Menu items served at the Green Room, which is closing Jan. 1 and reopening with a new concept next spring./Photos courtesy of the Greater Wilmington Convention and Visitors Bureau/John Gomes
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The Green Room as we know it is closing. In October, Hotel Du Pont officials announced that after over 100 years of serving the Wilmington community, the restaurant will host its last day of service on Jan. 1, 2020. A reconceptualization will immediately follow and a new concept will reopen in its place this April.
David Pollin of the Buccini/Pollin Group said more news on the reconceptualization will be announced later this month. However, he could confirm a French brasserie-style restaurant with a locally known chef at the helm will be taking its place.
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An interior shot of the Green Room during the holidays./ |
The decision to recreate the design and menu of the Green Room came from the evolution of the dining scene. People are dining out more but looking for something contemporary with a less formal feel.
“People vote with their wallet,” Pollin said.
But Pollin wanted to assure that the classic and historic look of the space wouldn’t be leaving as they understand the importance and beauty of all of it.
The restaurant which is known for ornate design elements from the fumed oak paneling, to the coffered oak-beamed ceiling, gold chandeliers, richly textured draperies, and Italian mosaics, and is celebrated for bringing the elegance and grandeur of the Gilded Age into the 21st century, according to a news release.
The award-winning cuisine and thoughtful service have long complemented the dining room’s grand ambiance, leading to Four-Diamond Award recognition from AAA, which the restaurant has held consecutively for 30 years, and a Forbes Four-Star Award.
Pollin said the hotel knows the Green Room has been a space for visitors and locals alike to host special occasions and they want to keep that memory alive through the reconceptualization. With the redesign, BPG and the Hotel Du Pont still want the space to be a gathering place for guests and locals and “Really serve the community,” Pollin said.
When the Green Room closes its doors temporarily, the Brandywine Room within the hotel will open on Jan. 2, 2020 as a 56-seat pop-up in its place.
The Brandywine Room, overseen by Executive Chef Keith Miller, will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner daily until the new concept opens its doors in the Green Room space, giving a seamless transition for guests and locals.
For breakfast, guests can expect seasonal fare and artisanal continental breakfast options. Lunch will bring seasonal soups, salads, sandwiches and signature burger offerings. For dinner, the space becomes an intimate steakhouse accompanied by a seasonal, craft cocktail menu. Desserts during lunch and dinner will come from Spark’d and the hotel Bake Shop’s ongoing collaboration, according to a news release.
Pollin said they’re going to wait to hear the response from guests at the Brandywine Room before making any possible changes there as well.
