Downtown Wilmington hotel and local hospitality group to open new Italian restaurant
A long empty restaurant space in downtown Wilmington is set to get a new eatery this summer. The Hotel Ballast at 301 N. Water St. and the local Alfalla Hospitality have been putting together the plans for Sugo Italian Steakhouse.
The hotel dates to 1970, when it opened as the Timme Plaza Motor Inn and was then purchased by Hilton a couple of years later. It was rebranded the Hotel Ballast in 2017. A waterfront restaurant space has been empty since 2021.
Jamie Alfalla, with Alfalla Hospitality Group, said the hotel has been looking for the right concept for the space.
“They wanted something local and upscale,” said Dave Gerin, COO of Alfalla Hospitality,
Alfalla added that it has been an ideal project to work on while waiting to begin renovation at the Preston fine dining restaurant and Graystone Inn, another of their many concepts. A fire damaged the property in June.
The theme for Sugo is coastal Renaissance with modern touches, Alfalla said. And she added that they're eager to bring the kind of Italian restaurant they miss as native New Yorkers. Look for a communal table that seats about 20 people, and a menu with Porterhouse for two, Tomahawk ribeye specials, dry-aged beef (that will eventually be done in house), as well as fish and pasta dishes and classic Italian fare.
“The kitchen we built in there is going to be capable of doing absolutely anything,” Gerin said. “We’d also like to do a lot of tableside things, like a tableside tiramisu."
“There will be some cool experiential pieces that will just add a different level of service,” Alfalla said.
They hope to open in June or July. They are also poised to begin construction to re-open Preston and Graystone Inn. As soon as they are able to proceed, they anticipate a six-month process and hope to open again later this year.
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Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews. You can reach her at aballard@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Italian restaurant slated to open at Hotel Ballast in Wilmington, NC
