With a year of business under its belt, a South Front eatery is leaning into a playful direction with a focus on shareable snacks, late-night offerings and a more communal and interactive environment.   True Blue Butcher and Barrel was always envisioned as a bar with a butcher shop, according to We Are True Blue restaurant group owner Bobby Zimmerman, who credited B ...

This fall, two dozen budding restaurateurs will converge in southeastern North Carolina in pursuit of an unprecedented prize: $1 million to open their dream restaurant in two historic storefronts in downtown Burgaw.   The opportunity is orchestrated by Own Your Own (OYO), a project of Wilmington-based entrepreneur Richard Johnson in his yearslong campaign to revital ...

In a move meant to embrace its coastal locale, Flying Machine at Wrightsville Beach is preparing to launch a new concept within its space, christened with a new name to represent the change: Flying Machine Oyster Bar.   Located at 530 Causeway Drive, the restaurant first opened in 2021 by Flying Machine Brewing Company co-founders Grant Steadman and David Sweigart. ...

A date night in downtown Wilmington was what Carrie and Jason Niloff needed to take a leap on a prime business opportunity.   After moving to Wilmington about four years ago, the Niloffs were considering ways to own their own business. A local listing caught their eye, and after learning from the broker that the business for sale was The Vine on North Third Street, ...

A new downtown restaurant aims to offer a taste of history when it opens next month.   Located on the first floor of the historic Graystone Inn at 100 S. Third St., Preston Restaurant will serve its first guests on June 9. The restaurant’s opening will mark the latest chapter in a yearslong renaissance on the historic property, which began when it was acquired ...

Just months after its debut, a new vegan ghost kitchen in Wilmington has closed.   Stairway to Veggin’ owners Angie and Matt Barrell first built a fan base for their vegan fare in the Triangle, where they operated Stairway to Veggin’ as a tie-dyed food truck during the pandemic. When the couple moved the business to Wilmington earlier this year, they twe ...

This weekend, downtown Wilmington will land a new local brunch spot.   After developing a following of fans with a rotating selection of more than 45 homemade soups, The Kitchen Sink will debut a bevy of brunch offerings for their maiden Mother’s Day brunch service. Alicia Mitchell, chef and owner at The Kitchen Sink, cited brunch as one of her favorite meals ...

Downtown’s northern waterfront will net a new eatery this fall when Tequila Comida & Cantina opens a new location near the Port City Marina.   Brothers Miguel and Ramón Villaseñor are working to bring their contemporary Mexican concept to a waterfront footprint beside Marina Grill on Harnett Street as soon as this September. The two-story spa ...

A rapidly growing pizza business with three Wilmington locations will soon expand its operations across the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge.   This summer, Wheelz Pizza will open its fourth local eatery in Belville at 59 Waterford Business Center Way.   The brainchild of owner Paul Parker and co-owner Joy Spregner, Wheelz delivers its signature wood-fired pizzas in ...

A new pizza shop opening in the Cargo District later this month may be humble in size, with just 500 square feet of space to house a kitchen serviced by a takeout window, but the aspirations behind Salita Pizza are grand.     The name itself speaks to the goals of the enterprise. Translated from Italian to English, Salita refers to the act of rising, and owner ...