Jessop's Tavern & Colonial Restaurant

We stopped in to Jessop’s Tavern after biking the Jack A. Markell trail roundtrip from New Castle to the Wilmington Riverfront and back. It was quite chilly, so the hot apple cider we ordered (Red with Fireball and Caramel Apple with butterscotch schnapps) was extra delicious and warming. To eat we had the Seafarer’s Catch Chowder and Bunker Hill Beef sandwich. The chowder was tomato based, not cream based which was disappointing as it is not our favorite. Our fault because we didn’t ask, but it wasn’t stated on the menu either. The beef sandwich accompanied by sweet potato fries was both delicious and satisfying. Our server, also the bartender, was very personable, but due to the fact that she was tending bar and serving tables, we waited quite awhile just to get water, drinks, and to put our order in. The historic town of New Castle is really quaint and worth visiting.

We stopped on a whim on Valentine’s Day and sat at the bar. I didn’t get the name of the bar tender but he was so good and efficient and great service. Ordered chicken pot pie which bar tender recommended over lobster or crab, which I appreciate, and my hubby got the meatloaf. The portions were large and the book of beer was impressive 300 pages! I wanted a citrusy beer and bartender recommended a new beer that just came in, Citra Splendor 8.3%, it was great! Loved the colonial atmosphere and good food and great service! And oh the bread and the fruit flavored butter was so good too!

We had a wonderful evening at Jessop's. All of the staff was super friendly. The atmosphere was a perfect blend of old timey and updated. The beer list was out of this world, and the food was so delicious I could barely walk to my car after stuffing myself. Save room for dessert!!! We will be back! I tasted 6 different beer selections but the Gouden Carolus Imperial Dark Quad blew my socks off. It had a subtle under note of sour similar to a Flemish red, a sweet taste similar to a 20 year tawny port wine, and a thick body similar to Guinness. If I lived closer this place would become a regular spot, maybe in a dangerous way. We started with bread, crab dip, and fried pickles. It disappeared so fast I didn't get photos. The bread was tasty and chewy with dried dill mixed in. Crab dip was a hot creamy dip with plenty of crab and served in a bread bowl. Again the bread was fantastic! The fried pickle special came with a lightly spicy sauce which reminded me of a chipotle aioli. The breading on the pickles was thick and crunchy. Unlike any other fried pickles I've had. The crunch really was perfect. For the main courses we all took our servers recommendations and wow was it good. The fish and chips were made with exceptionally fresh, high quality cod. It was flakey and moist. It had a thick well seasoned breading on it which everyone else loved. I found it to be a little too much. The chips were thick cut potatoes spears with a sprinkle of sea salt and herbs. I went with the Beef and Beer pot pie. It came out piping hot with a flakey golden crust. When I broke it open the inside had a rich beefy gravy with chunks of beef and vegetables. This isn't something I would normally order, but I'm sure glad I did. My daughter ordered the open faced grilled cheese sandwich with fries. It was made with three cheeses on big slices of bread. My wife got the Fricken Chicassee which was fun to say and even more fun to steal bites of. It came with fresh cooked green beans and wild rice. Usually things like this aren't something to get at a restaurant and I was pleasantly surprised with them both. The chicken was moist and savory. I'm not a fan of mushrooms, but I could have licked the plate clean. Each bite was filled with an almost overwhelming experience. The sauce was well developed and had such a depth of flavor that it really stole the show. Desserts were peach cobbler and a few bowls of ice cream. The ice cream is top notch, very thick and creamy. It's exactly what you want with I've cream. The flavor selection was also quite unique with limgon berry and peach lambic being my two choices, and the vanilla was pure and stood on its own. If I hadn't been so full I could have eaten the cobbler by myself. It came out hot with the ice cream just starting to melt. The breading was sweet and spongey; covered with sweet sticky peaches.

This historic tavern did not disappoint. The fish and chips was so good. Great staff. Will come again to try the shepherds pie.

Stumbled in to this historic area of New Castle (we are from Jersey) for lunch, and absolutely loved everything about this tavern. Amazing selection of beer, great staff, great and unique selections of food, and great traditional tavern vibes inside. Place was full of people on a Wednesday afternoon also, everyone looked to be having as great a time as we did. We will definitely be back.

This unique Tavern serves a variety of food and beverages. Reservations are highly recommended because they fill up fast. The other option is the bar which many walk-ins had to do. If that is the only option, hopefully John is the bartender / server. He is fast, efficient, and very friendly - so were the other patrons seated at the bar. Be sure to ask for bread - the dinner rolls are accompanied with butter and a fruit-flavored butter. Top your meal of with an ice cream cone which may be purchased inside or at the window a designated times. This place is definitely worth the visit!

🍨🍺 Love this place! Been here several times but Tonight was all about Beer & Ice Cream! Their old-Fashioned Ice Cream is fabulous! Definitely recommend the Motor Oil Flavor and also check out Jessop’s Chocolate Mousse Cake and add a scoop of Vanilla! ANDDDD did I mention their Beer Binder???!! (An entire binder dedicated to the brew) Jessop’s beer selection is on point!

The oldest bar in DE didn't disappoint in any way. Wonderful staff, especially our bartender. Great craft beers. Alcohol list is huge! We had handheld meals recommended by others sitting at the bar with us, and they were excellent! We can't wait to go back!

Stepping into here, it felt like we were stepping back through time. Colonial Era tavern complete with appropriate Colonial Era tavern fare, atmosphere, and ambiance. And it's located in a small historic town. The menu has so many tempting choices, but we eventually went with the Shepherd's pie and fricken chicassee for our main courses, and the "Smorgas-Bord" and seafarer's chowder as starters. Everything was excellent. The drink menu is huge, but mostly beers, ciders, and wine, not many cocktails (although the well-stocked bar looks like they could handle making just about anything). The old-fashioned is one of the best I've ever had. We had the cobblestone cobbler for dessert and left happy, full, and wanting to come back again soon. For a Thursday night, this place was packed. I would recommend reservations.

This is a small restaurant with lots of old time charm! Our server was excellent and provided recommendations as my husband couldn't decide between two dishes. The food was delicious and all of our orders were correct. Stop in for a drink or a delicious meal.

A cool, historic place with a varied menu, amazing beer selections and a friendly staff. We went for lunch. I got the Tilehouse Chicken Sandwich with sweet potato fries. It was delicious. (See photographic evidence.) I got a beer I've never had before. Also delicious. The beer list was literally a book! Lots of options. All this in the beautiful, historic riverside town of New Castle. Definitely worth it!

Great and unique place to gather with friends. Sizable food portions and all delicious. Beef is incredibly tender with great flavor. Lingonberries a nice touch with the meatloaf. Lingonberry ice cream a must!

Spent a long weekend in New Castle. 3 dinners, 3 restaurants....this was the best service,food and beer (lots of draft beers).

A friend and I went here for lunch and loved it. It has character and history which makes it an interesting place to visit but the food was wonderful as well. We had the seafarer's chowder to start and it was very tasty. I had the lobster pot pie (you can choose what to include: crab, lobster, chicken or beef and ale. It was delicious and the crust was especially nice. For dessert we had the Dutch apple cakes that came with whipped cream and a choice of ice cream. The ice cream flavors are interesting as well as having typical ones. I would have liked to try several of them. It was delicious ice cream. The apple cakes were really big and tasted great. Service was good throughout. They have a huge selection of beers thought we didn't have any. If I lived in the area, it would be a place where I'd eat often.

We've had excellent meals and service here in the past - however our last visit in June of 2024 was a disappointment. We've been reaching out to Jessop's by phone, e-mail and through Messenger intermittently for 8 months now, and they refuse to speak to us about our experience. Although we have been consistent patrons of this establishment for over 20 years, we will not return. They are not willing to listen to the concerns of their customers.

Went to the tavern on the recommendation(s) of many others and was pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere and decor. A very small, divey and dark bar room with limited seating; but it works very well. I almost walked out when I found seating for an individual diner unavailable and the bar top fowled with dirty plates, empty cups, and sign receipts from the last visitors but the Bartender John turned it. He was pleasant, engaging, and attentive. Cleaned the area immediately and made some great recommendations on an amber ale. The salad was fresh and the Pot Roast dinner was exceptional good. The mashed potatoes and beef gravy were cooked to perfection. Not too loud and amazingly comfortable. The price was reasonable. Only minor detractors held this from being one of my few 5 star ratings. A very strong 4 stars (well deserved).

Hands down the coolest (due to the air conditioning and colonial tavern decor) place in New Castle to get ice cream to-go on an extremely hot day. Order at the walk-up window or inside at the hostess stand. The Woodside Farm Creamery ice cream is to die for and comes in creative flavors, such as my favorite: Motor Oil (coffee, chocolate fudge, and green caramel). Available in one huge serving size for $6 per cup or waffle cone.

Delicious sandwich's and great beer selection! We sat at the bar and enjoyed some sandwiches and drinks on our date night this week. Highly recommended reservations if you want to sit at a table at this restaurant. Fantastic vibe at this very old historic pub and restaurant. Its candle lit at night and very reminiscent of the era this place started. The menu was large and traditional dishes as well as a hamburger if that is your vibe.

We came here for dinner on our last night in the area. This is a historic tavern in a building that was originally built in the 1600s. The theme is colonial era food and vibe. I love things like that. We didn't have a reservation but were able to get seated without much of a wait. The environment was a bit loud but enjoyable. Good beer selection. We got the Hoegaarden and Limburgse Witte. For entrees we got the Roast duck hafling and the shepherd's pie. They were tasty. We finished off with the chocolate mousse cake and had a lovely night here. It's located in a very cute area, historic and well maintained. Nice overall.

Banana foster ice cream is to die for. The maple walnut is good too. Mint chocolate chip is okay. We come mainly for the ice cream. Service is usually fast.

This will be a dinner my husband and I talk about for years. The real candle lit as we sat down in the building from the 1700's just set the cozy, inviting vibe. Waitress was busy but still willing to answer our questions. The drink menu is massive. And the food.... Wonderful. Highly recommend the fish and chips! And the apple cakes!!!

What a great little pub with a colonial atmosphere and excellent food. The surrounding area is so cute with historic buildings and brick walkways and a park at the end of the road. Definitely a great place to enjoy a lunchtime meal and walk. The bread pudding is one of the best I've tried and I try it anytime it's on the menu. Excellent service.

We had a fun, relaxing lunch in an historic restaurant with an amazing selection of beers. The food was really tasty: prime rib entree special, veggie sandwich and Pilgrim's feast. Great selections of homemade ice cream capped off our meal. Next time we visit New Castle, we shall return!

Such a fun/authentic experience!! The shepherd's pie could easily feed 3 people...you should know that it is about 75% mashed potatoes but still really good!!

Great atmosphere spot in Old New Castle, the food was great and the the beer selection was Phenomenal. It's was busy but the service was also on point.

Highly recommend this place.Great ambiance and huge selections of beer. Also got the Watermelon slushy. Very refreshing.The waitress offered a sample to taste. We ordered mussels .Good amount very tasty loved the broth. We also ordered Shepherds pie. Loved it only complain the chef needs to add salt in most of their dishes. Also ordered fish and chips.Two large fried fish served with coleslaw and fried potatoes. Again I wish the fish was marinated with salt and pepper. Good experience here . Would love to come back.

It's a nice place for drinks hit and miss on the food good ambiance. Hard pass on the Swedish meatloaf. It was dry and tasted like mystery meat. It looked like a prison brick protein meal. The Shepherds pie is a bit crazy looking, like an upside down top hat, and bland. Fish and chips are good though. The service is fantastic.

Good food, great cocktails. Warm and cozy. Love taking my family there for special occasions!

I have been visiting Jessop's for the past few years but only for a beer as our halfway stopping point when riding the Jack Markel trail. Last night we had the pleasure of a real meal at Jessop's and what a great meal and fantastic time we had. Beers are always good. Our server was attentive but not overbearing. My green salad with house balsamic honey dressing was crisp and fresh and not over- dressed. Our fries and dipping sauce were fantastic and the steak and ale pies were stupendous. A great Friday night!!

I love this fine place! I love the theme of this Tavern! It is close buy. It is in Old New Castle. This place is clean and the people are so nice! I talk about about the Tavern all the time!! You can have a wonderful meal or you can have a couple of drinks! You just can't go wrong! B.

Fun place. Ambiance good. Nice neighborhood. Tried many items. Ate there and brought a friend back to try it the following night. Nice selection of beers. Service was great bith nights. 1st night-Prime rib special- husband enjoyed it Fish and chips - a bit too much coating for me. Fish was good though. Crab dip - tasty. More like a soup but lots of crabmeat Fried pickes - tasty Chicken sandwich- small piece of chicken. Daughter thought it was just ok. 2nd night - Duck - husband enjoyed. Said it was Tasty. Lobster pot pie- did not have real lobster meat in this pie. It was "fake lobster meat". I know lobster when I have it. Grilled cheese - daughter said it was good Apple fritters with ice cream - very tasty Overall a good experience with a few issues.

Group of 6 on a Saturday night, charcuterie board and crab dip to start very good, huge selection of beers from around the world so we indulged. Everyone had different entrees from pot roast to fish and chips all great and large portions and waitress was awesome! Will be returning and bringing friends so great experience Jessups.

A+++++++ Food was amazing Pot Roast was to die for The fish and chips was perfection And the Epic Sheppard pie was A++++ off the charts Waitress was amazing and attentive And when I contacted about questions and needed special seating. Because of my son The owner was the best Very accommodating Seated in quiet area of restaurant Music wasn't loud and wasn't hot or to cold either Definitely be coming back

Went with my family today 9/1/24. The place was really cool, service was great, however Food was subpar. The worst thing though, was the ROACH that crawled across the table as we were eating !!!

Best beer selection!! Good pub food! A must visit! Justin is the best and he serves to please. Take a nice scenic walk in Battery Park, and head to Jessop's. We enjoy the ambiance, the Belgian beer, and the pub food.

Totally unique experience: bar staff dressed in leiderhosen. Very nice staff. Incredible beer selection (European/Belgian)...like: pages and pages of options. Food and ambiance is olde school tavern food. Fits well with the surroundings of Old New Castle. The shepherds pie is my fave.

This place was steps from an Airbnb I stayed in across the street, so based on previous guest reviews I went there for dinner. I had chicken fricassee and it was delicious. My green beans were a bit cold, but not a huge deal. The ambience was fun - a warm lit tavern on a foggy night in a town paved with brick and cobblestones. It's a small place and tables are close together but you still have a feeling of intimacy in your own space. My waitress was friendly and efficient. We had to make a reservation as they fill up fast - we went on a Friday night. Highly recommend.

The lobster pot pie is out of this world. The beer selection can't be beat, especially when it comes to Belgian brews. The ambiance takes you back in time without feeling phony. The service is prompt and friendly. 5 stars all the way!

This is a super cool find! Cute historical building. The food is really interesting- haven't had anything like it before. We just got appetizers and beers, but can't wait to come back and try more menu items. What we did get was delicious and unique. The bartender was great.

Great food, nice colonial ambiance, friendly service and good value! The beer selection (especially Belgian beers) was impressive. We loved our food selections. The shepherd's pie was huge and was the best I've ever tasted. The lobster pot pie and fricken chicasee were hits.

The food was tasty but not hot. Definitely homemade and microwaved. our server forgot to put in our soup and salad order. our entrees were served before hand, I guess the were "sitting in the window". we ordered another round of drinks. 3 of the 4 arrived...finally I guy delivers the last one ordered and commented "so,you're the table" We were an easy table, no demands, 4 people, no special orders. Definitely lacking customer service. Also lacking the colonial tavern feel. ( no colonial dress or anything else)

Went to get ice cream today with my family. Waited patiently while the server at the window talked to another client (who already had their ice cream) about good night spots to go. Kept waiting, she never acknowledged us, or said "just one minute" We decided to leave. AWFUL SERVICE. Whoever was working 4pm July 13th, needs some customer service training badly.

Great old school tavern with an INCREDIBLE beer selection. Sat at the bar and the bartender was very helpful with information about some of the beers. Has a great, nostalgic feel and lots of history sprinkled around as part of the decor. Had the steak sandwich and it was a banger! Perfectly cooked, nice amount of cheese and the au jus was tasty and not too salty. Will plan on going back for sure.

This gem is a short drive from Wilmington and nestled in historic Old Town. The food was very good and the portions were huge. It was a rainy night when we went and the menu has a lot of warm, comfort food. Pot pies, pot roast, shepherd's pie, fish and chips. You can definitely share one entree with a friend. Also? The beer list was gigantic. If you are a beer lover, this place will wow you.

Great food and unbelievable bet selection. I loved the imperial dark. And seafood special.

Delicious food and friendly service! Love going there! But make a reservation they get packed!

One of our favorite places in Delaware! Food is exceptional and it would take five years to get through their beer selection. Always on point!

Great food and drinks, recommend making reservations or sit at the bar, service is excellent regardless

Excellent food, service, and in general a great area with a lot of history! Jessop's Tavern has been around for A LONG TIME, and there's a reason why... Love you guys, just the best!

Not only was the food amazing, the Belgian beer terrific but the staff was attentive and kind. Atmosphere was old world colonial. We were a group of 30 and Jessop's had a private room to accommodate us. So special. I left a pair of vintage sunglasses and was so upset. Manager located them morning after and fedexed them back to me. I am so grateful!!!!!

My husband and I love to come here around Christmas every year because the Colonial atmosphere lends itself to the spirit. The food is very good and the drinks are yummy.

Great food, great service in a fun pub! Highly recommend this place for a great meal-

Food is always wonderful and plentiful I love the tavern salad and the skip jack shrimp Server are great lovely atmosphere

This place is amazing! The staffing is so knowledgeable about anything on the menu. Eaten here 3 times in a week and can't wait to go back when I'm back in town. This is a must place to eat when in the area!!!!

I don't know where to begin! My friends and I were here tonight for my bday, first time ever for all of us and I could honestly go back every night for the rest of my life! We started with the crab dip and oh my god! We had the fricken chickasee, shepherd's pie, and the colonial crab melt as our entrees and I don't even think that there are words in any language to describe these dishes! Flavor? Off the charts! Portions? Perfect! It's unbelievable!!!! Dessert: peach cobbler, cookies and cream ice cream and the chocolate trilogy with Dutch chocolate ice cream!!!! No restaurant in the STATE touches this place by several miles!!! The scale hasn't been set it's been shattered!!!

Food is so good and fresh; taste homemade and simply delicious! Customer service is very attentive and friendly; large - I mean LARGE-selection of beer and ale choices!!!!! They have specials ! Most important is the pricing.... Incredibly competitive!!! Love this place .... It's been around for awhile.... Read up its history .... Ambiance is friendly...loved my Swedish meatloaf but also had a bite of the pork dish and hamburger!!!! Fabulous.... Your palate will be in heaven!

Great food with great atmosphere. The service is always top notch with a friendly staff. The owner is always appreciative of everyone of his customers and isn't afraid to show it. You'll feel transported back in time while enjoying a great dining experience. We've never been disappointed in all the times we've dined at Jessops Tavern