Fresh oysters and seasonal seafood on the menu at Seabird, now open in downtown Wilmington
Seabird opens in downtown Wilmington By Ashlea Kosikowski | May 7, 2021 at 5:15 PM EDT - Updated May 7 at 5:23 PM
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - A lifetime of cooking culminates for Chef Dean Neff, as he and his wife, Lydia Clopton, opened Seabird in downtown Wilmington this week.
The restaurant, located at 1 South Front Street, features fresh, seasonal seafood.
“There’s so many great sources of seafood in this area and there’s also seasonality to it just like with produce,” Neff said. “We thought it be fun to push forward how seasonal seafood could be in this area and try to highlight the good things that we’re getting right here.”
Just recently, the window coverings at the upcoming Seabird restaurant at 1 S. Front Street came off. Chef Dean Neff said passersby have been peering in the windows for a look at what’s coming ever since.
He first started the process to renovate and open the space that formerly held River Rat and The Whiskey more than a year ago, in November 2019. Now that he’s this close to opening (perhaps by the end of April), he shares more about what’s ahead.
Getting a feel for the past
Neff and a team of building professionals wanted to recreate an authentic look at the renovated space, and they went to great lengths to recreate it. Neff has a photo of the 1920s era façade of the building. New windows match the look and let in lots light to the new, open space. (New tiling at the entryway are another nod to the past.)
Chef Dean Neff explains the menu at a Legacy Society dinner hosted by Erin and Joe Payne
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