Best of Delaware 2025: Celebrating the Finest of the First State

Looking for inspiration for your next Delaware getaway?  

Discover the 2025 Best of Delaware winners—locals' favorite restaurants, shops, and hidden gems that make the First State so special. From must-try eats to unforgettable experiences, these award-winning spots are the ones Delawareans love most (and secretly wish they could keep to themselves). 

Best of Delaware: Food and Drink in 2025

Acai Bowl: Green Box Kitchen
Al Fresco Dining: Grain H2O
American Restaurant: Kid Shelleen’s Charcoal House & Saloon
Bakery: Bing’s Bakery
Barbecue: Limestone BBQ & Bourbon
Breakfast Spot: Urban Kitchen
Brunch: Kid Shelleen’s Charcoal House & Saloon
Burgers: Kid Shelleen’s Charcoal House & Saloon
Centreville/Greenville Restaurant: Pizza by Elizabeths
Cheesesteaks: Claymont Steak Shop
Chef: Robbie Jester, In Jest Events/Pizzeria Mariana
Classic Diner: Crossroads Restaurant
Coffee Shop: BrewHaha
Community-Minded Café: kaffé KARMA
Crabbiest Crabcakes: Courtyard by Marriott at the University of Delaware
Craft Cocktails: The Quoin Hotel/Simmer Down
 

Date Night Restaurant: Snuff Mill Restaurant, Butchery, & Wine Bar
Dining for a Cause: BBC Tavern & Grill
Dinner Rescue: Janssen’s Market
Fairfax/Brandywine Hundred Restaurant: Charcoal Pit
Farmers Market: New Castle Farmers Market
Fine Dining: Harry’s Savoy Grill
Food Truck: Mojo Loco
French: Brandywine Brasserie
Gastropub: Iron Hill Brewery
Hard Cider: Wilmington Brew Works
Hockessin/Pike Creek Restaurant: The House of William & Merry
Ice Cream: Woodside Farm Creamery
Italian (Neighborhood): Mrs. Robino’s Restaurant
Italian (Upscale): Capers & Lemons
Japanese: Mikimotos

Late-Night Menu: McGlynns Pub
Lunch on the Fairway: At the Rail Wine Bar & Grill
Lunch Spot: Urban Kitchen
Mexican: La Tolteca
Microbrewery: Wilmington Brew Works
Middletown/Odessa/Townsend Restaurant: Cantwell’s Tavern
Movie Night: Bar Reverie
New Castle/Old New Castle Restaurant: Jessop’s Tavern
New Restaurant: Jackson House
Newark Restaurant: Taverna
North Wilmington Restaurant: Harry’s Savoy Grill
Over the State Line – Maryland Restaurant: Chesapeake Inn Restaurant & Marina
OVer the State Line – Pennsylvania Restaurant: Terrain Cafe
Oysters: Trolley Square Oyster House
 

Pizza (Gourmet): Pizza by Elizabeths
Pizza (Traditional): Nick’s Pizza Parlor & Bar
Place for a Business Lunch in the City: Tonic Seafood & Steak
Place for Brunch with the Girls: Park Café
Place to See and Be Seen: Piccolina Toscana
Poke Bowl: Al Chu’s Sushi
Restaurant Desserts: Bardea Food & Drink
Restaurant Wine List: Snuff Mill Restaurant, Butchery & Wine Bar
Service: Eclipse Bistro
Small Plates/Tapas: Bardea Food & Drink
Special-Occasion Restaurant: Snuff Milll Restaurant, Butchery & Wine Bar
Sports Bar: McGlynns Pub
Steakhouse: Harry’s Savoy Grill
Sushi: Mikimotos
Tacos: Del Pez Mexican Gastropub
Tipsy Treats: V&M Bistro
Water-View Dining: Banks Seafood Kitchen & Raw Bar
Wilmington/Center City Restaurant: Bardea Food & Drink
Wilmington/Little Italy Restaurant: Mrs. Robino’s Restaurant
Wilmington/Riverfront Restaurant: Iron Hill Brewery
Wilmington/Trolley Square/Highlands/Rockford Park Restaurant: Scalessa’s Old School Italian Kitchen

Best of Delaware: Shopping and Services in 2025

Bed & Breakfast: The Inn at Montchanin Village & Spa 
Place to Mellow Out: Make & Mellow Custom Candle Bar
Tattoo Artist/Shop: Poppycock Tattoo 
Wedding Venue: HOTEL DU PONT 
 

Best of Delaware: Fun and Leisure in 2025

Community Theater: The Candlelight Theatre
Golf Course (Public): Deerfield Country Club 
Hotel: HOTEL DU PONT 
Live Music Venue: The Queen 
Musical Happy Hours in the Garden: Delaware Art Museum
Place for a Picnic: Lums Pond State Park
Place to Get High: Alapocas Run State Park Rock Climbing Wall
Place to Play Pickleball: Wilmington State Parks Pickleball Courts
Sports Venue: Frawley Stadium
 

Best of Delaware: Kids and Pets in 2025

Dog Park: Carousel Bark Park
Kid-Friendly Museum: Delaware Children’s Museum 
Place for a Birthday Party: Brandywine Zoo 
Summer Camp: Delaware Nature Society - Ashland Nature Center
 

From top-notch food and drink to standout spots for fun, relaxation, and shopping, the 2025 Best of Delaware winners showcase the exceptional experiences waiting across the First State. These celebrated businesses and individuals reflect the heart and soul of Delaware’s communities. Start planning your next visit and see for yourself why locals are proud to call this place home.