As someone who has celebrated several particularly eventful occasions (ahem, a birthday or two) starring The Basics’ ginger-laced crab cakes, I can tell you firsthand that this homey café is the spot for jingling up a stellar evening. The Basics prides themselves on traditional Southern recipes with a modern sensibility and a talent for from-scratch cooking. Whether you stop in Monday or Tuesday for half-priced appetizers, Wednesdays and Thursdays for “date night,” or for a weekend hankering for mustardy lamb chops with Vidalia jam and wild mushroom risotto—you’ll leave with a smile on your face.

Located in The Cotton Exchange in Wilmington which is a popular shopping complex full of stores and restaurants, The Basics is known for its great food, good prices, and friendly service. Offering a creative and modern twist on traditional southern food, this homey bistro is serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and brunch on the weekends. Voted as the “Best Brunch in Wilmington,” The Basics is serving biscuits and gravy, meatloaf, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, shrimp and grits, fresh seafood, and other southern basics that will satisfy all of your cravings.

The concept behind this all-day café in downtown’s Cotton Exchange complex is to make good, familiar food great with tiny tweaks and culinary twists. The breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner menus at this cozy brick-walled space are centered around Southern comfort dishes like fried green tomatoes and shrimp and grits, but pay extra attention to the daily specials that tend to get a little more creative while keeping their roots. thebasicsilm.com; 319 N Front St., Wilmington, NC 28401; 910-343-1050

The concept behind this all-day café in downtown’s Cotton Exchange complex is to make good, familiar food great with tiny tweaks and culinary twists. The breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner menus at this cozy brick-walled space are centered around Southern comfort dishes like fried green tomatoes and shrimp and grits, but pay extra attention to the daily specials that tend to get a little more creative while keeping their roots. thebasicsilm.com; 319 N Front St., Wilmington, NC 28401

If it’s old-fashioned, hearty Southern cuisine like your grandma used to make that you’re in the mood for, head to The Basics, a homey, farmhouse-style restaurant in downtown Wilmington. With exposed brick walls, chandelier lighting, and round tables with bar stools, this is the place to go if you want a more casual setting to dine in. The food focuses on Southern fare, and it’s particularly well-known for its breakfast and brunch offerings.

Situated in the historic Cotton Exchange, The Basics maintains a genuine interest in returning to recipes of yesterday, whether you’re trying a vegetable plate of stone-ground grits, macaroni and cheese and collards or an in-house smoked bird or sweet Georgia brown ham steak. Reach for hog heaven with in-house smoked pork or a tasty version of dry-rub spicy wings. Fallen chocolate cake is a great dessert treat.

Options include Manna (American cuisine featuring local, regional and American ingredients), Catch Modern Seafood (seafood with a modern twist), Caprice Bistro or Brasserie du Soleil (authentic French bistros), The Basics (gourmet Southern comfort food), Rx and Pembroke’s (seasonal farm-to-table menus). Taste Carolina Gourmet Food Tours even offers walking culinary tours of downtown restaurants and markets.

The Basics is a premier fine dining destination in the heart of downtown Wilmington. The restaurant offers a unique dining experience focusing on simplicity and seasonality. Apart from the dine-in and takeaway option, The Basics also offers a fast and reliable delivery service, which is an excellent option for those who do not want to leave their homes.

The Basics is located in The Cotton Exchange of Wilmington, right in the heart of downtown. But if you think “basic” means boring, well, The Basics isn’t basic at all. The lunch menu is a fun mix of sandwiches, salads, and Southern dishes and every day there are three specials (the Improv salad, a burger, and their fish dish, which they call Hook).

Tucked in the Cotton Exchange, The Basics is a farmhouse-chic spot serving Southern comfort food with a modern twist. Their brunch menu is a dream—think shrimp and grits with a poached egg or a fried chicken biscuit that’s pure heaven. The Bloody Mary bar is a fun touch, and the vinyl records lining the walls give it a cool, retro vibe.

Consistently voted one of the best restaurants in Wilmington, The Basics is a downtown staple. Located downtown at The Cotton Exchange, The Basics serves Southern-inspired cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The brunch menu features dishes like The restaurant has a cozy and casual atmosphere and is known for its friendly service.

It includes well-known, chef-driven eateries like manna, Seabird, Catch, PinPoint and the new Olivero -- as well as local favorites like Indochine, The Basics and Caprice Bistro. But it isn't all fine-dining, or even sit-down eateries. Britt's Donut Shop is on the list along with the nearby Carolina Beach biscuit spot The Southerly.

The restaurant has an extensive menu with lots of options to choose from, including many Southern dishes. For example, you can get delicious blueberry oatmeal pancakes at The Basics, and the “platter of biscuits” is a great choice as well. The latter option includes various small biscuits with a condiment of your choice.

Located in The Cotton Exchange, The Basics is a casual spot serving breakfast Monday through Friday and brunch on Saturday and Sunday. Morning specials include an egg white omelet with basil sausage, feta, tomatoes, asparagus, yellow pepper and onions, topped with pesto aioli. It can also be served as a grit bowl.

The Basics is a breakfast restaurant that serves breakfast early on weekdays and longer on the weekends. It is a great spot for breakfast and brunch, and they also serve lunch and dinner later on in the day. They offer daily breakfast specials, so you never know what might be available from day to day.

The George, great view and people watching, usually really good food. Depending on the time of year make sure you got some bug spray on so you can enjoy the outdoor seating. Every now and then downtown Wilmington gets a swarm of gnat kinda things and that's one of the spots where it can be the worst.

As the name suggests, The Basics offers a straightforward menu with a focus on classic American comfort food. It's a popular spot for breakfast and brunch. The Basics is a popular choice for a laid-back meal with family, offering a menu that caters to a variety of tastes.

The Saturday of our visit also happened to be St. Patrick’s Day. We were welcomed with a morning parade, but we actually had our eyes on brunch at The Basics instead—first things first, am I right?. There would be time for holiday celebrations later in the afternoon.

Start your day with a hearty breakfast at The Basics, known for its delicious Southern cuisine. Afterward, embark on the 2-Hour Tour de Wilmington E-Bike Tour. This tour will give you a fantastic overview of the city's historic sites and charming neighborhoods.

The Basics is a homey brick bistro, serving delicious breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. It’s nestled right near the Riverwalk and inside the Cotton Exchange. With its scenic views, the restaurant is perfect for an enjoyable day with comfort food.

The name of “The Basics” is also an illusion to this casual eatery’s philosophy, which is to serve up all the stales of southern comfort food, keep it simple, and let the inherently rich and wonderful...

Located in the Cotton Exchange, The Basics serves up Southern-inspired comfort food. From the Southern Benedict to the Fried Chicken BLT, this spot has become a staple for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Since we live downtown, my boyfriend and I love walking over to The Basics for weekend brunch. I usually go for the blueberry oatmeal pancakes served with walnut butter and lots of maple syrup.

For non-seafood, Indochine (asian), the basics (southern), sweet and savory (misc.) are some of my favorite local choices that won't break your wallet.

The food at The Basics was excellent and we were impressed at the quality of the kid’s food; it was prepared with a quality you don’t see very often.