It was 2:00 PM on a gloomy Thursday and I had an hour until work. With time to kill, I decided to check out a new place I’d heard about. After the trial of finding parking downtown, I was shivering in the cool air and wishing I’d worn a heavier coat, thinking, “I could’ve sworn it was 70 degrees yesterday.” But with Wilmington weather, you rarely get what you dress for. Thankfully, I was a short walk from Hidden Grounds Coffee–where I planned to spend the next hour.
Hidden Grounds sits on a sliver of property just two blocks away from the river. This quaint brick rectangle on South 2nd Street houses all the necessities of a coffee shop. Sprinkled with thematic dinosaurs and cowboys, the long counter splits the building in half, creating a flow to the vivid and beautiful outside. The exterior, decorated to fit the theme, is a charming little multi-leveled yard, fit for Hidden Grounds' multitude of customers, and lovely overall vibe—the perfect tiny-home equivalent of a place like Luna Cafe or Social Coffee.
The tiny brick building covered in vines on South Second Street called my name. I ducked through the door into the warm interior of downtown Wilmington’s hottest new coffee spot, Instantly enamored with it. A few weeks earlier, when a friend of mine told me about the dinosaur-cowboy-themed cafe, I couldn’t wait to see it for myself, and nothing could’ve prepared me for this place.
Closing time at Hidden Grounds is 4:00 PM, generating an insane buzz (especially on weekends) of excited customers. Lucky enough to get in on the day that I did, I encountered a new problem. Nowhere I’ve ever been has had a menu with such creative options. “How can I possibly choose?” So many options, like the Hidden Signatures: the Marlboro Man, a vanilla latte with caramel, the Thai-rannosaurus Rex, a triple espresso with white chocolate and vanilla foam, or the Dino Campfire, espresso with toasted marshmallow. All just a handful of options on the vast menu. They have tea too, if that's more your thing, in a multitude of flavors.
Inside Hidden Grounds, I was filled with such comfort. It’s like no place I’ve ever been, exciting my inner child in ways I’ve never felt before. Hidden Grounds Coffee is a fantastic addition to downtown Wilmington and has become a lovely part of my weekly routine. The charismatic theming and beauty of the place’s decor lure you in, and the fantastically unique flavors on the menu keep you hooked. There just isn’t anywhere quite like it.
Sources:
30,000+ best coffee photos · 100% free download · Pexels Stock ... Pexels. (n.d.). https://www.pexels.com/search/coffee/