Tanner .. Piping Plover Pilsner...made here in Wilmington NC!! Wife had Red Oak Bavarian Amber Lager I ordered the Meatloaf, with asparagus and mashed potato's My wife had her usual chicken sandwich which I've forgotten the name but she did enjoy and the portion was large enough for me to get a few bites lol All was very good and we went be back read more

We had a larger party, so waited for some time but this was expected on a Saturday. Sat outside, shaded at high tops. Mixture of food from shrimp and grits to salads to blts. I had a Bloody Mary, well made. Some sodas and beers for all as well. I had the Cobb salad with a blue cheese vinaigrette- good, fresh veggies (great cucumbers). I do wish there was more roasted chicken/protein. Had a deviled egg on it, but flavor was a bit off on that so didn't eat it. Shrimp and grits x4 were good- grits a little thin, but flavor good. Only turn off was the tails being left on. On grits (and pasta) that is a pet peeve for me as you lose some of the shrimp and t makes it difficult to eat. BLT- good, fresh veggies and thick bread. French toast x2 - really good with a great variety of fresh fruit. Service was good. read more

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I visited The Basics on a Thursday morning. There was a wait, but they turned tables pretty quickly. I ordered the chef special. A chicken Caesar sandwich on pretzel bun. It was fabulous. Tasty, bun was fresh, and the sandwich was not over powering with the Caesar dressing. It was the perfect sandwich. The show stopper was the collard greens!! I'm from Florida, so I have eaten my fair share of collards. This place makes the best ones I have ever had. I would have ordered a bowl of collards and nothing else if I knew how good they were. Definitely will be back to the Basics. Also, the service was excellent. Daniel was a great server. Attentive and not pushy. I sat at the bar facing the kitchen, and had a great view of the teamwork in the kitchen. Plus it was a bonus looking at all the food coming out. Everything looked delicious. Definitely a must when I'm Wilmington. read more

The pancakes are the best ones I have ever tasted. The service was great and the servers were so nice. And there is some nice art in the building. read more

The Basics - On the walk up to the restaurant there is a bunch of sculptures. - Southern Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Came here on the recommendation of a friend, she said sit at the bar! - talk to the locals, and I did. I was not disappointed. Food was beautiful and tasty. Had a signature morning special: hash bowl with steak and added eggs. Sliced ripe tomatoes with salt n peppa rounded out my meal. All while chatting up a local college professor on his way in to teach. What a great start to my day. Highly recommend stopping here for breakfast/brunch if near downtown. Also great quality and quantity to cost ratio, in your favor. Street side parking available. read more

The Basics - Hash bowl - Southern Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

I went to The Basics a while back. I loved the small town diner vibes. Great meal, fast and great service, and the overall cost was budget conscious. When I'm in the Wilmington area again I'll definitely be back. read more

The Basics - Menu - Southern Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Stopped here and got some breakfast and lunch items. All of which weren't amazing but it was good food and enjoyed the time there.

Grabbed a quick bite to eat at The Basics while enduring the snow and ice in Wilmington the other day. Our server was a great guy, very friendly and served us water right away while we went over the menu. My wife had a fried green tomato sandwich and I had some grits with cheese. It was a little different than other cheese grits I've had before, usually it's some cheese mixed into the grits, this was a generous amount of cheese melted on top of the grits. The grits were thicky, hearty, rich and delicious. I finished up and was wishing I had some more. My wife loved the sandwich, she said it was something totally different from what she can get at other places and it was so perfectly seasoned. This was a great spot for a southern bite and I'd highly recommend you try it out. read more

Great food and friendly staff. Beware that they do go ahead and add their own tip on the bill but fail to tell you. I wound up tipping over 40% as a result. Felt a little scammed. Won't be back. read more

I always come for breakfast when I'm in town the pancakes are killer!! The service is always nice and hospitable.

Had brunch over the holiday weekend. Food and service was great. What's not to love of the Cotten Exchange. So much fun in this historic building. read more

Came in for lunch on a weekday and they weren't busy at all... it was right after they switched to lunchtime that I arrived, but by the time I left, they were getting busy. I sat at the bar and started with a cup of Brunswick Stew. The stew was very flavorful, but was so thick, it didn't resemble a soup nor strew, it was more like a casserole. I then went with their chicken salad sandwich on sourdough bread. The chicken salad was just ok. I bit into something hard, maybe a bone and the overall flavor of it was more on the bland side. The potato cake that came with it was the best thing I ate there. It was very tasty. Overall, I wasn't as impressed based on what I expected from all the positive reviews I read. read more

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We ended up frequenting this spot so much during our stay in NC that we practically became part of the crew. The staff started recognizing us as we casually strolled around Wilmington, greeting us like old friends. Talk about feeling like locals! This place lives up to its name with a laid back vibe that oozes Southern charm. The ambiance is relaxed and welcoming, making it the perfect spot to kick back and enjoy a meal. We kicked things off with a little bit of everything: coffee, sangria, apple juice, egg scramble with peppers and onions, pancakes, egg scramble with cheese, turkey bacon, chicken BLT sandwich sans the bacon, a potato croquette. The homemade mayo on the fried chicken BLT? I can't even describe how good it was. I mean, mayo shouldn't taste that amazing, but here we are. I literally begged my husband to take me there every morning just for that fried chicken BLT sandwich. The rest of the family loved their meals too. If you're ever in Wilmington, this place is a must. Comfortable, delicious, and a place where you'll feel like part of the family. read more

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Great place, tasty home style food with an elegant twist, complete with the historic Cotton Exchange atmosphere, great service and reasonable pricing. read more

I had the chicken spinach salad, which was easily made dairy free. It was a delicious, bright salad and I especially loved the spiced nuts with it. The interior is cute and you're right in the cotton district to pop around a bit after you eat. read more

The Basics - Inside - Southern Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

I went to The Basics around 10:30am on a Friday and was seated right away--no wait, which was a nice start to the morning. The restaurant has a rustic, open atmosphere that feels very 'Wilmington'. I ordered the Southern Benedict with grits. The sausage gravy had incredible flavor, though it was a little cooler than I'd hoped. The biscuits were absolutely ginormous, with great texture that really stood out. But the star of the meal was definitely the grits--phenomenal, easily some of the best I've ever had. On top of the food, the staff were friendly and made the experience warm and enjoyable. Overall, The Basics is a charming spot with standout Southern flavors--I would love to try again for lunch or dinner. read more

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Good Southern food in a rustic setting. Service was friendly, but the kitchen was slow. The Carolina Cobb is different using mixed greens. read more

The Basics - Menu - Southern Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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4 out of 5 stars I went to The Basic for lunch today with a party of eight, and overall it was a great experience. The atmosphere is cozy with a stylish, almost fedora-type vibe that makes it a really comfortable place to enjoy a meal. The menu had a wide selection of dishes that all sounded delicious. I ordered one of the special burgers with brie and bacon. I had asked for medium-rare, but it came out well done, which was a little disappointing. Our server was quick to respond and brought out a second burger cooked perfectly and was delicious. On the bright side, others at my table ordered the zucchini sandwich and salad, which were phenomenal. For the child in our group, we got chicken fingers and mac & cheese, and those were a hit as well. The service was attentive and friendly, which made the experience even better. While I was a little let down by my burger, everything else at the table was solid, and I would definitely come back again to try more of the menu. read more

The Basics - Southern Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Amazing! I just don't understand why this restaurant is not packed for dinner. We had an excellent dinner this evening. I had the "Hook" special - halibut with seasonal vegetables in a pesto risotto. OMG - it was fabulous. The fish was perfectly cooked and the risotto and veggies were the perfect accompaniment to the fish. My husband had the rib eye tips, another special. It came with a side salad, mac n cheese and seasonal veggies. It was deliciously seasoned and perfectly cooked. Our server, Lila, was attentive, knowledgeable and lovely to chat with. I cannot express how surprised we are that everyone is not flocking to The Basics for dinner - not just breakfast and brunch. read more

Wilmington didn't let me down again. Stopped inside for a breakfast on my last day in town, was greeted by an extremely friendly staff and sat at the bar. I got the Mexican scramble (can't remember what it was called) and it was delicious. Nice bright storefront with a nice view of the Main Street. I'll come back! read more

The Basics - Southern Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

I recently visited for brunch, and while it wasn't a terrible experience, it didn't leave a lasting impression either. The atmosphere was casual and comfortable. The service was fine--our server was polite, but nothing particularly stood out in terms of attentiveness. As for the food, it was decent but not extraordinary. I ordered the Avocado Toast which came with scrambled eggs. I asked for pimento cheese in the eggs. I got a side of cold pimento cheese. I just mixed it in myself.. My boyfriend ordered the 2 egg breakfast with extra crispy bacon. Was the bacon extra crispy?? No! And to our surprise when we got the check we were charge "an egg surcharge of a $1.00". Since when is that a thing?! Overall, it's a good option if you're in the area and just need a quick bite, but I wouldn't go out of my way to return. It's a solid choice if you're not expecting anything extraordinary. read more

The Basics in downtown Wilmington, North Carolina, delivered an outstanding dining experience from start to finish. Nestled inside the historic Cotton Exchange, the restaurant combines a warm brick-walled atmosphere with the charm of a true Southern scratch-kitchen bistro. We started with the Fried Green Tomatoes with Honey Dijon, which were perfectly crisp and flavorful with just the right balance of tangy sweetness from the sauce. For our entrées, the Hook Special featured Sautéed Flounder finished with lemon and butter that was fresh, delicate, and beautifully prepared. The Pan Fried Catfish with Collards was another standout -- classic Southern comfort food elevated by the restaurant's attention to quality and homemade flavor. Dessert was the perfect ending to the meal: warm Peach Cobbler topped with Vanilla Ice Cream. It tasted completely homemade and captured everything you want in a comforting Southern dessert. Another highlight was the wine list at The Basics. It's curated, approachable, and modest in size, focusing more on quality selections than an overwhelming number of bottles. The thoughtful choices paired wonderfully with the menu and added to the relaxed, welcoming dining experience. The Basics truly lives up to its reputation for serving creative spins on traditional Southern comfort food using fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Whether you're visiting for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or weekend brunch, it's easy to see why this restaurant is such a popular downtown Wilmington destination. read more

We enjoyed the cheeseburger special with a potato cake aka potato ball. If you go ask to sit downstairs. They had an exhaust issue and the upstairs filled with smoke. The downstairs was fine. I he food is good and the wait was what we expected. read more

We stopped into The Basics for dinner after reading such positive Yelp reviews and we weren't disappointed. We were greeted by smiling and friendly servers and were told to choose any table we'd like (we arrived fairly early at 5:30). We chose a window table that looked out on Front Street. Our server promptly brought menus and took our drink orders. We started with the fried oyster appetizer, served on a bed of romaine lettuce. Dinner choices were another appetizer, the crab cakes complemented with a spicy remoulade sauce and diced peppers for me, and a HUGE cobb salad for my husband. Everything was freshly prepared and beautifully presented. We were both full but decided to order a slice of the hummingbird cake "to go." We enjoyed it for afternoon snack the next day. read more

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When it comes to Souther cuisine the standard in excellence in downtown Wilmington is The Basics. My favorite dish is whatever the Chef is cooking. They are that legit! Only 2 blocks from the river it's a Must Have and it's located in the historic Cotton Exchange read more

Dropped in on a whim after a night out and "The Basics" did not disappointment. We were seated immediately at 10 am, brought waters before we were even in our seats. The menu was impressive and I absolutely love that they have chef specials! My hsuand and I tried the biscuits and the cinnamon roll to start, both of which were good. We each had the smoked salmon omelet special which was out of this world. Each ingredient was pure perfection and tasted like it had been hand picked seconds before cooking it. The potato cake was phenomenal as well. Our service was fast, waitress was helpful and the entire vibe was spot on. 5 stars for sure! read more

The Basics - Southern Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

FINALLY made it to brunch here after hearing so many great reviews, and this place is definitely amazing! With my college bestie in town for a weekend visit, the pleasant hostess snagged us an outside patio table on a Saturday morning. The outdoor patio has a relaxing, neighborhood vibe to it, like you're hangin out with chill friends while enjoying delicious food. I ordered the Mediterranean scramble and my buddy ordered the French Toast dish. Our waitress was fun and informative as we asked about possible choices before ordering. My choice seamed like a perfectly seasoned egg scramble with spinach, tomatoes, feta cheese, and a balsamic vinaigrette based light sauce. My buddy gobbled up her French Toast pretty quickly with a smile. And I HAD to order a homemade strawberry pop tart to go. The Basics is anything but basic. read more

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What a great little breakfast spot! This place is small and cute with very friendly staff who are quick with the coffee and a Bloody Mary! Portions are pretty large, so be prepared. Food is so delicious; everything we tried was awesome. My husband had the 2 eggs with a side of biscuits and gravy and an oatmeal blueberry pancake with walnut butter (wow!). I snuck bites of everything because it was so good. For my breakfast, I had the frittata and potato cake. The frittata was absolutely delicious but that potato cake...it just plain rocked. Try it if you stop in! Both my husband and I ended up sharing that because it was so unexpectedly delicious. Great breakfast choice! read more

The Basics - Frittata and Side Potato Cake - Southern Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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Great breakfast. The town is preparing for the azalea festival so we walked over to the Basics for breakfast. I had the server order for me and I was impressed! Mexican style breakfast scramble with home made salsa on top. The true star was the Potato cake. Yum! Great Mashed potatoes breaded and fried. On top of crème fraîche and topped with sour cream and scallions. Great meal! We had 15 people and sat upstairs. Lots of Vets getting together. Our server, Michael, took great care of us and was on top of everything! read more

The Basics - Well.... It was an amazing Mexican scramble with a potato cake. Highly recommended! - Southern Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

The service was great! The ambiance was good. The prices were fair. The food could have been better. read more

Yes all the way! Charming little place on Front Street. Friendly service as well as delicious smoked chicken salad. read more

The Basics - Smoked chicken salad - Southern Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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This was a very nice place just a short walk from our stay on the riverfront. We (4 of us) didn't have reservations on this early fall weekend Saturday, but managed to be seated anyway after about a 20 minute wait outside. So in other words this place is popular. We were seated in the window so we had a great view of everything going on both inside and outside. Our food took a while but was pretty good when it arrived. They were very busy and we had a great spot to people watch, so we didn't care too much. Service was ok ... but it's the ambiance that helps make this place a hit. read more

The Basics - QR code for the menu. - Southern Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Wow! Great food, staff, and atmosphere. We ate brunch here and loved it. I had the honey-pineapple glazed pork belly over pimento cheese grit cakes, and my wife had the blueberry oatmeal pancakes. Both were delicious! Our waitress was helpful and attentive, and the place had a cool vibe. I highly recommend. read more

Need gluten free and love that the menu was clearly marked with options. From scratch kitchen! Went here for lunch with a friend. We both had the Cobb salad with the smoked chicken in it and blue cheese crumbles and guacamole. It was excellent very fresh tasting. Generous portion. Like the vibe ... some classic rock 'n' roll playing. I hear they serve a great brunch on Saturdays and Sundays so need to come back and try the shrimp and grits...also gf! read more

The Basics - Carolina Cobb Salad - Southern Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Not gluten free friendly as people claim here. Only serve gluten free biscuits on the weekdays not the weekends. Very disappointed.

Such a cute cozy spot in downtown Wilmington! The food was excellent, between biscuits and gravy, the Mediterranean scramble, oatmeal blueberry pancakes, and you have to have the potato cake as a side (fried ball of mashed potatoes)! Server was also very friendly and we had a heat healthy friend who was able to order items w no butter/salt and she was very detailed. We actually went back for lunch the next day we liked it so much! Excellent spot! read more

Found this restaurant via Yelp plus our realtor suggested it. Wow, lunch was amazing. THE BIRD special - smoked half chicken, rubbed with sugar and spice, with hoppin john & your choice of one side $15.75 was excellent. Chicken portion large and moist. Spinach was prepared perfectly. Spouse had their chicken salad in a sandwich and that was also amazing. Service was responsive and friendly. Prices are reasonable for portion size. Restaurant is set up nicely with men women rest rooms. On street paid parking was read more

The Basics - The Bird special - Southern Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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Amazing brunch specials! Friendly service. The fresh made desserts are killer! Try the lemon blueberry kind cake with whip cream! You won't regret. read more

The Basics - Dining area - Southern Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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The restaurant was on a list shared by the hotel so we decided to check it out. Our group was seated outside in the Cotton Exchange mall, which was charming, Service was great! I had the chicken salad sandwich and would've liked more chicken salad on the sandwich. I was surprised to find it was smoked Chicken salad. I wonder if I'd have liked it better on different bread because there was too much bread compared to the chicken salad. The Mac and cheese was good. If I return, I'll try brunch. read more

The Basics - Mac and Cheese and Chicken Salad Sandwich - Southern Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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My wife and I were looking for a nice breakfast/brunch spot for our anniversary, and The Basics, a five-minute walk from where we were staying, seemed to fit the bill. It's got exposed brick and vintage stools that exude retro charm. Add to that an amiable server and Led Zeppelin in the background, and The Basics provided a great atmosphere. The menu offered plenty to choose from, and we ultimately went with migas (potato cake as the side) and the daily omelet (blueberry pancake on the side). Ultimately, the food rated as good, not great. The omelet (sausage, potato, vegetables) was hearty and satisfying. The pancake was tasty (good blueberry flavor) as well albeit dense and crisp rather than light and fluffy. The potato pcake was more akin to a mashed potato puff, definitely not bad in its own right but perplexing for anyone expecting anything latke-esque. Accompanying biscuits were small and dry. While we weren't wowed by The Basics, we're still glad that we gave the restaurant a try. The food doesn't reach the level of the atmosphere and service (or its price point, for that matter), but it isn't a liability, either. read more

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