As usual, 2019 was a year of comings and goings. Here's a look at restaurants that have opened and closed this year:
New restaurants/food businesses
A spinoffcoffee and pastry shop from Newark's landmark Bing's Bakery opened in early December.Theshop atSouth Main Street and Amstel Avenue, next to Claymont Steak Shop, isless than a mile away from the bakery.
Milk and Honey Coffeehouse & Gallery. Thecoffeehouse, galleryand event space opened in December at 807 N. UnionSt. in Wilmington. It'sowned and operated by The Neighborhood Church.
Crow Bar.The new Trolley Square bar/restaurant at1711 Delaware Ave. took over the spot formerly occupied by OldBanks Craft Bistro inearly October. It's owned byAndrea and Bryan Sikora, who also own La Fia and Merchant Bar in downtown Wilmington, and Hearth Kitchen in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.
In March, Kristin and Milton Bowen brought theirvegan restaurant to607 N Lincoln St. in Wilmington's Little Italy neighborhood. They wanted tofill aneed forpatrons looking for healthy foods options thatexclude meat, dairy productsand eggs.
DE.CO FOOD HALL. The13,000-square-foot space inthe newly renovated bottom-floor space in the historic DuPont Building at 10th and Orange streets began welcoming customers in April. It haseight chef-led kitchens and a large bar.
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.Venu Gaddamidi and Wilmington chef Michael DiBianca in February created the bistro insideGaddamidi'sVeritasWine & Craft Beershop at 321 Justison St. at the Wilmington Riverfront.
Sonora at the David Finney Inn.Melissa Ferraro,owner of the Outlandish Food Truck based out of Newark, began operating theOld New Castle restaurant at222 Delaware St. in February.
Thenearly 40-year-old businessmovedfrom its longtime134 E. Main St. home to a new locationat the Park N Shop Plaza at 265 S. Main St. When itreopened in September, it hadan expanded menu.
El Diablo Burritos.The popular local chainhas branched into breakfast at its new downtown Wilmington location. The counter-service restaurant at 837 N. Market St. features build-your-own breakfast tacos, burritos, hash bowls and quesadillas.
LaBanca.It's been more than four years in the making, but theItalian restaurant set in a historic bank on Middletown's West Main and North Broad streets is now serving customers.La Banca (the bank) is the latest culinary venture from RM Hospitality Group, which also runs Metro Pub & Grill at nearby Peachtree Station.
The Chicken Spot. The same owners of Ciro Food & Drink went casual with this poultry-centric takeout shop at204 W. 10th St. in Wilmington. It took over the formerBenjamin's On 10th.
Torbert Street Social.Thespeakeasy-style co*cktail lounge and baris housed in a 132-year-old former horse stable at 305 Torbert St., thetiny side street off Washington Street separating Washington Street Ale House andMikimotosAsian Grill and Sushi Bar.
Crooked Hammock Brewery.Thespinoff of the popular Lewes-area company began pulling drafts in November atMiddletown's firstbrewpub. Like the Sussex site, the restaurant at316 Auto Park Drive off Del. 299has a backyard vibe with an expansive 15,000-square-foot outdoor area includinga playground, spaces for cornhole, shuffleboard, bocce ball and a fire pit.
Thompson Island Brewery.In November, beach-based SoDel Concepts restaurant groupopened its first brewery with the help ofTröegs Independent Brewing co-founderJohn Trogner. The 30133 Veterans Way site in Rehoboth Beachis next door to SoDel'sBluecoast Seafood Grill & Raw Bar.
Raas.The purple Victoria house at 210 Savannah Road in Lewesbecame the blue housein mid-August.Raas is nowone of only two Indian restaurants in Sussex County,
Bogle Cove Oyster House.Pike Creek's The Shops of Limestone Hills added a new seafood restaurant in August.Bogle Coveis the name of abayin Kent County, Maryland. It's off the Chester River near the Eastern Neck Wildlife Refuge.
La Pizzeria Metro.The pizzeria, from the owners of Cafe Riviera at the Concord Mall,quietly opened its doors in June. It's in the Miller Road Station complex at3101 MillerRoad inWilmington, right by Wilmington Brew Works.
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Chaps Pit Beef.Baltimore's “World Famous” barbecuepit beef sandwichmade its way to Delaware in March. TheMaryland favorite since 1987opened a Rehoboth Beach locationin Coastal Station off Del. 1, next to the Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant.
Rise Up Coffee Roasters. The Maryland-basedindependent small-batch coffee roaster and retailerpopped open a Delaware locationnext to the traffic circle indowntown Rehoboth Beach. It tookovera former 7-Eleven location.
Eggspectation.The Canadian chaincame to the Stanton areain late June compliments of High 5 Hospitality, the group behind allof Delaware's Buffalo Wild Wings, the Stone Balloon Ale House in Newarkand Limestone BBQ & Bourbon. It's in ashopping center that includes aBuffalo Wild Wings and it'snext to the Border Cafe, also known as the "Eat" place.
Makers Alley. The indoor-outdoor restaurant at804 N. Orange St.in downtown Wilmington offers 24 beers on tap and food is made in a 1964 converted Airstream.
Turning Point. The New Jersey-based chain in June began servingbreakfast, brunchand lunch in a dining roomat the Christiana Fashion Center, 3204 Fashion Center Boulevard inNewark.
at216 W. Ninth St. in downtownWilmington is a new operation from Stitch House Breweryowners Dan Sheridan andRobert Snowberger. The market serves breakfast sandwiches named for city neighborhoods.
The Legendisa new American restaurant and bakery near the New Castle County Airport thathad been the home of the formerArner's restaurant. The site at201 N. Dupont Highway in New Castleopened in late April.
Newark Deli and Bagels, which operates its flagship operation at 36 E. Main St.in downtown Newark, moved into the Wilmington Riverfront Market in Decemberformerly occupied by Eeffoc's coffee.
Steamin' Blues Crabhouse. The former Jake's Seafood at29 N. FirstSt. inRehoboth Beach became a crabhouse. It's owned byDonaldVechery, who also operates The Surfing Crab on Del. 1 in Lewes.
The formerSandy Pony Donutsfood truck, owned byBrea and Ben Wang,morphed intoa brick-and-mortar locationat 115 Garfield Parkway in downtown Bethany Beach. The Wangs stopped operating the Sandy Pony food truck andtheirWang's World food truck.
Ristorante Zebra,the seasonal Italian eatery at32 Lake Ave., Rehoboth, known for itssafari-themed decor, became a coastalItalian seafoodrestaurant called Sazio. It'srun byBig Fish Restaurant Group.
Futuristic sci-fi meets rustic seafood at . The restaurant opened in June at 1130 Capitol Trail, near Red Mill Road, in Newark. Robots deliver fried and boiled seafood to patrons attheformerSoffritto Italian Grill.
Two Clawsis another Cajun-style seafood restaurant that opened this past summer. Ittook over the former Kenny's Pan Asian Cuisine location in the Governor's Square Shopping Center in Bear.
Tasty Crab House at 705 N. Dupont Highway in Dover also has Cajun-style low-country seafood boils.
In mid October,openedatDover Downs Hotel & Casino. The Italian eateryhasa flagship location in Providence, Rhode Island. Itreplaced Frankie’s Italian Restaurant, whichclosed in September.
El Camino Mexican Kitchen.In March, the Platinum Dining Group opened this stylish modernMexican concept in The Concord, 3559 Silverside Road,Talleyville. It got a new chef and a menu overhaul about seven months later.
Taverna Rustic Italian.Taverna,also owned by the Platinum Group, is another new eatery in The Concord. Ithas been serving diners since in early June. The Italian eatery, directly across from El Camino Mexican Kitchen, is a replica of theTaverna restaurant on Newark's Main Street.
QualiTea opened this yearin the Newark Shopping Center next to Capriotti's. It serves homemade tea, desserts and dim sum.
Frutta Bowlsopened inMarch at East Main Street and Academy Street in Newark in the space previously occupied by Grassroots.
Saap Lao Thai is a new Thai and Lao restaurant that Jerry Khoutsavanhand his family opened at 287 Christiana Road inNew Castle, Delaware. The eatery in the Community Plaza Shopping Center takes over the former Tasti Thai site.
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Two Meatballs. The deli-style Italian eatery on Del. 24 in Long Neck hasbrick-oven pizza, homemade gelato and quality prosciutto. It's owned byArtie Ercolino andVinnie Ercolino.
Chuck Lager America's Tavern. Thehighly anticipated Pike Creek restaurant that counts "Top Chef" star Fabio Vivani as one of its collaboratorsopened its doors in May. It's in the newly constructedLinden Hill Station off New Linden Hill and Limestone roads.
Wilmington Green Box started as a Wilmingtonmobile push cart in Eastside and Southbridge, then grew into akiosk on Market Street. In November, itopened its first brick-and-mortarstore at Fourth and Market streets indowntown Wilmington.
Restaurant closings
This past January, Margaux,a French restaurant located in the bottom floor of the former Delaware Trust building, in downtown Wilmington, was shuttered after an eight-monthrun.
Green Room at Hotel du Pontin Wilmington is losing its century-old name amid other big changes. The restaurant will close after service Jan. 1 while it undergoes a four-month makeover. It is expected to become aFrench brasserie. The new name is not yet known. In the meantime, dining will move to the Brandywine Roomat the historic 11th and Market streets hotel.
Fuddruckers in Stanton was shut downin early November for owing $123,000 in back rent.
The Perfect Cup in Hockessin closed in late October. It reopened in December with a new owner.
The Glass Kitchen, a Glasgow institution for 67 years, closed its doors in March.
California Tortilla, one of Newark's first fast-casual Mexican restaurants, closed its doors in June.
closed'due to extremely unfortunate circ*mstances' in September.
In August,Wilmington's WiLDWiCH closed itsKing Street shop after about five months.
in Wilmington closed its doors in July after four years in business.
Banks' Burgers and BBQ, a stand at the Wilmington Riverfront Market for the last 10 years, closed in the fall. Owner DavidBanks said the reason was"simple math."
Where Pigs Fly, a Dover landmark barbecue restaurant for 26 years, closedNov. 16.
Chef/owner Hari Cameron announced in December he had sold his a(MUSE.) restaurant in Rehoboth Beach. The last day of service is Dec. 31.
Contact Patricia Talorico at (302) 324-2861 or ptalorico@delawareonline.com and on Twitter @pattytalorico.
