Wilmington and the communities of Pennsylvania’s Brandywine Valley pair the fresh produce of the region’s fertile farmland with artisan know-how to craft truly excellent food, beer and wine.
Wilmington
In Wilmington, food and drink trends start at the riverfront and spread outward from there.
“The riverfront is a can’t-miss,” said Jessica Bittmann, CMP, director of sales at the Greater Wilmington CVB. “It’s been developing over the past 10 years, but it’s really changed in the past five. You can see art and sculptures, and there are a lot of restaurants opening up.”
One of the newest riverfront developments is Constitution Yards. Since it opened earlier this summer, the seasonal beer garden has transformed 20,000 square feet of waterside green space into a hip, group-friendly destination. Open through Oktoberfest, Constitution Yards offers a backyard setting with ribs and rotisserie chicken, games like bocce and cornhole, and local suds on tap. Featured breweries include locals like Fordham & Dominion, Dogfish Head, Yards and Victory.
Nearby, Penn Cinema Riverfront partners with local breweries for monthly “movies on tap” events. The cinema, home of Delaware’s only IMAX theater, pairs a beloved old movie such as Caddyshack or The Blues Brothers with craft beers for the perfect night out. Private showings are available.
The brewery trend is beginning to take Wilmington by storm.
“A number of breweries are starting to pop up,” Bittmann said. “It’s young. We’ll have more group options in a year. But it’s exciting to see all these breweries starting.”
Successful regional beer-crafters Iron Hill operate a riverfront brewery and restaurant in Wilmington. The menu contains hearty pub fare ranging from steaks and seafood to pasta and salads. Its private function room fits 75 for receptions.
Bellefonte Brewing Co. opened in May on Old Capitol Trail. Its taproom, capable of welcoming approximately 20, is available for private events. Two other breweries, Twin Lakes and Two Stones, are names to watch for in the future. On a similar note, Wilmington is also hotly anticipating the opening of a meadery, Liquid Alchemy.
Man doesn’t live by beer alone, and thankfully Wilmington has got food covered, too.
“Pairings are a big deal here,” Bittmann said. “We’re beginning to see a lot of beer and food pairings, wine and food pairings, from local wineries and breweries.”
One such unique local event is the monthly craft beer and grilled cheese pairing at World Cafe Live at the Queen. Each pairing event offers four or five courses and focuses on the beers from one local brewery. The distinctive venue, an old movie palace abandoned for 50 years and now restored to glory, welcomes private event rentals. Its tiered theater can seat 300, while the restaurant seats 100. The Olympia Room, featuring exposed brick and panoramic windows, can seat 120. World Cafe Life at the Queen can provide customized food pairings for groups.
Food trucks are another way to combine beer and food in one delicious package. Planners can contact centralized food truck nonprofit Rolling Revolution to schedule mobile eateries for events. Everyone has their favorites, but Bittmann swears by Koi for fish tacos, Kapow for Asian and Hawaiian fusion cuisine, and sandwiches from WildWich.
The Greater Wilmington CVB budgets $50,000 for group transportation incentives. Groups that book 100 or more room nights qualify for the incentive, which could help put even more delectable off-sites within reach.
“That’s been working really well,” Bittmann said. “We’re going into the fifth year. Groups can use it for overflow, or off-site events, or use it to bus down to Longwood Gardens, or Smyrna to the Painted Stave [distillery], or Chaddsford Winery, and be back in the evening.”
The Chase Center on the Riverfront also offers mobile concessions as well as a wide range of menu options.
Chester County
In Pennsylvania’s Chester County, farm-to-fork is a tasty way of life.
“We’re built on local cuisine,” said Greg Edevane, director of sales at Chester County’s Brandywine Valley. “There’s so many locally sourced products here. It’s second-to-none in the region.”
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Area rose growers initially took up mushroom culture as a way to earn money in the floral off-season. The region centered on Kennett Square, now known as the “Mushroom Capital of the World,” produces more than a million pounds of mushrooms a week, or about 65 percent of the nation’s supply. Kennett Square celebrates its fungal cash crop with a mushroom festival each September. The Mushroom Cap in Kennett Square is a perfect place for groups to shop for locally made mushroom goodies such as soup mixes, dried or marinated mushrooms and mushroom-growing kits.
The Brandywine Valley is also known for its cheese. Eight cheese farms dot Chester County, producing unique cow’s milk and chevre varieties often from their own herds. Specialty cheeses include raw milk varieties and cheeses flavored with local honey, nuts and herbs. September Farm welcomes visitors to shop for its award-winning cheeses, dine in its sandwich shop, and view cheese-making during specific hours.
Longwood Gardens is a must-see for groups meeting in the region. The attraction, created by Pierre du Pont in the early 1900s, comprises 1,077 acres of indoor and outdoor gardens and picturesque performing arts venues. Entry is discounted for groups of 15 or more. Guided or unguided group tours are available. Spaces available for rental include the glass-walled Fern Floor and Alcoves exhibition hall and an elegant ballroom, both capable of seating 230 for banquets, and the scenic East Conservatory Plaza, which can host 600 for outdoor receptions.
Longwood restaurants include the upscale 1906 Fine Dining Room and a cafe focused on local ingredients. In the summer months, Longwood offers a beer garden with beers brewed by the nearby Victory Brewing Company from ingredients grown at Longwood—this year the lemony Summer Zest and honey-tinged Autumn Harvest. From August through October, Nightscape lights up dark evenings at Longwood with spectacular lighting shows.
Brewery culture is alive and well in Chester County. Victory Brewing Company, Iron Hill and Sly Fox all have multiple brewpub locations in the area. Sly Fox Brewhouse & Eatery in Phoenixville has a private function room. Other watering holes noted for their pub cuisine include The Whip for upscale English fare in Coatesville and the Liberty Union in Chester Springs for live music and fresh American food. Half Moon Restaurant & Saloon in Kennett Square can welcome parties as large as 60 for private events. Its brick-walled rooftop space seats 40. The saloon’s menu is heavy on wild game and Belgian and craft beers.
Chaddsford Winery offers group tours and tastings as well as special events such as barbecues, chocolate pairings and food truck gatherings at its main location in Chadd’s Ford. Downtown wine-tasting rooms are also popular with groups. These include Black Walnut Winery’s location in Phoenixville and that of Kreutz Creek Vineyards in West Chester.
For spirits enthusiasts, consider an outing to Painted Stave Distilling in Smyrna, about 45 minutes south of Wilmington. When it opened in 2013, it was Delaware’s first distillery in more than 100 years. Today Painted Stave produces premium, small-batch bourbon, corn whiskey, gin and vodkas flavored respectively with espresso and ingredients from scrapple, a regional pork-based breakfast food. There are three event spaces, including the gallery, which can seat 60 for banquets, a 50-person tasting room and tented lawn seating for 130.
Group-friendly restaurants include Vickers Restaurant in Exton, with a ballroom for more than 120; Kimberton Inn Restaurant in Kimberton, with three private dining rooms; and The Gables at Chadds Ford. The Gables features upscale American food with a contemporary twist. The award-winning restaurant can seat as many as 160 for banquets.
Many of Chester County’s hotels boast signature restaurants headed by chefs who put on special dining events. At Desmond Hotel and Conference Center in Malvern, Director of Food and Beverage Chef Chris Calhoun hosts teambuilding cooking demonstrations for groups using locally sourced products. The Desmond has 26,000 square feet of meeting and event space.
Delaware County
Pennsylvania’s Delaware County continues the theme of homegrown ingredients and small-town hospitality.
Penns Woods Winery in Eddystone offers a tasting room overlooking 30 acres of rolling vineyards. Seasonally, weekends bring live music and food trucks. Groups of 10 to 25 can schedule a private event pairing wine with cupcakes or honey and cheese. Add a teambuilding component with group yoga or painting in the vineyards.
Linvilla Orchards in Media, Penn., welcomes groups of all sizes for tours and hayrides. Shop for canned Amish specialty foods such as pickles or relishes at its market, or sample home-baked Dutch apple pies or mouthwatering apple cider donuts fresh from the Linvilla bakery. Always a popular destination, the orchard marks the seasons with numerous festivals celebrating seasonal fruits, Halloween, Christmas, music and art.
Groups with delicate tastes might enjoy lunching at Special Teas Tea Room & Gift Shoppe, part of the Olde Ridge Village Shoppes. The elegant tea room can welcome groups as large as 50 for scones, quiche and sandwiches in a refined, chintz-patterned setting.
