Port City Foodies Newsletter: Summer fun and best picks

Welcome to the weekly Port City Foodies newsletter brought to you by me, StarNews reporter Allison Ballard. It’s no secret that there are some great eateries in the Wilmington area. But I don’t think the local food scene always gets its fair share of national attention. That’s been changing lately. Wilmington’s own Dean Neff was one of five finalists for what is arguably the biggest culinary honor in the country. Some of our other favorite eateries have been getting their own kind of spotlight, too. Check it out below.

A toast to summer

I love a summer cocktail. I mean, who doesn’t, right? I’ve been enjoying checking out some of the warm-weather libations on local menus. Here are a few of those mixologist-created concoctions, including a non-alcoholic one, you can find at local bars and restaurants.

Best of the best

Speaking of lists, people love them -- especially if they’re about food. One of the common iterations is to cull reviews to determine the best of (insert food item here) in every state. The burritos at the popular downtown eatery Beer Barrio are so good, they appeared on not one, but two such lists. You can read more here.

But that’s not all! Local buffet favorite, Casey’s once again landed in the top 10 in a national USA Today reader poll. And, Pender County’s Topsail Steamer is a favorite of Oprah herself and is on a selective assortment of summer must-haves. Check out the details.

More summer 'Fun'

This month, the Chen restaurant family will have another member. A third Fun Bowl is hosting a grand opening on July 12 in Monkey Junction. This one will be a full-service combination of the eateries downtown and in Landfall Shopping Center. Read more here.

A new look

You might not have had a chance to check out the updates at longtime favorites, Pilot House and Elijah’s -- excuse me, Elijah’s Oyster & Fish Camp. But you can get a feel for the rebranding by looking at their websites. Otherwise, the changes appear subtle. And many of the favorite items are still there. What do you think of the update? Is your favorite dish still available?

Let’s get social

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