Oldie but goodie: Where to find a seat by a restaurant fireplace

Patricia Talorico
The News Journal

With chilly evenings and weekend rain heading our way, we thought now might be the perfect time to revisit our 2018 list of restaurants and cafes with fireplaces.

BrewHaHa! at the 3838 Kennett Pike in Greenville is certainly one of the coziest spots we know to settle in with a cup of coffee, or a glass of wine, served alongside some flames.

• An even larger fireplace, with a stone chimney, can be found at another BrewHaHa! site, the sprawling coffeehouse at 1400 N. Dupont St. in Wilmington's Trolley Square.

The Well Coffeehouse and Marketplace at 6949 Lancaster Pike in Hockessin has a wood-burning stove. Comfy chairs and sofas are plunked nearby.

Vincenza (right) and Margherita Carrieri-Russo pose for a portrait at Vincenza & Margherita Italian-American Bistro in Wilmington. One of the fireplaces can be seen in the background.

Vincenza & Margherita Italian-American Bistro (V&M Bistro) at 1717 Marsh Road, has two fireplaces on site that you can sit near when you want to warm your bones.  

One is in the dining room and the other one is near the bar. Their fireplaces sit up higher than the usual conventional fireplaces.

Bethany Blues has a gorgeous, large fireplace in the bar of the eatery at 18385 Coastal Highway (Del. 1) in Lewes. 

• At Jessop's Tavern in Old Castle, the gas fireplace near the front door of the 114 Delaware St. establishment is a nod to modern times, but it's located in a part of the building that dates back to original 18th-century structure.

Brew HaHa! has moved its Trolley Square coffeehouse into a much larger space. It's still in the Rockford Shoppes off DuPont Street.

Cantwell's Tavern, another "ye olde" establishment, is a 19th-century-style American tavern created out of the former Brick Hotel in sleepy Odessa. It's tucked away at the crossroads of U.S. 13 and Del. 299 and can be easy to miss from Del. 1. The 1822 Federal building boasts six gas fireplaces.

The Governor's Cafe at 144 S.W. Kings Highway in Dover has several tables near the flames where patrons can enjoy a Spanish latte or a glass of sauvignon blanc.

• At The Perfect Blend at 249 E. Main in Newark, owner Jeanne Kress often sees customers huddling near the coffeehouse's two fireplaces. A seat near the fire is a perfect spot to indulge in Liège waffles, the oblong waffles, named after a town in Belgium, that are golden brown with uneven, almost ragged edges.

Harry's Savoy Grill, a fixture in Brandywine Hundred since 1988, has two fireplaces in its main dining area, including the original one which dates back 80 years.

(Left to right) Detta Burcat and Cindy Moore enjoy breakfast and coffee by the fireplace at Govenor's Cafe in Dover during a morning meet-up.

Ten years ago, fireplaces were added to the Naamans Road restaurant's patio rooms.

• A two-sided fireplace was installed at Banks' Seafood Kitchen and Raw Bar, formerly Harry's Seafood Grill, on the Wilmington Riverfront when it opened 16 years ago. One half faces the main dining room, while the other half warms a table in the bar area.

Buckley's Tavern in Centreville has a fireplace in the main dining room and added a second fireplace in the bar area in 2006.

One of the coziest spots at BrewHaHa in Greenville is on the couch in front of the fireplace.

• The tavern area of the Back Burner, a Hockessin favorite since 1980, has a "fireplace room" with seating for 28 at individual tables. But, try to snag one of the armchairs surrounding the fireplace. The room also can accommodate up to 35 people for private dining.

MORE PLACES WITH FIREPLACES

Contact Patricia Talorico at (302) 324-2861 or ptalorico@delawareonline.com and on Twitter @pattytalorico