Highest-rated Restaurants in Wilmington by Diners

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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 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 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, compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Wilmington, according to 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.

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#30. Salita Pizza

- Rating: 4.6/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 615 South 16th St. Ste 130 Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
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#29. Seabird

- Rating: 4.6/5 (234 reviews)
- Address: 1 South Front St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Seafood, Cocktail Bars, Breakfast & Brunch
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#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
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#27. Two Guys Grille

- Rating: 4.6/5 (137 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8254 Market St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: American
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#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
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#25. Three10

- Rating: 4.6/5 (65 reviews)
- Address: 1022 North 4th St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Seafood, Southern, Cocktail Bars
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#24. Pine Valley Market

- Rating: 4.6/5 (54 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3520 South College Road Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Cafes
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#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
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#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
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#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
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#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
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#19. Kapow Thai Street Food

- Rating: 4.6/5 (71 reviews)
- Address: 1988 Eastwood Road Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Thai, Noodles, Soup
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#18. Los Portales Taqueria 3

- Rating: 4.6/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 3536 Carolina Beach Road Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Tacos, Soup
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#17. Casa Blanca

- Rating: 4.6/5 (172 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 7409 Market St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes
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#16. A View Rooftop Bistro

- Rating: 4.7/5 (33 reviews)
- Address: 501 Nutt St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Salad, Sandwiches
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#15. Savorez

- Rating: 4.7/5 (612 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 402 Chestnut St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Latin American, Seafood, Breakfast & Brunch
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#14. Tidewater Oyster Bar

- Rating: 4.7/5 (172 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8211 Market St. Unit DD Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Seafood
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#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
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#12. Wilmington Wine

- Rating: 4.7/5 (31 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 701 Castle St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars, Korean
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#11. Our Crepes & More

- Rating: 4.7/5 (366 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3810 Oleander Drive Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Creperies, French, Breakfast & Brunch
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#10. On Thyme Restaurant

- Rating: 4.7/5 (95 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 918 Castle St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Seafood, Tacos, Burgers
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#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
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#8. The Maine Lobster Roll

- Rating: 4.8/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 420 Eastwood Road Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Seafood, Soup, Sandwiches
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#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
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#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
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#5. Pizzeria Don Luca

- Rating: 4.8/5 (54 reviews)
- Address: 1215 North 4th St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Tuscan
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#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
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#3. Amanecer Cocina & Cafe

- Rating: 4.8/5 (59 reviews)
- Address: 1616 Shipyard Blvd. Ste 20 Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Mexican, Breakfast & Brunch
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#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
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#1. Folks Cafe

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