A Hearty Colonial Tavern Meal in Historic New Castle

Uneven brick streets and the compact historic downtown of Old New Castle set the tone before dinner even begins. Then comes a tavern meal with pewter at the table, darkly cozy rooms and the satisfying prospect of a pot pie, a plate of fish and chips, or an oversized serving of Shepherd’s pie.

This is a restaurant built around the pleasures of lingering in an old-fashioned setting without giving up a broad menu or a serious beer list. It works for a relaxed supper, a drink and something hearty at the bar, or a dinner that gives visiting family a distinctly Delaware stop.

The period effect comes from more than one detail. Furniture is styled to suggest another century, meals arrive on pewter, and replica ships add a maritime note to the rooms. Uneven wood floors, a fireplace and flickering candles help carry the theme from the front door through the meal.

The dining areas are cozy rather than sprawling, with small tables, booths and a bar area offering different moods. Some corners are low-lit and a little drafty, much as one might expect from an old tavern. Close-set tables are part of the compact layout, so the room can have a pleasantly busy, tucked-in quality at dinner.

None of it requires a costume-drama performance from the diner. You can simply settle in with a beer, order something substantial and enjoy the sense that the building, serviceware and furnishings are all working together.

Shepherd’s pie is the dish most closely associated with a big tavern appetite. It arrives in a notably generous portion, rich with gravy and substantial enough that it has often become a shared meal or tomorrow’s lunch.

That scale is useful when the table wants to sample a few things rather than commit everyone to a separate heavy entrée. Lobster mac and cheese has also proved filling enough for sharing and leftovers, which is not a bad problem to have on a comfort-food night.

The menu moves easily between old-tavern-style dishes and seafood-forward choices. Steak and ale pot pie and pot roast belong to the rich, traditional side of the house; the pot roast has a tender, juicy character that suits the setting particularly well.

Fish and chips provides a crisp alternative to the gravied entrées. The fish comes with substantial steak-fry-style chips, with a little spice in the fries adding an extra kick to the familiar plate.

For seafood, the Crab Cake Melt lets the crab stay front and center rather than getting lost under its other components. Crab dip makes a useful opening course for a table, while a seafood broil takes the meal in a more generous, shellfish-oriented direction.

Fricken Chicassee, also known here as fricken chicken, is one of the menu’s frequently singled-out comfort dishes. The name alone fits the tavern’s playful old-world presentation, and it gives regulars and first-time diners something more distinctive than the standard chicken entrée.

The restaurant’s cooking is period-inspired rather than a strict historical re-creation. That leaves room for classics, contemporary touches and richer dishes such as lobster mac and cheese without making dinner feel like a museum lesson.

The beer selection is unusually broad for a restaurant whose food is so firmly rooted in hearty American tavern fare. Belgian and European specialties appear alongside other distinctive choices, giving a meal of pie, roast or fish a little more range than the standard pint-and-burger routine.

Among the notable beers that have appeared are Van De Garre tripel, available by bottle and draft, Yards Thomas Jefferson beer and Ommegang Oak-Aged Watermelon Kilsch. These are the sorts of names that invite an unhurried browse of the list before ordering.

Cocktails have their place, too. A whiskey sour makes an easy choice for someone skipping beer, and the bar can be a comfortable destination on its own when the plan is simply a drink and a bite.

Dessert continues the generous approach. Dutch apple cakes, bread pudding and sizable servings of house ice cream are all natural finishes after a savory, gravy-rich meal.

The ice cream can offer a surprise beyond the standard flavors. Lingonberry has made an appearance, a tart-fruity note that stands out after a plate of pot pie or mac and cheese.

The tavern has handled graduation dinners, family gatherings and meals with out-of-town guests, while still offering the intimacy of small dining rooms and booths. A private dining room has accommodated a 26-person 70th-birthday celebration, where diners ordered à la carte rather than working from a limited group menu.

For that birthday gathering, children’s meals came first, a small service detail that can make a large family dinner go more smoothly. Reservations are accepted and are particularly useful for larger groups or busy dining periods.

Free street parking is available around the restaurant, though the ease of finding a space can vary with the day and occasion. For a spontaneous visit, the bar has also provided a landing spot when a table was not available.