This restaurant was chosen as best steakhouse in Delaware. Plus more spots to score steak
The Daily Meal recently picked its best steakhouses in every state.
The restaurant that got the nod in Delaware was Snuff Mill Restaurant, Butchery & Wine Bar.
Snuff Mill in the Independence Mall shopping center near Fairfax is not necessarily just a steakhouse, but it has become a customer favorite place to dine since it opened two years ago. Those who want to grill at home also appreciate Snuff Mill's in-house butcher shop.
The Daily Meal cited the Delaware restaurant's "excellent steaks, the Long Bone Ribeye being a choice selection." The 36-ounce, bone-in tomahawk is $135. If you're looking for less pricey options, customers have raved about the steak frites, $39, as well as the signature beef burger with "million dollar" bacon, $19.
Beef continues to be a big draw for consumers, especially in the United States. Americans carved through 30 billion pounds of beef in 2021, according to the latest figures available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which is the equivalent of almost 60 pounds per person per year.
While you're probably not going to frequent a steakhouse if you're budget-conscious, several restaurants offer wallet-friendly weekly specials.
Here's a look at some more Delaware steakhouses to consider:
Walter's Steakhouse
802 N. Union St., Wilmington; walters-steakhouse.com
If you want to go to an old-school Delaware steakhouse, Walter's is your place. The Constantinou family has had roots in Delaware's restaurant industry for 85 years. The family started with a sub shop and then son George had aspirations for a bigger-scale restaurant. Constantinou's House of Beef at 1616 Delaware Ave. was born in 1959 with about 18 tables. It became one of Wilmington's most well-known restaurants before closing in 1997. In 1993, John Walter Constantinou, George's son, opened Walter's in the old Road House at 802 N. Union St. and has continued the steakhouse tradition. Walter's is smaller in size than Constantinou's and has a different menu, but the eatery continues to offer the family's signature high-quality beef. An 11-ounce strip steak with a chef's choice of vegetables is $30 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. A 14-ounce prime rib served with soup or salad, a side, and dessert, is $40.95 on Fridays.
Royal Prime Steakhouse
Bally's Dover Casino Resort, 1131 N. Dupont Highway, Dover; casinos.ballys.com/dover/royal-prime-steakhouse.htm
In 2021, Touch of Italy co-owner Bob Cipretti opened a steakhouse in the recently renamed Dover Downs casino. It serves USDA Prime beef aged for 21 days. Royal Prime also has steakhouse classics: French onion soup, wedge and Caesar salads, oysters on the half shell, lobster, and a variety of seafood dishes along with an extensive wine and cocktail list. A 16-ounce ribeye is $69. A Thursday Date Night special includes a $69 dinner for two with a 40-ounce porterhouse steak, a 1.5-pound lobster, two "colossal" shrimp, two jumbo scallops, and corn. The steakhouse is open Wednesdays through Sundays.
Harry's Savoy Grill
2020 Naamans Road, Brandywine Hundred; harryshospitalitygroup.com/harrys-savoy-grill
Owner Xavier Teixido has been operating what he calls "Delaware's premier steakhouse" since 1988. And the classy Harry's is easily one of the state's best-known restaurants for celebrations, a gathering of friends, a dinner with Mom and Dad, or a night out on the town. It's the place for aged rib-eye, filet, and prime rib as well as seafood and a top-notch wine list. Opulent starters include freshly shucked oysters, pan-seared foie gras, vol au vent escargot au Champagne, and lobster Caesar salad. Harry's signature dishes are the 45-day, aged, 18-ounce ribeye for $52.95 or the award-winning prime rib au jus served with gratin potatoes. A 12-ounce cut is $41.95, and an 18-ounce cut is $48.95. On Sundays, Harry's offers a 3-course special of Caesar salad or New England clam chowder, prime rib and whipped potatoes and creme brulee for $44.95.
Harvest Tide Steakhouse
410 E. Savannah Road, Lewes; harvesttide.co
Harvest Tide Steakhouse was billed as the "only steakhouse in downtown Lewes" when executive chef/owner Danio Somoza opened in 2018. The restaurant just blocks from Lewes Beach also celebrates local seafood. Starters include blue crab "tidal" dip, blue crab Thai soup, and Ocean City scallops in lemongrass garlic butter. The USDA prime beef is aged for more than 21 days. Consider the dry-aged, 14-ounce New York strip steak for $52, or splurge on a 30-ounce dry-aged Delmonico for $135. Sides include truffle potato puree or blue crab mac and cheese. The restaurant also offers several specials during the week, including a 10-ounce Prime Rib on Thursdays for $29.
Theo's Steaks, Sides & Spirits
44 Baltimore Ave., Rehoboth Beach; theossteakhouse.com/rehoboth%2C-de
If you're a regular visitor to St. Michaels, Maryland, then you already know Theo's. A second location opened in downtown Rehoboth in 2021 taking over the former home of a(MUSE.) It's called "a casual hot spot" for good reason. Owner Chris Agharabi apparently has the right touch; every time I tried to eat here this summer, no tables were available. Theo's has raw and baked oysters, gulf shrimp cocktail, classic Caesar and iceberg wedge salads, and homemade onion rings. Steak lovers should enjoy offerings like Steak Diane, $48; Steak Oscar, $52; and Chateaubriand (market price). Prime rib and mashed potatoes are $35 on Wednesdays. Every Thursday is date night with Chateaubriand for two and a bottle of Davis Bynum Pinot Noir for $99. Make a reservation to ensure you get a seat.
1776 Steakhouse
Midway Plaza shopping center, 18585 Coastal Highway (Delaware Route 1), No. 6, Rehoboth Beach; 1776steakhouse.com
When it comes to old-school steakhouses in Sussex County, 1776 is the place. Don't let the shopping center location fool you. The restaurant, around for at least 25 years and owned by Tom Holmes since 2007, has newcomers as well as several generations of customers returning again and again for its excellent red meat, wine and service. The website lists a steak primer if you're unfamiliar with certain cuts. Steaks are served with a starch and a vegetable. A 16-ounce Kansas City steak (also known as a bone-in New York strip) has been aged 44 days and is $49. A 22-ounce porterhouse is $57. The restaurant also offers all the traditional steakhouse extras such as broiled lobster tails and crabcakes, creamed spinach, baked escargot, brie wrapped in puff pastry with champagne-raspberry coulis, oyster Rockefeller, and crab and lobster bisque.
Houston-White Co. Steakhouse
315 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach; houstonwhite.com
The swanky steakhouse across from Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, is aimed directly at prime and Wagyu beefeaters. This destination for steak lovers is owned by Megan Kee who also runs La Fable, a lovely, traditional French bistro on Baltimore Avenue, and Bramble & Brine at the Buttery in Lewes. Houston-White is warm and inviting, with a modern and masculine, slightly Rat Pack-ish atmosphere that's closer to Sullivan's Steakhouse than Peter Luger. Starters include an indulgent foie gras torchon, grilled lamb lollipops, beef carpaccio and shrimp "cargot," a play on the classic escargot. Steak choices range from a 6-ounce filet mignon to a 14-ounce Delmonico ribeye. Reservations are recommended.
Sullivan's Steakhouse
Market Square shopping center, 5525 Concord Pike, Wilmington; sullivanssteakhouse.com/wilmington
The chain, with about 15 locations, has a 1940s Chicago steakhouse vibe and offers all the usual trappings: beef, seafood and cocktails. The Wilmington site, open since 1997, has a 12-ounce New York Strip for $54, and a 22-ounce, "cowboy cut," bone-in ribeye is $69. Sullivan's has beef Wellington bites, shrimp and lobster bisque, cream-style spinach, garlic mashed potatoes with lobster, and desserts like New York-style cheesecake and Key lime pie.
Bardea Steak
608 N. Market St., Wilmington; bardeasteak.com
A marble sculpture of a white Chianina bull, the oldest and biggest bovine breed in the world, rests near a fireplace in Bardea Steak's 120-seat main dining area. It perhaps best sets the tone of what James Beard nominated chef/co-owner Antimo DiMeo is trying to accomplish — modernizing Old World tastes for today's memorable eating experiences at this year-old restaurant. This is high-end dining, not quite your classic steakhouse, and prices reflect that. (There are $2 charges per person for unlimited sparkling and still water, and a 3 percent employee benefits charge is applied to each check to help pay for staff health benefits, although it can be removed if you ask a manager.) The menu has changed since the June 2022 opening. You can now order twists on classic steakhouse offerings such as a house salad, loaded potato, and cream of spinach pot pie. An excellent table-sharing option is the $180 steak tasting. Some steaks are listed and priced by the ounce on the beef list, rather than providing one set price. Choices include Australian Wagyu, Holstein, and Grassfed Angus. You might want to ask the server the exact cost of the steak before ordering to save possible sticker shock when the bill arrives.
Tonic Seafood & Steak
111 W. 11th St., Wilmington; tonicsns.com
Executive Chef Patrick Bradley offers a diverse menu at this downtown Wilmington restaurant near the Hotel du Pont. But if steakhouse eating is what you want, Bradley has you covered. Start with the seafood tower, $75, which includes tuna tartare, jumbo lump crab cocktail, six oysters on the half shell, and six jumbo shrimp cocktail. The menu includes French onion soup, abd a chopped wedge salad with blue cheese, and bacon lardons. Steaks, served with mashed potatoes and demi-glace or compound butter, range from $45 for an 8-ounce filet mignon to $60 for a 16-ounce, 28-day aged bone-in ribeye.
RedFire Grill & Steakhouse
Lantana Square shopping center, 400 Lantana Drive, Hockessin; redfiregrill.net
Owner Carl Georigi fired up the Hockessin dining scene in 2010 when he changed the name, interior, and concept of Dome, his Lantana Square restaurant, to RedFire Grill & Steakhouse and began catering to beef lovers. The menu has remained steady and reliable over the past 13 years. You can't go wrong with the warm garlic bread with gorgonzola fondue. Actually, you can't go wrong with any of the 28-day-aged steaks that come with a choice of potato. A customer favorite is an 8-ounce ribeye served with grilled asparagus, beer-battered onion rings, mashed potatoes, and more of that gorgonzola fondue. Don't shy away from the burgers or the very tender boneless short ribs.
The Marshallton Steak House
3517 Old Capitol Trail, Marshallton; themarshallton.com
In 2021, Glenn Wootten of Appleton Catering took over the old Hunter's Den and turned it into an "East Coast American Steakhouse." The Marshallton Steakhouse, open Wednesday through Sunday, has offerings like clams casino, scallops wrapped in bacon, and chopped salad. Steaks are aged 21 days and cooked sous-vide. A 12-ounce ribeye that comes with two sides is $39. The filet mignon, 8 ounces, that also with two sides is $47. Marshallton has a brunch buffet, featuring a carving station, every Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
And even more steakhouses
Other Delaware steakhouses to check out: Firebirds Wood Fired Grill in Stanton, and CS Brazilian Steakhouse, and Ted's Montana Grill, both in Christiana; Texas Roadhouse in Bear; Outback steakhouses in Dover, Newark and Rehoboth Beach.
Steakhouses just over the state line worth a visit: Prime 225 in Chesapeake City, Maryland, and Brandywine Prime in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania.
Contact Patricia Talorico at ptalorico@delawareonline.com or 302-324-2861 and follow her on X (Twitter) @pattytalorico Sign up for her Delaware Eats newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: What's the best steakhouse in Delaware? Great places for steak, more
