
PinPoint Restaurant
A charming downtown eatery serving inventive New American cuisine with a strong emphasis on local, seasonal ingredients and exceptional seafood.

Highlights
Must-see attractions
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PinPoint Restaurant

Highlights
Must-see attractions
A charming downtown eatery serving inventive New American cuisine with a strong emphasis on local, seasonal ingredients and exceptional seafood.
Ask for Server Recommendations
Servers like Quinn are highly knowledgeable and can offer excellent recommendations to elevate your dining experience.
Request a Window Seat
Enjoy people-watching while you dine by requesting a window seat for added entertainment.

Quick Facts
Cuisine
New American
Price
$$$
Highlights
Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences

Farm-to-Table Freshness
Experience the vibrant taste of locally sourced ingredients, from farm to coastal catches, crafting exceptionally fresh dishes.

Oyster Selections
Indulge in a variety of exquisite oysters, from raw on the half shell to creatively prepared Rockefeller style.

Signature Entrees
Savor inventive New American dishes like cornmeal-crusted catfish and perfectly prepared venison.
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Insider Tips
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit
Ask for Server Recommendations
Servers like Quinn are highly knowledgeable and can offer excellent recommendations to elevate your dining experience.
Request a Window Seat
Enjoy people-watching while you dine by requesting a window seat for added entertainment.
Perfect for Special Occasions
This restaurant is an ideal setting for anniversaries, date nights, and celebrations, with attentive staff.
Explore Unique Appetizers
Don't miss creative appetizers like the pickle plate, elote dip, or local melon salad.
Tips
from all over the internet
Ask for Server Recommendations
Servers like Quinn are highly knowledgeable and can offer excellent recommendations to elevate your dining experience.
Request a Window Seat
Enjoy people-watching while you dine by requesting a window seat for added entertainment.
Perfect for Special Occasions
This restaurant is an ideal setting for anniversaries, date nights, and celebrations, with attentive staff.
Explore Unique Appetizers
Don't miss creative appetizers like the pickle plate, elote dip, or local melon salad.
What Travellers Say
Reviews Summary
PinPoint Restaurant is lauded for its exceptionally fresh, locally sourced New American cuisine and outstanding service, creating a memorable dining experience. Guests rave about the creative dishes, particularly the oysters and unique appetizers, making it a go-to for special occasions. While drinks are noted as 'just okay' by some, the overall consensus points to a highly enjoyable and highly recommended culinary destination.
"Incredible food. Everything was good, and I'm not being hyperbolic. The housemade pickles were great, oysters were incredible, and the entrees were interesting. Drinks were just okay, but they have a big menu so there's lots of options to choose from and customize. The service was amazing. I spent an anniversary dinner here, and it was perfect for the occasion. Would absolutely come back again."
Tanner Cassidy
"I live out of town and found myself here twice in one month. SO good. The service was right on, super friendly. All I can say is, the tomato salad, summer squash, pickle plate, fried fish, beef tartar, lobster ceviche, cookie butter ice cream, candy car dessert, and the blonde brownie were simply fantastic."
Emily Vannoy
"Jeff, Cam, and the entire team at PinPoint are so friendly and accommodating! They just hosted our rehearsal dinner and welcome party for our wedding weekend and every detail was perfect. From helping us curate a timeline and menu, to flawlessly executing an amazing meal with wonderful service for all our guests, everything turned out better than we could have imagined! I highly recommend PinPoint for a perfect date night or any events."
Kensleigh Ables
What People Like
What People Dislike
Frequently Asked Questions
PinPoint Restaurant is celebrated for its farm-to-table New American cuisine, featuring locally sourced ingredients, especially seafood and oysters. It's also known for its warm service and ambiance, making it ideal for special occasions. [^M3]
Given its reputation and popularity, especially for special occasions, making a reservation is highly recommended to ensure a table.,
Guests highly recommend the oysters, the pickle plate, elote dip, and entrees like the cornmeal-crusted NC catfish. Server recommendations are also a great way to discover favorites., [^M6]
Street parking is available but metered and ends at 6:30 p.m. The restaurant is close to the boardwalk, offering a pleasant walk before or after dinner.
The menu is known to change, often daily, reflecting the freshest seasonal and local ingredients available. [^M4]
The restaurant offers a quaint, cozy, and chic atmosphere, adorned with art, making it perfect for a romantic date night or a relaxed yet sophisticated dining experience. [^M3],
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Restaurants in Wilmington
The sophisticated dining room delivers inventive new American dishes, crafted out of local ingredients and coastal catches. There are no wrong choices on the menu, from cornmeal-crusted North Carolina catfish to beef tartare, but the smoked trout with baked oysters is especially noteworthy.
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There is no better place in Wilmington for a romantic date night than at PinPoint Restaurant on Market Street downtown. This cute and chic restaurant may be on the small side but it has gained a massive following and earned an amazing reputation over the years since its opening in 2015. Named as one of the “Best New Restaurants in the South” by Southern Living magazine, this restaurant is serving traditional southern fare and is only using ingredients that are sourced from local Wilmington farmers, fishermen, crabbers, and oystermen when available.
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Since opening in the heart of downtown Wilmington in 2015, PinPoint has remained at the top of everyone’s list of best places to eat in the city. Though executive chef Dean Neff left to take on new adventures in 2019, the restaurant has continued its standard of excellence for outstanding dishes that utilize local and seasonal ingredients. Now under the careful hand of executive chef Cameron Garvey, the menu (that changes nightly) includes dishes like Roasted Winter Squash Curry and Duck Confit Cassoulet.
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PinPoint Restaurant is known for its menu that changes daily and a selection of local raw oysters on the half shell, along with dishes such as N.C. Butterbean Hummus, Local Grilled Peach Salad and Crisp Smoked N.C. Catfish. Be sure to try the Cornmeal Crusted N.C. Catfish with leek and corn creamed grits, which was featured on The Cooking Channel’s “The Best Thing I Ever Ate.” PinPoint was also named among “The South's Best Restaurants” by Southern Living.114 Market St Wilmington, NC 28401
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Southern Living chose PinPoint Restaurant as one of the South’s Best New Restaurants in 2016, crediting chef/owner Dean Neff as “a young, talented chef expertly hitting his stride.” Scoutology.com included manna (AAA 4-Diamond) and Rx in its list of “N.C.’s Top 21 New American Restaurants.” Other notable chefs include Top Chef contestant, Chef Keith Rhodes, who serves up his signature seafood dishes and award-winning crab cakes at CATCH Modern Seafood restaurant and CATCH the Food Truck.
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Named among the best new restaurants by Southern Living in 2016 and featured in The Best Things I Ever Ate in 2018, PinPoint Restaurant calls themselves “a Coastal Community Restaurant.” During my dinner, the tasty salad contained green strawberries and other ingredients I have never had in a salad. The homemade bread was delectable and my seafood entree was amazing. Save room for the incredible key lime pie and flourless brownie desserts.
Best Dining In Wilmington, NC
Taste the flavors of the restaurant at PinPoint Restaurant, a farm-to-table eatery in downtown Wilmington. This critically acclaimed Restaurant offers a menu of seasonaRestaurantade with locally sourced ingredients, including fresh seafood, artisanal cheeses, and heirloom vegetables. Dine in the rustic-chic dining room or on the outdoor patio and enjoy a culinary journey through the region’s diverse flavors.
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Chef and owner Dean Neff spreads his Lowcountry charm all over the Pinpoint’s dinner menu, and brunch is no different. Recognized for being one of the best coastal community restaurants in our area—every dish epitomizes the season, is deeply rooted in tradition, and overflows with local love. Thanks to maintaining close relationships with his purveyors, Dean’s daily selections are known for their variety.
Fresh to Table Dining & Seafood
Named among “The South's Best Restaurants” by Southern Living, PinPoint Restaurant is known for showcasing the bounty of Wilmington and our island beaches. The restaurant's menu changes daily and features local seasonal offerings from Wilmington-area farmers, fishermen, oystermen and crabbers. Pinpoint’s Southern fare was even featured on The Cooking Channel’s “The Best Thing I Ever Ate.
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three10: In the Brooklyn Arts District, this restaurant is offering Thanksgiving at Home packages. Choose from an à la carte menu that includes dishes like confit turkey leg or turkey breast roulade, sides like sweet potato casserole and collards-and-ham, house-made cranberry sauce by the pint, buttermilk biscuits and pies by the slice. You can even add some wine to your package.
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Several varieties of oysters on the half shell are on the menu at PinPoint Restaurant on Market Street downtown. Also offered are baked oysters served three ways, Piperade, with chilis and cornbread; Rockefeller, with wilted greens, Benton’s bacon and Pernod, and Hollandaise, with blue crab and whey hot sauce. Choose just one kind, or better yet, try all three.
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Food at PinPoint Restaurant is firmly steeped in customs and culinary practices. As far as possible, the cuisine uses seasonal ingredients produced locally by farmers, fishermen, oystermen, and crabbers in Wilmington. In the center of Wilmington’s downtown, only a block from the Cape Fear River, the Pinpoint Restaurant opened its doors in the spring of 2015.
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PinPoint has received numerous accolades, and they are well-deserved honors. The menu changes daily, though some staples that stay are the oysters, the pimiento cheese, and the local fish of the day, especially if it is red snapper. The menu features local seasonal offerings from Wilmington’s farmers, fishermen, oystermen, and crabbers as much as possible.
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Opened in 2015 in the heart of downtown Wilmington, PinPoint Restaurant has quickly become a fan favorite, being named one of the ten best restaurants in the South by Southern Living. More recently, they earned a 2022 OpenTable Diner’s Choice award. Stop by for local seasonal offerings from area farmers, fishermen, oystermen, and crabbers.
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At PinPoint Restaurant, they focus on showcasing the bounty of Wilmington, NC, by offering a selection of dishes featuring locally-sourced produce. The menu is seasonal, boasting items produced by local farmers, oystermen, crabbers, and more!. Their finely-honed menu changes regularly, so be sure to do your research before stopping in!
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PinPoint is committed to using locally sourced, seasonal ingredients. The menu reflects a modern approach to Southern cuisine, and the restaurant is known for its welcoming atmosphere. Seasonal dishes that may include items like buttermilk-brined fried chicken, Carolina gold rice bowls, and inventive vegetable sides.
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So my partner has celiac/gluten free, which is why we came here. First off the guy who brought us our water was the best part of our evening, he was really friendly. A bit later our actual waiter came and told us “Everything” on the menu can be made gluten free, multiple times and that the chef was celiac.
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I seriously loved all of the other restaurants that I ate at, but PinPoint is my very favorite restaurant and it was a super easy decision. Weeks later and I am still dreaming about my meal there. From the NC Butterbean Hummus to the impeccably cooked vegetable plate entree, everything was remarkable.
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Pinpoint Restaurant serves food that is rooted deeply in tradition. It is located just a block from the Cape Fear River and was once named as one of the best restaurants in the south by Southern Living Magazine. It has won many other accolades since that one, and there are many reasons why that is!
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Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account. A post shared by PinPoint Restaurant (@pinpointrestaurant). The local, seasonal offerings of American and international cuisines in this restaurant feature fresh local ingredients from Wilmington.
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This artistic yet quaint restaurant serves a variety of seafood dishes as well as classic American meals. Located in the heart of downtown Wilmington, Pinpoint Restaurant is the perfect place to stop by for some fresh seafood while exploring the beautiful downtown area.
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You can’t go wrong with a restaurant named “one of the South’s Best” by Southern Living magazine. PinPoint definitely deserves the designation. Dining here was a great leisurely experience with Luis Rodriguez who guided us through the menu.
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One of the area’s most popular and well-known oyster specials is at this downtown Wilmington restaurant at 5035 Market St. You can start the week right with half-priced raw oysters, as well as wine at half price, on Mondays.
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Stylish spot with beautifully cooked dishes that impresses both locals and visitors alike, making every meal a memorable experience. More like Miss the Point. So my partner has celiac/gluten free, which is why we came here.
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PinPoint Restaurant is a chic little downtown restaurant with a big reputation as the perfect destination for a romantic Wilmington date night. Featuring a relatively seasonal menu that showcases local ingredients at...
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Whether you are looking to dig in to some fresh seafood or you are just feeling a bit peckish and would like a snack, PinPoint has something for you. The menu changes nightly, which is perfect for the adventurous eater.
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Situated a block from the Cape Fear River is Pinpoint Restaurant. This oyster bar Wilmington NC was established in 2015 and has been recognized as one of the best restaurants in the south.
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- Rating: 4.4/5 (369 reviews)- Price level: $$- Address: 114 Market St. Wilmington, North Carolina - Categories: New American, Seafood, Cocktail Bars- Read more on Yelp
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Our faves from this night included Coquina Fishbar’s house-smoked fish dip, Maine Lobstah Shack’s lobster bisque and PinPoint’s smoked pork belly.
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