Welcome to the weekly Port City Foodies newsletter brought to you by me, StarNews reporter Allison Ballard. No matter what you like, it seems there’s a little something for everyone in this week’s food and restaurant news – great red sauce, empanadas, coffee shops, cookbooks and sweets. Here’s a look.
New York-style Italian
When it comes to Italian and pizza, there are a lot of options in the Wilmington area. But one group of restaurateurs said they couldn’t find what they were looking for. They wanted classic, tri-state style food served in an atmosphere that would impress out-of-town guests. Now, they’ve opened Sugo Italian Steakhouse in the Hotel Ballast in downtown Wilmington. We have a preview before it officially opens tonight, as well as some photos of the food (thanks, Matt Ray!) and the space.
More: First look: New Italian restaurant opening in downtown Wilmington hotel
Bye, bye empanadas?
Lots of people are a bit distraught at the thought of Folks Cafe closing on Princess Street in Wilmington’s Soda Pop district. Tammy and Juan Pacini, and their children, have created a community gathering spot with great service, food and coffee. And maybe some of the best empanadas around. After years of hard work, though, they’re thinking about retirement and the property is for sale . There’s no definite timeline for what happens next and the cafe is still open. Yay! (Thinking ahead, though, I’ve found an alternative source of empanadas at the new Gnome Nom Nom Deli .)