Readers filled up on food-related news in 2016, with a mix of different restaurant styles topping the charts. The following is a list of the top five most-read online restaurant articles from the Greater Wilmington Business Journal's website this year.

1. Chef Vivian Howard signs lease for new Wilmington restaurant (Dec. 7): Chef Vivian Howard and Ben Knight, the couple who own Chef & the Farmer in Kinston and star in the PBS show A Chef's Life, signed a lease for 206 Greenfield St. in Wilmington, with plans to open Benny's Big Time Pizzeria by summer or early fall. The restaurant, located in 3,700-square-feet of renovated historic space in the second phase of the South Front mixed-use development, will serve wood-fired pizzas.
 
2. Beau’s Coffee mixes java and opportunity (Jan. 20): Now called Bitty & Beau’s Coffee, this coffee shop, named after the youngest daughter and the son of Amy and Ben Wright of Wilmington, gained national attention this year. The Wrights were featured on The Rachael Ray Show, after which Beau's became the show's official coffee, and more recently on Harry, a talk show hosted by Harry Connick Jr.  After the January Business Journal story, the coffee shop won Coastal Entrepreneur of the Year and moved from Wrightsville and South Kerr avenues to a much larger location at 4949 New Centre Drive in Wilmington. The aim of the coffee shop is to employ people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
 
3. Fat Tony’s announces Leland location (May 18): Officials with Fat Tony's Italian Pub, a popular downtown Wilmington eatery, announced earlier this year that they had leased the space formerly occupied by Eddie Romanelli's at 503 Olde Waterford Way in Leland. The restaurant now offers craft beer and craft pizza to diners who previously had to drive over the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge to enjoy Fat Tony's.
 
4. Tongy’s Shmackhouse: Not your average bar and grill (March 2): Tongy's Shmackhouse opened a Wilmington location at 5500 Market St. this year and specializes in hand-pattied burgers and hand-cut fries, along with a variety of sandwiches, tacos and quesadillas.
 
5. Mamma Lucia brings authentic Italian cuisine to Wilmington (Aug. 31): Mamma Lucia Cucina Italiana opened in the space at 431 Eastwood Road that was previously occupied by a bakery and cafe. While customers find many Italian-American staples on the menu, owner Francesca Di Gioia also introduces them to traditional Italian dishes.