Best Restaurants in Wilmington, NC: A Local's Guide to Downtown, Wrightsville, and Leland

Best Restaurants in Wilmington, NC: A Local’s Guide to Downtown, Wrightsville, and Leland

ByJay M
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Food is a big part of travel, or at least it should be. The food offered in a city can tell you a lot about it. Food is also a gateway to great conversations that help you understand the overall culture. In some places, you may have to do a bit of digging to find a truly local restaurant. In other places, they are everywhere you turn. Wilmington is one of those places.

OysterLink, a restaurant and hospitality job site, says the Wilmington area has approximately 600 restaurants, with 200 of them downtown. While I haven’t counted all of the 600 or 200, that feels correct. Wilmington is a very underrated food city.

I have only lived here for about a year, but Wilmington was a frequent travel destination for us before the move since we have family in the area. With that said, this is my recommended list of bars and restaurants in Wilmington.

Wilmington and Wrightsville

Wilmington, NC

WineNot (Wine Knot Sky Bar) 201 N Front St, Suite 909, Wilmington, NC 28401 wineknotskybar.com. Really nice views of the city on the 9th floor. It is a private wine and cocktail lounge. I have guest passes I will give you.

String & Key Dueling Piano Bar 201 N Front St, Suite G103, Wilmington, NC 28401 stringandkeybar.com Fun piano bar.

River128 128 S Water St, Wilmington, NC 28401 river128.com Nice restaurant downtown on the water.

True Blue Butcher and Barrel 110 Greenfield St, Suite 114, Wilmington, NC 28401 wearetrueblue.com/butcherandbarrel Amazing food. If you like steak, this is the best in the area by far.

Circa (Circa 1922) 8 N Front St, Wilmington, NC 28401 circa1922.com Higher end restaurant with good food. We have only been once.

The Vine 25 N 3rd St, Wilmington, NC 28401 thevinewilmington.com Our spot for tapas and wine or cocktails.

Nikky’s (Nikki’s Fresh Gourmet & Sushi) 16 S Front St, Wilmington, NC 28401 downtownnikkis.com Great quick sushi.

Yosake (Yosake Downtown Sushi Lounge) 33 S Front St, Wilmington, NC 28401 yosake.com Amazing sushi restaurant with great cocktails.

Blind Elephant 21 N Front St, Unit F, Wilmington, NC 28401 blindelephantspeakeasy.com Speakeasy with an upscale vibe (usually has live piano). Rated one of the best cocktail bars in the country by USA Today. It is down an alley. Look for Port City Java and turn down that alley.

Underfront (The Underfront Co.) 265 N Front St, Wilmington, NC 28401 theunderfrontcompany.com Really cool cocktail bar on Front Street. Known for their menu of cocktails.

Flytrap (Flytrap Brewing) 319 Walnut St, Wilmington, NC 28401 flytrapbrewing.com Fun brewery.

Prost (Prost Biergarten) 115 S Front St, Wilmington, NC 28401 prostilm.com German bar with great food and an outdoor garden.

Tarantelli’s 102 S 2nd St, Wilmington, NC 28401 tarantellis.com Most likely the best Italian in the city.

Floriana 2 Market St, Wilmington, NC 28401 florianailm.com Great Italian near the water.

Concorde Espresso Bar 215 S Front St, Wilmington, NC 28401 concordeespressobar.com Think of a high end beer garden but with martinis.

Wrightsville Beach, NC

Flying Machine Oyster Bar 530 Causeway Dr, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480 fmoysterbar.com Our favorite in Wrightsville Beach.

Bluewater Waterfront Grill 4 Marina St, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480 bluewaterdining.com It has been a few years since we have been, but a great seafood restaurant.

True Blue Butcher and Table (in Wilmington but on the border) 1125 Military Cutoff Rd, Suite A, Wilmington, NC 28405 wearetrueblue.com/truebluebutcherandtable We have not been to this location, but it is the sister location of the one in Wilmington we love.

Leland, NC

Bridgewater Wine (Bridgewater Wines + Dines) 48 Waterford Business Center Way, Leland/Belville, NC 28451 bridgewaterwines.com About a 12 minute drive, but amazing food and wine.

Test Your Knowledge

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Welcome to your Wilmington Local Food Guide

According to OysterLink, approximately how many restaurants are in the Wilmington area, and how many are downtown?

Blind Elephant is a speakeasy in Wilmington that was rated one of the best cocktail bars in the country by what publication?

Which of these is described as the one of best Italian restaurant in Wilmington?

Where can you find Flying Machine Oyster Bar, described as a favorite for seafood?

Flytrap is a what?

The Wilmington Series

  1. Why Exploring Your Hometown Is Real Travel
  2. The History of Wilmington, NC
  3. Best Restaurants in Downtown Wilmington (Coming Soon)
  4. Wilmington’s Best Beaches (Coming Soon)
  5. Entertainment in Wilmington (Coming Soon)
  6. Hidden Gems of Wilmington (Coming Soon)
  7. The Ultimate Wilmington Travel Guide (Coming Soon)

How many restaurants are in Wilmington, NC?

According to OysterLink, the Wilmington area has approximately 600 restaurants, with around 200 of them located downtown. The variety makes Wilmington an underrated food city on the East Coast.

What is the best steakhouse in Wilmington, NC?

True Blue Butcher and Barrel on Greenfield Street is widely considered the best steakhouse in the Wilmington area. It is known for high quality cuts and excellent food.

Where is the best place to get sushi in downtown Wilmington?

Yosake Downtown Sushi Lounge on S Front Street is a top choice for sushi and cocktails. Nikki’s Fresh Gourmet & Sushi is another great option for a quicker sushi experience.

Are there good restaurants near Wrightsville Beach?

Yes. Flying Machine Oyster Bar and Bluewater Waterfront Grill are both excellent options in Wrightsville Beach, offering fresh seafood and waterfront views.

What is the best cocktail bar in Wilmington, NC?

Blind Elephant, a speakeasy located down an alley near Port City Java on Front Street, has been rated one of the best cocktail bars in the country by USA Today.

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