Origins Food and Drink is now an option for those in search of a midday meal.
 
The restaurant launched its lunch service on Oct. 24. General manager Adona Baker said guests at lunch can expect the same creative American cuisine and refined atmosphere the eatery offers for dinner.
 
“It’s still an upscale dining experience,” Baker said. “It’s just going to be lighter plates than we would have for dinner.”
 
Afternoon offerings include executive chef Mark Piscitello’s take on standard lunch fare like salads, sandwiches and bowls with either greens or ancient grains as the base. Baker said the latter is her favorite item on the new lunch menu.
 
“The grain bowls are fantastic. Each one has a different flavor profile and all of the ingredients are fresh and well-balanced,” she said.
 
Some dishes from the dinner menu also make an appearance at lunch: fresh seafood and steak as well as the restaurant’s signature pappardelle dressed in sugo, kale, and pork and veal ragout and blanketed with fresh parmesan Reggiano.
 
Baker confirmed that the plan was always for Origins, which opened earlier this year for dinner only, to expand its hours of operation to include lunch once staff was fully trained and processes were streamlined.
 
“Now that we’ve got a good groove going and a nice following, we’re prepared to move on to that next step,” she said.
 
Based on its location in Autumn Hall, Baker said the restaurant expects to serve a mix of people stopping in during a break from work along with “folks at leisure for lunch.” The latter can enjoy a selection of wines and desserts to accompany their meal.
 
Origins is local restaurateur Ash Aziz’s newest eatery in Wilmington. The restaurant, located in Unit 120 at 102 Autumn Hall Drive, is now open for lunch from 11:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Reservations are recommended.