Heads up, Port City Foodies! Did you miss any of these feature stories?
Port City Foodie is out and about, compiling the best lists of restaurants and foods, checking in at our favorite specialty food markets, and letting Wilmingtonians and visitors to the Cape Fear region know what’s going on. We’ve got a great foodie community, with the hottest restaurants and superbly talented chefs, and access to the very best local produce, seafood, and food products. We’re thinking pickles, microgreens, honey, and giant squares of cheese biscuits from a local artisanal bakery.
Here’s what we are writing:
Short interviews with Port City foodies, from food bloggers and restaurateurs, to bartenders, chefs and specialty food retailers. We love taking five (or thereabouts) minutes with these busy people and talking about food. What motivates them? What do they love to eat? What do they love to cook? What’s coming out of their kitchens or stores?
We go, we eat, and write… if we love it, that is. Restaurant reviews on Port City Foodie are all about food love, when means that if we don’t think it’s worth telling other foodies to eat there, we don’t write about it. No bitching about servers, complaining about portion sizes, or debating the noise level in the dining room. It’s about food love at Port City Foodie. Food. We love it.
Recipes for Your Port City Kitchen
We’re working on building an archive of tried and tested recipes as a quick resource. We’re posting appetizers, entrees, and a sizeable number of totally tempting desserts. Lots of of our favorite recipes have been contributed by Port City foodies, including Chuck Pennington at The Verandas, and Sarah Koob, who counts a smoker-savvy husband and a fondness for local oysters among her assets.
If you have a story idea for us, or would like to get a press release in front of our writers, send a note to Port City Foodie.
Cast Iron Kitchen and Chef Josh Petty have changed the way the Port City thinks of breakfast and brunch but when they team up with Master Blend Family Farms for a “High and Low on the Hog” dinner, you KNOW it’s gonna be spectacular!
When I heard tacobaby was having their Grand Opening, I immediately scrapped the family’s dinner plans, scooped everyone up and set sail for the unveiling of what will undoubtedly become one of downtown’s coolest places.
Osteria Cicchetti is, and always has been predictably and consistently delicious. This awesome meal was no exception and yet another reminder why “The O.C.” is so popular.
Seeing that Cast Iron Kitchen was open meant a quick U-turn and an awesome brunch were my new plans for the day!
I dropped into the Bento Box in the Forum and so glad I did! When the food came out I honestly felt guilty for eating it because it looked so good.
Tell ya what… CHINGON is worth the drive (and a story). I’ve stepped away from stories because it seems like people really just want a quick couple blurbs and a couple photos. But today’s lunch was yummy fo’ sho’, and merits some extra foodie props!
Stuck in the house in full-on pandemic stay-your-butt-at-home mode, I felt my beloved taste buds dulling and dying with every day. Long gone were my romantic walks to the taco trucks and I felt that I’d do just about anything to enter the hallowed halls of my favorite restaurants.
Five Minutes with Lois Potratz, Social Media Influencer: “Food is a connection to heart and home. Hopefully people will cook along with me on Zoom, focusing on healthy comfort food. It is indeed very therapeutic.“
Five Minutes with Dave Wishon, Parchies: “They told me I’d never make it, because nobody ever could. If they had told me I would be a big success, I’d probably have failed – that was my motivation.“
Are you invited to partake of New Year’s revelries at the home of your favorite foodie? Rejoice! There is nothing better than ringing in a new year with craft drinks, special bubbly, and gourmet edibles. But… don’t forget the foodie gift for that special host or hostess.
SANTA IS A FOODIE… Last minute gift ideas for the foodie in your life. So if you’re anything like me, you’ve been so busy trying out all the amazing restaurants in the Port City that Christmas has snuck up on you. And if you’re anything like me, you’re sitting five days out from the big
Five Minutes with Katie Guthrie, Noonie Doodle: “We really are trying, as a company, to have candy options for all tastes. We want people to come in and have fun.“
Five Minutes with Heath Newton, The Sideboard Cafe: “When you combine good food and board games, people have fun interacting. We’ve created a social alternative to electronic games.“ .
If you are an eggnog lover, the day those cartons hit the shelves at the supermarket is bliss. It signals the winter holidays, family gatherings, and feet up in front of the fireplace. This pumpkin spice eggnog pushes the calendar up just a month or so. We say, “Why wait?” The Verandas’ spooky homemade rendition
Five Minutes with Charise Cureton, Personal Chef: “If it’s good, I’ll go with it. That’s really the point of being a foodie: you eat for adventure. “
As I make my way around Wilmington and the surrounding areas looking for new places to strap on the feed bag and get my “grub on,” I come across a wide variety of foods and eateries. In the ever-growing restaurant landscape that the Port City has become, it’s not hard to find something that will
Trying to find the perfect place for a “date night” dinner is a daunting task whether it’s a first date, a night out with your significant other, a special night away from the kids with your spouse or celebrating a milestone anniversary. There are so many options, that “paralysis by analysis” can easily creep in
For some strange reason, my friends think that just because I like to strap on the feed bag at some of Wilmington’s best eateries, I must have an “inside scoop” on where to go as if it’s some kind of secret.
When your life is being the “host with the most,” throwing the perfect party is all in a day’s work. Chuck Pennington, innkeeper of Wilmington’s four-diamond bed and breakfast inn, The Verandas, is a party pro. He follows the same party planning protocol for the flawless functions at The Verandas, whether the guest list is
It’s new in Historic Downtown Wilmington, and it’s trending. Dram Yard restaurant, at the newly rehabbed hotel property, Arrive, specializes in creative, global cuisine. Order from the tempting menu and plan on sharing: everything at Dram Yard is generously portioned. From the craft cocktails, to vegetable-based culinary creations and visually astounding seafood dishes, there is
Five Minutes with William Roberts, Oceans Restaurant: “Lately, I’ve gotten into global cuisine, and merging that with traditional Southern dishes. I really emphasize using Southern ingredients.“
This is definitely a case when second is best! Kirk Pugh – Foodie and Real Estate Broker – ventures to the Greenfield Drive warehouse district for food and drink at the new restaurant and wine bar from the owners of Fortunate Glass: The Second Glass. The wine selection by the glass or bottle is on
Port City Foodie restaurant reviewer and food lover, Ed Walsh, is on the road, and all of us foodies back home in Wilmington NC are lucky enough to have him check in, with tempting food pics and mouth-watering descriptions. Eat, enjoy, and share, Ed.
Looking for an incredible burger? We’ve got a list of the seven super burgers. These are the best hamburgers in Wilmington: the juiciest, most flavorful, most substantial burgers that promise to satisfy any meat eater. At least until we find a new favorite burger joint.
Five Minutes with April Sussman, The Veggie Wagon: “The Veggie Wagon is really what people want to make it: coffee shop, grocery store, produce stand. We’re committed to being the place both locals and visitors can find local North Carolina products to support our farmers and small businesses.“
Words dear to every foodie’s heart: Here, taste this. They said it, and we complied. Our sample botanical chocolate bars from Yes CaCao arrived in the mail, carefully wrapped and insulated like the precious objects they are.
This episode of Tasty Tuesday is all about the water, and all about the view. And the food: mahi, Thai-style shrimp, and classic pecan pie. Kirk Pugh – Foodie, Broker, Realtor with KBT Realty Group – headed out to Crystal Pier at Wrightsville Beach for an al fresco, ocean-side dining experience at the iconic Oceanic
What do you get when a retired professional skateboarder with an affinity for tacos decides to bring his love for simple, fresh ingredients and a laid back, cool environment to the area? You get Nollie’s, one heck of a cool place in Carolina Beach serving up tacos that are well worth the drive.
Five Minutes with John Andrews, South Beach Grill: “If there is a barometer of success on the beach, it is how you keep customers during the off-season. We are so well supported locally.“
Home cooks, pro cooks, super star chefs all know the key to flavor is fresh herbs. This summer, why don’t you grow your own kitchen garden herbs? Whether you have plenty of sunny space in your yard, or a shady corner on a brick patio, there are plenty of herbs that will produce a bountiful
After a brief hiatus, Foodie Kirk Pugh is back with Tasty Tuesday and RUMCOW Wilmington, a hot new restaurant in Historic Downtown with an intriguing menu of small bites perfect for enjoying at the bar, and trendy dining for a great meal in one of the new hot spots.
This gorgeous Caribbean version of bread pudding popped up on my friend’s Facebook feed. Of course, I had to have it. It looks gorgeous, and I promise you won’t be disappointed with it on your dessert place. Gracias, amiga!
If you are looking for a restaurant gem in Wilmington, make sure your next lunch or dinner stop is Candle Nut Restaurant. Owners Jeff and Novi Rickert have created an Indonesian restaurant that offers meals with Malaysia, Singapore and Dutch influences.
Five Minutes with Emily Luther and Stacey McPherson, Crust: “It’s really important to me that every grilled cheese is a great experience. I’m always trying to perfect the sandwich.“ Emily: Before Crust, I had a restaurant in Southport – it was a deli and coffee shop – and Stacey had an ice-cream popup in Southport.
Ever had a good recipe and made a little change that created a great recipe? Follow the recipe for Sarah’s favorite Shrimp and Grits, and substitute smoked crawfish sausage for the Andouille sausage in the original recipe. Try making our shrimp and grits with a twist; you only have to switch out one ingredient in
Five Minutes with Lydia Clopton, Love, Lydia Bakery & Cafe: “There’s just something, a hole, that bakeries can fill, that nothing else can.“
We don’t think there is anything more universally enticing than cheese-laden appetizers, and these two hot appetizers for cheese lovers are our go-to recipes.
Foodie Kirk Pugh takes Tasty Tuesday to Roko Italian Restaurant for an elegant dining experience and some of the best Italian food in Wilmington NC.
Five Minutes with Doug and Susan Zucker, Bridgewater Wines: “Our slogan is ‘Explore the World, One Wine at a Time,’ and we really want people to come in here and discover something new, have a great experience, and learn about different wines.“
Five Minutes with Angie Blackburn, Wilmington Beef Jerky: “With six kids, we were a grab-and-go family when it came to food. Great beef jerky was always in our cupboards, and it’s the first thing our kids wanted in their sports bags.“
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