Most of my friends in Wilmington enjoy eating out and with the number of restaurants
growing daily, we are a busy group. Of course, our very own downtown Wilmington
offers so many options- I could go out to dinner every night for a month and still not
enjoy all of them!
Let’s become acquainted with the variety of eateries available by picking up the Official
Visitor’s Guide and go straight to pages 32 and 33 to peruse the long list of restaurant
names, address and contact information. Also included is a list of meal costs and
cuisine type.
Since Wilmington has become such a cosmopolitan place with a million places to eat, I
am going to let you in on the restaurants that my crew frequents. Let’s start with dinner.
Aubriana’s Restaurant is the first one on my list, and boy do I have great memories of
that meal. Ambiance, service, food quality and location is all found in this beautiful
eatery. Situated in an historic building in the heart of downtown, my friend and I supped
on a wonderful pear and goat cheese salad, lamb lollipops and a decadent chocolate
cake. I put Aubriana’s in my top five list of downtown restaurants.
Next up is Manna Restaurant, a truly divine place with a new menu every week. Manna
is the essential farm to table dining experience which I always begin with their infamous
beet box salad. I recently attended a private event and dined on fresh oysters, shrimp,
and a variety of exquisite cheeses. Now with Manna, you will experience the best
“specialty drink list” in the area. The bartenders mix up magical potions that are always
new and different. Check it out on Princess Street-you’ll feel like you’ve just walked into
a cool upper west spot in Manhattan!
During the summer months, I frequent a riverside french cafe and wine bar, Le Catalan.
Besides being the most charming bistro reminiscent of my trips to Paris, it has delicious
quiches and mini deserts. The wine list is a perfect compliment to the “small eats” at Le
Catalan.. during the winter months, I get my french fix at Caprice Bistro. Since I love a
good Gibson martini and Caprice happens to have one of the coolest martini bars
upstairs, I cozy up on one of their couches and immediately order up a plate of pommes
frites and a Gibson. Caprice has the best of both!
Lunch spots galore downtown and for a quick run down, let’s start with The Basic, one
of my favorite lunch spots with fresh salads, delicious sandwiches and homemade
soups. And prices for the freshest food in town is reasonable at The Basic, located in
the Cotton Exchange. For a killer brunch and an eyeful of local art, check out The
Deluxe..great bloody mary’s to go with wonderful eggs benedict! Bon Appetit!
Written By: BlueCoast Agent Dee Pearce