From the editor: Local seafood restaurants are a special part of our community

When I came to Wilmington 25 years ago to interview for a reporting job, I can still remember quite a bit about the experience.

In addition to having to write a trial story that involved visiting Myrtle Grove Middle School, I was treated to dinner at Elijah’s the night before. The day of my interview, I was taken to The Pilot House for lunch.

I remember nervously sitting across from two newsroom editors during lunch and looking out over the beautiful Cape Fear River. Downtown Wilmington has seen a lot of change since then, but one thing has remained constant – these two restaurants. They are among the oldest in the city and have long been considered special places to take out-of-town guests.

In today’s dining feature, reporter Allison Ballard writes about how both have recently undergone a rebranding to update their decor and provide new offerings. Two significant changes of note are that Elijah’s is now Elijah’s Oyster & Fish Camp and The Pilot House now also includes the Crow’s Nest Bar.

I’m looking forward to checking out both spots, and I hope they will continue to delight guests for years to come.

Speaking of restaurants, Allison also has today’s cover story, which looks at the changing nature of seafood restaurants along the coast.

There was a time when coastal towns were filled with fish camps and seafood shacks, but some say they are slowly being replaced by other types of restaurants or even other types of businesses.

I hope they don’t disappear entirely. My mom has always loved getting lunch in Calabash followed by buying fresh shrimp right off the boat when she comes to visit. My husband’s relatives also frequently make a trip to the Calabash Seafood Hut when they are in town.

Sherry Jones is the StarNews executive editor. You can reach her at sjones1@gannett.com.