Timeless classics: Your guide to the oldest restaurants in the Wilmington area

Ask anyone who knows restaurants and they’ll tell you it isn’t an easy business. They've had challenges, especially in the difficult, post-pandemic hospitality industry.

Those restaurateurs who’ve been operating eateries in the greater Wilmington area for four decades or so have lots of stories. They can tell you about hurricane damage, kitchen repairs, fires, unexpected closings, difficult customers, labor shortages, supply chain hiccups and more.

But they've also seen celebrations and first dates. They've watched those couples bring their children to the restaurant. J. Michael Hutson said he's worked alongside some of those children, too. His current general manager, Cheryl Wojik, started working at his restaurant when she was just 17 not long after they opened.

Hutson, a Charleston native, fell in love with cheesesteaks when he was working and putting himself through barber school in Philadelphia. He was excited to bring that to locals when he opened J. Michael’s Philly Deli at Hanover Center in 1979 across the street from Independence Mall, which was completed the same year.

At about the same time, in 1978, Samantha Hughes was a child herself when her parents purchased a marina in Shallotte that was home to a small grill, Gregory’s, named after the former owners.

“My dad wanted to be a one-stop shop,” she said. They offered supplies for boaters and fishermen, had a small motel. “He thought if he had a restaurant, he could also serve them a couple of meals a day.”

She and her sister eventually took over the business. Hughes said they added another level to the restaurant and re-opened as Inlet View Bar & Grill in 2009. Like her parents, she’s loved the job over the years, but admits it’s been more difficult since 2020, in a number of ways.

“The industry is different,” she said. “But I think the world is different.”

What keeps these restaurants going, besides passion? Demand, for one. Hughes said that their seasonal restaurant serves hundreds of people on warm summer nights. And there's the camaraderie of the industry. Mike Brown started working for the original owner of the Sub Stop sandwich shop on Carolina Beach Road in 1996. He took over the business in 2007.

This list of restaurants includes those that have been open in New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender counties for 45 years or more, as of 2024. Sub Stop, which opened in 1978, is one of the ‘newer’ additions. It also has the distinction of joining three other restaurants located within two miles of each other along Carolina Beach Road – Winnie’s Tavern, Frontier Foods To-Go and Merritt’s Burger House.

He said the Merritt family, who opened their restaurant 20 years before Sub Stop entered the scene, have been there for him over the years.

“They’ve helped me out so many times, if I need fries or whatever,” Brown said. “They are good people.”

Here’s a look at other longtime local restaurants that have become a part of the community.

Did we miss another eatery one that's been open a while? Let us know by emailing aballard@gannett.com.

1979: J. Michael’s Philly Deli, 3501 Oleander Drive, Wilmington

The restaurant that helped bring cheesesteaks to Wilmington opened in August 1979 in one of the area's original shopping centers. Owner J. Michael Hutson eventually started two other locations, one of which is still open in Monkey Junction. He said his staff is what's kept them going, and once calculated that longtime employees have contributed more than 400 years of work to J. Michael's.

1979: Shirley’s Diner, 112 Village Road, Leland

Owner Barry Jethwa was new to the restaurant business when he took this spot over in 1982. But he was still one of the only options in what would become a fast-growing community. And he learned how to make Southern favorite and comfort food favorites even more quickly, earning a loyal customer base along the way.

1978: Gulfstream Restaurant, 78 Myrtle Ave., Carolina Beach

From French toast to fried chicken, served just a couple of blocks from the beach and near the Carolina Beach marina, this restaurant has become a local landmark. The owners tried an expansion to Wrightsville Beach. Fortunately, this original location remains.

1978: Inlet View Bar & Grill, 1800 Village Point Road, Shallotte

This spot was a grill/motel/ marina even before C.W Hughes, Jr. and his wife Allison bought the property in 1978. It became the Hughes Marina and home to a small restaurant and tackle shop with 13 bar stools. Their daughters took over the business in 1992. It reopened as the seasonal Inlet View with a bigger restaurant serving local seafood in 2009.

1978: Pilot House, 2 Ann St., Wilmington    

In what was once a riverfront home, circa 1870, this restaurant opened serving salads and sandwiches through a service window. Customers could sit in an outdoor dining area. The restaurant as locals know it now began to take shape in 1988 with the addition of a kitchen and more dining areas. It's still a favorite for crab dip and water views.

1978: Sub Stop on Carolina Beach Road in Wilmington

Mike Brown is only the second owner of this longtime sandwich restaurant. But he worked for the original owner before he took over the business in 2007. He credits his success to serving good food to good people. The cheesesteaks are one of the most popular items, he said. And the Sub Stop Burger, with the traditional burger toppings served on a sub roll, is also popular.

1977: Goody Goody Omelet House, 3817 Market St., Wilmington

Local filmmaker Terry Linehan said he walked into this classic local breakfast spot one day and just fell in love. So much so that he made a documentary about the restaurant started by Roscoe (R.B.) and Ida Mayhew. He's not the only one who appreciates the omelets and waffles.

1977: Jimbo's Breakfast and Lunch House, 1529 S. College Road, Wilmington

If you get a chance, you should sit and listen while the Patsalos family talks about just how different this stretch of College Road was when they first opened the restaurant. Some things have changed, but you can still find the same food and friendly service here. And the namesake, Jimbo himself, celebrated his 89th birthday in November at the restaurant.

1977: Pender's Café, 205 N. Front St., Wilmington

Owner Maxine Pender is the first to admit that owning a restaurant is difficult these days, especially when you're more than 75 years old. But she still keeps serving the Pender Burger, crispy onion rings, and more to loyal locals. "Because I love it," she said.

1976: Bridge Tender, 1414 Airlie Road, Wilmington

Even though it was founded decades ago, this waterfront restaurant is still making waves. When Wilmington made Yelp’s list of “small towns with big flavor” in 2022, this was one of the eateries mentioned. Its food, and location on the Intracoastal Waterway, make it a favorite for locals and tourists.

1976: Chris's Restaurant, 859 S. 17th St., Wilmington

Chris and Angie Tsingelis have become fixtures at this busy Wilmington intersection serving comfort food, as well as some Greek and Italian dishes, for breakfast and lunch. Now their four children are continuing the business.

1976: Trolly Stop Hot Dogs, 94 S. Lumina Ave., Wrightsville Beach

This local hot dog chain has evolved over the years. But the original location, and the namesake for the business because it was on the first stop of the trolley line in Wrightsville Beach, is still here. The current owner has been expanding the business by adding coffee service and morning hours.

1974: Silver Hill Grill, 2049 Holden Beach Road SW, Supply

If you know, you know it's worth seeking out this kitchen/trailer that's been serving up shrimp burgers, oysters, and fresh fish for decades. You can order and sit at one of the picnic tables on the screened-in porch. Or get it for take-out. Real pros call in their orders ahead when the restaurant is busy.

1973: The Original Salt Works, 6301 Oleander Dr., Wilmington

The history of the space dates to the 1950s, when it was a soda shop serving the Seagate neighborhood. It was Jordan’s Soda Shop before Katy Monaghan and Buddy Wheelis opened Salt Works in 1973. The current owner, Bob Hubbard, became the fifth owner of this breakfast and lunch spot in 2003.

1971: White Front Breakfast House, 1518 Market St., Wilmington

Actually, the staff at this restaurant will tell you that downtown mainstay pre-dates the '70s, but it did move to their current location on this busy Wilmington corner in 1971. As the name implies, there are a lot of breakfast staples here, from grilled biscuits to good coffee. The Poorman's Benedict is a sausage gravy take on the classic brunch dish. But this spot is also known for lunch fare, like their burgers.

1970: Big Daddy's, 206 K Ave., Kure Beach

According to the restaurant, the owner tried many things at this spot from mini golf and dance hall to ice cream shop and buffet restaurant. It didn't take long, though, before they settled into a menu of seafood and steaks. While there were originally eight or nine restaurants, only two remain -- this one which opens seasonally, and one on Lake Norman, which opened in 1974.

1966: Frontier Food to Go, 2633 Carolina Beach Road, Wilmington

It might be easy to miss this unassuming food trailer while you're driving along the road that's so much busier than it was 50-some years ago. But it's worth slowing down to check it out. Order one of their famous, made-to-order hot dogs, cheeseburgers, or BBQ sandwiches served with fresh slaw and fries.

1962: Winnie's Tavern, 1895 Burnette Blvd., Wilmington

It all started in July 1962, when Winnie Swanson purchased some property near Sunset Park, which became a Winnie's Tavern and Riverfront Mobile Home Park. Now, the mobile home park is gone -- but the restaurant is still going strong. Now, it's the third and fourth generations who are serving up burgers (the best in town, according to some) and cold beers to locals.

1958: Merritt's Burger House, 2338 Carolina Beach Road, Wilmington

This restaurant offers something more than a long history. It's also one of the few remaining old-school drive-ins. Pull up and get one of the hot dogs -- something recommended by a lot of locals -- or a burger topped with award-winning slaw.

1952: Beach Shop & Grill, 701 S. Anderson Blvd., Topsail Beach

Well, technically, it was Warren’s Soda Shop in 1952. But it did become the Beach Shop in the 1970s and new owners took over the restaurant in 2002. It's also gone from a hot-dog-and-milkshake spot to a upscale bistro with a farm-to-table approach. There’s also a more casual patio area and onsite boutique and shop.

1950: Ella’s of Calabash, 1148 River Road, Calabash

A fire in April 2023 temporarily closed this spot, a sister restaurant to Beck’s and owned by the same family. But they’ve vowed that this business that weathered countless hurricanes, including Hazel in 1954, will return.

1947: King Neptune, 11 N. Lumina Ave., Wrightsville Beach

The argument is sometimes made that this full-service beach restaurant has the longest continuous run in New Hanover County, which was going well until the COVID-19 pandemic started. The lull ended when it reopened in 2022 under the ownership of Jimmy and Keaton Gilleece. It’s still a two-part business, with the dark-and-cozy Pirate's Bar on one side, and a light-and-bright restaurant on the other.

1940: Beck’s Restaurant, 1014 River Road, Calabash

This restaurant helped establish this Brunswick County town as a seafood capital, and home to the "Calabash Style" of preparing it. The restaurant has been passed down through the generations and is still owned and operated by the same family.

1939: Britt’s Donuts, 11 Carolina Beach Ave. N., Carolina Beach

Local love for this classic doughnut shop is well documented. The StarNews' own archives are filled with delicious looking photos of the freshly made-and-glazed treats. And the seasonal opening and closing dates spread fast through the community when they're announced.

1928: Paul's Place Famous Hot Dogs, 11725 Hwy 117, Rocky Point

A.A. Paul opened this restaurant, country store and gas station and cooked hot dogs over a wood fire to those who passed through the area. That tradition joined another when the Paul family created a special sweet relish for the dogs. You can still find both at this restaurant, as the family keeps the tradition going.

1903: The Dixie Grill, 116 Market St., Wilmington

It hasn't exactly been a continuous run for what may be the area's oldest restaurant, Dixie Grill. It's been a pool hall, cigar store and diner and has had at least three addresses. But the first one does date to at least 1903, which is impressive. Most locals are most familiar with the its current life, circa 1999, as a popular breakfast and lunch spot in downtown Wilmington.

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Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews. You can reach her at aballard@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Oldest restaurants in Wilmington, NC, include Dixie Grill, Britt's Donuts