Feast Wilmington returned for its second year March 29 and 30 in Wilmington, North Carolina. The jam-packed weekend included three events to feature the area’s food and beverage scene. Things kicked off with Craft and Cuisine Saturday afternoon, and were followed by the classy Pier Party Saturday night. No Sunday morning would be complete without brunch, so the weekend concluded with Brunch Elevated.

This year’s Feast was again held at the fantastic Live Oak Bank Pavilion. This outdoor space is right on the Cape Fear River will ample space and a beautiful setting. For year two, the festival added a VIP area on the stage where passholders could access different beverages and cozy seating.

Feast Wilmington: Craft & Cuisine

Craft & Cuisine paired 20 local breweries and chefs to create delicious pairings. This year’s Saturday afternoon session featured a lot of sunshine and entertainment from The Blue Footed Boobies. Our top overall pairing was the Hi-Wire Brewing Churro 10W-40 Imperial Stout with the Chocolate Chip Bundtinis from Nothing Bundt Cakes!

Our Top Eats:

• Mango Char Siu Bao Buns: Char Siu tofu, cucumber salad, mango, ginger scallion, chili crunch aioli and togarashi from Banh Sai
• Benny’s Cheesesteak Pizza: Marinated shaved steak, caramelized onions, fire-roasted bell peppers, house-made cheddar sauce, mozzarella and sage from Benny’s Big Time
• Grown Up Samoa Ice Cream: A beer-infused ice cream featuring Outer Dunes Brewing Kooky Coconut Porter layered with toasted coconut, dark chocolate stracciatella and crushed buttery shortbread cookies from Boombalattis

Our Top Beers:

• Cerveza Artisenal Mexican Lager from Fly Trap Brewing
• Ethiopian T’ej Honey Ale from Front Street Brewery
• Maibock Lager from Panacea Brewing

Feast Wilmington: Pier Party

Pier Party featured 24 restaurants, End of Days cocktails, wine, and beer. It was a beautiful evening with a gorgeous sunset along the Cape Fear River. The Hatch Brothers absolutely knocked it out of the park with their live music, just as they did at last year’s event!

End of Day Distillery cocktails:

• Pom Berry Mule: End of Days Vodka, pomegranate juice, cranberry juice, house made hibiscus tea, Jamaican Ginger beer, and fresh mint
• Carolina French 75: End of Days Gin, champagne, blue algae elixir, and fresh lemon zest
• Golden Old Fashioned: End of Days Bourbon, house made ginger honey syrup, angostura aromatic bitters, and dehydrated lemon wheel

Our top eats:

• Cornish Pasties: Baked pastry filled with braised chickpeas, mushrooms, onions, carrots, potatoes + gravy from The Half
• Fresh oysters and homemade mignonette from N Sea Oyster Co
• Bourbon Pecan Bites: A buttery shortbread crust and a gooey bourbon pecan pie topping made with End of Day’s Survivors Cut Bourbon from Apple Annie’s Bake Shop
• Local Wild Mussels: Steamed with garlic, herbs + saffron and served with pickled vegetables from Olivero

Feast Wilmington: Brunch Elevated

Brunch Elevated brought 23 restaurants and coffee shops together for the ultimate brunch experience. This was easily our favorite food of the entire weekend; these chefs absolutely brought it! Tracy Shedd kept guests entertained with her DJing all afternoon long.

End of Day Distillery Cocktails:

• Bloody Mary: End of Days Vodka, premium bloody mary mix, celery trees
• Pom-Mosa: Pomegranate juice, prosecco, POM Arils
• Espresso Martini: End of Days Vodka, premium coffee liquor, Casa Blanca espresso

Our Top Eats:

• Bloody Mary Oyster Shooter: Local raw oyster served on top of a shot glass filled with a homemade NA Bloody Mary gazpacho from Elijah’s
• Steak and Egg Ramen: Ramen noodles, Koji aged ribeye, egg yolk, boiled egg aioli, ginger scally sauce, crispy garlic, sesame seeds from True Blue Butcher and Barrel
• Salty Vietnamese Latte: sweetened oat milk, poured over with two shots of espresso and topped with a salty-sweet foam from Cafe Mata
• Shrimp and Grits: Shrimp, applewood smoked bacon, tomato, scallions and mushrooms, in a Low Country cream sauce with cheese grits
• Tetelas: Masa filled with beans and Oaxaca cheese with black bean cream sauce and sour cream from Buen Dia
• Acai Bowl: Organic açaí, banana cinnamon base with strawberry, blueberry, peanut butter, chia seeds, almonds, coconut flakes, granola from Coco Pipa
• Biscuits and Jam: A sweet cream ice cream with pieces of honey, butter biscuits, and a basil-scented mixed berry jam swirl from Wondering Cone Creamery
• Zesty Sweet Heat: Crispy crostini, whipped honey and thyme goat cheese, lemon curd, crispy prosciutto and hot honey from Grateful Graze

We absolutely loved our experience at the 2nd annual Feast Wilmington, and we cannot wait for round three next year!

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