Floriana Wilmington — Restaurant in Wilmington

From outside looking in this place looks like a great place to have a special dinner in downtown Wilmington, maybe to celebrate a birthday, anniversary or even propose. My husband wanted to take me out for my 40th birthday. This was actually my 4th choice, the top 3 places I wanted to try were all closed on Mondays so we went here. At one point we considered canceling and ordering Chinese takeout and just staying in. I wish we had done that. When making the reservation he noted that we would be there celebrating a birthday. Not once did anyone there make me feel special. No one said happy birthday, no candle on dessert. Nothing. I’ve working in restaurants for 20 years. When I worked at fine dining restaurants and something like that was in our notes the dessert guys would decorate a special dessert plate with writing saying happy birthday or whatever was being celebrated. There were candles for the birthday dessert. There didn’t need to be singing and a whole show but this person decided to celebrate at our restaurant so we wanted to make sure they felt special and happy they picked our restaurant. I felt neither thing about being here. The restaurant felt gross, dirty and like it was a work in progress. I understand it is an old building but there is a way to make an old building not feel gross. Service was pretty horrible too. When we walked in we weren’t greeted with a smile or a hello. The girl just looked at us waiting for us to tell her who we were. We got sat across from the bathroom, which although it’s not near the table it is distracting watching people go in and out. That wasn’t a big deal tho. Just something to note. When we first sat someone came over to pour water. She was probably the nicest person we interacted with there. Then a server came. I’m not sure if he was new or what but he was very bumbling would be the best word. My husband said sweaty would be a good description too . After he took our drink order another server came to see if we were ready to order drinks. There seemed to be confusion about who was supposed to be our server. We would have preferred the second guy. He seemed more experienced and calm. We ordered our food and just before it came out our server came to see if we’d like more bread with our meal. He never brought us bread to begin with. When he did bring it out it was nothing special. Just cold pieces of bread. The apple cider sangria was more like watered down apple juice with 1 apple chip in it. It was boring. The food was mediocre. The crab spaghetti neri noodles were over cooked to mush. The risotto was over seasoned. The salmon was over cooked. They never asked for a temp on the salmon and I guess the chef just cooks them all well. The ravioli order comes with 4 or 5 small understuffed ravioli. My sister said those were ok. But she didn’t finish them. When it came time for dessert we were going to get tiramisu and pecan pie. The server said he thought they were out of the pie. It wasn’t very busy at all so idk if they just make one pie for the whole night or what. He didn’t even go back to check. So we went with the tiramisu. It was not good. Publix has better. It was dry and just off. A bit sour. I also ended up being woken up at 5am with splitting pains in my stomach. I can’t say for sure it was the food but thats the only thing that was different in my day. All in all a very unexceptional meal and...

The short story is that we found the balcony atmosphere excellent at Floriana. However, we found the food to be only average, and lacking a uniqueness of flavor expected in this type of restaurant. Some of the ingredients listed in the menu were not included in our meals and this may have contributed to the mediocrity of flavor. Read on for more details.

My husband and I ate at Floriana's for lunch today (Monday, May 23, 2022). The setting on the outdoor balcony was absolutely wonderful! At noontime, there is no sun to contend with, and there was a nice breeze to keep us cool enough in 85-degree temperatures. The views over the river were lovely. We ordered the baby beets salad (gorgonzola, pistachio, arugula, citrus, apples), grilled cheese (mozzarella, gorgonzola, cremont, basil), and pan seared salmon (beet, fennel, citrus).

The salmon was tasty enough, but the skin had been left on and since I didn’t eat it, probably missed out on some of the flavors seared into it. If ordering this lunchtime entree, understand the portion is somewhat small (although because I am a small eater, it was enough for me). All that I received was a small cut of salmon on an exquisitely displayed beet puree, a garnish of something I couldn’t identify, and 2 slices of mandarin orange. If there was fennel, I didn’t taste or see it. If there were any extra seasonings added to the beet puree, I didn’t notice them. The flavor was somewhat plain and not a blending of many different herbs or spices. The orange slices were quite good when eaten with the beet puree and salmon. However, since there were only 2 segments of orange, I was not able to experience that flavor throughout my meal.

The baby beets salad seemed to only come with the arugula, beets, and pistachio. The gorgonzola, citrus, and apples were missing. The bitterness of the arugula would have been even better complimented with these additional ingredients I had expected to find. When I questioned the waitress, she explained they sometimes need to leave things out or substitute items that are not available. We were charged an extra $4 to get this side salad instead of the field salad which came along with the grilled cheese sandwich. If I had known these key ingredients were going to be missing, I would not have opted for the beet salad.

The grilled cheese was tasty. However, if there was basil, it was so subtle it wasn’t noticed. It was a good blend of gooey cheeses on white Italian bread, with the appearance of being somewhat deep fried.

Wonderful atmosphere on balcony, but we will probably...

Floriana Wilmington is a culinary gem that my wife and I had the absolute pleasure of dining at recently, and it exceeded our expectations in every way. From the moment we stepped inside, we were greeted with warm, welcoming smiles and an ambiance that immediately set the tone for an unforgettable evening.

The interior of Floriana is beautifully decorated, with a charming blend of modern elegance and classic touches that create a cozy yet upscale atmosphere. The lighting was perfect—dim enough for a romantic dinner but bright enough to fully appreciate the stunning presentation of the dishes.

Now, let’s talk about the food—oh, the food! Floriana’s menu is a masterful celebration of Italian cuisine, with each dish crafted with an attention to detail that is nothing short of impressive. We started with the calamari, which was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, perfectly seasoned and accompanied by a tangy marinara that was simply divine.

For our main course, we decided to try the Chicken Marsala and the Lobster Ravioli. The Chicken Marsala was cooked to perfection, with a rich, savory sauce that complemented the tender chicken beautifully. The Lobster Ravioli was nothing short of spectacular—the pasta was delicate, the filling was generous, and the sauce was a creamy dream with just the right amount of sweetness from the lobster.

The wine selection at Floriana is also top-notch. Our server was incredibly knowledgeable and helped us select a wine that perfectly complemented our meal. Their recommendations were spot on, and we were impressed by the variety and quality of wines available.

One of the highlights of the evening was the dessert. We indulged in the Tiramisu, which was hands down the best we’ve ever had. It was light, fluffy, and packed with flavor—a perfect ending to a flawless meal.

The service at Floriana is another aspect that deserves high praise. Our server was attentive without being overbearing, knowledgeable without being pretentious, and genuinely enthusiastic about the food and wine they were serving. It’s clear that the staff here take great pride in their work, and it really adds to the overall dining experience.

In summary, Floriana Wilmington is an exceptional restaurant that delivers on all fronts—ambiance, service, and most importantly, incredible food. Whether you’re looking for a romantic night out, a special occasion, or just a place to enjoy some of the best Italian cuisine in Wilmington, Floriana is the place to be. We can’t...