Food and service has been perfect each time we have gone. Doesn't matter if it's lunch or dinner!

I recently dined at Taverna and had a genuinely pleasant experience. I'll start with the service. The waiter was attentive throughout the evening and he paid special attention to my shellfish allergy. Also, if you've read my prior reviews, you know I always want my water glass filled and the waiter made sure that was the case. It's a small detail that added to the overall comfort of the meal. The ambiance of the restaurant was warm and inviting, creating a relaxed setting for dinner. The food was well-prepared and flavorful. The veal meatballs were tender, the olive oil and sun-dried tomato dip for the bread was unique and yummy, and the mushroom agnolotti stood out as especially delicious. In fact, I can't wait to go back and have it again. Also, since it was Valentines weekend they added a cute little lips design on top of my drink. Another memorable touch was the mini firework placed on the butterscotch custard to celebrate my birthday. It added a bit of fun to the end of the meal and made the occasion feel special. My partner had the cannoli for dessert and it was definitely enough for two! Overall, Taverna delivered a very enjoyable dining experience, and I would be happy to return. read more

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I was in the neighborhood for a work trip and had a late train back to Baltimore so I popped into Taverna for some dinner and to finish some work. They sell a lot of their own merch so that's what you first see when you walk in. They have a bar area as well. The dining area towards the back is very spacious. And they have seating to accommodate small-large groups. The dim lighting adds to the calm vibe of the restaurant. The service is so fast. I feel like every item came out so quickly. And the servers checked in pretty frequently to clear the table, ask you if you need another drink, dessert, etc. it did feel a bit rushed. As a starter they give you their Ciabatta bread and the sun-dried tomato oil. The oil was DELICIOUS. I literally bought a jar to take home. For my drink I got the Fresca. It was good, very refreshing. For my entree I got the Linguini & Clams. It was good, could've used a bit more salt but the sauce was good. For desert I got the boozy affogato and it was delish. Would definitely dine here again if I'm ever in the area. read more

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We were in town visiting again and wanted to our daughter to an Italian dinner. My wife ordered the Gnocchi, my daughter the manicotti, and I ordered a pizza. We fired things up with an order of Truffle garlic bread. Everything was delicious! It was the second time we have eaten here and we weren't disappointed. My wife's Gnocchi were delicious... although she was slightly disappointed to find that her Eggplant that came with her dish came in the form of a fried disc. Anyway, my daughter loved her manicotti and I enjoyed my pizza. The waitress was kind but harried. It's a college town. The place gets busy. The failure to bring me a plate or knife and fork, along with waiting forever to pay the check is the reason Taverna doesn't receive 5 Stars. I will definitely try them again. read more

Visited with some business colleagues. Service was good as was calamari appetizer. I had the spicy shrimp and it was just pretty average. It was not particularly spicy and only a tiny bit of vegetables in the dish. I would likely revisit and try something different. read more

I've visited Newark, Delaware, several times now. My wife's father lives here, so our trips have usually been about family and conversation. Today was different. I wanted to explore Newark itself -- the vibrant hometown of the University of Delaware. After walking around campus, I wandered down Main Street, a stretch filled with small shops, hotels, restaurants, and bars. Coincidentally, today was also No Kings Day -- a nationwide rally protesting the Trump administration. The journalist in me couldn't resist capturing a few moments from this historic day. Eventually, I ducked into a hidden spot between buildings -- Taverna, an Italian restaurant that's been part of Newark since 2012. The atmosphere struck the perfect balance between casual and romantic -- ideal for dinner or a quiet drink at the long marble bar. I found a seat, ordered a Borgo Magredo Friuli Pinot Noir (nine ounces, but let's keep that between us), and took in the room's warm buzz. The experience was everything I love about traveling -- finding good wine, good people, and a reminder of the freedoms we enjoy in this country. If you find yourself in Newark -- whether you're visiting or you've lived here all your life -- I highly recommend Taverna. I plan to return one day, not just for another glass, but for a full meal and more time to soak in its charm. read more

Taverna - Interior of a bar featuring beer taps, liquor bottles on shelves, a TV displaying a news broadcast, and glassware on the counter. - Italian Near Me - Newark, Delaware

The veal meatballs with quality ingredients and the polenta surrounding the meatballs were delish. (3) The melt in your mouth meatballs were so good ! The Italian bread served with the "olive oil bread dip ", with added sun-dried tomato, was an "Italian bread of deliciousness. " So here's the dilemma eating on Sunday from 11:00 a.m to 3:00 p.m. is " Sunday brunch " and I don't do brunch . The cooks are cooking off this brunch menu which is the priority and unfortunately not the " lunch menu". Taverna let me order off the lunch menu " Chicken Taverna" which is basically Chicken piccata. The chicken was so DRY DRY DRY there was no marinade absorbed in this DRY chicken. The breaded chicken was reheated and the capellini was Mushy. Pasta becomes mushy when overcooked when the starches break down and texture is soft. Capellini is easy to overcook due to its thinness. The flavor was there but the pasta was not al dente and the chicken being so DRY even the tantalizing sauce on the chicken cannot help the reheated dry chicken. Taverna missed the mark with "Taverna Chicken ". Insert sad face. The tiramisu was rich and perfectly layered. I would have to say one of the best I ever had! I do want to note the FOH manager was glued to Eagles game and not the FOH and not communicating with BOH. There was no need to tell any one of the mushy pasta and dry chicken because we were not asked. I will be back in Newark next month and may give Taverna another try but never ever on a Sunday ! LOL read more

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Great restaurant option in downtown Newark. Vibrant Saturday in town and so made reservations in advance---good thing as many restaurants had waiting lines. From the wine selection, starters, to dinner this was a great dinning experience. The truffle butter garlic bread offered a great twist on traditional garlic bread. Four cheese while pizza was perfect. Tried the red wine on tap.....better than expected! Lastly, wait staff was great even though the place was packed! read more

Taverna - Four cheese white pizza - A four cheese white pizza is served on a metal tray at a rustic Italian restaurant, with a wooden table and wine glass nearby. - Italian Near Me - Newark, Delaware

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Popped in after playing a game at the University of Delaware and it was definitely the right choice! Our server was friendly and helpful, keeping our waters filled and explaining dishes on the menu. We could add protein to any dish, which was helpful for me as a mushroom lover. We ordered 3 dishes from the main entrees section of the menu and all were delicious!!! I would order any again (see photos). They also had wine on tap and different specials throughout the day. The veggies on the shrimp dish tasted so fresh and were done just right. We asked for chili oil on the side, which was good for peace of mind. The calamarata might have been my favorite, just so light and creamy and perfect. As mentioned, I added chicken to my mushroom agnolotti for extra protein. So yummy! There was indoor and outdoor seating, and while it was dark in the building, it felt very cozy. I was in town for the weekend to play a tournament, but if I return I will definitely be back! read more

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Great service, amazing food, love the interior. This is my wife's favorite restaurant.

I went in at 12:15 on Wednesday January 14th I walked around, waved to the servers and bus boy and was completely ignored. After over 10 minutes I left. Guess single women shouldn't eat at Taverna. read more

Can't think of a single bad thing to say about Taverna. Fried calamari app? Incredible. The red sauce on the baked manicotti? Incredible. The pesto gnocchi? Amazing. And the deserts? The Budino and the Death by Chocolate Sundae were off the hook. Big shout out to our server, Suzanne, who was great. read more

Made a reservation over the phone just like the website advice for you to do since I had a party of 8. When I get there they couldn't find my reservation. The manager says I can have you stay for an hour no longer. we didn't want to be rushed... very sad and disappointed. The employee messed up my reservation and we paid for it... no apology no care for the customer no explanation no sense of responsibility... very shameful but hey anyone gets hire as a manager this days. We left and spent our money somewhere else. read more

Have eaten here many times since they opened; from graduation celebrations with a large party, family birthdays and dinners with friends. The food was consistently good for years, but our last 2 visits our meals were just OK, nothing to rave about. We'd love to keep supporting them, but feel that they need to put more work into their dishes. read more

Great atmosphere and service. A favorite recommendation of students and families. Classic fare with some extras.

Great service and food! Great menu selection, daily specials are great. High value for your $$$. Can't go wrong here!

It's your typical American version of southern Italian food which means good but a ton of food! Everyone had takeout boxes and it seemed the norm. My favorite was the truffle butter garlic bread which was amazing. Freshly baked bread, crispy crust, and hot salty butter on top. Yum! The Calamarata seemed to make it on top of everything's list but it seemed a little bland and needed a lot of salt. The Mushroom Agnolotti, on the other hand, was really flavorful and sweet (balsamic vinaigrette?). Definitely a winner. Overall, Taverna is not going to make it to any gourmet list but you won't feel like you just ate at the Olive Garden either. Worth visiting if you want a decent Italian and be prepared to take home a lot of extras! read more

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This is a great local Newark gem. Food is consistently delicious. Service is good. Only criticism is the beer selection stinks, way too many IPAs. read more

The food is delicious. I particularly like the Baked Salmon. The service is excellent, and the price is right.

This place never disappoints and the service is top notch. Starting with the sun dried tomato oil and bread, it just gets better from there. My sister and I always order two mains and split it but they actually split it for us after we explained what we do. The Cobb salad is always a fantastic favorite for us and we are never disappointed with any of our other choices! I highly recommend this place for a great experience. read more

We had a fantastic time. Food was great! Service was attentive and thoughtful and the crowd was buzzing. read more

Taverna - Fettuccine with braised pork - Italian Near Me - Newark, Delaware

A table was quickly made up for the 5 of us on a Friday night. Grilled Artichoke and arugula appetizer was smoky with the bite from the arugula and lemon. Good solid pair. The carbonara was well done with the ravioli, but a bit over salty from the bacon. Chicken taverna was slightly overdone and the sauce was missing something, maybe a bit more garlic. However this was light and done well.. just a little flat on flavor. Risotto and salad were standard and done well. The two best dishes we tried were the gnocchi and the mushroom pizza. The gnocchi was superb with multi level flavors in the garlic cheese sauce. Homemade pasta was a home run. The mushroom pizza was crispy and garlicky with a thorough covering of multiple kinds of mushrooms. Hand tossed and a really good execution of these high quality ingredients. If you are on Main Street... come on in. You won't be disappointed for a very pleasant meal in a quaint and rustic setting. Our server was very helpful and truly highly trained. Enjoy! read more

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Perfect place to relax and enjoy some delicious food. Our server, Dylan, took exceptional care of our needs and made spot-on recommendations. This will be our go-to restaurant whenever we are in town for a visit. read more

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Came for lunch and it was so good! Taverna has two locations one near the campus of UD and the other location is in North Wilmington. The Newark location requires street parking which can be a little tricky. I love a good solo lunch. I ordered a drink, app and an entree. The gala crush was a new seasonal drink that was just added to the menu. Perfect fall drink. The fried mozzarella was good, but I wished it was just a little more crispy. My entree was eye roll worthy. Spicy shrimp served over zucchini, squash, lemon vinaigrette and orzo. I would get this again. The flavors were just incredible. I would recommend trying this restaurant. They even offer Sunday brunch. read more

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I am this review to makes some points after my recent dining experience. Taverna is a reasonably attractive restaurant and the waitstaff are quite attentive and helpful. The ambiance does occasionally suffer from loud customers especially at tables of 4 or more. My partner and I both had trouble communicating directly across from each other due to a group nearby. To start, I ordered a Negroni made with mezcal instead of gin and came to learn they have no mezcal...a bar without a single bottle of mezcal! So I went with the standard version which tasted fine but was short on the alcohol. Instead of getting the usual artichokes with arugula which we highly recommend, we got the arancini. They were a little on the small size but ok. I was introduced to arancini in Sicily from where they originated. These had a nice exterior but the stuffing was a little too mushy. We both ordered the mushroom agnolotti that had delicate pasta with a pronounced wonderful mushroom flavor and lovely Marsala sauce. BUT, we felt we received an appetizer size serving for $24. It was served in an oval platter...not the round platter it came in just over a month before. What happened? These are the new 2026 prices and serving sizes? So disappointed in this visit. Might go again and sit at the bar where it might be quieter and order a pizza. read more

Had lunch here with my daughter and grandkids. It was delicious, especially the pizza. The staff was very attentive and accommodating

The service was great! My daughter and I ordered vegan spaghetti. It was phenomenal. It made my vacation great! read more

Taverna - A bowl of spaghetti with tomato sauce, garnished with basil, served in a restaurant setting with condiments and drinks in the background. - Italian Near Me - Newark, Delaware

I went for a late dinner on a Thursday night, it was a little busy but my friend & i were seated quickly. The atmosphere is upscale yet rustic, nicely furnished, subdued lighting. The dining room is behind the bar, kind of. The Menu has all the usual classic italian dishes, pizzas, salads, pastas, sandwiches, it's extensive, and some newer trendy items. We ordered drinks, then I ordered the Grilled Spicy shrimp & risotto, my friemd ordered Chicken Parmigiana. The Grilled spicy shrimp was awesome, perfectly cooked, and the risotto was very tasty but not very spicy which is fine. Not a big meal, which was what i wanted, i didnt want something heavy...The Chicken parmigiana was good too. Service was friendly, quick and professional. Our total was about $64, a fair price for a delicious meal. read more

Taverna - Italian Near Me - Newark, Delaware

We found this place after some dinner places fell through close to the holidays. Without a reservation I was seated almost immediately on a weekday night and appreciated that. I started with a 121 cocktail, which was great! It was a fruity drink with the right amount of alcohol and also had some sweetness. The veal meatballs were ordered for the table and they came in hot in a lovely creamy/tomato sauce and I really enjoyed it. The clams were also great and I slightly preferred it to the meatballs. My entrée was the grilled spicy shrimp which were very well seasoned with some vegetables and some risotto. To finish off, I ordered the death by chocolate sundae, and as the name implies there were layers of chocolatey sweetness in this dessert that was shared by two people. Our service was amazing and the waiter was very nice and attentive throughout our stay. Amazing choice for family, date, or catching up with friends. read more

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Lovely Italian beauty in Newark, DE. On the outskirts of University of Delaware, I'm sure it's where many college students have parents take them for a nice meal. With the rustic decor, you feel like you are sitting at a cafe in the middle of Tuscany. The food was for the mist part delightfully. We ordered: Veal Meatballs Whipped Sweet Ricotta - not my favorite. Could use some more balsamic drizzle. Grilled Spicy Shrimp very tasty! Beef Brasato - my favorite! Braised beef, onions, carrots, and mushrooms, all bursting with flavor. Baked Salmon Our server was great. She was a pre-Med student at University of DE who was happy to talk about the school. I noticed there was another Taverna in Wilmington. Would live to have one in my neck of the woods! read more

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I have a child at UD and we always enjoy Taverna when we go there. The food and the pizza are excellent. The location on Main St in relation to the campus of UD also makes it very convenient to visit. My family and I recommend you give it a try too. read more

One star for fast seating and one star for my martini. Got the fried mozzarella and the meatballs and would not recommend due to the tomato sauce having no flavor. The bathroom was disgusting, looks like someone threw up and there was no toilet paper in either stall. There were no hand napkins either. There was five servers/busters clustered by the food window by our table which took away from the restaurant atmosphere. read more

Taverna - meatballs, fried mozzarella, martini - Italian Near Me - Newark, Delaware

Probably not the best picture, but this Neapolitan pizza was delicious. We've had Taverna a couple of times now and it's always a solid option on Main Street. For the quality of Italian food you'd think the price would be higher. But the pizzas and pasta we've tried have all been delicious and cooked just perfectly right. Definitely recommend ! read more

Taverna - Neopolitan Pizza - Italian Near Me - Newark, Delaware

We stopped for lunch; the restaurant was quiet and we got a friendly greeting from the floral hostess. Our orders came quickly, and it was clear that the kitchen is attentive to detail: perfectly grilled shrimp, meltingly tasty roasted peppers, crisp crostini. Delicious food, and the menu was full of good things we wish we had tried. But the best addition to the experience was our very cheerful and quick waiter, EDGAR, let his name be written in caps. To any question or request, he grinned and replied, "Absolutely!" and then went off in a flash and did it. Would we love to eat there again? ABSOLUTELY. read more

This place is a five since it hits all the notes for me personally. I always stop when I'm in the general vicinity of Newark. I absolutely love the pizza and the rest of the food is also great. You must get the budino for dessert. The craft beer selection is strong and the bartenders are the best. I love the atmosphere here. Something just clicks with Taverna. Definitely give it a try. read more

Just improve your food sucked and you need to make the food more cooked but that was all a joke. Your food was the best food I've ever had in the world. read more

Highly Highly Recommended!!! Food are very GOOD!! You can order drinks off the menu since they have a full bar. Grilled octopus isn't on the menu but they accommodated. Service is phenomenal (they constantly check in on your table). Ambiance is mellow even though they didn't play any music. Highly recommended and will definitely return. We love #Taverna read more

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Everything we ate here was amazing!! I definitely recommend coming here if you are in Newark, DE.

Pleasantly surprised! We have eaten here twice now. I believe the food restaurants on main street are few and far between because let's be honest it's a college town/street. We stopped in here with a friend the first time and got really unlucky with our wine selection 0/3. Each time we asked for a bottle the waitress would leave and come back to say they're out of stock. We eventually took it as a sign to have seltzers or beer. The door was actually really good and fairly priced. definitely a place I would come back too. The apps were great and the entrees hit all the marks. read more

Stopped at Taverna for dinner as part of our return to the university. It was amazing! I had the spicy shrimp, my son had the chicken parmigiana with a side of garlic fries and my husband had the Neopalitan pizza. Our order arrived quickly and the food was delicious! My shrimp was just the right amount of spicy- the kind that you feel at the back of your mouth rather than a frontal assault. My son devoured his meal in record time. The fries were very tasty- they went home for a snack for later. My husband enjoyed his pizza but he was looking for a plain cheese pie - this one had some extra cheese. We'll definitely return here. More to try! read more

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