Here's Where the D.C. Crowd Should Go to Eat When Visiting Wilmington & the Brandywine Valley

All politics aside, these are the places that capture a winning vibe 

It’s probably not a good time to bother them, but I’d love to have a word with the busy political pros from Washington who so suddenly became honorary Wilmingtonians during the not-so-normal election of 2024. 

You’re probably worried about bigger things right now, but I need to know: Where have you guys been eating while you’re here? 

I ask not to be nosy, or to denigrate your dietary choices, but because I am a Delawarean, and we care where you eat. We, as a people, are constitutionally incapable of letting visitors go to the “wrong” local restaurants. We will coach, we will nudge, we will not rest until we get you to the place you NEED to go to. 

In that slightly passive-aggressive spirit, allow me to suggest that what you probably need right now is a good drink. Luckily, this city is full of cocktail vibes right now (try the regal bar at Le Cavalier, Torbert Street Social, Maker’s Alley or Hummingbird to Mars). Find new friends at the locally loved watering holes: Kelly’s Logan House and Kid Shelleen’s in Trolley Square are standouts, and the bar beside the restaurant at Columbus Inn has cozy presence. 

If the gloomy name doesn’t bother anyone, Dead Presidents Pub & Restaurant has long been loved for the good food and group-friendly vibe. Just north of the city, the ambience swings more to the upper-crusty side in the hamlets of Greenville (try BBC Tavern & Grill) and Centreville (Buckley’s Tavern is the spot). 

That’s something I think we share with our D.C. neighbors: Wilmingtonians seem drawn to places with just enough upscale-casual edge to smooth rough edges of life. So many Wilmington restaurants are adept at maintaining their casual cool, even while the food speaks of higher standards: Sleek vibes and modern execution elevate places like Dorcea, Banks Seafood Kitchen and Raw Bar, Eclipse Bistro and Ciro Food & Drink.  

At other spots, those top-level tastes are delivered with even more insistent emphasis on refinement: It may be too early to celebrate (or commiserate) political fortunes, but when special occasions do arise, there’s no classier a spot to be than Le Cavalier, or at Bardea’s two top-tier restaurants (one an ultra-prime steakhouse, the other elevated Italian). For more intimate elegance, check out La Fia, or try to snag a coveted table at Snuff Mill Restaurant, Butchery & Wine Bar. 

Other must-try food experiences in Wilmo should bring familiar comfort to the D.C. professional crowd, who seem to share our love for diverse tastes, and our preference for carefree culinary recreation. Good food gets mixed with good times at so many places here: Shoot for duckpin bowling glory at Wilma’s; catch a jazz set at The Nomad Bar; head for Riverfront Wilmington for a waterside table on a soothing fall evening.  

Just up the street toward the city’s center, two food halls make great quick stops for casual get-togethers (DECO and The Chancery Market Food Hall and Bar). Fun times and good food surely have a place in this world, so go where Wilmingtonians have gone for years: Get your water ice at Fusco’s, try the cheesesteaks at Gaudiello’s, or take a jaunt along Union Street for more affordable-but-amazing grazing. 

At times, old Wilmo’s casual food scene might even rival D.C.’s options: The Dog House’s footlong chili dogs easily outmatch D.C.’s legendary Ben’s Chili Bowl, and Johnnie's Dog House set a new standard in this state. When guilty cravings for cheesesteaks or subs bubbles up, I’d much rather find myself in Delaware than D.C. If you haven’t been already, you can even go where Joe (and everyone else) goes: Check out the idealized burger-and-shake simplicity of the Charcoal Pit (or nudge both your burger and your shake to the next level at the Farmer & the Cow). 

And, if you have time before eventually re-migrating to Washington, I insist that you simply MUST go to Capriotti’s for a Bobbie or a Capastrami sandwich. It’s one sure way to affirm your credentials as a true-blue Wilmingtonian, no matter where you come from, or where you go from here.