Despite considerable misgivings about my hometown there are some things that I enjoy about it and even miss on occasion: A short list is the Wilmington Boxing Center on 10th Street, the funky YMCA on Market and JRP. Add to this list the best grocery store I have ever experienced; the Harris Teeter at Beau Rivage Marketplace on Carolina Beach Rd. Long Island has one Fairway in Plainview and a Whole Foods near Oyster Bay and despite the great fare in these stores these high end grocery palaces are less convenient, not as clean and not as friendly as the Harris Teeter on Carolina Beach Rd.
Harris Teeter is a chain of grocery stores situated mostly over 8 states in the south operating 176 stores at present. This particular store in the middle of a long, somewhat barren stretch between Wilmington and Carolina Beach has one of the best, small selections of wine I have ever seen. The store even carries fine ports, sake and fortified wines as part of its heroic selection. Lynn and I bought a case of a fine under the radar California Chardonnay at less than 40.00. The food is equally good and well-priced (with an exceptionally good seafood mixture) with first-class selections of international food (especially Indian). The place does not have some of the exotica of a Fairway or Whole Foods (no aged meats for instance or offbeat “to go” selections like Broccoli Rabe). However, to find a market of real excellence in easy to please Wilmington is extremely unusual and a real comfort to Mark and Lynn when they are in the Port City.
Beau Rivage Marketplace - #96
5920 Carolina Beach Rd
Wilmington NC 28412
www.harristeeter.com
