No Reservations in 2026

Somewhere between the sun starting to dip and everyone pretending dinner will figure itself out, summer food just sort of…happens. Nobody rushes inside. Something hits the grill. Plates start circulating. And suddenly there's a table that feels exactly right—like it was always going to end up this way.

That's the assignment—and this spread delivers.

Think: smoky skewers over charcoal, a coastal moment worth slowing down for, and sides bright enough to remove your face from your phone screen. Sweet heat shows up more than once—in honey habanero steak kabobs built from local finds at The Butcher's Market, in chicken thighs partnered with grilled peaches, and in street corn that walks the line between bold and borderline reckless. Two handhelds anchor the menu: chorizo and potato tacos for swagger, and lobster salad in butter lettuce cups for a crisp, delicate bite that cuts right through the Wilmington humidity. A juicy tomato-cucumber salad you can throw together in 15 minutes rounds it all out.

No reservations needed, no shortcuts on flavor. Just golden hour, good company, and a table nobody's in a hurry to leave.

Lobster Salad Lettuce Cups

4 servings

4–5 lobster tails (about 16 oz cooked meat)
2 heads butter lettuce, leaves separated
1 cup diced cucumber
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
2 ripe avocados, cut into chunks

Dill Dijon Dressing:
1/4 cup minced scallions (green tops only)
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
6 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Start by making the dressing. Whisk together the scallions, dill, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Slowly stream in the olive oil, whisking until smooth.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the lobster tails and cook until the shells are bright red and the meat is just cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath to cool, then remove the meat from the shells and cut into large chunks.

In a large bowl, combine the lobster with about half of the cucumber, tomatoes, and most of the dressing. Toss gently to coat.

Arrange the lettuce on a platter or individual plates. Spoon the lobster mixture over top, then scatter with the remaining cucumber, tomatoes, and avocado. Finish with a drizzle of the remaining dressing.

Summer Tomato Salad with Fresh Herbs

4-6 servings

1-pound ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
1-pound seedless cucumbers, sliced into half-moons
1 small sweet yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/4 cup fresh basil, torn

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion. Add the olive oil, both vinegars, and salt, and toss to coat.

Let sit for about 15–20 minutes to let everything mingle. Just before serving, add the basil and toss again. Taste and adjust salt as needed.

Sweet Heat Street Corn

4 servings

4 ears fresh corn, shucked
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sweet heat BBQ sauce
Zest of 1/2 lime (plus lime wedges for serving)
1 small clove garlic, grated
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Tajin Clásico Chile Lime seasoning, plus more to taste
 

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.

Brush the corn with the olive oil and season with the salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, BBQ sauce, lime zest, garlic, and half of the cilantro. Set aside.

Grill the corn, turning occasionally to achieve even browning, until lightly charred all over, about 10-15 minutes.

While the corn is still warm, brush each ear all over with the BBQ mayo mixture and then sprinkle evenly with the parmesan, remaining cilantro, and Tajin.

Serve with lime wedges.

Homemade Chorizo-Potato Tacos

12 tacos

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 1/2 pounds ground pork
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chopped chipotle peppers in adobo
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup neutral oil
12 corn or flour tortillas, warmed
Kosher salt

Chorizo Spice Mix:

1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
Pinch ground cloves
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Bring the potatoes to a boil in a large pot of salted water. Reduce to a simmer and cook until tender, about 20–25 minutes. Drain and roughly mash, leaving some texture.

In a large bowl, combine the pork, garlic, chipotle, vinegar, 3 teaspoons salt, and the chorizo spice mix. Mix just until combined, then fold in the potatoes.

Heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, spread the mixture into the pan and cook undisturbed until browned and crisp on the bottom, about 4–5 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until fully cooked through.

Fill each tortilla with the chorizo-potato mixture and garnish with fresh pico de gallo and any other toppings of your choice.

Spicy Grilled Chicken Thighs with Peaches

4-6 servings

6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
3 tablespoons spicy BBQ Sauce (plus more for basting)
2 tablespoons peach preserves
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, grated or minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 ripe peaches, halved and pitted
Neutral oil for grilling

Pat the chicken dry. In a bowl, whisk together the BBQ sauce, peach preserves, vinegar, mustard, garlic, rosemary, olive oil, and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper.

Reserve half of the sauce for brushing over the cooked chicken and pour the other half over the chicken in a resealable bag.

Let it marinate for at least 20 minutes, or up to a few hours if you have the time.

Preheat a grill to medium heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting excess drip off. Grill the chicken skin-side down until nicely charred and the skin releases easily, about 6–8 minutes.

Flip and continue cooking, basting the chicken with the reserved sauce, until glazed and cooked through (165°F internal temp), about 15–18 minutes total.

Brush the peach halves lightly with oil and grill cut-side down during the last 5–6 minutes, until grill marks appear and juices bubble.

Serve chicken and peaches together with extra sauce on the side.

Honey Habanero Steak Skewers

4 servings

1 bell pepper, cut into chunks
1/2 large red onion, cut into chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds Butcher’s Market cubed steak tips
2 tablespoons Butcher’s Market Honey Habanero Seasoning
1/2 cup Lid Licking BBQ Sauce (Carolina Sweet Habanero), divided
RAWSalsa Mango Salsa

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.

In a bowl, toss the peppers and onions with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.

In a separate bowl, add the steak cubes and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Rub with the Honey Habanero Seasoning until evenly coated.

Thread the steak and vegetables alternately onto skewers.

Grill, turning occasionally, until steak is cooked to desired doneness and vegetables are lightly charred, about 8–10 minutes total.

During the last 2 minutes of grilling, brush the kabobs with 1/4 cup of the Carolina Sweet Habanero sauce.

Arrange the kabobs on a platter, drizzle with the remaining sauce, and serve with salsa on the side.