Elegance and Artistry: The Quoin Hotel and Restaurant
Photos by Matthew Williams for The Quoin
To make truly great Italian food is to utilize all five senses, says Chef Joe DeLago. Eyeballing ingredients rather than weighing. Feeling the texture and moisture of pasta dough to gauge whether it needs another dusting of semolina.
“To make the filling, to make the sauce, to toss the pasta; it’s all encompassing,” he says. “These traditions have been around for thousands of years. If you don't have somebody teaching you how to do that, you're missing a piece of the puzzle. It's a lineage thing and that's really the trick.”
In DeLago’s case, his impressive lineage includes the famous Philadelphia chef Marc Vetri, whose acclaimed Italian dishes felt homey and rustic while pushing creative boundaries.
At The Quoin Hotel and Restaurant in downtown Wilmington, the tradition is sparking anew. The city’s newest hotspot is tapping into a groundswell of new energy and refined palettes.
“It’s the best pasta I've ever had,” says Quoin general manager Tom Austin, a Wilmingtonian who worked in Philly prior. “You eat a bowl of pasta and you feel like you're not full at all. It's a skillset that's adored by many, that's for sure.”
Under DeLago’s spell, pasta dough spins into Taleggio cheese ravioli with yellowfoot mushroom ragu; or artichoke lasagnetta bathed in parmesan, brown butter, and lemon. Spaghetti Bolognese gets the lighter treatment with garbanzo, escarole, and prosciutto, while squid ink fettuccine gets tossed with frutti di mare, calabrese chili, and crushed almond. Even heartier proteins are handled delicately—like hanger steak with lentils and squash panisse, and grilled octopus with zaps of fennel, shallot and rouille.
DeLago’s artistry is but one element of luxury at The Quoin, where modern flair and history collide.
As a 24-room boutique hotel, The Quoin fills a unique niche in Wilmington’s ever-evolving scene. With exquisite and modern interior design poured into every corner, it’s another historic local gem that’s been given new life. Like nearby favorites the Queen Theatre, Stitch House Brewery, and DECO food hall before it, Quoin blends into its ancient shell with elegance, while paying homage to the building’s former life.
A circa 1880s banking house for the Security Trust & Safe Deposit Company, designed by legendary architect Frank Furness, serves as a muscular backdrop for the interior, designed and operated by Philly-based Method Co. The building is owned by The Buccini/Pollin Group, a development company that’s reshaped Wilmington’s downtown center over the last decade-plus.
The Quoin’s sophisticated, bohemian interior is study in comfort and eye-catching elegance, combining elements like cushy chairs and white oak tabletops that offer a view of the dining room and the open kitchen. The hotel’s opening has already garnered national attention from the likes of Forbes, Travel + Leisure, and Condé Nast Traveler.
“When I stepped foot into this building, it's so beautiful that I thought that there was immediately place to make an impact to create food,” DeLago says. “To really let what I do blossom in a really beautiful setting.”
The Quoin also represents yet another rising star in Wilmington’s growing national reputation. Spots like nearby La Fia, Le Cavalier, Bardea, and sister restaurant Bardea Steak have earned wide acclaim and helped prime local tastebuds for high-end, forward-thinking cuisine.
But the unassuming brownstone can offer something no other downtown spot can offer—a rooftop lounge. Since it opened late last fall, The Quoin will officially welcome its first warm season. The GM and the Chef couldn’t be more excited for the warm weather.
“This is one of my favorite times of the year,” DeLago says. “The minute I can put some grilled ramps with the 48-day dry-aged ribeye, I'm going to put the grilled ramps with the 48-day dry-aged ribeye. You know what I mean?”
As DeLago begins to transition the menu to include fava beans, mint, lamb, and rabbit, the rooftop cocktail season will follow suit, with lighter, brighter drinks and wines appearing on the menu. “Especially on the rooftop when there's a nice breeze coming in, it's 70 degrees and you got a nice cocktail on your hand, you're not going to be able to beat that,” Austin says.
People from Wilmington and beyond are taking notice.
The pair recently welcomed a group of D.C. and New York-area lawyers who raved about the food, the service, and the overnight amenities. “They tell us, ‘This is a total New York experience,’” Austin says. To which the manager replied: ‘That’s great. It's actually a total Delaware experience, but happy you think so.’
The Quoin Hotel and Restaurant
519 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware; (302) 446-5600
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