A taste of the Italian Riviera: Fortuna Cucina Italiana opens in Wilmington

Editor's Note: This story is based on reporting originally published by Feast Unwrapped and has been reformatted for readability. 

Fortuna Cucina Italiana is bringing a taste of the Italian Riviera to Wilmington.

Located at Arboretum West, the new restaurant combines elevated Italian cuisine with a warm, neighborhood atmosphere led by restaurateur Giorgios Bakatsias, chef Chris Lewnes and general manager Salvatore Catania.

Fortuna blends decades of hospitality experience with a menu rooted in handcrafted ingredients, local seafood and Mediterranean-inspired hospitality.

Key takeaways

• The bigger picture: Fortuna Cucina Italiana brings a contemporary Italian dining experience to Wilmington inspired by the Italian Riviera.
• The details: Guests can enjoy house-made pasta, fresh local seafood, artisan breads, handcrafted desserts and an extensive wine program.
• Why this matters: The restaurant fills a growing demand for elevated yet approachable Italian dining in Wilmington.
• The more you know: Much of the menu is made entirely in-house, from fresh pasta and bread to desserts and complimentary cookies served at the end of each meal.

Inspired by the Italian Riviera

Fortuna Cucina Italiana was created with a vision of transporting guests to the relaxed elegance of coastal Italy.

Restaurateur Giorgios Bakatsias said the restaurant was designed to feel refined while remaining welcoming and comfortable.

"I thought it was important to have a contemporary Italian restaurant," Bakatsias said. "I like that trattoria feeling. And I love the garden outside."

The restaurant occupies the former Blue Surf space at Arboretum West, where Bakatsias immediately saw an opportunity to create something unique for Wilmington.

"I've learned to listen to what a space really wants," he said. "And when I see a vision, I go for it."

A team with world-class experience

Fortuna is led by a hospitality team with experience spanning Michelin-starred restaurants, luxury hospitality and international dining.

Chef and partner Chris Lewnes began his culinary career after attending the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City. His résumé includes:

• Michelin-starred Bâtard
• Keith McNally's restaurant group
• Sartiano's at The Mercer Hotel
• Restaurant openings in the Hamptons and Las Vegas

One memorable career moment came when Lewnes unexpectedly prepared a private four-course dinner for renowned restaurateur Keith McNally.

"My chef said, 'I can't make it. You want to go and do this dinner for me?'" Lewnes recalled.

After years working in New York and Las Vegas, Lewnes said he was ready for a slower pace.

"After Vegas, I was like, I'm ready," he said. "Ready for somewhere a little slower."

General manager Salvatore Catania also brings decades of hospitality experience after beginning his career in Italy before working in England, France and Miami.

A menu built around handcrafted ingredients

The menu reflects Lewnes' fine dining background while embracing the simplicity of Italian cooking.

Guests can expect:

• Fresh, house-made pasta
• House-baked breads
• Local seafood
• Carefully sourced ingredients
• Seasonal Italian specialties

"For the past four or five years, I R&D'd with the flours," Lewnes said. "I was lucky enough to source my favorite one down here. We also do all of our breads in-house."

Local seafood with an Italian twist

Fortuna combines classic Italian techniques with ingredients sourced from North Carolina's coast.

Menu highlights include:

• Local flounder Francese
• Head-on shrimp with salsa verde and scampi butter
• Outer Banks tuna
• Local snapper
• Clams
• Grilled branzino

"We're really trying to utilize as much seafood from this area as possible," Lewnes said.

Even the restaurant's burrata incorporates North Carolina flavors by pairing the cheese with Lady Edison country ham.

"I'm not doing anything to it," Lewnes said. "Just plate it with some good olive oil and let the ingredients speak for themselves."

More than just dinner

The experience extends well beyond the food.

Guests will also find:

• An extensive Old World wine program
• Mediterranean-inspired craft cocktails
• Complimentary house-made cookies
• In-house desserts prepared by pastry chef Madelyn Frank
• An indoor-outdoor bar
• Outdoor patio with fireplaces

Future plans include late-night pizza service on the patio.

Bakatsias said making items in-house is central to the restaurant's philosophy.

"Nobody does bread anymore, nobody makes cookies anymore, nobody makes the pasta anymore," he said. "We choose to make it all in-house because that's the integrity."

Hospitality rooted in connection

At its core, Fortuna is built around the Mediterranean philosophy of dolce far niente — "the sweetness of doing nothing."

The phrase, painted on one of the restaurant's interior walls, reflects Bakatsias' belief that sharing a meal should be about slowing down and enjoying the moment.

"When I'm in Greece or Italy or France," he said, "I think the art of being present with your friends gathered at a table, or being present with your espresso and nothing else. … That is living in that space."

For Bakatsias, that sense of connection is what hospitality is all about.

"The most exciting part is when you walk in the dining room and there's harmony and you see and feel that synchronicity between your team that's working and the people that are connecting and everything just coming together," he said. "That's my ultimate joy, the pure joy of bringing something that people love."

Plan your visit

• Address: 414 Arboretum Drive, Wilmington
• Hours: 4-9 p.m. Monday-Tuesday; 4-10 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday; 4-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday
• Phone: (910) 679-8989