 |
| The new Brew HaHa! at Avenue North on Concord Pike |
New Brew HaHa! dazzles + Wilmington's first rooftop bar opens + Bardea to open new private dining room
September always portends the fall harvest, and this year it is delivering an abundance of exciting new food and drink options running the stylistic and geographic gamut.
From an upscale cafe to craft cocktails and French Riviera-inspired cuisine, the new restaurants due to open this month will have you reaching for your cell phones to plan a date with friends. Here are just a few:
 |
| Inside the new Brew HaHa! at Avenue North. @beccamathiasphoto |
Brew HaHa! at Avenue North
It’s been seven years since Alisa Morkides unveiled a totally new outpost – the most recent being the handsome flagship coffeehouse in Greenville. Her newest Brew HaHa! at 1000 Renaissance Way (off Concord Pike) will meet every BHH devotee’s desires – with exquisite design, a variety of gathering spaces, outdoor seating and abundant, colorful landscaping – a reliable signature of the BHH brand.
This larger, indoor/outdoor space will be a big step up from the Brew HaHa! further up the road in Talleyville, which closed in August to gear up for the new store opening.
• Location
The new 3500 sf Brew HaHa! is located at the entrance of Avenue North, at the intersection of U.S. 202 and 141/Powder Mill Road – it has its own convenient parking area.
• Timing of opening, cafe hours
Fresh pics unveiled this week indicate the newest cafe is ready to greet its first customers. But according to the shop’s recent announcement, the facility must pass one more inspection. The opening date and store hours are TBA. But plans include the traditional Brew Haha! coffee and food menu.
 |
| Plush seating and colorful area rugs inside the new Brew HaHa! at Avenue North |
• Modern aesthetic
Morkides shared on social media that the design team created a cheerful take on mid-century modern style for this new location. “The cafe is designed to give our guests an entirely new community space for creative inspiration!”
Reminiscent of the modern aesthetic of the Route 9 Library, the new Brew HaHa! sports an attractive checkered-patterned pergola, which essentially highlights the garden and frames the patio. The perforated structure also features floating heat warmers for chilly days.
Reminiscent of the modern aesthetic of the Route 9 Library, the new Brew HaHa! sports an attractive checkered-patterned pergola, which essentially highlights the garden and frames the patio. The perforated structure also features floating heat warmers for chilly days.
 |
| Terrace seating at the new Brew HaHa! will include overhead heat warmers |
Three new restaurants inside (and atop!) The Quoin Hotel
There is really nothing like Wilmington’s new luxury boutique hotel – The Quoin. Open just a week, the 24-room hotel at 519 N. Market Street in downtown Wilmington is worth a visit – even if you’re local!
Developed by Buccini/Polin Group in partnership with Philadelphia-based Method Co. Hospitality Group (the firm behind Wm. Mulherin’s Sons Hotel and Restaurant and ROOST Apartment Hotel), The Quoin makes full use of its niche space, with three very cool food and beverage concepts, including a first for Wilmington.
There is really nothing like Wilmington’s new luxury boutique hotel – The Quoin. Open just a week, the 24-room hotel at 519 N. Market Street in downtown Wilmington is worth a visit – even if you’re local!
Developed by Buccini/Polin Group in partnership with Philadelphia-based Method Co. Hospitality Group (the firm behind Wm. Mulherin’s Sons Hotel and Restaurant and ROOST Apartment Hotel), The Quoin makes full use of its niche space, with three very cool food and beverage concepts, including a first for Wilmington.
 |
| The Quoin Restaurant opened Wednesday. Photo by Matthew Williams |
1 The Quoin Restaurant & Bar – now open
Handsome, full-service 155-seat restaurant and bar featuring an open kitchen and spacious dining room outfitted with custom mohair and leather banquettes, antique leaded glass skylights and wallpapered walls.
Outdoor dining terrace lined with gas lighting fixtures overlooks Willingtown Square – the historic DE Historical Society courtyard
Created by Chef Ed Pinello, the wood-fired fare brings together the culinary styles of Southern France and Northern Italy.
Handsome, full-service 155-seat restaurant and bar featuring an open kitchen and spacious dining room outfitted with custom mohair and leather banquettes, antique leaded glass skylights and wallpapered walls.
Outdoor dining terrace lined with gas lighting fixtures overlooks Willingtown Square – the historic DE Historical Society courtyard
Created by Chef Ed Pinello, the wood-fired fare brings together the culinary styles of Southern France and Northern Italy.
Dinner Menu
Starter choices on the dinner menu are plentiful, with four salads plus options such as roasted Bone Marrow with oxtail marmalade, celery leaf, and sourdough for $23 and Hamachi Crudu with tomato water, grapefruit and pink peppercorn at $24.
Entrees include three pastas, including a Rabbit Pappardelle for $18 and a Buffalo Milk Cheese Triangoli at $21, plus eight additional main courses.
A sampling of the entree selections on opening night - Grilled Whole Dorade with brown butter, lemon and capers for $40, Hangar Steak with wood ear mushrooms, trevisano, and aged balsamic for $38, and Veal Cheeks with carmelized cabbage, apple, horseradish, and coal-roasted seasonal beets for $37.
The Quoin Restaurant's seasonal menus may also take a queue from the feedback of guests.
Open for breakfast, weekend brunch, lunch and dinner. Menus and hours to be added to website.
Open for breakfast, weekend brunch, lunch and dinner. Menus and hours to be added to website.
 |
| The Rooftop Bar at The Quoin hotel opened on Wednesday. Photo: Matthew Williams |
2 The Rooftop at The Quoin – now open
Wilmington’s first rooftop bar is also a special event space, with views of the hotel’s adjoining courtyard, the steeple of the Old Town Hall, and Market Street’s Queen Theatre.
Open during the day to hotel guests only. But open to locals Sunday and Monday from 2 pm to 10 pm and Friday and Saturday from 2 to 11 pm. Closed Tuesday through Thursday.
Wilmington’s first rooftop bar is also a special event space, with views of the hotel’s adjoining courtyard, the steeple of the Old Town Hall, and Market Street’s Queen Theatre.
Open during the day to hotel guests only. But open to locals Sunday and Monday from 2 pm to 10 pm and Friday and Saturday from 2 to 11 pm. Closed Tuesday through Thursday.
 |
| Simmer Down mural artist the Reverend Michael Allen says his imagery is a 'psychedelic trip through Delaware.' Photo by Matthew Milliams |
3 Simmer Down – to open next week
A lower-level craft cocktail lounge that emphasizes a ‘low and slow’ atmosphere and features the original brick ceiling a room-spanning painted mural by the Reverend Michael Allen of Philadelphia.
When asked to describe the mural, the Reverend told us, “It’s like a psychedelic trip through Delaware.”
Light fare; open Sun & Mon 4 - 10 pm; Fri & Sat 4 - 11 pm.
Bardea's Private Dining and Wine Room
The paint has barely dried at the new Bardea Steak, but co-owners Scott Stein and Chef Antimo DeMeo are already busy working on their next venture: an event and private dining space with a wine room at 627 Market Street – directly across from their two restaurants in Wilmington.
The new 1600-square-foot private dining room will accomodate up to 45 guests.
 |
| Bardea will open a new private dining room on Market Street in late spring next year |
• High interest in private dining
The new dining concept would help address pent up demand among businesses, law firms and individual party throwers – for milestone celebrations, birthdays, rehearsal dinners and the like.
“Between both restaurants, we get 10 requests a week for private dining, ranging anywhere from 20 to 100 people that we just have to turn away. We just don't have the space,” says Stein.
• Timing of opening
“Between both restaurants, we get 10 requests a week for private dining, ranging anywhere from 20 to 100 people that we just have to turn away. We just don't have the space,” says Stein.
• Timing of opening
Stein is aiming for a mid-2023 opening.
Vacant for a few years, 627 Market Street was recently outfitted to become a Dim Sum restaurant. But Stein says those plans collapsed during Covid, creating an opportunity for Bardea.
• Food style
Vacant for a few years, 627 Market Street was recently outfitted to become a Dim Sum restaurant. But Stein says those plans collapsed during Covid, creating an opportunity for Bardea.
• Food style
The new establishment will have its own kitchen, and Stein envisions the menu as a fusion of some of the favorites from Bardea Food & Drink and Bardea Steak. Private dining guests can arrange a la carte dining, family-style dinners, or banquet-style meals.
• Handsome wine room
• Handsome wine room
Designer Richard Stokes (Suraya, Le Cavalier, Wm. Mulherin’s Sons, Talulas Garden), who developed the Bardea Steak concept, plans to incorporate a large wine room with hundreds of bottles to enhance the ambiance of the new space.
The overall size of the private dining space limits Bardea to a service bar, but there will be a lounge area where guests can wait for others to arrive.
The overall size of the private dining space limits Bardea to a service bar, but there will be a lounge area where guests can wait for others to arrive.
 |
| Philadelphia designer Richard Stoke designed the newly-opened Bardea Steak |
• Special mid-week dinners, wine pairings
Stein also plans to offer ‘R&D dinners’ and special wine pairing dinners that give Chef DeMeo a chance to try out new ideas and spark culinary innovation. “It’s such a beautiful space that we're excited to be able to do other stuff.”
“This is something that’s going to be really special – for artistic reasons and to keep us on top of our game,” he said.
“This is something that’s going to be really special – for artistic reasons and to keep us on top of our game,” he said.
FirstWatch, McGlynns Pub, Kaffee Karma, and La Tolteca at Barley Mill
While all eyes are on the opening of the new Wegman’s grocery store – due to open October 23 –at least four new restaurants will also open soon at Barley Mill Plaza.
• First Watch – to open October 3rd
Of all of the restaurants at Barley Mill, First Watch will be the first to open its doors. The website for their Barley Mill location is live, chairs, tables and fixtures are in place, and staff hirings are ramping up. First Watch will be open daily from 7am to 2:30pm.
While all eyes are on the opening of the new Wegman’s grocery store – due to open October 23 –at least four new restaurants will also open soon at Barley Mill Plaza.
• First Watch – to open October 3rd
Of all of the restaurants at Barley Mill, First Watch will be the first to open its doors. The website for their Barley Mill location is live, chairs, tables and fixtures are in place, and staff hirings are ramping up. First Watch will be open daily from 7am to 2:30pm.
• McGlynns Pub, Kaffe Karma and La Tolteca – coming soon
Openings dates for the pub, coffee shop and Mexican eatery at Barley Mill have yet to be announced. McGlynns Pub just completed a months-long renovation at their Pike Creek location and there’s no word on when their new location at Barley Mill will be complete.
Framing is up at the new La Tolteca at Barley Mill, but most construction work still lies ahead for this eatery.
Follow @kaffekarma on Instagram, and stay tuned for other Barley Mill restaurant and development updates from Team Wilson at Long & Foster.
