WILMINGTON — After nearly a year of work, the Roadhouse Bar and Grill is set to open this week.
The sister restaurant – or maybe, big-sister restaurant – of the Dixie Grill downtown, The Roadhouse takes over the former Salt Works II location on Wrightsville Avenue.
Owner Brian Mayberry, said the 10-month overhaul of the building was long overdue, but that – after a few last-minute tweaks – The Roadhouse will open on Wednesday, Dec. 27.
In the meantime, Mayberry has opened Capricho, a sliver-sized downtown restaurant turning out tacos, empanadas, and other Mexican-style street food.
Read more: Caprico: come for the tacos, stay for the American dream
On the menu
The restaurant’s breakfast and dinner menu will be familiar to fans of Dixie Grill.
(Port City Daily photo / BENJAMIN SCHACHTMAN)
“It’s a streamlined version of the Dixie Grill menu,” Mayberry said. “We’ve kept most of the favorites. We’ll definitely still have Dixie Grill’s fried chicken, the way we house brine it.”
The Roadhouse’s dinner menu will consist of seven or eight entrees, priced $12 – $20. Mayberry plans to change up the menu for each season, though the initial menu will be a bit of “trial and error,” to see what works.
Definite contender includes Dixie Grill’s fried chicken, pork tenderloin, and pork ribs. Cut between the size of baby back and spare ribs, the Roadhouse will sell the ribs two bones at a time.
Mayberry also said the restaurant will offer local seafood.
“I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on what’s fresh and local,” Mayberry said. “When the summer comes around we’ll be doing soft shell crabs.”
Mayberry added the restaurant’s nightly seafood specials would also include Grouper, snapper and oysters.
A brand new, old-fashioned look
The food isn’t the only thing that’s changed at The Roadhouse. Mayberry said he tore the old building nearly down to the studs and rebuilt it.
The new interior features custom ceiling work, aged copper panels, and a wrap-around bar. Tymoteusz “Tym” Dvorak, who oversaw the renovations, worked for months to give restaurant the look and feel of a well-worn roadhouse.
One exception to that feel might be the Roadhouse’s new bar, with its intricate wood and copper lattice work. It’s definitely nicer than most bars you’ll find in the Lonestar state.
The Roadhouse will be open from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. daily, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner with full bar.
The Roadhouse will open Wednesday, December 27, located at 4001 Wrightsville Ave. For more information, you can visit The Roadhouse’s Facebook page.
On the map: The Roadhouse
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