When Jason James purchased Antonio’s Pizza and Pasta of Porters Neck in 2011, he spent a great deal of time considering whether or not to change the restaurant’s name.
 
Originally one of three Antonio’s restaurants in the area – the others being in Monkey Junction and Leland – the original partners sold the Monkey Junction and Leland location to one owner and the Porters Neck location to James. After the split, James’ location, 8211 Market St. in the Porters Neck Center, operated independently of the others.
 
Being that the restaurant was well-known and had a loyal following in the area, James ultimately decided to stick with the Antonio’s name. Now as James approaches the five-year mark of ownership this fall, he said the time has come to change the name.
 
“With the Monkey Junction owners opening a new Antonio’s in the Hanover Center this past year, I feel like the time has come to differentiate ourselves and avoid the confusion that comes from sharing the name,” James said.
 
James, along with longtime chef Jason Raynor, is changing the name to Italian Bistro. James previously owned a restaurant by the same name in the Cotton Exchange in downtown Wilmington from 1999 to 2004, where Raynor also served as executive chef.
 
“Jason Raynor and I have a great history together and have really come full circle,” James said. “So it just makes sense to go back to that name.”
 
Signage on the door has changed, and James said menus with the new logo as well as staff uniforms will be changing over shortly. He had hoped to launch the new name in conjunction with some interior updates as well as updates to the kitchen, but the installation of natural gas lines in the Porters Neck Center have delayed those projects.
 
“We’ve been waiting on the new gas lines for several months now and are still not sure when the work will be complete,” James said. “But we felt it would be best not to delay the name change any longer.”
 
James said that as soon as the gas lines are installed he will close for just a day or two to bring in some new kitchen equipment and give the front of the house a new look. 
 
“With all the changes I just want to be sure that our customers know that it’s still the same restaurant, same owners, same chef and same staff,” James said. “All that’s new for now is the name.”

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