Food Network star Tyler Florence, host of The Great American Food Truck Race, has invited six of Wilmington’s popular food trucks to participate in a food truck challenge during GLOW Academy’s annual celebrity chef fundraising event Jan. 24. The Food Truck Throw Down will take place during GLOW Academy’s fundraising breakfast at the Country Club o ...

Bitty & Beau’s Coffee celebrated the grand opening of its newest location at PPD’s worldwide headquarters in downtown Wilmington on Jan. 10, an event attended by hundreds of PPD employees and community supporters. The new cafe is built upon the same concept and model as each of Bitty & Beau’s standalone locations, and founder Amy Wright said th ...

22 North, a longtime fixture on the Wrightsville Beach dining and nightlife scene, is rebranding its restaurant operation. Chef Jeffrey Porter took over the lease of the space five months ago with the intention of working with owner Jim Radle to either rebuild 22 North’s culinary reputation or rebrand. Porter said the restaurant side of 22 North has struggled s ...

Panacea Brewing Co.’s Cultured Kitchen and Taproom is now open at 4107 Oleander Drive in Wilmington, the former home of Tazy’s Burgers & Grill in Anderson Square shopping center. Having quickly outgrown their former taproom on Eastwood Road, owners Robin and Art Hill were seeking a space where they could not only serve their kombucha on tap, but a variet ...

Jud Watkins, owner of Wrightsville Beach Brewery, has announced plans for a sister brewery, Brunswick Beer & Cider Company, to open in Leland. In partnership with longtime friend Will Cameron, Watkins said the facility will be the Cape Fear region's first cidery. “We’re really excited to announce that we’ll be breaking ground on this new pro ...

Make-A-Wish Eastern North Carolina will host its signature fundraising event, Wish Upon a Chef, on Jan. 30 at UNCW's Burney Center. The culinary event features 16 of the area’s top chefs in an evening of entertainment, inspiration and competition dining.  This year’s Wish Upon a Chef event features tableside service of signature dishes ...

One of six area Eggs Up Grill locations is set to open at Beau Rivage Marketplace on Jan. 20.  Ricky Richardson, CEO of the restaurant, announced the multi-unit deal last September, under which local residents Mary Ashton and David Dukes will own and operate this and five additional locations throughout the Cape Fear region. At that time, Richardson also confi ...

Following months of anticipation, The Maine Lobster Roll Co. is now open at Austin Commons on Carolina Beach Road, serving fresh lobster from the docks of Greenhead Lobster in Stonington, Maine. Ever since the restaurant was announced last summer, owners Bill and Monica Irwin have been fielding questions daily about when they would be open for business. “Toward ...

Last year brought some major shakeups to the area restaurant scene. Here’s a look at the most widely read restaurant stories by the Business Journal's online readers. 1. Topping the list for the year is the December announcement of the closure of Taylor’s Cuisine Cafe & Catering in Southport. Known throughout the area for cater ...

LM Restaurants eateries are among those hosting a variety of New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day events throughout Wilmington. Here’s a roundup of what’s taking place at LM locations: Bluewater Waterfront Grill 4 Marina St., Wrightsville Beach New Year’s Eve options at Bluewater include a prix fixe three-course dinner for $50 per person ...