Best Restaurants in Wilmington

Opened in 1998, Genki Sushi Bar and Japanese Restaurant is, as its name suggests, is a sushi bar and Japanese cuisine restaurant renowned for exquisite dishes like salmon miso soup, fried squid tentacles, and sunomono salad. This restaurant, owned by celebrated sushi chef Danny and his wife Lana Ke, boasts the 2019 Trip Advisor Award of Excellence and the TripAdvisor award for 2020 top 10% of restaurants worldwide. As it features a warm atmosphere, tasty dishes, and great customer care, this restaurant is perfect for a romantic date with a loved one.

Located in downtown Wilmington, Seabird is a chic restaurant specializing in seafood destinations. Time and again, this restaurant, opened in 2020 by James Beard semi-finalist chef Dean Neff, has been reviewed by diners as one of the best restaurants in Wilmington. This is mainly because, since its founding, it's consistently provided its diners with elite dishes like broiled hollandaise, slow-smoked yellowfin tuna, and Fresno pepper sorghum pork ribs. This restaurant has an upbeat atmosphere and an airy setting. Hence, here, diners enjoy lively dishes in a lively environment.

Ceviche's is a Latin American cuisine café located at 7210 Wrightsville Ave, Wilmington. Started by Hunter and Laura Tiblier as a small neighborhood gathering place in 2014, this buzzy restaurant is one of the most frequented restaurants in the city. This is because it offers top-tier dishes like langoustine de coco, coconut ceviche, jerk Camarones, and tres queso empanada. At this restaurant, diners enjoy access to clean and comfortable outdoor seating. They also enjoy access to a wide selection of drinks.

Brent's Bistro is a fine American cuisine restaurant housed in Crosspoint Plaza. Founded in 2016 by culinary arts enthusiast Brent Williams, this restaurant is renowned for preparing exquisite dishes like buttermilk fried oysters, escargot, and portabella parmesan bites. Besides having upscale dishes, Brent's Bistro also features an elegant dining room with a spacious table, comfy seats, and contemporary art pieces. As this restaurant with an artsy vibe is always packed, reservations are highly recommended.

Tarantelli's is an upscale Italian restaurant situated in the Historic District of Wilmington. This superb restaurant was founded in 2016 by Ryan Morabito, Kim Morabito, Erika Henderson, and Jason Henderson. Its kitchen is currently run by executive sous chef and pastry chef Geneva Dalton. At Tarantelli’s, diners get the opportunity to sample Italian inspired dishes like spaghetti al formaggio farmigiana, filet mignon bruschetta, and Sicilian brasciole. As this restaurant features a quiet, low-lit dining room with long dining tables, it is the perfect place for a quiet dinner with family.

Quanto Basta: Italian Eatery and Wine Bar – Wilmington is an upscale restaurant specializing in Italian cuisine-inspired dishes and a wide selection of Italian wine. Located right at the heart of downtown Wilmington, this restaurant, opened in 2020 by chef Timothy Grandinetti, is famous for serving its diners platefuls of hand-crafted pizzettes, freshly prepared pastas with rustic sauces, as well as rotisserie fire-roasted poultry. It boasts a well-lit interior and an exterior with benches and well-manicured plants. Hence, here, diners enjoy the ultimate fine dining experience.

Caprice Bistro is a French cuisine restaurant found in Wilmington's Historic District. Renowned for preparing dishes like escargots petits gris, parfait bressan, pasta fettuccine, and planche de fromages, this restaurant boasts a cozy yellow interior with a pressed tin ceiling. Founded in 2001 by Bistro Thierry and Patricia Moity, it also boasts a welcoming atmosphere. As its tables are normally in high demand, reservations are advisable.

The pinpoint restaurant has, on several occasions, been ranked as one of the best restaurants in Wilmington by Southern Living Magazine. Opened in the spring of 2015 by Jeff Duckworth, this restaurant, located a mere block away from Cape Fear River, offers locally-sourced dishes inspired by American food traditions. At this establishment, diners enjoy upscale dishes like deviled egg dip, tempura fried local peppers, pan-seared flounder, and heritage pork chop, all in a warm atmosphere. As its dishes are spectacular, this restaurant is always packed.

Housed in the iconic Forum ILM, True Blue Butcher and Table is a fine dining restaurant and a reliable butcher shop. It boasts a well-spaced dining room with modern art hanging on walls and a pretty airy outdoor seating area. Since its opening in 2018, this restaurant, which features a long selection of beer and wine, counter-seating arrangements, a variety of gluten-free options, happy hour specials, and weekend brunch, has consistently been earning lots of praise. This is as its dishes are out-of-this-world. At this restaurant, founded by celebrated food artist chef Bobby Zimmerman, diners can enjoy modern American dishes with rustic and global flavors like a true blue bacon cheeseburger, cauliflower soufflé, and shrimp tagliatelle.

Catch – Modern Seafood Cuisine is an award-winning restaurant founded by James Beard Finalist Keith Rhodes. Since it opened its doors in 2006, this restaurant has been nothing short of exceptional. At this fine dining restaurant, diners are treated to meals like crispy brussels sprouts, Cajun crusted North Carolina oysters, and jumbo lump crab cakes. As this restaurant boasts a vibrant atmosphere and caring staff, diners usually have memorable experiences.