From the archives: In Wilmington, the restaurants open for Easter 1974 we miss today

Owen Hassell, Wilmington StarNews
·1 min read

Some of the most iconic restaurants in Wilmington history were planning a feast for residents on Easter Sunday in 1974.

According to advertisements in the April 14, 1974, Wilmington StarNews, several places were offering Easter specials.

Or in the case of Whitey's Restaurant, it was business as usual with its seven-day buffet. Celebrating "20 years in one location," a favorite for locals had seafood and two meats on its buffet plus vegetables, salads and desserts.

Downtown at the Wilmington Hilton (now Hotel Ballast), the family buffet was in its grand ballroom. Its feast included a "steamship round of beef, Seafood Newberg, baked ham, roasted turkey, broiled chicken, oyster dressing" for $3.50. Under 12 years old? Try $1.75.

The Easter family buffet at the Wilmington Hilton in 1974.
The Easter family buffet at the Wilmington Hilton in 1974.

If you wanted Easter by the sea, as the advertisement suggested, there was the Holiday Inn at Wrightsville Beach. Carved roast beef, scalloped oysters, baked ham, fried chicken and "many salads" for $3.25. Children under 12 was $2.

While they all featured desserts, there was also Shields Ice Cream Shoppe available, which had locations on Floral Parkway, Market Street and Long Leaf Mall.

However, not all has been lost to time. The Blockade Runner at Wrightsville Beach was also promoting an Easter Sunday Buffet.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: The Wilmington, NC restaurants we miss today from 1974