A virtual visit with beloved cookbook author and Food Network star Ina Garten is on the table for participants in Beacon Education’s newest fundraiser.   Garten will virtually host an intimate event in Wilmington in the spring, where a handful of winners in a limited raffle will enjoy a menu of the Barefoot Contessa’s recipes, curated by Garten and prepa ...

To open Carolina Beach’s newest coffee shop and pour house, owner Jeff Hogan had to break the bank – literally.   Hogan liked the spot at 612 N. Lake Park Blvd., formerly First Citizens Bank, for its abundant parking and existing drive-thru infrastructure. But to transform into The Vault Coffee and Pour House, the building was essentially gutted and rebu ...

Tacos, kebabs and ssam are among the street food classics coming to the Cargo District in December with Beat Street, the newest restaurant by We Are True Blue restaurateur Bobby Zimmerman. Drawing from street food traditions across the world, Zimmerman envisions the restaurant bringing something new and different to the local food scene.   “This concept is all ...

Esteemed Triangle restaurateur Giorgios Bakatsias has been tapped to helm the food and beverage program for a floating restaurant coming to Wrightsville Beach in 2024.   Currently in the early phases of construction, The Commodore Club at Wrightsville Yacht Club will operate atop a specially designed barge at Wrightsville Beach Marina with panoramic views of the Int ...

Potbelly Sandwich Shop is growing, with owners Brent and Michele Brouse moving forward with plans to open a new drive-thru location at 6818 Parker Farm Drive in 2023.   “This will be store No. 2 for us here in Wilmington, and hopefully there are more to come,” Brent Brouse said.   Brouse and his wife signed a franchise agreement with the Chicago-b ...

Less than three months after The Sorrow Drowner opened in April, the doors to the adventure-themed tiki bar closed.   Owner Alfred Wheatley cited a string of issues in those early months, punctuated by a refrigerator that “literally exploded” during a week when the business was empty with multiple staff out sick with COVID. Supply chain issues prevented ...

Breadsmith in Mayfaire has indefinitely closed. Owner Katherine Amadeo listed numerous factors that led her to shutter the store at 820 Town Center Drive on Nov. 8.   Issues cited by Amadeo included limited parking for the store, located at the corner of Town Center Drive and Monument Drive, as well as rising prices and supply chain issues.   “This has ...

Morgan Milne said he’s dedicated to providing quality produce for the community to enjoy, and his farm, Red Beard Farms, is already making strides to boost the local food system in the Cape Fear area.     Milne directly supplies to a wide variety of local restaurants, including PinPoint, The Green House, Origins, Circa 1922, manna and Junction 421. H ...

Ten Carolina Beach businesses will host hundreds of visitors on Nov. 19 for the Carolina Beach Wine & Beer Walk.   The event is back after two years off due to the pandemic and resulting staffing issues that prevented the island’s eateries and drinkeries from hosting. While the curated selection of beer, spirits and wine samples at participating locations ...

After two years of renovations to the space at 3410 Wrightsville Ave., Little Loaf Bakery and Schoolhouse owner Julia Castellano is ready to open the doors to customers on Nov. 19.   “I can’t wait for this to be a reality because it’s been such a long road,” Castellano said.   A nod to the old-world European bakes she’s sold at f ...