Every Sunday for more than a decade, Boca Bay had been a brunch hotspot in Wilmington, serving upward of 300 people in a mere five hours.
The restaurant and its famed brunch buffet—packed with waffles, sausage, blintzes, even a made-to-order omelet station—went on hiatus once COVID-19 hit the U.S. in March. Even when Boca Bay reopened under Gov. Roy Cooper’s executive order in phase two, the owners had to re-evaluate what Sundays would look like.
“We removed the buffet since customers use common serving utensils and dispensers, as they move through the [line],” says Kevin Jennings, who, with his wife, Stacey, owns Boca Bay under the Urban Food Group umbrella. "However, the outreach for us to keep our brunch going was so strong, we knew we needed to come up with a different plan."
So they hired Chef Dean Bauer to oversee the 2025 Eastwood Road eatery. First on his agenda: Bring back Sunday Funday with an a la carte menu, featuring 15 new items, including asparagus strudel, chicken and waffles and smoked corn and lobster chowder, among others ($6-$28). The menu also includes $2 mimosas.
A culinary arts graduate from Schenectady County Community College, Bauer has worked in hospitality since the ripe age of 19. From cheffing at Upper Montclair Country Club to Churchill Downs for their annual Derby weekend, Wilmington’s Beau Rivage to Carolina Beach’s Marriott, Bauer took over the helm at Boca Bay in June. Though the restaurant boasts a fusion of international flavors, from Asian to Italian to French, Bauer’s brunch inspiration came to him stateside—from the love his mother poured into cooking breakfast for five boys every morning in upstate New York.
"Mornings were tremendously fun and exciting to be a part of, since my mother was an artist and her canvas was edible,” Bauer remembers. “Fresh-made pastries, waffles, thick and crispy bacon, cured meats and always fresh fruits. Even though we were not well off, we always had the best breakfasts. Our morning menus may have been large, but they were made with very little, by turning simple ingredients into a buffet fit for royalty. My mother truly was our queen.”
Bauer also is sharpening Boca’s sea-faring palate, with the goal of making it “the most vibrant and exciting seafood restaurant in Wilmington.” He praises the Jennings’ support in giving him and his team creative freedom. "This now allows us to showcase the talent and enthusiasm we possess,” Bauer says. “[Boca] truly is a culinary playground that allows us to explore new options."
Urban Food Group, which also operates Brasserie du Soleil and Osteria Cicchetti, have ensured COVID regulations are met in all their facilities by decreasing dining capacity by 50%, requiring staff wear masks at all times and offering hand-sanitizing areas. Plus, there are QR codes for menus and curbside checkout for takeout orders.
"We also completed the 'Count on Me' training offered by the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association,” Jennings says. The program teaches restaurant management and staff how to safely reopen and operate their businesses during COVID.
Boca Bay is open for dinner Monday through Saturday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., and on Sundays for brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reservations can be made at bocabayrestaurant.com.
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Corrections: This version corrects information about a different restaurant's ownership and information about Boca Bay's mimosas.
