Page 40 - The Hunt - Winter 2023/24

If noise is a concern, a private dining area is better, and many restaurants have one or more. For instance, Bluecoast Seafood Grill in Rehoboth Beach can serve plated dinners for up to 40 people in the “library,” complete with a fireplace, a door and bookshelves filled with cookbooks.
The Chesapeake Inn in Chesapeake City has private rooms for between 35 and 50 guests and outdoor areas. Tonic Seafood & Steak has a private section off the dining room and boasts the adjoining Juniper by Tonic, which has flexible space.
Chelsea Tavern in Wilmington can handle from 10 to 75 guests in private rooms. However, clients have bought
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out the entire restaurant from 9 p.m. until closing on a Friday night. “Most places will allow it if it’s worth it, and our regulars always understand,” says owner Joe Van Horn. “We have to make money to stay available for them.” Stitch House Brewery can accommodate 200 for a full book-out.
You can rent Drip Café in Hockessin after 4 p.m., and Hank’s Place in Kennett Square after 3 p.m. Snuff Mill Restaurant, Butchery & Wine Bar permits a total takeover only on nights when the eatery is closed to the public. There are other options. For instance, on New Year’s Eve, Jane Goldberg and her invited friends booked the entire last
seating. Each person paid for the meal and beverages except for the Champagne she brought.
Small restaurants like Snuff Mill and Drip Café are ready-made party rooms. Cajun Kate’s on Philadelphia Pike, Drift in Rehoboth Beach, Sonora in Newark, La Fia and Merchant Bar in downtown Wilmington, Uncle John’s BBQ Stand in Claymont and Luigi Vitrone’s Pastabilities in Wilmington’s Little Italy all offer the entire space for parties. The Room at Cedar Grove in Lewes, a supper club and concert hall, is also available for rent.
No matter the choice, don’t overfill
the room, says Linda Majewski, who hosted a reception at Iron Hill Brewery
& Restaurant. She had a seating chart even though she had under 40 guests, and children sat at the same table.
Choose the right tone
A restaurant already has a concept regarding the ambiance and food,
and party hosts can match a formal or informal get-together to the location. For instance, a brewpub or barbecue joint is ideal for a casual occasion. Harry’s recently renovated ballroom is contemporary yet elegant for those who wish to wear fancy clothes.
Create a budget
Juniper offers clients a package that helps them pinpoint expenses, including room fees. Admittedly, food comprises much of the cost. To help customers decide, Juniper offers three plans: heavy hors d’oeuvres, buffet or three-course plated meal. Some people do a combination.
Consider the décor
Around the holidays, most restaurants
put on their winter finery. For next-level ambiance, host a party at Klondike Kate’s seasonal Sleigh Bar pop-up, which takes over the first floor of the Newark restaurant. (The second floor is also decorated.)
“We have a ton of different parties for the holidays, especially because
of the Christmas theme,” says owner Gianmarco Martuscelli, who also owns the Chesapeake Inn. Groups that book the upstairs will descend the stairs for a photo in Santa’s sleigh.
Holidays aside, he’s noticed an increase in banquet customers who want an elaborate theme. “The décor and the setup that goes into them is way more than ever,” he says. “Before, we would
Tonic Seafood & Steak in Wilmington can accommodate private parties of up to 225 guests in its connected event space, Juniper by Tonic.
BECCA MATHIAS