WILMINGTON — The brains behind Bardea now have their eyes set on its sixth concept in Wilmington, doubling down on the city’s restaurant scene.
Earlier this month, Bardea co-founders Scott Stein, Antimo DiMeo and Pino DiMeo announced a partnership with the Buccini/Pollin Group to open a full-service Italian restaurant inside DE.CO Food Hall on 10th Street. The restaurant, which has no name at this time, will aim to serve a more sit-down clientele with an Italian trattoria that can seat up to 70 people.
“This was really about opportunity,” Stein told the Delaware Business Times. “We really feel like we’re missing an element. We’re getting more toward normalcy with the in-office schedules with Tuesday and Wednesday being the most popular days. But we’ve really noticed that people are searching for lunch options where they can sit and have conversations, get that professional service but still have that casual atmosphere.”
In 2018, Stein and the DiMeos opened their 120-seat restaurant on Market Street, Bardea, named after the goddess of food and drink. The group has since added Bardea Steak, the outdoor dining venue Garden at Bardea and a pizza and taco stall at DE.CO food hall. Although he comes from Philadelphia, Stein said that he sees that Wilmington has promise to grow.
“Wilmington is a small city, but it’s not as if people are going to the Riverfront to get a drink and then come downtown for dinner. It’s not that kind of city. But we’re having more people than ever living here,” he said. “We’ve had other options to go to other cities but we feel at home here. Sometimes I feel like the city gets overlooked, but we have a great customer base and it’s been growing. We’ve seen a jump in reservations from 610 and 267 and 215 area codes.”
A key difference between DE.CO and Bardea’s other venues like Bardea Food & Drink, The Garden at Bardea and Bardea Steak on Market Street is that it’s a relaxed atmosphere enough for a quick bite with friends. With this new concept, Stein hopes to bring the best of both worlds.
“When you go into a food hall, it’s like you have limited time and you have to get your order and quickly eat it between meetings. To balance against that, we want to create a space where there’s a place to just have a sit down meal,” Stein said.
The new Italian restaurant will be designed by Philadelphia-based Stokes Architecture + Design. When complete, the restaurant will take the place of the seating area near the bar that faces Orange Street. Construction is expected to start in the coming weeks.
The menu has yet to be decided but will include lunch and dinner options of Italian cuisine. Stein said the goal is to tap more into Wilmington’s growing nightlife. While Tuesday and Wednesdays seem to bring more office workers, he said that Monday night can be the busiest of the week as not many other restaurants are open for dinner.
“We have a lot of stuff going on in Wilmington with tournaments and shows. There’s families that want to have a sit down place to have a proper dinner and a glass of wine in a setting that’s less pressure than a bar,” Stein said. “It’ll be great food and a great ambiance. When you walk in, you’ll see that the entire space will be transformed.”
