WILMINGTON — A 26-year-old restaurateur and his younger sister have launched a new health-forward eatery. And, much like its menu, the location is on the opposite side of their already popular street food space in the Cargo District Food Court.
Leaf and Press salad and panini shop soft-opened in December but officially made its debut two weeks ago, according to owner Allan Leandro. Leandro also operates the nearby Astro Dogs, centered on Korean corn dogs, and said Leaf and Press is the brainchild of his sibling, Crystal, who oversees the shop most days.
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“My sister is a salad girl,” Leandro said with a laugh, noting her love for any good fresh option was at least a 15-minute drive away from the Queen Street food court. “She is really great at marketing and has been helping me since Astro Dogs, but she also thought the area could benefit from a more health-conscious menu option. This way we can appeal to everyone.”
The Cargo District Food Court has barbecue, vegan, empanadas, loaded fries, WHAT ELSE. The goal is to keep options varied.
Leaf and Press has a relatively simple, fresh menu: salads and paninis. Though they’re each divided into three parts: traditional (for items like an Italian, chicken Cesar); wellness (Green Goddess, Avocado Power Bowl) and a portion called “flavor seekers.”
“They may not be the healthiest alternative, but they’re all very yummy and the most popular ones we offer,” Leandro explained
Flavor seekers includes items like a spicy chicken club — chicken, bacon, jalapenos, chipotle ranch, and provolone — or a prosciutto and fig, with goat cheese and arugula on ciabatta.
All dressings are made homemade and the panini bread comes from Rotella.
“We don’t have space to make dough from scratch,” he said.
But, with a commissary kitchen nearby in the district, it gives the Leandros room to play and even switch up menus seasonally or provide one-off specials.
“And it’s still more space than a food truck,” Leandro said.
He originally began Astro Dog as a mobile venture in Greensboro during the Covid-19 pandemic. But he also loved Wilmington’s “good vibes” and wished to relocate here. When he found out another Triad restaurateur, Mike Roach of Mike’s Vegan Grill was coming to town, Leandro reached out to inquire about Cargo District space.
He opened Astro Dogs in a cargo container in May last year and says feedback has been positive so far. It serves a variety of corn dogs: half-mozzarella-half-dog, dog-only, mozzarella-only, topped with Takis, Doritos, wrapped in French fries, ramen noodles, even Rice Krispies. The dogs are often sauced down in varied flavors — Sriracha, spicy mayo, sweet chili sauce, nacho cheese and more. The most popular is the Asteroid Belt — half-dog, half-mozzarella, coated in batter and covered with crunchy fries and potatoes.
It also serves sweets, like churros, and has a variety of Boba teas.
“But Leaf and Press is on the healthier side of things and it’s also something that makes you feel better about yourself when you’re eating it,” he quipped. “But I was fascinated by Asian culture and gained a love for Korean food in college.”
Though he was studying dentistry, it wasn’t until Leandro did an internship that he began thinking about switching gears more into entrepreneurship. He had worked in restaurants his entire life — not only through college but also in youth. He worked in restaurants for a family friend in his home of Mexico City in youth and when Leandro moved to the states as a teenager he also worked in his uncle’s food truck, taking orders, cooking tacos and learning the ins and outs of operations.
“It was all I knew,” he said.
The young entrepreneur now has three establishments of his own. In addition to Astro Dog brick-and-mortar and Leaf and Press, he travels back and forth weekly to Greensboro. This is to oversee operations of the food truck, but Leandro also purchased Bites and Pints, a bar and grill in Spring Gardens near UNCG.
Overall, he has around 30 employees for all markets, but expects to expand locally as tourist season picks up.
Astro Dog and Leaf and Press are open Wednesdays through Sundays, with Leaf and Press operating from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Astro Dog opens noon to 8 p.m. Sunday and Tuesday through Thursday, and until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, but more hours may be added in coming months.
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