BETHANY BEACH – Circumstances surrounding the closing of a successful cafe in Bethany Beach seem shrouded in mystery despite a flood of community support. As of Oct. 31, nearly 2,700 people have signed a petition to save the Turtle Beach Cafe on the Bethany Beach Boardwalk. There’s also 55 comments on the petition, all in support of the cafe, and …
For those in the hospitality industry—and those who cover it—the Delaware Restaurant Association’s Cornerstone Award is a coveted honor recognizing hard work and long hours. The ceremony is also one heck of a party, and this year, the 22nd annual event will be held Monday, Oct. 7, at the Lighthouse Cove Event Center in Dewey Beach. The public can attend. This year, the gala will …
In the Wilmington hospitality industry, the song lyric “Where you lead, I will follow” carries weight. A chef or restaurateur with a track record is a culinary Pied Piper. If you need proof, consider Robert Lhulier’s summer arrival at The Brandywine Restaurant in the 2000 Pennsylvania Avenue building— the old Michael Christopher’s site. It is a few doors down from …
The new Avenue North community in Fairfax is getting another restaurant. Developer Delle Donne & Associates recently announced that The Blackwall Barn & Lodge would open a 12,000-square-foot restaurant and meeting facility on the 80-acre mixed-use campus, formerly AstraZeneca’s property. The 400-seat restaurant, which will have a private room for up to 150, should open in fall 2025. “This is our first Titan Hospitality concept …
Donuts are having a day in Delaware. Last week, Sleeping Bird Doughnuts opened at 4001 Concord Pike behind Lucky’s Coffee Shop in Brandywine Hundred. The newcomer is an offshoot of Sleeping Bird Coffee on Miller Road in Wilmington. The doughnut shop joins a bevy of businesses specializing in sweet indulgences. On nearby Marsh Road, the intriguing combo of Hill Donut Co. & Pancake House and 322 BBQ specializes …
For four decades, the face of Stanley’s Tavern has been a Steve, not a Stanley. Steve Torpey went from managing the Brandywine Hundred landmark to owning it. But in July, Torpey turned over the keys to Newark-based Ashby Hospitality Group. “They took over the restaurant with my complete staff, all our systems, all our vendors—everything,” says Torpey, who is officially retired. Marc Ashby, …
Robert Lhulier is a man of his word. When the chef left Snuff Mill Restaurant, Butchery & Wine Bar in March 2024, he said he was seeking space in north Wilmington for his own restaurant. On July 30, Lhulier signed the lease for an end-cap location at Avenue North, the nearly 80-acre mixed-use redevelopment on the former AstraZeneca campus. If all goes as …
Restaurateur Scott Stein of Bardea fame has frequently maintained that he is fully committed to downtown Wilmington. He recently proved his point. This week, Stein and partners Pino and Antimo DiMeo announced plans to open their sixth restaurant in the business district. The yet-unnamed eatery will be within walking distance of the award-winning Bardea Food & Drink, Bardea Steak and …
The ability of a restaurant to adapt and thrive is an admirable trait in the post-pandemic era. The hospitality industry must navigate labor shortages, high food prices, evolving diner demands, and soaring credit card fees. In the past, new restaurants had more time to work out the kinks. No longer. For instance, Wilmington-based Tsionas Management, which owns 2000 Pennsylvania Avenue …
Here’s another thing that Delaware is first at: Tipping at restaurants. That seems to surprise Food & Wine magazine, which noted in a recent article how small the state is and suggested the higher tipping likely is because Delaware has no state or local sales taxes. Carl Georigi, CEO of Platinum Dining Group, wasn’t surprised – but only after he …
