Best Restaurants in Newark. With a burgeoning gourmet scene, Newark is a bustling college town. Newark, the home of the University of Delaware, has a wide range of dining alternatives, from fancy restaurants for special occasion celebrations and date evenings to quick snacks to grab in between classes. With new restaurants popping up all the time, Newark has something to suit every taste and budget.
The local dining scene has grown significantly in the past ten years, with BYOB restaurants offering genuine world cuisines and inventive gastropubs serving craft beers and gourmet burgers. Adventuresome eaters can find exciting epicurean experiences that rival those found in much larger cities, even beyond the safe haven of corporate restaurants.
13 Best Restaurants in Newark, Delaware
McGlynn’s Pub
McGlynn’s, the traditional welcoming Irish pub in downtown Newark, slakes thirsts with skillfully mixed pints of Guinness, traditional drinks, and gracious Irish hospitality. McGlynn’s inviting atmosphere and homemade pub meals entice patrons to return, whether they’re celebrating after a University of Delaware hockey game or just taking in the vibrant atmosphere of this real Dublin-style gastropub imported to East Delaware Avenue.
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The menu has American favorites like wings, nachos, and wraps in addition to Emerald Isle gastropub staples like shepherd’s pie, bangers & mash, and fish and chips. In addition to nightly live music, McGlynn’s daily drink promotions guarantee that it remains Newark’s go-to place for lively entertainment and traditional Irish cuisine. Cheers to that and sláinte!
Ali Baba Mediterranean Cuisine
Ali Baba serves up flavor-bursting Lebanese staples in a relaxed yet elegant environment, transporting diners to the exotic spice shops of the Mediterranean and Middle East.
Emphasizing the diverse blend of Greek, Turkish, Syrian, and Israeli culinary influences in Lebanon, the menu has a variety of meze small plates that are served with colorful dips such as hummus, baba ghanoush, and labneh strained yogurt. Enormous platters like as kebabs, falafel pitas, and shawarma wraps facilitate mixing and matching of entrees.
Savory pies and moussaka eggplant casserole, two daily delicacies that highlight the kitchen’s versatility, are served. For those with a sense of exploration, Ali Baba is one of the few Delaware restaurants in the area serving harder-to-find items like garlic paste toum and manaeesh flatbreads. Exquisite Turkish mosaic tilework and warm, friendly hospitality within this Main Street mainstay whisk visitors halfway around the world without ever leaving Newark.
RedFire Grill Steakhouse
RedFire Grill, the best steakhouse in downtown Newark with an emphasis on matured Midwestern beef and seafood, offers sophisticated surf and turf, complete with white tablecloth service, to the eating scene in northern Delaware. Warm wood accents and a magnificent brick front facing Main Street channel historic elegance, while the warm gas fireplaces inside provide a cozy, inviting atmosphere.
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A large selection of steaks, from a 10 oz filet mignon to a massive 22 oz porterhouse big enough to share, are accompanied with expertly chosen wines and cocktails from long lists by the waitstaff.
In addition to perfectly cooked aged beef, the restaurant serves customers appetizers like lobster mac ‘n cheese, prepared Caesar salads at the table, and seafood towers full of smoked salmon, oysters, and lobster tails.
Bananas foster flambé tableside puts the perfect decadent finish on your special occasion meal. Newark’s favorite steakhouse gem for special occasions, RedFire Grill, continues to impress with its refined service, high-quality ingredients, and classic techniques.
Leo & Jimmy’s Deli
When one is in the mood for heaped New York-style deli sandwiches, Leo & Jimmy’s is a reliable old-school favorite in Newark. Serves hot and cold subs, knishes, wraps, salads, and all-day breakfast options. This unpretentious Jewish deli has been a favorite among university students and professors since 1978.
Leo & Jimmy is a casual corner restaurant with a large patio that faces Main Street and indoor counter seating. The atmosphere is relaxed and contrasts with the towering pastrami Reuben sandwiches that are stuffed with melt-in-your-mouth thinly sliced meat, sauerkraut, Russian dressing, and Swiss cheese between thick slices of grilled rye bread.
Choose the Jersey Mike for cold cuts; it has layers of provolone cheese, ham, salami, and capicola. Aside from subs, other traditional NYC Jewish deli fare is available, such as kasha knishes, egg creams, pickled tomatoes, and cucumbers. Leo & Jimmy’s continues to be a dependable neighborhood mainstay for obtaining an inexpensive quick meal between college and exploring downtown Newark, with more than 40 sandwich selections under $10.
Grain Craft Bar + Kitchen
With one of Delaware’s best craft beer programs and chef-driven farm-to-table pub fare, Grain Craft Bar + Kitchen offers sophisticated gastropub dining in a trendy, modern setting in Newark. Grain, the first LEED-certified green restaurant in downtown with an emphasis on sustainability, makes ethical eating simple with its use of recyclable serveware, in-house composting, and local ingredients.
The homemade menu is full of inventive shared meals and sandwiches made with regional ingredients, such as a massive bison burger topped with caramelized onions and brie and honey wheat pretzel pieces served with IPA cheese fondue for dipping. Beer can chicken, Norwegian salmon, and baby back ribs are among the highly recommended dinner meals.
Big eaters should try the half-pound Elvis burger, which challenges customers to finish the massive peanut butter, bacon, and banana crown. Explore Grain’s wide bottle collection featuring Delaware and Belgian breweries, along with its thirty rotating taps, first. Grain provides a lively gastropub experience with an abundance of artisan brews.
Charcoal Pit
The legendary Charcoal Pit, the state’s first hamburger restaurant that opened in 1956 and is visited by generations of University of Delaware students, is an essential addition to any list of Newark’s greatest eateries. This historic, vintage walk-up stand made of orange brick has been serving up award-winning cheeseburgers and some of Delaware’s greatest French fries for more than 60 years.
Regulars come here for the same flavor and nostalgia it evokes for college towns, even if the menu is stripped down to its original, featuring just burgers cooked over an open charcoal fire along with chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, and fries.
The Charcoal Pit, which is open late and offers drive-thru and takeout service, is a First State mainstay because it serves reasonably priced, fast-casual food that is done quite well.
Scrumptious
Scrumptious is a well-liked BYOB restaurant that serves sophisticated varied American food at reasonable costs and lets customers bring their own wine or beer to go with the changing seasonal menus. This sleeper smash is tucked away in a little shopping area. Its simple facade hides a pleasant dining room with pine accents that is warmed by tea light candles on each table. When visiting Newark, celebrities such as Joe Biden have enjoyed dinner at Scrumptious because of its inventive, flavorful farm-to-table cuisine.
The menu is always changing according to the availability of ingredients from nearby farms, but popular dishes that always make an appearance are the crab cake entrées, braised short ribs over roasted garlic mashed potatoes, and lobster mac ‘n cheese.
Desserts such as the brownie cake with chocolate and caramel make people sigh with pleasure. In addition to classics like crème brûlée, try the seasonally appropriate selections, like pumpkin cheesecake, when they are offered. With a warm ambiance and excellently prepared comfort food with a touch of refinement, Scrumptious enchants diners on each visit.
Artisan Kitchen and Bar
Urban flair meets Main Street in downtown Newark at Artisan Kitchen and Bar, which serves elegantly plated New American dishes in a modern dining area. Artisan, the chic upstairs sibling restaurant of Home Grown Café, has a sophisticated, urban elegance with its open kitchen, living wall art exhibit, and mixology-focused bar.
The cuisine emphasizes using farm-fresh foods from the kitchen, as seen in the seasonal starters like a creamy flatbread pizza with wild mushrooms. Go on to more elaborate dishes like the haricot verts and goat cheese whipped potatoes with a bacon-wrapped meatloaf. The Thai chicken combines flavors from around the world, serving banned black rice with free-range chicken smothered in a coconut red curry sauce.
Create your own grain bowl or salad with superfood ingredients for a lighter choice. Perfect complements can be found on extensive craft cocktail and wine lists, as well as on the hidden list of regional draft beers. Artisan’s sophisticated yet laid-back urban atmosphere is perfect for special occasions and dating nights.
Taverna
Taverna delivers a flavor of the Greek Isles to downtown Newark by transporting customers to the Mediterranean with its rustic chic environment and artistically served modern Greek gastronomy. Co-owners Mike and Jen, a husband and wife team, emphasize community and quality food made by caring individuals in their restaurant, which is reflected in the welcoming ambiance and carefully chosen menu items.
The restaurant’s best dishes include the crispy spinach pies called spanakopita, the branzino grilled with olive oil scented with lemon, and the juicy baby lamb chops that go so well with the Taverna’s selection of Greek wines. Expect inventive Greek fusion dishes, such as gnocchi coated in ouzo cream sauce, that go beyond the traditional fare and are inspired by Mike’s Italian background.
The honey-and-cinnamon-covered loukoumades doughnut holes are a delightful treat for the end. Taverna offers bold bean coffee, tasty food, and excellent hospitality to elevate Greek cuisine in Newark.
Deer Park Tavern
Deer Park Tavern is a perennial popular gastropub with superb beer selections and excellent pub cuisine. Situated next to the Deer Park Hotel in a renovated 19th-century home, this majestic Craftsman-style bar radiates comfortable sophistication. The expansive eatery, which is the biggest in Newark, features several dining areas, such as the main dining room, which is decorated in a hunter green color and has a roaring fireplace in the winter.
The kitchen serves up good renditions of pub staples like shepherd’s pie, wings, and fish & chips, but the star of the show is the extensive, regularly changing beer bible at Deer Park. Dogfish Head, Twin Lakes, and Evolution are just a few of the domestic and local craft breweries that the bar proudly pours from over 100 bottles and 24 tap lines.
Tasting flights are a great way to try a range of beers before choosing a pint, since they offer options to satisfy every palate. In addition to the beer, the creative cocktails and wine list are impressive. Deer Park Tavern is a reliable neighborhood hangout for sophisticated pub fare, gorgeous settings, and one of Delaware’s greatest beer bars.
Home Grown Cafe
Home Grown Café is the best place to get comfort cuisine that makes you feel good and is made with healthy ingredients. Serving farm-to-table New American cuisine in a laid-back setting is the intimate café’s specialty. Situated in the center of downtown Newark, the menu offers a wide variety of homemade dishes, including mac ‘n cheese, chicken pot pie, soups, and heaping sandwiches.
The kitchen plays with weekly specials, but there’s a reason why certain things are distinctive. With pulled pork, ham, bacon, cheddar, Swiss, coleslaw, and BBQ sauce all on a pretzel roll, the Homerun is a delicious dish. Make your own salad or wrap with fresh produce from the farm for a more modest meal.
Dessert should not be missed; the seasonal cobblers and chocolate peanut butter pie are highly regarded. Home Grown Café is a great spot for a casual meal any day of the week because of its affordable costs.
Caffé Gelato
Caffé Gelato’s goal is to take customers to Italy with each and every meal. It does this by providing a cozy atmosphere and carefully made food that makes its patrons loyal. Nestled on Main Street, across from the University of Delaware campus, this Newark mainstay transports diners to another continent with its quaint trattoria ambience and small plates in the Emilia-Romagna style.
The meal features cheeses, cured meats, pasta, and sweets that represent Italy’s gastronomic pinnacle. The creamy burrata antipasto and the delicious polpette meatballs covered in pomodoro sauce are two of the restaurant’s standout appetizers.
Pasta dishes like lasagna and rigatoni Bolognese are highly recommended. Make room for the famous artisanal gelatos, such as stracciatella and pistachio, as well as traditional Italian desserts like cannoli and tiramisu. Caffé Gelato lives up to its reputation as the best place to get authentic Italian food in Newark, thanks to its welcoming staff and affordable rates.
Conclusion
Thanks to innovative restaurateurs and gifted chefs who are dedicated to wowing guests, Newark, Delaware, is steadily becoming known as an unexpected mid-Atlantic eating destination.
Beyond the standard fare of chain restaurants, Newark’s downtown district entices with a variety of dining options, including farm-fresh New American kitchens that skillfully use local ingredients, specialty venues serving up authentic international and regional American cuisine, and trattorias that transport guests to Italy.
Finding new culinary gems is made simple by Newark’s approachable independent restaurant sector, Main Street walkability, and University of Delaware campus convenience. Happy dinners are guaranteed every night of the week thanks to Newark’s diversified restaurant scene, which offers menus to suit all tastes and budgets.