular spot for Pan-Asian cuisine. Their focus is Vietnamese and Thai food, but the menu is broad and their food is delicious! For the less adventurous they offer choices on spice levels.

Dinner nightly, Lunch Tuesday – Saturday.

Roberts Market at Wrightsville Beach is a small grocery store (with a great meat market) that also prepares food "to go." Great fried chicken and Roberts' chicken salad is a local favorite.

The Oceanic at Wrightsville Beach is an oceanfront restaurant at the south end of the beach. They serve both lunch and dinner, but I recommend it as a great place to go for a drink and hors d'oeuvres. You'll enjoy watching the surf (and the surfers) and you may see dolphin!

This isn't Seattle, but we do have good coffee choices! Port City Java has numerous locations from downtown to Lumina Station (next door to our office). We have the requisite Starbuck's at Landfall Center, on Oleander Drive, and inside Barnes & Noble at Mayfaire. On Wrightsville Beach, there is Café del Mar (at 6 North Lumina, a few doors from Tower 7). Wilmington Espresso Company is on South Front Street (not far from Caffe Phoenix).