Lunchtime in Greenville
Among the string of small towns that fan out across northern New Castle County, Greenville has always had the image of being the most stylish and posh. Located within suburban Wilmington’s premium residential area, Greenville is an area the Wall Street Journal once referred to as “châteaux country” due to its many palatial mansions mostly built by the various scions of the du Pont family fortunes.
Come lunchtime, Greenville is also undoubtedly the liveliest spot in the county, having several places both to eat and to shop all within a five-minute drive of the many law offices and other businesses located within the surrounding office parks. But lunch in Greenville is not all business — it’s also the place to get together with friends from the country club or folks who haven’t seen each other since the last charitable event. And, somewhat ironically, the lunchtime atmosphere has become even livelier as the coronavirus pandemic has required most restaurants to expand their outside eating areas.
The most popular eating place for decades now has been Pizza by Elizabeths—although pizza is small portion of its fare—located in Greenville Center on the east side of Kennett Pike (Route 52). Sporting a sophisticated décor within its country-spacious inside dining area, and outdoor seating in its breezeway in good weather, Elizabeths is known for its elegant pizzas, soups and salads and an affordable mixture of wines, beers and cocktails. And be sure to spend some time checking out portraits of all the Elizabeths, from the queen to Taylor, hanging on the walls.
“We are fortunate, because our space is so big we could seat 96, even when we were at 30 percent occupancy,” says owner Betsy LeRoy, reflecting the current reconfigurations of dining spaces in a pandemic-dominated world. “We have tried to make customers comfortable with the fact that we are very safe, so that when outdoor seating is not an option because of weather, they feel confident about dining indoors.”
A few steps away from Elizabeths is J’s Café, located in a corner of Janssen’s Market but also with a small, covered outdoors area. This is the place to go if you’re looking for build-your-own sandwiches or grilled paninis with dozens of opinions. J’s has a bustling atmosphere, but not the kind that requires you to linger to soak in. Save room for espresso and gelato, and after lunch browse through Janssen’s deli and cheeses sections or grab a takeaway entree or two for dinner.
Across 52 on the town’s west side is Powder Mill Square — the coffee house row where you can find people hanging out who need a wi-fi connection or a break from house arrest. One is part of a national chain, Starbuck’s, and what can I tell you about Starbuck’s that you don’t already know? Good coffee, good food, good service, a bit crowded and a perpetual busy buzz.
The local coffee house chain is across the square in a rambling, high-ceiling locale that has a rakish European Old World feel to it. Brew Ha Ha has good coffee, food and service, but it also has a full bar in case you feel a lunchtime need for a buzz other than caffeine.
Centered in between the two is a third Powder Mill dining option — Cromwell’s Tavern and Taqueria, which has an eclectic menu of comfort foods served in a smallish, booth-ish setting. Cromwell’s re-opened slowly after the virus shutdown, first with evenings-only indoor seating but reports it will be open again for lunch by fall.
Also popular for lunch is BBC Tavern and Grill in Greenville Crossing going north toward Centreville. BBC touts its sports bar setting, but the food choices and quality are much better than your average sports bar. The mood, both outside in the shade or indoors in the cool, is always bright and upbeat. Go there when you want to meet an old friend and enjoy being around people.
“Everything except for the table and bar seat spacing/ social distancing is operating as it did pre-COVID-19, albeit with face masks, gloves and a lot more cleaning and wiping things down,” says owner David Dietz. “One change that we have instituted is that we now offer brunch on Saturdays as well as Sundays, because we have found that people are looking to get out of the house and be with other people.”
All three shopping areas are within a couple of hundred yards of each other with plenty of parking available. If you need something to drink for dinner at home with the food you purchased at Janssen’s, a few steps away from BBC is the well-stocked Wine & Spirits Company of Greenville.
For a additional options nearby, three miles up 52 toward Pennsylvania is Centreville with its down-homey-but-upscale-good, Centreville Café as well as the all-comers (old folks, young folks, rich folks, day laborers) Buckley’s Tavern.
And save room — or time — for shopping!
