Our party of four visited the Main Street location on Friday, June 5th just as restricted dine-in service was reinstated in Delaware. Because of this, I'll skip my opinion on the ambiance due to the plastic sheeting, masks, and lack of paper menus (SUPER inconvenient) - though I suspect under regular circumstances it's quite beautiful. We ordered cocktails, wine, and beer to enjoy while we decided on appetizers. Ultimately we went with the Veal Meatballs and the Pan Fried Peppers with Rustic Bread. It's clear why the meatballs are their claim-to-fame! I cannot say the same for the peppers. When one reads "pan fried" there is some expectation that that's how they would be served. Not the case here. Technically the peppers were sautéed, and were served cold - as in refrigerated cold. The bread accompaniment was fairly flavorless with the notable exception of the burned bits. I supposed that the "rustic" part. For mains there was one Chicken Parmigiana, and three orders of the Rigatoni and Sausage at our table. I had the latter, and it was delicious. I would not say that there's anything particularly special about it, but they have a limited menu so I would definitely order it again. The most impressive part of our experience was our server, Tyler. He was sensational throughout the entire evening. I ask a lot of questions and have the occasional special request, and he took it all in stride and with a huge smile behind his mask! His timing was impeccable, and though he had several other tables, he stopped by often to check on us, and patiently got dragged into our conversations. It was incredibly clear that he was delighted we were there. We felt welcomed and cared for at every turn. He's the real gem here! read more

Visited Taverns last night with a group of 5 other girls. A few of us were looking forward to the Tuesday special, veal Marcella. Needless to say it was the biggest disappointment ever! The food was very bland, no taste at all! Not even a hint of macella. The noodles were so soggy they seemed to be have sitting in water for awhile. One girl ordered the Chicken Parmesan and also not happy, meat was tough and hard to cut and noodles were like the other dishes, no taste! We really couldn't believe the lack of quality in the meals. We normally go a few times a year and also visited thethe owners other restaurant, Capers & Lemons which we have always gotten an excellent meal. Hope Capers and Lemons doesn't go downhill like Taverns has. From: Girls Night Out read more

Let's start with the Con': OK. Moving on to the Pro's Cool ambiance - Check Great Menu - Check Awesome - Wait Staff Check On to the menu. Great for Brunch (Only on Sundays) I wish the Nutella and banana stuffed French toast was a menu regular vs the occasional special. The also serve Man-mosa's ; a manly alternative to mimosas The eggs Benedict are stellar. Appetizers and sides.Best calamari I have ever had. Best Brussels sprouts I have ever had. Dinner Entrees: Braised Pork Shank. Simply amazing fall off the bone good. Orecchiette Mac and Cheese. Better than I had hoped. I typically avoid pasta dishes (because I'm weird like that) but I would have this again. Dessert: Try the tiramisu and/or the spiced donuts (seasonal) Reader's Digest version; If you haven't eaten here yet, you need to. read more

Taverna - Italian Near Me - Newark, Delaware

Went there awhile ago. Food was great. Decor was very comfortable. Service was acceptable.

A favorite spot to hit when visiting our UDEL student. Not only is it a treat for her but a meal our whole family looks forward to enjoying. A must for every drop off or pickup!!! read more

Food was really good and very reasonable priced. Got a wine and did an off menu item, spaghetti and clams. Also got dessert. Service was really good. read more

My daughter goes to the University of Delaware. When I visit, we always go to this restaurant. It's very very good. Solid Italian food. The whipped ricotta and bread is amazing. We've had a number of meals and everything is great. I highly recommend Taverna. read more

We dined on a Friday evening and received excellent service and very good Italian food. I wanted the Carbonara sauce on the hand cut Fettucine instead of the menu listed Spaghetti and the kitchen obliged me. The appetizer was a bit slow coming to the table, so we were not finished by the time our pasta dishes arrived, but that would be my only criticism. The wine list and full bar is ample with many choices. We enjoyed the food and the good service. You can park in a public lot right behind the restaurant so it has easy access on busy E. Main Street. We will definitely be back to sample more. read more

The food is delicious and the decor is beautiful. They auction off the plates which as a retired server I found inappropriate for the restaurant's price point. Dining isn't cheap but worth the cost. Unfortunately in Delaware Italian restaurants don't separate the pasta dishes from the entrees as separate courses. As a result I was surprised at how few entrees were offered. On a positive note all our dishes, including dessert (we were a party of 3) were perfectly prepared. I'd go there again on a special occasion. read more

Very solid menu with great service. They were able to customize with no problems. Fried peppers app is fantastic!

Great rustic Italian dining. Has become our go to for Birthday Dinner's. Service is wonderful, every time. We had Taylor as our server the night, friendly, attentive without being over bearing. We have always had a terrific experience whether dining or at the bar. read more

Taverna - Italian Near Me - Newark, Delaware

Awesome bar, amazing food, great staff! This is one of those hidden gems in Newark. I have yet to have anything less than a stellar experience. The wait staff is always attentive and know the menu inside and out. They have a great selection of entrees and seem to update the menu frequently enough that there is always something new to try. The bar is fully stocked with a great selection and priced right. The waiting area is a bit tight in the winter, but they do take reservations, so utilize that feature. I was not impressed with the Pinot Noir on tap, so that may be one critique, but they promptly replaced with a better choice. We will continue to return regularly. read more

This was one of the best lunch experiences I've ever had. Not that it was anything special- we just stopped for lunch at 2:00 after a tour around UDell as a family. What made is so great, however, was the service we received from start to finish at this venue. Upon walking in we were greeted by a very friendly hostess and were seated in a dark (tavern-like) and modern room next to the kitchen. We were then introduced to our waiter, Paul, who was extremely attentive, knowledgeable, helpful, and was a very hospitable waiter. He continued to impress us with his charm and kindness throughout the afternoon, and he deserves the best credit for our experience. As for the food: We received complimentary bread with a roasted tomato olive oil (score). Loved it. Paul gave us the specials of the day, and my dad got today's soup: roasted onion and chicken. Fantastic!! I got the chicken cutlet sandwich, with grilled chicken and asked for a side salad substitute (+1.50) and my accommodations were welcomed. My sister and mom split a Margherita pizza, and before it Paul had given them a side of chili oil and dried basil in the cutest little presentation. My dad got the Chicken pasta with spinach in a tomato cream sauce which was delicious, to say the least. It happened to be the most popular item on the menu. Afterwards, Paul packed our leftovers and gave us information on places to hit next. Being from New Jersey and it was our first time in DE, we had to hit UDairy Creamery. Overall, GREAT restaurant, and don't even think twice about coming here. Just do it. Trust me. read more

This place is amazing. During COVID, just got takeout. We had to wait a little bit, but it was worth every second. I would say it was one of the best chicken parmigiana I have ever had, and I have years of restaurant experience. read more

We were visiting Maryland/Delaware. This isn't in comparison to any other main st. restaurants, but in general. We went there with a little bit of apprehension because of some reviews but were so impressed! 1st - service. Our waitress, I believe her name was Sara if I'm not mistaken, was so great! Friendly, gave recommendations, wasn't intrusive but still checked after every course, and kept our drinks filled! Such a nice girl! 2nd - ambience & decor. What an awesome looking place. Loved the rustic feel. The open kitchen is also such a great touch. I absolutely love when you can see them finishing your meal. The whole look of the place gave off a cool relaxed vibe. 3rd - Drinks. I don't know much about beer but from the table's feedback the list was pretty great. Lots of craft beers available. The cocktails also sounded different and super yummy. 4th - food. Last but definitely not least. We ordered the veal meatballs, the whipped sweet ricotta, the antipasto board (with smoked prosciutto, mortadela, and homemade mozzarella), the veal marsalla, and the corzetti. They started by serving some nice soft bread with this sun dried tomato oil. So good! The veal meatballs were great! Very tender and so full of flavor! They were served over polenta so creamy we didn't even think it was polenta at first! The antipasto board was good. Smoked prosciutto was great, the homemade mozzarella tasted delicious and fresh, the mortadela was OK but nothing that interesting. Whipped sweet ricotta... Oh man. Amazing. I am not a fan of ricotta to start with but I couldn't get enough. The bread that came with that was grilled and was right at the edge of being burnt. Still delicious. Veal Marsala... The only thing that was a bit disappointing. The veal was absolutely delicious. The only issue we had was really the sauce. It was so thin and barely no sauce really over it, so the Marsala flavor was not very present in the dish. Still tasted OK just not what you'd expect of Marsala. Corzetti. Absolutely delicious. I wasn't familiar with corzetti pasta to be honest but thought I'd give it a try. Wow. The lamb served with it was also delicious and perfectly cooked. For dessert we had the doughnuts which I personally did not try but heard they were great. And the budino (I believe?) Which was fantastic. It had a cookie crumbles, butterscotch, and I can't even remember what else but was amazing and melted in your mouth. Yum!!! Honestly besides the Marsala sauce we were extremely pleased with everything and if we are ever in the area again we will have to come back!! read more

See all

My parents were extra annoying this morning, and our waitress was very nice and played it off as if they weren't being the worst so that was cool. The food was all great. The bacon is perfect if you like your bacon crispy. The tater tots were perfectly crispy as well. We also got the whipped sweet ricotta app but my family devoured it before I could take a picture. Overall, 10/10 experience. read more

See all

Lunch is good, but I didn't have good experience with dinner. We got complimentary bread and olive oil with sundried tomatoes which was a bit bland and the bread was pretty dry. For main dish I got Chicken Taverna. Chicken was good and moist, but overall the meal was so bland with cappellini pasta and was definitely not worth $25. I should've ordered a different dish but now I'm not sure if I'll come back for dinner. read more

Great, great pizzas! We really enjoyed the open concept. Our younger guests enjoyed the kids meals as well which is half the battle lol! Clean bathrooms, prompt service. read more

Pro: I don't always do brunch in Delaware, but when I do, it's at Taverna! The staff has always been down-to-earth and personable during all of my visits. (I appreciate servers and bartenders that can join a conversation...almost like they were part of your group!) Moreover, the (very well-stocked) full bar is supplemented by a Bloody Mary bar for those that care to indulge. And as for the food? The pizzas, calamari, eggs Benedict, and sundried tomato based olive oil (for bread) are all worth the money! Con: They took the Brussels Sprouts off the menu! No fair!!! (And I usually avoid the item, but the ones at Taverna were spectacular!!! They are sorely missed) Bottom Line: Make this place a party of your Sunday Funday! read more

We go to the Taverna in Wilmington and love it. Service is spot on, food is great and restaurant is clean and welcoming

My boyfriend and I wanted to go on a date night, and in a college town there are few better options than Taverna! Also college kids- this is the perfect place to bring your parents when they come and pay for dinner, Ya kno? While yes it is more expensive that your average Main Street option, you get what you pay for in the atmosphere and food. (Also- wine on tap, need I say more!) For starters we arrived around 7 pm on a Wednesday for two and were told it would be a 30 minute wait. While it ended up only being around 5-10, your best bet in the colder months is to just go ahead and make that reservation. They have such a warm atmosphere and that comfort italian food everyone wants in the winter, so they get busy pretty much every night. However they are really accommodating and have seating for waiting which you can bring drinks too. When it came time to order, our waiter Conor was not only amusing but also really helped us make decisions about what to order. When in doubt, go with the calamari for an appetizer because it is AMAZING and probably the best calamari around. All in all it was a great dining experience, but I wouldn't go here as a student expecting a quick and cheaper meal. P.s. Their Sunday Bloody Mary bar is at the top of the list of Main Street Newark Bloody Mary's read more

Taverna - Calamari Appetizer! - Italian Near Me - Newark, Delaware

See all

Food and wedding soup is delicious. They also have good Caesar salads as well. Go Taverna in Newark and Wilmington, De you won't be disappointed read more

By far the best Italian restaurant in Newark. Creative dishes and traditional food sure to please everyone. Try the veal meatballs or the whipped ricotta appetizers - you will not be disappointed! We've had practically every entree - love the pizzas, free range chicken and braciole (better than I've ever made). But leave some room for dessert! Make sure to order at least one of the daily specials. You will will leave with a full belly - really nice portions. Very friendly & professional staff go above and beyond...more than accommodating for large parties but it's our favorite date night dining experience. read more

Taverna - My absolute favorite Taverna meal - Braciole - Italian Near Me - Newark, Delaware

I've been here probably 5 times over the last few years. Reason for that is chasing that experience we had the first time. Each time we have gone back, our disappointment in this establishment grows. Some experience include unpredictable hours. It may be listed as closing at 1a but there were several time where it's been closed by 10p or aren't seating anyone after 9pm. Once we were told that the place decided to close early for the night while we were eating our dinner. These experience were pre-Covid. I LOVED their tiramisu the very first couple times we were there that we even ordered it for take out. It's a little ridiculous that it takes over 20 minutes to prepare. Is it made to order? The latest tiramisu was awful and smaller portion. For the price of $9, the only good I found from it was discovering that we will not be back again. read more

For DE, this is five star dining, hands down. I came here with my parents tonight for my annual birthday-ish dinner. I'd been wanting to try Taverna out for some time, but for some reason, never got around to it until now. Well, let me tell you, I was missing out for all that time! I started off by ordering the lemon misto ($10) off the cocktail menu and the mozzarella carozza ($9) from the appetizer menu. When the waiter delivered the drink, he said the bartender said it was "litty" (sp?). While I'd never heard this neologism before, I can confirm that the drink was extremely lemon-y and not overly sweet. It was so good that my mom, who's usually quite the teetotaler at restaurants, ordered her own, which is quite unheard of (even if she really enjoys a drink, she'll typically drink half of mine rather than order her own!). The carozza, which consisted of two slices of fried brioche with mozzarella and pesto in the middle and some tomato sauce on the side, was an absolute delight, and was enjoyed by everyone at our table. For my main, I ordered the spinach ricotta agnolotti ($19), which is a half-circle shaped ravioli filled with--you guessed it--spinach and ricotta, topped with shitake mushrooms and truffle butter. Like the carozza, this dish was absolutely delightful--it was light but substantial and bursting with flavor. The pasta is handmade in house, which is evident from its tenderness and its creamy filling, and the sauce was velvety and delicious. The portion size is perfect--just enough for one meal without causing you to feel bloated or overly full, but not so little that you'd leave hungry. My mom ordered the same dish, and despite her initial reservations, absolutely loved it. My dad ordered the seafood orechiette specia, which consisted of the namesake pasta tossed with salmon, calamari, and clams in pesto sauce, and also really enjoyed it. The only one of us who came away with any leftovers was my brother, who had the orechiette mac and cheese. The cheese sauce was super-creamy and it was topped with nicely toasted bread crumbs and prosciutto, but it wasn't too different from other upscale versions of the dish I've had in the past. While all of the dishes were excellent, I'm glad I went with the agnolotti, which was my first choice, because it was definitely the standout dish. In light of the quality of the food, we opted to try two desserts--the warm chocolate cake with semifreddo ($9) and the budino ($9), a layered dessert consisting of butterscotch, caramel, and chocolate. The chocolate cake was reminiscent of chocolate souffle--light and not cloyingly sweet, and was complemented nicely by the vanilla semifreddo and whipped cream. While I didn't try the budino, my dad said that the butterscotch was a bit overpowering, such that it was difficult to taste the chocolate and caramel. So, although the desserts were decent, they weren't outstanding to the extent that the food was. The service from our waiter (didn't get his name, unfortunately) was competent and attentive, but not overly so--he was able to answer several questions and describe several dishes with ease. The atmosphere was moderately--but not overpoweringly--loud, such that we were able to carry on a conversation and hear the ambient music with no problem. As another reviewer out it, the ambiance is classy yet casual--this is not a white tablecloth establishment like Vita Nova or the Hotel DuPont. The only drawback to our dining experience was that a few times, fruit flies flew a bit close to our food and drinks for comfort. Overall, we had a wonderful dinner at Taverna and would definitely return for another occasion dinner. Even my mom, who can be a tough customer, loved it, so I'm sure she and my dad will be back before soon! read more

See all

Very nice inside if you want a cute romantic setting. I may be biased because I'm from Jersey but the pizza was just ok. My pasta dish however was great! Also definitely get the fries calimari read more

Taverna - Italian Near Me - Newark, Delaware

See all

We've ordered a pizza and carbonara. The carbonara is fine but pizza is not good at all. The problem is not the toppings on the pizza but the crust. To be honest, Pizza Hut or dominos might have better crust. Their crust completely has no wheat flavor and also pretty oily. It tastes like a flat fried unfresh dough :( I believe all the pizza are using the same crust so just don't order any pizza if you have to go there. read more

This place was a great find. Late on a Sunday night looking for a place to get a decent meal. Stumbled upon this place. My 11 year old was blown away by the garlic truffle bread. Service was great and the atmosphere is very nice. read more

See all

Good food, bad service. My third or fourth time being there tonight. Sat at bar, ready to celebrate a milestone. By myself--long story. Bartender John did multiple passes before acknowledging me and did even more passes before giving me a drink menu and then taking my order (after I flagged him down). 20 mins later, his friends arrived, and he waited on them right away and then spent a good amount of time chatting with them while my water and wine glasses were empty, dirty dishes sat waiting to be cleared, and my credit card sat on the counter to pay my check. His coworker on the bar, Julia (?) seemed to unofficially take over checking on me, asking me how my food was, got me a box for my leftovers, and took my payment. Saw him check on multiple couples around me, but I seemed a little invisible, which kind of sucks. Glad that the female bartender was there to help me. She also seemed to be doing the lion's share of the work behind the bar while John chatted with his friends. read more

This is definitely not an accommodating restaurant! I reserved a table two week's prior for a holiday office party for 6. My first clue was how dismissive the person was regarding a table with enough room for us and presents. Called again to confirm and considerately reduce our number by 1. When we arrived we were placed at a table for 4 with an added chair. Isn't there some fire regulation for a chair in the aisle??? When we asked for a more accommodating table, they were very dismissive. In effort not to spoil the mood we sat and began to order. The manager later came by to ask if we were enjoying ourselves. I flatly said, "no" and explained why. He too was dismissive. "This is all we have." I saw several tables that we would have been more comfortable and we could have waited!! I don't understand the purpose of making a reservation in advance if they aren't going to go the extra mile to find comfortable seating, for all of their customers!!! The manager really care how we were doing! He was walking around as a formality! The one star is partly for the food and the look of the restaurant. Everything else at this restaurant is 'piss poor'. A bad impression on 5 newbies that could have brought others if we had a different experience!! read more

I cannot believe this restaurant only has four stars. Surely somebody has missed out. This is one of the best meals I've had in a long time. Believe me, my wife and I travel a lot. We eat out almost every night. Everything including the drinks was excellent!! Great job Taverna!!! read more

First Post-COVID dining experience was amazing, Kudos to the staff for a wonderful service experience, food is the same great food I was used to. Thanks to my man D for the great bar service and the young lady (who's name I forget) for the 121. Keep it up. read more

Probably one of the best coal fired pizza places on the east coast! Also loved their "do yourself" mimosa bar read more

Taverna - Margherita pizza! - Italian Near Me - Newark, Delaware

Very good consistent upscale restaurant in downtown Newark. I take my clients here as it is very professionally run. Everyone trained well and respectful. The food is very good too. read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants on Main Street - and usually my go-to when I want to go somewhere a little more upscale. The ambiance indoors is perfect for date nights. The bread and sundried tomato oil they bring out is *chefs kiss*. I love that they keep favorites on their menu - my personal favorite is the calamarata. For appetizers, the sweet whipped ricotta is a must. They also have a daily rotating special. The service here is always excellent and I've never had a meal here I didn't enjoy! read more

Worst experience ever in Delaware. Please save your money. I would rather eat frozen pizza over their food. I ordered 5 dishes and none of them are good or decent enough to finish the dish. Only good thing was small poison size of each dish. Awful. Bitter taste. Over priced. Don't know how this place received somewhat great reviews. Perhaps due to its location. read more

Taverna - Veal Meatballs Steamed Clams Margherita Broccoli Rabe & Pecorino Spinach Ricotta Agnolotti - Italian Near Me - Newark, Delaware

Always one of our favorites. The food and service are consistently amazing. The calamari is our favorite ANYWHERE, the fra diavolo is delicious, and the agnolotti is just to die for. Then you add wine on tap and the bread with tomato olive oil. Yum ! read more

Overall I was disappointed. The saving grace was the friendly service that I received from everyone who helped us. I was visiting from nyc and for nyc prices I was expecting nyc quality. Good god was I wrong. The first thing that went wrong was my drink order. I ordered an espresso martini and my friend ordered a cosmo. The cosmo was perfect! The espresso martini tasted like a cup of black coffee that was left out for several days. I didn't even end up drinking it. The second thing that disappointed me was the dishes. I ordered the salmon and for $28 I was really expecting it to be spectacular. It was nothing of the sort. It was lacking flavor and seasoning and it was bland overall and wasn't cooked throughly. I'm not sure what I was expecting but for the price I paid it certainly wasn't this. read more

Dear Taverna, Your bread is delicious and we would like more than TWO PIECES OF BREAD. Our server brought my husband and I a basket with only TWO PIECES OF BREAD in it. He never offered us more than these TWO PIECES OF BREAD. We had to ask. Sadly the second basket also contained TWO PIECES OF BREAD. Dinner was great, as per usual...but TWO PIECES OF BREAD is stingy. Bread is cheap. Don't be this way. 4 stars due to lack of bread. read more

Food was so good! Great menu and really yummy specials! Lots of variations of traditional Italian entrees, making it hard to decide which one to choose. Service was excellent! Nice ambiance....truly enjoyed our evening out! Highly recommend! read more