What's new in restaurants? 14 openings and closings in the Wilmington area
It’s been a month of unexpected restaurant closures – and openings of long-awaited eateries. Diners in the Wilmington area have new options for burgers and fine dining. And we've lost some longtime favorites. Here's a look at what's been happening on the food scene.
Openings
Riverside Kitchen & Bar: This spot in the River Bluffs community in Castle Hayne took over the former Porches Cafe spot and quietly opened serving new American fusion fare. Look for a lunch and dinner menu that includes salads, flatbreads, sandwiches, pastas and seafood. It's at 1030 Chair Road.
Cornelia’s: The Davis Community, a retirement and assisted living campus in Porters Neck has announced their fine dining restaurant has now opened. Look for an upscale Southern menu and dinner service from 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Reservations are not required but recommended.
Italian Bistro: This popular pizza and pasta spot at the Porters Neck area at 8211 Market St. has added a second location. The owners took over the former JT's Brick Oven Pizza restaurant at 201 Alston Blvd. in Hampstead on Aug. 1. The menu includes a variety of pizzas (New York style, "Bistro Designer," chicken and veggie) as well as appetizers, Italian specialties, and sandwiches.
PrimoHoagies: This cult favorite sandwich chain now has about 100 locations -- including one at 3708 S. College Road in Wilmington’s Fulton Station shopping center at the corner of South 17th Street and College Road. For their first day on Aug. 17, they gave away 100 sandwiches.
Angus Grill: When this N.C.-based burger restaurant opened in Wilmington's Brooklyn Arts District in 2021, the owners were already eyeing another potential location. What they're calling their Wilmington-Carolina Beach location is the company's fifth, and it's now open at 6331 Carolina Beach Road. Look for a menu of wraps, sandwiches and 25 burger options.
Mannkind Brewing: Leland is becoming a local beer destination with the opening of this brewery, the community's third in less than a year. Jeremy and Cassie Mann have put a lot of thought into the beers and their indoor-outdoor space at 9600 Ploof Road.
C-Suite Lounge: New owners and a new concept have moved into this spot that was briefly The Vibe cocktail bar in The Cotton Exchange in Wilmington. Look for signature cocktails in a 1920s inspired bar at 312 Nutt St. They are open Wednesday through Sunday.
Oklahoma’s Original Burger: A group of Wilmington friends and burger aficionados opened this restaurant dedicated to their favorite burger style. The Oklahoma is a smash burger cooked with thinly sliced onions. The menu is simple, with a choice of single, double or triple burger, fries, drinks and milkshakes at 1407 Barclay Pointe Blvd.
Hooks Hotdogs: This spot on the Carolina Beach Boardwalk officially opened on Aug. 5 serving hotdogs, snacks and ice cream Thursdays through Mondays. Look for them at 4 Harper Ave.
Closings
Epic Food Co.: Chef James Bain recently announced that Aug. 31 would be the last day in business for this fast casual, health focused restaurant in The Forum shopping center near Wrightsville Beach.. He said he's just planning to take a break, though, before he returns to the Wilmington restaurant scene.
Fork-N-Cork Carolina Beach: Following the death of founder James Smith, his brother Dustin Smith announced that the family had decided to close on of his three restaurants. Aug. 13 was the last day for the second Fork-N-Cork at 102 Cape Fear Blvd. The downtown Wilmington location is still open.
Catawba Brewing Co.: Amid a reshuffling of breweries based in the South, this taproom at 4712 New Centre Drive in Wilmington abruptly closed earlier this month. Since then, other Catawba locations have closed, too.
Artisano Pizza & Gelato: The announcement of the closure of this restaurant came along with the news that it would soon be home to another restaurant. The downtown based Platypus & Gnome is closing after Labor Day and plans to reopen at 7205 Wrightsville Ave. soon.
Dickey's Barbecue Pit: This restaurant at 5120 College Road in Wilmington's Monkey Junction area has quietly closed. It was part of a chain with more than 600 locations.
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Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews. You can reach her ataballard@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Restaurant openings and closing in Wilmington
