Nothing is more soul-soothing than a good meal, from the moment you take your first taste until the second you’ve grown full and pushed the plate happily away.
Finding the right restaurant or dining establishment is a part of enjoying a blissfully happy dining experience where food delights all our senses, nourishing us from the inside out.
If you’re eating out in Wilmington, North Carolina, here are the best places to grab a bite.
What are the best restaurants in Wilmington, North Carolina?
The six best restaurants in Wilmington, NC, are:
- Osteria Cicchetti – Italian eatery
- Indochine Wilmington – Thai
- Uncle Lim’s Kitchen – Chinese takeout
- Beer Barrio – Beer and Mexican food
- Jackson’s Big Oak Barbeque – Southern BBQ
- Ruth’s Chris – Steak house
This list captures the essence of Wilmington, North Carolina, in all its food glory so that travelers, visitors, and locals can find the best place to eat.
These establishments offer reasonable pricing great-tasting food that is an experience to eat.
Tasteful decorating themes, friendly staff, changing menus and diverse cultural cooking make this list indispensable when visiting this great southern city.
Osteria Cicchetti
Everyone loves Italian food; whether it’s a simple personal pizza with veggies and extra cheese or lasagna that is to die for, this restaurant captures all the flavors Americans look for when going Italian.
Tuscan style Italian restaurant offers exceptional service, from friendly staff members in a cozy atmosphere complete with rustic, old-world décor setting the mood for a comfortable dining experience.
This restaurant can accommodate small or larger parties of guests, offers large plates of food, and also serves delectable desserts and Sunday brunch.
Indochine Wilmington
Thai food, either you love it, or you hate it.
Either way, diners that enjoy this international cuisine will adore this restaurant for its delightfully intriguing atmosphere and exotic but beautiful plates of food.
Serving lunch, dinner, and late-night drinks, vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options, this dining establishment covers all the bases ensuring everyone can come out and have a great meal.
Large plates of food, amazing service and staff, and facilities that can accommodate various sized parties.
Offerings include traditional Thai selections with an appetizer sampler and beef pho boasting great reviews.
Uncle Lim’s Kitchen
This is the place to stop for visitors searching for some good old-fashioned Chinese take-out.
A long-standing local establishment serving a diverse selection of Chinese food from the friendly staff in a traditional atmosphere, quick, efficient, and affordable.
You can order in or ask for delivery which adds to the convenience.
Beer Barrio
Everybody loves Mexican and what better way to enjoy it than visiting a new city.
This restaurant offers classic Mexican and Southwestern fare at affordable prices with friendly and helpful service staff.
This establishment is dog friendly, making it a must for those visitors that need to bring their well-behaved pooch.
They offer a great beer and drink selection; the service is quick, and the food never disappoints.
The décor is modern American Mexican style.
The plates of food are filling, with chips and salsa on the side with a deep friend bacon brownie to finish off for dessert.
Jackson’s Big Oak Barbeque
Diners searching for a great barbeque that offers eat-in or take-out will enjoy this dining experience—show-stopping plates of food that are delicious and plentiful.
Friendly staff and down-home southern atmosphere and décor align with the feel-good food.
This is the place to stop for patrons who want great barbeque in a comfortable atmosphere for a reasonable price.
Ruth’s Christ Steak House
For a romantic atmosphere with a beautiful view and excellent food that leans more towards the formal, reservations accepted side of the menu; this is placed to dine.
Delicious cocktails and drinks expertly prepared steaks make this chain restaurant perfect in its new location.
The outstanding sunsets are one of the most eye-catching features of this establishment that will make everything else pale in comparison for just a few minutes
Once the outdoor show is over, the staff is helpful, the menu vast, and the food ample and exceptional.
What restaurants are in downtown Wilmington, North Carolina?
Three very special restaurants with tasty food, friendly staff, and a great atmosphere are located in downtown Wilmington.
Visitors to this area should not miss the Fork and Cork, the Basics, and Pinpoint.
The Fork and Cork offer standard American fare, including fried chicken, burgers and fries, delightful sandwiches, and comfort food that soothes the spirit.
On the outside, it may not look like a great place, but inside it proves exceptional in all ways.
Locals love it; visitors will too.
The Basics is a classic establishment serving breakfast and brunch, lunch and dinner, southern style.
The staff is pleasant, the food tasty and more than enough to satisfy.
The atmosphere is pleasing with the industrial feel and the menu is enough to entice even the pickiest eaters with a kid’s menu.
Cocktails are expertly mixed; drinks are served with a healthy dose of friendliness that has locals coming back for more.
Visitors will enjoy this cute and fun dining experience.
Pinpoint is an exquisite high-end restaurant that offers classic dishes with a regional twist.
Those diners looking for a more upscale restaurant that offers unique dishes and outrageously delicious food won’t be disappointed.
This French bistro offers creative, palate, and eye-pleasing fare that is ample and more than enough to feed all the senses.
The locally sourced ingredients, highly skilled staff, and beautiful atmosphere will have guests returning yearly.
What food is Wilmington known for?
Wilmington is known for many things, but when it comes to food, it would be burgers and, more specifically, Hardees, which was opened in 1960 after Wilbur Hardee visited a Mcdonald’s and noted its success.
While fast food would never make the top of anyone’s list, visiting Hardees would be the place to go if burgers are a must-have on the dinner menu.
As with any fast-food establishment, the food is priced, the service fast, and the staff pleasant at this southern gem.
Closing Points
Finding a good place to eat, whatever the fare, can be hard in a large city with so many options.
Wilmington has its fair share of excellent choices, and this list is just a small sampling of what is offered in this and the surrounding areas.
When the pangs of hunger hit and you’re traveling around this great southern city, don’t forget to check out the amazing food at these hot spots, it can’t be beaten!