Encore Magazine

“Raising the Bar: Revealing More of the Best-of 2008“
Encore Magazine:
Your Alternative Voice in Wilmington, NC
March 5, 2008

BEST LUNCH
An out-of-this-world eatery on Eastwood Road that has made quite a name for itself is none other than our Best Lunch winner, Chris’ Cosmic Kitchen. What’s not surprising about this win is the fact that, through experience, we here at encore know they make an excellent lunch (we enjoyed it firsthand during a previous Lunch Bunch). What is surprising about the win, however, is that locals voted it best after just four months in business—a feat among other Best Lunch contenders in Best-Of history!

“Mainly, [it’s because of] consistency, quality and good service,” Chris Lubben, chef/owner, attributes to his win. “Those are things written in the business plan that we apply every day.”

The attraction to Chris’ undoubtedly lies in the food, only slightly above the festive and fun atmosphere. “We serve the type of food you could find in an upscale restaurant, but we offer it in a unique setting,” Lubben elaborates. “Some people even call our food ‘gourmet.’ It’s just good food done a bit differently.”

Of the menu items offered, popular requests include the Reuben and the Greek omelet. Lubben, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, makes many of his menu items from scratch, using only the freshest ingredients. Having won the 2002 North Carolina Live Oak Festival Chili Cook-Off, he has established quite a reputation for himself in the area and is also extremely well-known for his gourmet cheesecakes.

Chris’ is open Monday through Saturday from 7am to 4pm, serving breakfast all day long—but, of course, they’re already famous for their lunch.  Check ‘em out at www.myspace.com/chriscosmickitchen. Other lunch hotspots that whet our readers’ appetites were Nikki’s and Two Guys Grille. —Emily Rea