Highest-rated restaurants in Wilmington by diners

Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans say they rarely or never try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, according to a 2024 survey of more than 1,500 diners from TouchBistro.

But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—67% of Gen Zers and 40% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on social media or online restaurant reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google. The TouchBistro survey found that 52% of Gen Zers have opted to try a new restaurant due to positive feedback on social media, and 67% of millennials have gone to a new dining spot solely because of favorable reviews online.

New restaurants in particular tend to garner a lot of online attention. About 50,000 new restaurants open each year in the U.S., and that number continues to rise. An analysis by Yelp published in June 2024 found that new restaurant openings were up 6% from May 2023 to April 2024. But some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established eateries that customers have been visiting for decades.

To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Wilmington, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2025. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews and a 3.0 rating were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.

1 / 30

#30. Salita Pizza

- Rating: 4.6/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 615 South 16th St. Ste 130 Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

2 / 30

#29. Seabird

- Rating: 4.6/5 (234 reviews)
- Address: 1 South Front St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Seafood, Cocktail Bars, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

3 / 30

#28. The Fortunate Glass

- Rating: 4.6/5 (136 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 29 South Front St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Wine Bars, Tapas Bars
- Read more on Yelp

4 / 30

#27. Two Guys Grille

- Rating: 4.6/5 (137 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8254 Market St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp

5 / 30

#26. The Getaway Cafe and Provisions

- Rating: 4.6/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 109 Pier Master Pt Ste 110 Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Sandwiches, Gluten-Free, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp

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6 / 30

#25. Three10

- Rating: 4.6/5 (65 reviews)
- Address: 1022 North 4th St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Seafood, Southern, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

7 / 30

#24. Pine Valley Market

- Rating: 4.6/5 (54 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3520 South College Road Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Cafes
- Read more on Yelp

8 / 30

#23. The Crazy Mason - Wilmington

- Rating: 4.6/5 (48 reviews)
- Address: 3608 Oleander Drive Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Desserts, Waffles
- Read more on Yelp

9 / 30

#22. The Green House Restaurant

- Rating: 4.6/5 (74 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1427 Military Cutoff Road Unit 106 Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Vegan, Vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp

10 / 30

#21. Chicken Salad Chick

- Rating: 4.6/5 (67 reviews)
- Address: 1131 A Military Cut Off Road Ste A Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Southern, Chicken Shop, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

11 / 30

#20. Panacea Brewing

- Rating: 4.6/5 (125 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4107 Oleander Drive Unit H Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Kombucha, Breakfast & Brunch, American
- Read more on Yelp

12 / 30

#19. Kapow Thai Street Food

- Rating: 4.6/5 (71 reviews)
- Address: 1988 Eastwood Road Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Thai, Noodles, Soup
- Read more on Yelp

13 / 30

#18. Los Portales Taqueria 3

- Rating: 4.6/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 3536 Carolina Beach Road Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Tacos, Soup
- Read more on Yelp

14 / 30

#17. Casa Blanca

- Rating: 4.6/5 (172 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 7409 Market St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp

15 / 30

#16. A View Rooftop Bistro

- Rating: 4.7/5 (33 reviews)
- Address: 501 Nutt St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Salad, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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16 / 30

#15. Savorez

- Rating: 4.7/5 (612 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 402 Chestnut St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Latin American, Seafood, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

17 / 30

#14. Tidewater Oyster Bar

- Rating: 4.7/5 (172 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8211 Market St. Unit DD Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

18 / 30

#13. Milner's Cafe & Catering

- Rating: 4.7/5 (39 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 311 Judges Road Ste 1A Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Cafes, Breakfast & Brunch, Salad
- Read more on Yelp

19 / 30

#12. Wilmington Wine

- Rating: 4.7/5 (31 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 701 Castle St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars, Korean
- Read more on Yelp

20 / 30

#11. Our Crepes & More

- Rating: 4.7/5 (366 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3810 Oleander Drive Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Creperies, French, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

21 / 30

#10. On Thyme Restaurant

- Rating: 4.7/5 (95 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 918 Castle St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Seafood, Tacos, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

22 / 30

#9. Bitty & Beau's Coffee

- Rating: 4.7/5 (229 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4949 New Centre Drive Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Juice Bars & Smoothies, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

23 / 30

#8. The Maine Lobster Roll

- Rating: 4.8/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 420 Eastwood Road Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Seafood, Soup, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

24 / 30

#7. Broomtail Craft Brewery

- Rating: 4.8/5 (40 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 6404 Amsterdam Way Unit 100 Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Breweries, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

25 / 30

#6. The Maine Lobster Roll Company

- Rating: 4.8/5 (161 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5202 Carolina Beach Road Ste 6 Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Seafood, American, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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26 / 30

#5. Pizzeria Don Luca

- Rating: 4.8/5 (54 reviews)
- Address: 1215 North 4th St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Tuscan
- Read more on Yelp

27 / 30

#4. The Half

- Rating: 4.8/5 (125 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 510 1/2 Red Cross St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Sandwiches, Beer Bar
- Read more on Yelp

28 / 30

#3. Amanecer Cocina & Cafe

- Rating: 4.8/5 (59 reviews)
- Address: 1616 Shipyard Blvd. Ste 20 Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Mexican, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

29 / 30

#2. Kale Me Crazy

- Rating: 4.9/5 (59 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6800 Parker Farm Drive Ste 100 Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Wraps, Juice Bars & Smoothies, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

30 / 30

#1. Folks Cafe

- Rating: 4.9/5 (77 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1201 Princess St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Empanadas, Breakfast & Brunch, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 318 metros.

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