Causeway Cafe'

Causeway Cafe is like eating breakfast at your grandparents house. Also most likely the cheapest breakfast in town. During the tourist season, be prepared to wait! It's not a huge restaurant, and the crowd will come! One thing to remember is that they only take cash. Bring the family, Causeway is the perfect start to any day!

Causeway Cafe
114 Causeway Drive
Wrightsville Beach, NC 27480
(910) 256-3730

Bon Appetit

Bon Appetit is a well kept secret in Wilmington. They started out as a highly sought after catering business. Due to popular demand, they opened up their very own restaurant. Bon Appetit is gourmet breakfast at it's best, at a great price. The restuarant is nothing fancy, but the food is delectable!

Bon Appetit
3704 Carolina Beach Road
Wilmington, NC 28412
(910) 796-0520

J. Michael's Philly Deli

J. Michaels's Deli brings the authentic taste of the Philadelphia Cheese Steak to Wilmington. This local joint has been in Wilmington for over 30 years now! And their prices are unbeatable! You can design your cheese steak to come with whatever you fancy! They have it all, and the menu has more than just cheese steaks. J. Michael's has tons of sandwiches to choose from!

Monkey Junction
609 Piner Rd
Wilmington, NC 28409
(910) 332-5555

Hanover Center
3501 Oleander Dr
Wilmington, NC 28403
(910) 763-6466

Porter's Neck
8232 Market St
Wilmington, NC 28411
(910) 686-0070

Bowman's Seafood Restaurant

Bowman's: This is where the Carolina Beach locals eat seafood. FRESH seafood! Though the curb appeal might not lure you in, their food will have you hooked. Bowman's family atmosphere just makes you feel right at home. Even the waitresses love working there. One said, "If you want a job here, one of us will have to die first." If a seafood platter is screaming your name, you will get bang for your buck here. Very reasonably priced food for the amount you get! And you'll be temped to eat it all...though you shouldn't...because they feed you well! Make sure to check out the hallway headed back to the restrooms - they walls are covered with postcards, pictures, and hurricane history of Carolina Beach. Oh, and if you're craving seafood but don't want to leave your beach house...they DELIVER!

Locals Love:

Classic Shrimp Seafood Platter

Bowman's Restaurant

911 North Lake Blvd.

Carolina Beach, NC 28428

(910) 458-6292

El Zarape Mexican Restaurant

Carolina Beach is home to El Zarape Mexican Restaurant. This is a popular place to eat, and especially in the summer, you can expect a wait! The restaurant itself is huge and can accommodate large party sizes. Overall, this really is great Mexican food. Their menu is also HUGE with about every food combination you could want! There is one drawback that must be noted. Plan on filling up on the complimentary chips and salsa, because regardless of how busy they are, it takes forever to get your food. It is worth the wait, and somehow always comes out piping hot!

What locals love:

• Tuesday's special is $3 Margarita

El Zarape Mexican Restaurant

101 N. Lake Park Blvd.

Carolina Beach, NC 28428

(910) 458-5226

Fish House Grill

Fish House Grill is one of the many waterfront restaurants here in Wilmington. If you're needing a seafood fix, this is an option to consider. Make sure to check the weather before coming because the best seating is outside with a great view of the Intracoastal Waterway. Fish House Grill is casual environment and certainly a place kids will love! Got a boat? End the perfect beach day by parking at the dock! They are open for both lunch and dinner - and it seems lunch is the better deal for the best ambiance and bang for your buck. If you're heading here for dinner, go before dark as the lighting is not the best for their patio seating, making it difficult to see anything while eating. Overall the food is so-so, but what Fish House Grill really have going for them is their waterfront location!

What the locals love:

• Fish Stew - The name does not do this starter justice! It's a spicy, tomato base stew with Mahi Mahi, potatoes, and tons of veggies! This is a must have!
• All You Can Eat Seafood - For just $20 you can eat as much as you want...including crab legs! ***If you want to go this route, make sure you have time and patience to get your moneys worth - they were not exactly hustling to bring more food

Fish House Grill

1410 Airlie Road

Wilmington, NC 28403

(910) 256-3693

YoSake: Downtown Sushi Lounge and Restaurant

YoSake. Officially on my top ten list of favorite places to eat in Wilmington. This gets my vote as the best sushi in Wilmington! It's tucked away on Front Street in the heart of downtown. (Upstairs in a beautiful historic building.) It's a place where classy meets casual, sleek meets vintage, and familiar meets mysterious. If you haven't tried YoSake, make that mistake no longer!! You can even reserve a table online now!

From the drinks, the Pomegranate Ginger Mojito, to the Sushi Special, the food was exquisite! Even the appetizers, the spicy shrimp, were absolutely divine. The taste as well as presentation are sure to impress!

The menu is overflowing with wide variety of Asian cuisine and the best part being that your portions are also OVERFLOWING! You are guaranteed to be taking left overs home!

Favorite Menu Picks -

• Pomegranate Ginger Mojito
• Singha - (FAV Thai beer)
• Shanghai Firecrackers - Tempura shrimp in spicy shanghai sauce (Appetizer)
• Sushi Special (Tempura roll with asparagus, lump crab, tuna, cream cheese, and egg)
• Pad Thai Noodles, with chicken
• Red Curry

If you love the ambiance of The Little Dipper, you'll love YoSake as they are co-owned by the same people!!!

Yosake

33 South Front Street

2nd floor

Wilmington, NC 28401

(910) 763-3172

Front Street Brewery

Front Street Brewery must be a priority on your list of places to wine and dine. Or should I say: beer and dine. Wilmington's very own local brewery, and yes, we're proud. Brewmaster, Kevin Kozak, says he's a "sucker for wellmade German beer." Aren't we all? The best part is that FSB has a daily pint special for $1.99. That's right, $1.99. Whether you are craving something light or dark, you won't be disappointed. So, needless to say, it's a brewery, and their brew gets a five star rating. You might be asking, what about the food? So glad you asked. Don't expect typical subpar pub food. Do expect excellent food, great variety, at even better prices! A perk is that it's located convieneintly across from the parking deck and in the middle of all that's happening downtown. Regardless of the day or night of the week, Front Street Brewery is a local favorite!

Some personal favorites at FSB:

Brew - Lumina Lager, Kolsch, Amber Ale

Wine - Pomelo Sauvignon Blanc (citrus grapefruit - perfect summer choice!)

Food - Homemade Crab-cake sandwich, ribs, cajun chicken entree, chips and salsa, buffalo blue sticks, buffalo blue chicken tenders

Bonus Secrets...

• Free Wine Tastings: Tuesdays 6-8pm
• Free Beer Tastings and Brewery Tour: Wednesdays 6-8pm
• Live music every Thursday, Friday, Saturday nights (starting around 10:30pm)
• Half Price Appetizers: EVERYDAY 4-7pm and again after 9pm
• $5.99 lunch menu
• $6.99 dinner menu
• Eat for Two: $12.99

Front Street Brewery

9 North Front Street

Wilmington, NC 28401

(910) 251-1935

Islands Fresh Mex Grill

Islands. Why go to Moe's, Chipotle, or Qdoba when you can go to Islands? Islands is like one of these chains, but with a few unique twists. One, the menu is fun, fresh, and unique. Two, the ambiance: surfing, beachy, laid back, tropical decor done RIGHT! Located near the university, you're bound to be in line with college students just trying to escape the UNCW dining halls. Islands is most famous around UNCW for their TUESDAY DOLLAR TACO NIGHT. That's right, ONE DOLLAR. (Do expect a pretty serious line if class is in session on Tuesday nights.) Islands does have great drink specials with a full bar right across from their taco bar.

My personal favorite: The BLT Quesadilla. (The island sauce just makes it!) My husbands personal fav: The Jerk Chicken Quesadilla.

Again, support the local tex mex when craving tacos and burritos!

Islands Fresh Mex Grill

260 Racine Drive

Wilmington, NC 28403

(910) 799-2109

The Salt Shaker Cafe'

Here's a cozy cafe' tucked away off of Kerr Avenue, near UNCW. The Salt Shaker is a hidden treasure as it's located inside the Christian bookstore. The ambiance is quite peaceful. They offer an assortment of homemade pastas, sandwiches, and salads. They have a great loose tea selection as well as well priced coffee! A regular (size of Starbucks medium size drink) is a steal at $3.

If you are a local who is sad The Connection Cafe' closed down - you might look here for a similar feel.

The Salt Shaker Bookstore and Cafe'

705 South Kerr Avenue

Wilmington, NC 28403

(910) 350-1753

Chris' Cosmic Kitchen

Don't judge a book by it's cover when stepping foot into Chris' Cosmic Kitchen. Located off of Eastwood near UNCW, this spot is very simple on the outside but has exquisite food on the inside! Chris Lubben's resume alone should spark a desire to check this place out. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America up in New York. Not to mention has formerly cooked for Port City Chop House, executive chef for Reel Cafe', as well as Bon Appetite's catering service. THE BEST part of Chris' Cosmic Kitchen is that you get top notch food for LESS THAN TEN DOLLARS! Not to mention breakfast is served all day. That's right, twelve omelets to choose from! EVERYTHING on the menu is made from scratch daily, from the Shrimp Bisque to the Cheesecakes!

Must try: Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Shrimp Bisque. This is no ordinary Grilled Cheese!

Looking for a deal - search for Chris' Cosmic Kitchen on Twitter and find some daily bargains!

Chris' Cosmic Kitchen

420 Eastwood Road

Wilmington, NC 28403

(910) 792-6720

PT's Old Fashioned Grille

Craving a delicious burger? Times are never tough enough to stoop to a fast food "burger." Yes, in Wilmington, we have MUCH better options! PT's Old Fashioned Grille is a local joint that's been around for over 20 years. They pride themselves in their fresh burgers, made from scratch fries, veggies chopped daily. The ONLY thing that comes from a "bag" or prepackaged is the lettuce. Just when you thought you were impressed, the fries are made in no trans fat free oil! Less guilty fries to please the health conscious! For $8, you are getting one fresh burger. Aside from burgers, the grilled turkey or roast beef sandwich is a win win! Their meat is sliced to order and grilled perfectly! To top it off, even the greatest of sweet tea snobs will find themselves approving their brew! In need of a beer to go with the burger? PT's has Shock Top on draft for $1.88. Though none of the restaurants are particularly flashy, their fresh food makes up for it!

There are currently 7 PT's locations, five in Wilmington (17th Street, Military Cut Off, Monkey Junction, Fountain Drive near UNCW, and Porter's Neck), one in Leland, and one inland downtown Chapel Hill, NC.

Nikki's Restaurant and Sushi Bar

Feeling adventurous and want to go out for sushi? Nikki's is your place to go! As a sushi virgin - my experience with Nikki's sushi couldn't have been better. The downtown location (Front Street) appears to be a whole in the wall, but do not be fooled! On a Tuesday night, there was a wait to be seated! There are also multiple locations scattered throughout Wilmington making Nikki's convenient. Let's say that you LOVE sushi, but the others in your party aren't so much a fan...Nikki's has quite the assortment of dishes to choose from including everything from tacos, wraps, sandwiches, and simple teriyaki chicken! The price point here is also worthy of being noted! You can easily eat under $10, sushi or not!

The Spicy Tuna with Avocado Sushi Roll was excellent with a perfect kick to it! I got suckered into the tempura banana dessert - basically a fried banana with choice of green tea or red bean ice cream...looks better than it tastes. Not nearly as sweet as I wanted it to be - not bad, just different. Last but not least, Nikki's seems to have pretty sweet drink specials. Tuesdays are 1/2 price imports...which are priced starting at $2.50 which is really not bad!

Rucker John's

Located in the heart of Monkey Junction, Rucker John's provides a great family environment if you are looking to "sit down" eat quick. Now, it does border line a chain, as it originally sprouted from Emerald Isle, then to Wilmington, and their most recent location in Greenville, NC. The restaurant is huge inside, with rarely ever a wait. If you are looking for somewhere to take a big party (especially with kids) Rucker John's would be a great pick! The ambiance must be noted too. It's a tropical thing, but not done up wrong. A classy tropical theme that's not overdone. Very nice! Prices range from $8-$20.

Hands down, the food is great. Large menu selection to pick from. Even a "Lighter Alternatives" with $8 portions. This might sound silly, but they have a chicken tender platter that is just fab! The batter is different, not like O'Charly's (though I am a fan of), but more of a light, fluffy batter. My newest favorite here is the RJ's Pasta, which is actually NOT on the menu anymore...but you CAN ask for it:) RJ's pasta is a wine sauce with artichokes, mushrooms, red peppers, and cajun chicken...sooo good! Lots of times pasta's don't wow me, but this one earns wow factor! Another highlight is their really great salad topped with a honey brushed crescent! It's not the average side salad as it screams fresh and crispy. (Again, salads are normally just yeah...it's a salad...NOT this one!)

Main Street Sports Cafe'

Do not be fooled. Main Street Sports Cafe', located in Mayfaire Town Center, is NO LONGER Main Street Brewing Company. I was confused. Obviously the sign doesn't say BREWING COMPANY...but thought maybe I just had the name wrong. I had very high expectations going in, Front Street Brewery expectations. Turns out this was the former location of Main Street Brewing Company which happens to be the daughter of FSB! (FSB being one of my favorites.)

Long story short, my posse did what I call, "The Walk of Shame" and left before even ordering drinks. This is such a low.

So what exactly is Main Street Sports Cafe'? Well, it's just a sports bar, nothing fancy. Reminds me of a Carolina Ale House type atmosphere. With no football or basketball games, this place was dead empty! As a die-hard NC State fan, I'm not sure this would be my venue pic to cheer the Wolfpack on.

To be fair, I can't say anything about the food. Looked like standard bar food and clearly not FSB- so we simply left in search of somewhere else. On a random note: I'm guessing based on their website that the Sports Cafe' has the same owners as The Bridge Tender and Fishhouse Grill located at Wrightsville Beach.

Main Street Sports Cafe'

1055 International Way

Wilmington, NC 28405

(910) 256-4170

Jack Mackerel's Island Grill

Need a break from sunbathing at Carolina or Kure Beach? Jack Mackerel's menu and ambiance is pretty fun. If it's beautiful and breezy, you can sit up on the top deck with an ocean view. Jack Mackerel's has a Jimmy Buffet feel with a large menu to choose from: seafood to chicken - they seem to have everything. A+ for presentation of food, very well done! The current special is 20% of all dinner entrees, which range from $15-$30. Lunch menu is less than $10.

Personal experience - Our waitress was ticked that we wanted to sit on the top deck...because she didn't want to walk up the steps to get to it. We wouldn't let her spoil our beautiful day! Coconut shrimp = AMAZING. And I'm a coconut shrimp snob! My mom ordered fried shrimp - which looked pretty normal, like fried shrimp should look. I ordered the blackened shrimp mango quesadilla which was really tasty! I would def order it again!

Overall I would recommend it if you are in the area of CB or KB, otherwise might not be worth the haul south.

Jack Mackeral's Island Grill

113 K Avenue

Kure Beach, NC 28449

(910) 458-7668