WILMINGTON, N.C. — One of Wilmington’s oldest seafood restaurants, Hieronymus Seafood, has been a Port City staple for tourists, locals and even celebrities that come through the area.
What You Need To Know
- Hieronymus Seafood is one of Wilmington’s oldest seafood restaurants
- It was started by four brothers who were all fishermen
- Fresh caught fish, oysters and more are prepared daily
If you’ve paid a visit to the Port City, chances are you’ve heard of Hieronymus Seafood.
General Manager Max Norton says this fresh catch restaurant was started by a group of brothers who made a career out of what they loved most: fishing.
“There was four brothers, they were all fishermen, they had, I do believe two fishing boats,” said Norton, “Pretty much the one brother owned the restaurant and the other brothers were the fishermen who brought in the fresh catch.”
That was nearly 50 years ago. Now, Norton says it’s become an essential stop for locals, tourists and even celebrities.
“It’s pretty much, you know, of course a Wilmington staple,” said Norton. “Back in the movie days, you know, all the movie studio actors and actresses used to hang out here. It’s always been known for fresh seafood.”
All that seafood is freshly caught off the North Carolina Coast and brought in daily for preparation.
“We have our fresh catch boards, they have all of our different fish on them,” said Norton. “Each day, it changes what they get in fresh every day.”
The freshly caught fish are prepared with unique flavors and sauces that Norton says really sets them apart.
“We’re gonna be cooking a piece of our local, snowy grouper, which people just love because of the texture. The taste is a very mellow fish, and like I said, it’s probably one of the biggest seller we ever have,” said Norton. “We’re gonna be preparing our Carolina recipe and then the other part as our nut-crusted recipe.”
It’s those recipes that keep people coming back and keeping the Hieronymus legacy alive.
In addition to their delicious fresh-catch entrees, Hieronymus also has an oyster bar where you can watch your oysters be shucked and prepared right in front of you.
Hieronymus is open everyday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. and you can make a reservation here.