Jester&#x27;s Café

This place has really friendly staff and incredible sandwiches! Have loved any and everything if…read moreever gotten here. Love that you can add or substitute meat into the vegetarian options. The meatless options are also really delicious as is. We love their chips and potato salad for sides. Best grilled cheese for the price for little ones as well. A must go spot for elevated deli sandwiches in Wilmington.

Top tier sandwiches, what a wonderful find. This local sandwich shop is a bit out of the way from…read moredowntown but it's worth a short walk. I ordered chipped ham sandwich, it was loaded with meat and fillings. So juicy and delicious. Comes with a side of cucumber salad, chips or a pickle. I chose a salad and ngl the bite size portion of the salad is laughably small but it is what it is, I can't really complain as it was $9.50 total and it was delicious too. The only thing that was negative about our experience is smoke, the entire place was visibly smoky as if something got burnt, and we smelled like smoke hours after we left the shop. Hopefully this was a one off and not a permanent issue. I would for sure recommend this place if you're visiting!

Dining Area at The Half

Chickpea Salad at The Half

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Inside-- 10/03/2025

Potbelly

4.2(67 reviews)

2.4 mi

Ehh! It was good but the sandwich was all filler and no…read moremeat, do yourself a favor and go to Publix, HT or Jersey Mikes, all much more meat for the Price and the toasting I was looking for, they could have put it in the Microwave to TOAST IT as they did. It is average but the staff was pretty amazing and pleasant. The inside is decorated nicely and it is comfortable but I would give that up for a meaty sandwich.

I've been wanting to check this place out for a while and finally had the opportunity to go for…read morelunch today. I was greeted by the nicest woman and had a lovely conversation with her. I might have been waiting at the counter for just a few minutes but she apologized as if I'd been waiting for a while. I was torn between the loaded potato and the chicken pot pie soup and decided on the chicken pot pie. I was curious as to their take. I also ordered a chicken club for lunch for my son. The soup was delicious! It had a crusty crumble on top that gave it the pot pie crust appeal. It was hearty and not overtly salty. I didn't grab a bite of my son's sandwich but it looked really good. I liked that you could customize it. There was a sign with condiment options. I will definitely be back for the potato soup and to try the sandwiches.

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The Kitchen Sink

4.4(104 reviews)

1.1 mi

After moving our son into the dorms, we wanted to enjoy a lunch together. Our son chose The Kitchen…read moreSink. Another solid pick by our son. It's located in downtown in an old building. The ambiance is very nice with tables made of old wood doors. Great repurposing! Inside they offer a variety of seating options. The ordering process is quite simple. We picked up some menus and sat at one of the great tables. After a while we ordered at the register and provided our name upon request. Once our food is ready they bring it to the table. My order of Beef on Weck with tallow fries and lentil soup looked and tasted great! It was a nice lunch time portion. The bread was lightly salted, beef was moist and not over seasoned, horseradish was perfect, fries were good, and the lentil soup had a nice spice to it. Overall a great meal. This is such a great place off the main area of downtown. Definitely recommend eating here. I'm sure we'll return.

Great service Good food…read moreWent in for lunch for the first time and employees were courteous and helpful to us while figuring out what get

View from our table.

Brooklyn Bird

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Kitchen area

S&L New York Style Deli

4.3(160 reviews)

2.2 mi

Everything is fresh and delicious. Every person that works there remembers me and my husband and…read moreremembers what we want to drink. The desserts are to die for. We make this our weekly lunch spot. My husband loves the sandwiches, and I am in love with the soups!

They know what a "light and sweet" coffee is! There's that! That's authentic NY haha... no one else…read moregets this here for some reason. Sfoiatella pastry is to die for its very authentic freshly made crispy. They do put powdered sugar on it so if you pre-order for pick up on another day, they will do it without the sugar. I'm not a big fan of the egg and cheese sandwiches. I'll be honest I think it's just me finding what the right cheese mix is or maybe it's the role because it's very like a Kaiser roll but very fluffy. Maybe I have to have that scooped out. The eggs just don't do it for me and I can't put finger on it! They made great deli sandwiches though for my friends and I boat trip!

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The Ron

Cheese Smith

4.3(160 reviews)

0.8 mi

Cheese Smith was a great spot in Wilmington!! I tried the kimchi sandwich and the fig jam sandwich…read more Both were really good. Mine (pictured) was a little sweet/rich for a full sandwich, I would rather split it with another sandwich next time I go. The employees were kind and the vibes were super chill. Seems like a great spot to hang out!

I was pleasantly surprised by this one. I'm not a fan of "cheesy" things nor do I have an affection…read morefor grilled cheeses, but I really enjoyed this experience. I ate half of a Buffalo Baby and half of a Figgie Smalls. Both were good, but I enjoyed the Buffalo Baby. The Figgie Smalls was the perfect blend of sweet and savory; I just missed having some meat on it. Bacon or some type of pork would have been perfect. I'm glad that I gave this place a try! The service was great, and the atmosphere was welcoming.

Atmosphere

LARGE SMITH FRIES

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Cheerwine

Midtown Deli & Grill

4.4(37 reviews)

2.2 mi

This place has the BEST Rueben in Wilmington! Everything I've had has always been good but let me…read moretell ya, I've been on a hunt for a good Rueben around town and really Lucked out on finding this place!!

Great service and great food! Stopped by for a quick lunch, they have an impressive menu with…read morecreative sandwiches. Our server was very attentive and kind, and our sandwiches were very good.

Sampler, with potato salad

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Potato salad

Blue Willow Cafe

4.6(26 reviews)

2.6 mi

We were looking for some new breakfast options in Wilmington, and this place was perfect. Super…read morecute and comfortable decor. The staff was very attentive and made us feel welcomed. My hazlenut iced coffee was perfect and our party chose the breakfast croissant and the bananas foster French toast. Both were really good! While it's not the easiest place to find, it's one of the best!

Stopped in this small café while I was near the hospital. Limited menu but I had a coffee and a…read morecroissant with egg, cheese, and grilled chicken that was super flavorful and I liked that it was not deep fried. I also got the hashbrown casserole which wasn't much. Cozy spot and really sweet staff. She even gave me a whole coffee to-go when I asked for a to-go cup. I would come back to try lunch if I'm in the area.

French toast with a side of bacon

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Indoor

Sub Stop

4.0(74 reviews)

2.4 mi

Fast service and great food! A go to in the Wilmington area great subs for at the beach or by the…read morepool

Great chicken parm on a hero roll!!! Nice service. Will definitely be back to try other items.read more

Pink lemonade is like crack lol

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Cousins Italian Deli

4.5(153 reviews)

0.6 mi

Four of us went to Cousin's on a Saturday night, the food was served family style and it was great!…read moreThe portions were spot on for the 6 course meal, we brought some of the entree and desert home with us. The service was great! All of us put our name on the reservation list which is one year out, we will definitely stop by there the next time we are in Wilmington for lunch.

This place has been on my list for almost a year and it now has my little Italian heart…read more My daughter and I walked in around 1pm on a weekday, tried to wait until the lunch rush was over. It's spring break and azalea fest...so that worked out perfectly. We were greeted at the counter and the nice young gentleman asked if my daughter could have a cookie. Sure! Giant chocolate chips, so good. I ordered and they even offered me a coffee while I waited. I chose the Haley on a long roll. Nice crusty bread, fresh mozzarella, turkey, arugula and balsamic. Honestly, haven't had a hoagie that good in years. We also had their pasta salad, equally delicious. Plenty of seating inside, with a lot of cool photos on the walls. It felt just like being home. Can't wait to go back!

Inside view

The end!! "Leave the gun get the cannoli"

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Pasta course

Cheesesmith

4.4(7 reviews)

0.8 mi

Stepped in for post garden grub. A docent recommended Cheesesmith. I was impressed with the quality…read moreand portions of the dishes. The staff was helpful in providing recommendations of their favorites fries style. The grilled cheese oozed with every bite and the tomato jam hit with a punch of flavor. The interior itself is simple, casual, cute with house plants trailing on the walls.

I got their big seller the buffalo chicken grilled cheese. It was delicious at 9:30 pm after a day…read moreof sun and drinks. The bread was perfectly crisp and soft. Buttered but not greasy. The middle was full of flavor not only from the buffalo chicken but there was a pickled flavor from the carrots and celery that balanced the richness of the cheese wonderfully. I would love to go back and try the goat cheese fig one! The place itself was clean and had awesome branding. I bought a sticker with a skeleton pulling apart a grilled cheese. The employees were nice and the place was clean.

Before the rush

The O.G.

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11 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Sheridan C.

135

7 years ago

What a wonderful little restaurant. After Valentine's Day, my lady and I desperately needed a savory breakfast/brunch. We found Jester's...parking was easy, the staff was friendly, the service was quick, and the food was perfect. I had the french toast casserole and the girlfriend had the lox bagel. Both dishes were phenomenal! My only critique would be that the coffee was just mediocre and they don't serve bloody Mary's. Other than those small issues, this is a must! We WILL be back for sure!!!! read more

Edie S.

10 years ago

Such a quaint, lovely atmosphere, relaxing and friendly PLUS the food is AWESOME! Literally every. single. thing. on the menu has been delicious, fresh and wonderful! Love the rotating soups and quiches, (though I can't decide which is my favorite), and the shrimp salad is the best in town read more

Elizabeth M.

8 years ago

My very favorite breakfast/lunch spot in Wilmington. Incredible fresh delicious food, amazingly friendly and helpful staff and perfect relaxing atmosphere. Best part, they just started selling alcohol making it the ideal spot for brunch with my gals! Every item just absolutely divine! read more

Vicki J.

9 years ago

The food the staff and the friendliness are all A Plus at Jester's Java. I do not like that it has such a strong aroma of cooking oil. I could not get that out of a silk shirt so I'm taking a star off of a five star rating. read more

Chelsea M.

Elite 18

162

10 years ago

I love love love jesters. I have never once had dissapointing food or service. I love it here!

Nick B.

13 years ago

This place is really good, cheap and consistent. I wish I could eat here more often.

Heather K.

13 years ago

I go to Jester's every time I'm in Wilmington. My favorite lunch spot!

Linda G.

5 years ago

At this place the food and the service was not great.

Alex R.

14 years ago

Coolest people and great food go check it out

Olivia L.

9 years ago

Best breakfast/lunch in Wilmington!

Lewis L.

13 years ago

Love the shrimp salad

Jester's Café - newamerican - Updated September 2026

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Ordered a takeout lunch order from them today and as usual they messed up the order. We hardly ever…read morego there anymore because they always seem to mess up our order. Ordered a chicken salad sandwich and apple cobbler and a cheese burger with fries with gravy. Get the order home and there is no apple cobbler and cold fries with no gravy. Cheese burger is like a hockey puck. When you call them about it they are yeah we have your cobbler here and you can come back for it and new fries. Of course it's shortly before they close so you can't get back there in time. They need to have someone checking the orders before they give them to the customer.

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You'd never know that this cute cafe was right off Market Street with all the car dealerships and…read moreindustrial businesses but I'm glad I found it. They are only open weekdays from 7am-3pm. The staff is always friendly and its fairly fast for lunch but a little pricier. I usually get one of their lunch specials and it's always filling. My sandwich, The Greggory, was tasty but wasn't as cheesy as I'd hope with 2 cheeses listed. I really like the fries and my husband's sweet potato chips were a mix of crisp and soft. I'd like to come back to try their breakfast. It's a nice local spot for good food!

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I met my dear friend for my first sit down meal here. I'd had a wonderful experience at a catered…read moreevent a couple of months prior. It was the first night of a new menu and there was a free concert offered so the restaurant was filling quickly. Two factors that often make for some hiccups. Not a one! We received friendly, knowledgeable, professional service. We had an assigned server but other team members were happy to provide support by topping up water glasses or clearing plates which had barely been cleaned. The food? First rate. We ladies shared the chopped salad- a salute to spring- including goat cheese, red onions, mushrooms and strawberries along with crisp romaine lettuce. True to the name- easily managed bite sized morsels- artfully dressed with fresh vinaigrette which accentuated the fresh vegetables rather than overpowering. We were offered and gladly accepted fresh, warm rolls and soft, spreadable butter. My friend sipped her mocktail happily while I enjoyed a California Pinot Gris from the pleasantly refreshing drinks menu with wines by bottle or glass, mocktails and craft cocktails for we who appreciate the pleasures of mixologist. Oh the soup of the day! A modest title for an ambrosia of seafood- shrimp, crab and fish- bathed in a sinfully rich cream sauce and studded with cubes of tender potatoes and once crispy bacon- not limp, fatty stand in's. The all of it? An utterly satisfying meal for we who both love Art we drink in with our eyes, music with our ears and? Food that feeds our bodies and makes our palates sing. There are museums that offer acceptable repasts and then? There's the CAM Cafe which serves Culinary Art. I'm looking forward to my next visit. Lunch? Mimosa Brunch? Yes please . Someone is doing something very right here. Don't stop.

This cafe is surrounded by windows; it has an expansive feel. They often have live music. It has a…read morepoor selection for vegetarian or vegan; otherwise, I'm a museum member, & would eat here. Service is friendly & competent.

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I only got pancakes, so I can't speak to the other menu items. But the restaurant has pancake in…read morethe name so it seemed like a must. The sweet potato pancakes were insane. Perhaps some of the best pancakes I've ever had. They had nuts in them and were perfectly spiced. 10/10. Red velvet was good, the cream cheese icing was quite tasty but they weren't anything too special. And the apple pancake was my least favorite; the apple filling on top tasted like it came from a can. Super sweet and didn't taste fresh. But the pancake itself was still good. This place does not take reservations and I was told the line goes out the door in the summer. There was a large line even while we were there in the off season during a storm. So if you want to eat here on a weekend, or the weather is nice, proceed with caution and be prepared to wait (standing outside--there is no seating while you wait).

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