Wrightsville Beach Farmers' Market has announced plans to extend its season through mid-December. It’s the first time the market has ever been extended, according to market manager Katie Ryan. Ryan said because of COVID-19, the market opened a few weeks later than usual, but has been very well received throughout the summer. She said she attributes the turn ...

In honor of students returning to school, be it in person or remotely, Carrabba’s Italian Grill has rolled out new family-style menu offerings. Carrabba’s family bundles are fully prepared meals featuring Italian specialties for both carryout and delivery. The meals feed up to five people and include salad and bread, starting at $34.95. Options include la ...

James Dolce has recently been named executive chef at Grand Cru Food & Wine at Lumina Station. Prior to accepting the Grand Cru position, Dolce worked for the Cape Fear County Club and Fat Tony’s in downtown Wilmington, as well as several family-run restaurants in his native upstate New York.  Dolce (pictured below) said he was inspired by the challeng ...

Two mainstays on the downtown nightlife scene, Pravda and KGB, have recently reopened as cafes in response to the restrictions placed upon bars throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Both Pravda and KGB had been closed since March. Dustin Cook, who is the co-owner of both locations with his wife, Edie Senter, said that at the start of the pandemic they were in the process ...

Joel and Mandy Marx, franchisees of the Peño Mediterranean Grill at 7037 Wrightsville Ave., have closed the doors to their location and are seeking to sell the restaurant. Rocco Quaranto, partner at Peño Grill franchising, said that while the space is leased, the restaurant can be sold either as a Peño or another concept. While the Marx’s l ...

Allen Carpenter and Zach Harmon, owners of Rooster & The Crow located in Chandler’s Wharf, have opened a new concept, Nutty Buddies, at The Cotton Exchange. The new eatery, which opened this past weekend, came about with the closure of The Scoop, an ice cream and sweets shop that had occupied the space since 1978. The landlord, who also owns Chandler’ ...

The success of allowing an expansion of outdoor dining and commerce in downtown Wilmington has provided a strong case for the city to consider a similar program that would extend even beyond the pandemic, said Chris Andrews, president of Cool Wilmington, the event management company responsible for overseeing Downtown Alive. The Wilmington City Council voted last week t ...

Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington (GLOW) officials have announced the celebrity chefs who will participate in the academy’s annual celebrity chef fundraising event next year. In a combination of virtual and in-real-life appearances, chefs Emeril Lagasse, Guy Fieri, Tyler Florence and Robert Irvine will interact with guests attending the event on GLOW’s ...

When Brian Dickey opened Sweet D’s Cuisine, a bakery located at 2321 S. 17th St. in the old Priddyboy’s location, he thought he would be able to ease into its operations.   Between the pandemic curtailing a lot of normal foot traffic at local businesses and depending on word-of- mouth to draw in customers, a soft opening seemed reasonable for Aug. 1. &n ...

The key to a good batch of egusi or ogbono is all in the fish, according to Felix Emeka. Felix and his wife, Tammi, recently opened African Caribbean Market & More behind Long Leaf Park at 4209 Oleander Dr., Unit 7. Egusi and ogbono are seeds ground in Nigerian soups, often used as thickening agents. They’re staples Felix enjoyed in his homeland as a c ...