Change is in the air, and Wilmington residents are about to see several new restaurants popping up around town.
Signage is up for a new Italian restaurant, Mamma Lucia’s Cucina Italiana, at 431 Eastwood Road, formerly Soho Bakery & Café. Soho closed in late January. Calls to owner Mac Abdallah were not returned; however, the café’s website says that Soho is coming soon to Atlanta. More details on Mamma Lucia’s will be available in the near future.
LM Restaurants Inc. announced that Hops Supply Co. will open a second location in downtown Wilmington at 155 N. Front St. LM president and founder Lou Moshakos purchased the Front Street property last year with plans to open both a brewery and a restaurant within the space. While plans for a brewery still exist, the company is moving ahead with the restaurant for the time being.
The original Hops Supply Co. (HopsCo) opened at 5400 Oleander Drive in October 2012.
“Many people come to HopsCo for an amazing culinary experience,” Moshakos said. “We often see guests choosing a beer to specifically pair with their meal. Opening our second HopsCo location in the same space as a brewery is an amazing opportunity to marry our food with new, small-batch hand-crafted beers. It’s a natural progression for this brand.”
Bourbon Street, the downtown restaurant specializing in Cajun and Creole cuisine, has leased Unit 150 at Beau Rivage Marketplace, according to Nicholas Silivanch, partner and vice president of retail for Eastern Carolinas Commercial Real Estate. Silivanch said Kevin Corbett, a chef and one of the owners of the New Orleans-themed restaurant, will open a second location in a 2,400-square-foot space. The downtown location has been in operation since January of 2013.
Corbett is also slated to open Port City Cheese Steak Company at the multi-unit building at 2101 Market St. The restaurant’s original location at 204 Princess St. was damaged in the fire that broke out at neighboring Mugsy’s Pub last fall.
Islands Fresh Mex Grill, which currently has two Wilmington locations -- one at 260 Racine Drive and another at 7032 Market St. -- will open a third location downtown, according to John Hinnant of Maus, Warwick, Matthews & Company real estate firm. The fast casual restaurant will occupy 310 N. Front St., the former home of Fuzzy Peach. A mid-June opening is targeted, according to Hinnant.
NeMa Lounge & Eatery has taken over the space in Chandler’s Wharf that was previously occupied by Cobblestone Café. Co-owners Mark Borkowski and Neal Lovaas will be releasing more information in the coming weeks.
The Hassle and Goldman families are working to complete their joint venture, Check Six Brewing Company, in Southport. A mid- to late-April soft opening is expected, according to Wendy Hassle, followed by a grand opening late May or early June. See Check Six’s Facebook page for updates.
Have a tip for Restaurant Roundup? Email us at [email protected]
