VOYCE Bistro Celebrates Casual Coastal Cuisine

On a January day at the foot of Market Street in downtown Wilmington, temperatures plummet, and ice is in the forecast. But just beyond a storefront window, a wall is on fire – not literally, of course. It blazes with fiery reds, electric purples and wild yellows in a large-scale floral print inside 11 Market St., where patrons dine at the recently opened VOYCE Bistro.

“I wanted to run the mural the whole length of the wall, but my husband said we needed to break it up,” said Angela Rhodes, owner of VOYCE, along with her husband and two-time James Beard Award nominee chef Keith Rhodes.

At 1,500 square feet, with structural bones dating to 1901, the historical building beside the Alton Lennon Federal Building – once home to the deli Stuffedwich – has been whisked into modernity once again. The result is an intimate, inviting space a stone’s throw from the Riverwalk that, according to its website, “celebrates the art of casual, coastal cuisine infused with Caribbean flavors.”

The space “chose us,” said Angela Rhodes. “We loved the location immediately, especially being downtown. There was something about the space that aligned perfectly with what we wanted Voyce to become.”

She said the restaurant was named for her husband’s grandparents.

“VOYCE began with family,” Angela Rhodes said. “The name itself is inspired by Virgie and Royce Rhodes, and the idea grew from honoring family, culture and shared experiences around food. It’s rooted in heritage, connection and the belief that food brings people together.”

With a mix of bar and banquette seating in black, red and natural hues, VOYCE can accommodate about 30 guests. Overhead, light filters through large, rust-colored lanterns, while flower centerpieces add beauty and personality to each table.

“We took inspiration from the classic French bistro and remixed it with a touch of soul,” Angela Rhodes said. “The result is warm, inviting and reflective of the food and the people behind it.”

Framed, portrait-size black-and-white photos of culinary men – including Keith Rhodes, a Wilmington native – hang on the wall leading to the kitchen. Pals and mentors, presumably, from a lifetime of cooking appear throughout: a tall, earnest-looking man in a white bucket hat and graphic tee stamped with a Lowcountry crab; another with muscular, tattooed forearms in an apron; and, finally, what looks like a generational portrait – the wise father, jovial little brother and methodical big brother. The message isn’t lost: Cooking is community and, well, there’s always room for more cooks in the kitchen.

All of these accents contribute to VOYCE’s bistro vibe, but, like any good dish, it borrows flavor notes from elsewhere. In this case, Catch, the venerable and much-loved Ogden-area restaurant that the Rhodeses owned for nearly 20 years before its recent closure.

“Catch holds a very special place in our hearts and in the community,” Angela Rhodes said. “When that chapter closed, we wanted to move away from the ‘special occasion’ dining model and create something more approachable. VOYCE is meant to be a casual gathering space, a place for great food and great service in a cozy setting with an everyday vibe.”

Small plates such as oven-roasted Dirty South oysters, buttermilk-fried Ipswich clams and North Carolina seafood chowder join entrees and sandwiches, including pan-roasted fish of the day, jerk shrimp roll, a blue lump crab cake sandwich and a Wagyu cheeseburger.

“Our menu tells a story. It features familiar foods with cultural touches that reflect who we are,” Angela Rhodes said. “VOYCE’s mission shows up on the plate – the majority of our seafood and produce is sourced regionally, supporting local purveyors while keeping flavors fresh and rooted in place.”

To wash it all down, there’s a “thoughtful wine and beer program that complements the menu and atmosphere without overwhelming the experience,” she said.

So what does Angela Rhodes see when she looks up past the mural of fiery flowers, the delicate centerpieces and the long row of apron-clad grillers, roasters and fryers on the wall?

“My first thought is simple: It’s time to get to work. Voyce represents a dream realized, but also the beginning of something that requires care, consistency and intention every single day,” she said.

As for the future of this new gastronomic endeavor, Angela Rhodes said she tries not to get too ahead of herself. “While I can’t predict the future, I know what matters right now: creating great food, great memories and moments that last.”

VOYCE is open for lunch Tuesday – Friday 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. and dinner Tuesday – Saturday 4:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.