Worth Trying

If you’ve never experienced the simple yet exotic pleasure of the Vietnamese hoagie called a báhn mí, then get yourself to this unassuming storefront restaurant in Fairfax. There are plenty of delightful dishes on the menu including pho (beef noodle soup) and bún (meat and vegetable served over rice vermicelli noodles and lettuce), but I rarely get past #181 on their extensive menu, báhn mí with wonderfully tender and flavorful grilled pork. The hoagie features meat plus several toppings (pickled daikon radish, cucumber, carrot, jalapenos, and cilantro), served on a soft Vietnames wheat baguette.

— Mark Fields, Contributing Writer

SWEET LUCY’S

For a true double dip in desserts, try this twofer under one roof on Concord Pike — a cone or a sundae at Sweet Lucy’s Ice Cream & Treats, topped with a Cajun-Sno New Orleans-style sno ball.

Meg Hurst and her husband Dan own both businesses. They started Cajun-Sno with a single truck in 2013. They’ve got two trucks now and they also sell their shaved-ice specialties alongside more than two dozen varieties of ice cream from Woodside Farms, Hy-Point Dairy, Frozen Farmer and Hershey’s at Sweet Lucy’s, which they purchased two years ago.

With juices made from scratch drizzled over ice, it’s easy to mix multiple flavors and create a rainbow of colors in a single snocone. (Sugar-free varieties are available too.) The selection of ice cream flavors may well be the best in the region. And don’t forget to check out the ice cream cakes — made from scratch and made to order.

BURGERS BY WILDWICH

While you were slogging your way through the pandemic, the “Best Burger in Town” debate was quietly settled by Mike Stanley’s Burgers by Wildwich food truck. After a run of bad luck (one failed downtown Wilmington location, another location decimated by the pandemic, and the theft and damaging of his prior food truck), Stanley purchased the wellknown I Don’t Give a Fork truck and returned to his food truck roots.

Located at the corner of Concord Pike and Sharpley Road, the truck delivers perfect burgers cooked flattop-style, fries that are devastating, loaded or not, and perfectly balanced scratch sauces. The totality of these modest elements is nothing short of transcendent. You can find Burgers by Wildwich at their usual location Tuesday through Friday from 11:30am to 7:30pm, and on the road at breweries, community pools, and food truck events all over the state on the weekends.

— Larry Nagengast, Contributing Writer — Matt Morrissette, Contributing Writer

CURRY & COCKTAILS

Indian restaurants are often mom-and-pop shops with lunchtime buffets. Curry & Cocktails, however, is shaking things up. The Middletown eatery touts fine cuisine and an upscale ambiance. While some selections are over $20, the bulk is less than $19.

STU & SAMMY’S CHICKEN CUTLET SANDWICH

The wonderful thing about Wilmington’s food hall, DE.CO, is that the variety of high-end options can satisfy almost anyone’s tastes, even on a modest budget. The brainchild of Makers Alley chef James Sparks, Stu & Sammy’s is one of the more recent additions to the group of eight culinary vendors.

And what a wonderful addition it is. Boasting delicious slow-baked wings and an array of deli sandwiches, Stu & Sammy’s is also home to their champ of a chicken cutlet. Simply put, it’s a masterful combination of lightly fried chicken breast, prosciutto, sharp and mild provolone, broccoli rabe, and roasted reds — all on a soft but hearty roll coated with marinara.

They describe their fare as “comfort food,” so get ready to settle in and enjoy the best chicken cutlet sandwich in town. Visit DecoWilmington.com.

WILD FLOUR BAKERY

When my favorite local bakery closed at the beginning of the pandemic, I had a small panic attack. Where would I get my bread and baked goods? I don't remember the exact time or place when I first heard about Wild Flour Bakery, but it came to me at a time when all I wanted was a good loaf of bread or pastry to wait out this pandemic.

Wild Flour Bakery is a family-owned bakery run by Nishon and Laura Yaghoobian that sells a plethora of tasty baked goods and breads. It even provides free delivery on Wednesdays to local North Wilmington addresses (put in your order before midday Tuesday). Laura makes all the local deliveries so be sure to say "hi." Ordering is as simple as clicking on the beautiful product photos in its online store at wildflourbakery. net/shop. My favorites include the challah onion and poppy seed buns for mini sliders; sourdough for my morning toast; and the carrot cake squares that are my midday pick-me-up. If you'd rather bake-yourown, Wild Flour also sells active dry yeast and two different types of flour.

— Leeann Wallett, Contributing Writer

NAAMANS PIZZERIA

Thanks to a FB group touting local takeout, many discovered Naamans Pizzeria (3100 Naamans Road) across from Target in North Wilmington. The hidden gem, which has no website, makes killer chicken cheesesteaks, gyros and Greek salads. Portions are generous, and the family-run business has been known to throw in complimentary fries.

— Pam George, Contributing Writer

LA PIZZERIA METRO

Think traditional brick-oven style with a modern-day twist. La Pizzeria Metro brings the best in hand-crafted, wood-fired pizza to Wilmington's local residential neighborhoods just north on Miller Road. Connected to Wilmington Brew Works and now Sleeping Bird Coffee, Metro can be enjoyed for lunch and dinner any day of the week.

— Michael O’Brian, Director of Digital Services

Photo Joe del Tufo SLEEPING BIRD COFFEE

Biscuits and lattes from the Sleeping Bird coffee truck (previously known as Scission Coffee) were something to look forward to every weekend during the pandemic. But now they can be enjoyed every day since they opened their shop this spring. Located at Miller Road Station in Wilmington (between La Pizzeria Metro and Wilmington Brew Works), Sleeping Bird is open Tuesday-Sunday for breakfast and lunch and is the perfect addition to the Ninth Ward neighborhood. Along with their popular maple biscuits (seriously good), they offer breakfast sandwiches and toasts (the Strawberry Toast with brûléed brie and balsamic is a must-try), and sandwiches and salads for lunch, as well as several unique lattes. On weekends, they offer cinnamon buns…but act fast as they fly out of the shop.

— Amy Watson-Bish, Special Projects

SIW MEALS TO GO

A produce stand deserves attention when it counts chefs among the customers. Last year, SIW in Chadds Ford (4317 Creek Road) took it a step further with weekly meal pickups, and they are back in 2021. Prepared by Gerald Allen and Natalie Eguez, dinner for two has featured pulled pork with rolls, potato salad, coleslaw, cucumber salad, and pickled veggies. Visit SIW-vegetables.blogspot.com for upcoming menus.