Came to hear Jacopo De Nicola--who was great!!!--and found the deserts and beer selection very welcoming! Ellen got the warm chocolate cake: Mmmm... Purple Haze Porter (6.6 ABV), is very nice, too. Great atmosphere. Looking at the menu (many vegan options) and our fellow diners' selections, we shall return! read more

Love love love Bellefonte Cafe. This is our go to place for lunch. Food is fresh, provides a lot of choice for everyone. Service is great and friendly and you always feel welcome. Particularly love grilled cheese specials which never disappoints. Also love that we can support a local business. read more

I am writing this review a little late. I had their food in the summer but I still wanted to write a review because it was pretty good. We sat outside and the ambiance was near perfect. The only thing was that there were a few flies that were annoying near the end of our meal but it didn't ruin the experience. This was my first meal when moving to Delaware and it made quite an impression! I had the chicken cheesesteak which was good, others at my table had the quesadilla and chips and salsa/guac. The salsa is like CRACK its so good. Everything is so fresh, you can even see their little garden when you sit outside. The décor inside is quite adorable. It looks like a colorful Louisiana plantation home. The service is really good as well, you can tell they enjoy working there. The only con I have is I wish they had more variety but I can completely understand why they don't. read more

I want to start by saying that I gave this place 4 stars despite the slow service. Our service was wonderful. Funny and a little snarky, loved her! She was running her butt off but still took 15 minutes to get draft beer. We timed it. Ok, the place is SO CHARMING! It's small inside because it is just a house. The old kind with plaster walls. It has a good amount of seating but if you're going on a weekend night I'd call for reservations. They do offer outside seating but we wanted to be inside to hear the band. The menu has something for everyone but for me the best part was that they had vegan options! Including a guaranteed vegan dessert option! YAY!!! I had the Vegan Quinoa Burger on a ciabatta roll. It was very filling and very good. I also got a side of curried beets. They were good but I couldn't detect the curry. Hubby had Spicy Chick Pea Fajitas. By spicy we believe they meant with spices, not with heat. He loved it anyway. We had the vegan vanilla cake with vanilla icing. Sounds boring but it was quite yummy. Our friends had the swordfish and the grilled cheese panini which they said was all good. Check the place out! I'm definitely going back! read more

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New owners, new day. Great food, solid booze and beer selection. This is a casual, fun place to hang out.

Came to this place with friends. Amazing food. I had the brie mango quesadilla and apple slaw. Fantastic. Love the outdoor patio with tiki torches. Extremely friendly staff too. read more

Overrated, pricey, slow service. I called an placed an order for pick-up. I came a bit early and ordered a beer at the small bar area. In front of me, I could see the kitchen. After about 10 minutes I noticed the kitchen staff placed a plastic bag on a ledge. I had no way of knowing this was my order. So there it sat for about 15 minutes before the girl (who was more interested in gabbing with her co-workers) finally decided it was time to do her job. read more

This is one of my favorite local places to go to. We've brought family and friends over for a great atmosphere and drinks. Local brews we discovered here have become favorites for me. The staff is very nice and accommodating. Dog friendly and they also offer a healthy meal for dogs. We always sit outside and enjoy the garden and come inside on weekends for local bands. The food is good and with variety of different options for all. I always get the burger and the girlfriend gets her avocado and hummus dip. read more

First time there and i have to say the worst service EVER, you can have the most awesome atmosphere but looks only go so far. If their business was based on looks than it's successful but its a restaurant and they are less than professional. They claim it's a laid-back atmosphere that keeps their crowd coming back for more. I don't believe this to be true, considering it looked pretty empty during rush hour lunch. First off we were greeted by a man from another room, telling us to pick any place to sit. He didn't even come over to greet us face to face. We sit down and our waiter never introduces himself but hands us what looked like plastic dollar store 3x5 picture frame album and walked away after taking our drink order. I was not really sure if they wanted me to look at pictures??? since there was no logo on the outside of their "menu, photo album thing" so i open the sea foam green picture album to see hand written VERY HARD TO READ menu pages photo copied in the plastic sleeves where photo's go. We never saw our waiter again after we ordered.( NOTE I ORDERED A BLT..... NOT THAT COMPLICATED AND SHOULD NOT TAKE AN HR) we ordered at 12:35 and by 1:35 still no food and no refill of our drinks. I finally wave down a man at the bar whom i'm not even sure worked there or not. No one wears uniforms so you really don't know who works there and who is a guest. I ask this man from the bar why its been an hr for our food since our waiter was MIA and the man replied "oh get use to it the food service is slow here and it depends on when your order went in to when it comes out." I look around and say there are four people at the bar how slammed could they be to cook a BLT. Then another customer hears me and says, yea they are VERY slow here to cook food so eat before you come and by the time it comes you will be hungry again. Doesn't that defeat the whole purpose of going out to eat if you have to eat before hand??? no one in their right mind would wait an hr for a BLT All i can say is if you want a "laid back" atmosphere for friends then fine but don't call yourself a business. b/c that's disrespectful to REAL RESTAURANTS. Who bust their behind to give both surreal fun atmosphere and can still give good food service, b/c they put their customers first. Obviously your guest are not priority or you would not be so laid back in your services.... I would LOVE to invite CHEF RAMSEY to your place who would say that while your place is "pretty and eclectic" your place is a joke when it comes to service, menus, and staff. read more

Ok, strap in folks, this one's going to be tough for me. I went here once before in May 2013, and I don't remember much about what I had, but I do remember the wait being very long. This time around (Sunday, 06/15), the service was much faster, and our waitress, Elena was one of the most considerate, patient, and easy-going people I have ever encountered in the hospitality industry. No, I'm serious. The place was packed and hot and people were milling about everywhere, but she kept her head and made sure we were as comfortable as possible during our meal. So bravo to her...and because of her, Bellefonte Cafe gets another visit from me in the future. That being said... Bellefonte Cafe, I do this out of love. NEGATIVES: 1) Wandering patrons. Ok, yes, I get it. The restaurant is a house with nooks and crannies everywhere, and the overall atmosphere is very much of a "put your feet up and relax with good friends and food" feel, but it's still annoying when a group of people enter the place and search for a table, then find a table with a couple of half-empty glasses and discarded napkins and think it's about to be cleared, only to be told that a group of "regulars" is using that table and although they haven't been sitting there for over 20 minutes, they still have it. Um, wrong. When you sit down to eat in a dining establishment, you don't randomly get up for extended periods of time and roam aimlessly onto the porch or towards the bar and spend most of your "meal" chatting with the staff/other patrons and leave your refuse behind. Consideration? Is that a French word or something? 2) Asshole patrons. Now I shouldn't blame Bellefonte for this, but the clientele can really affect a person's experience in a restaurant. Case in point: when we were ushered into one of the rooms, we were initially split across two tables which were of uneven heights. My sister and I took the low table, while my boyfriend and brother-in-law took the high one. While we were making our way to said tables, Elena (God bless her) had to squeeze her way past a middle-aged woman who was standing directly in her path and talking a mile a minute to another table of people. The woman glanced up, frowned at my brother-in-law, and moved about an inch. I'm not kidding. He had to thrust his way past her. I was right behind him, and I noticed she started moving back to her original position, so I said, "Excuse me," and quickly nudged my way past her too...and I got a full-on stink-eye from her. Look lady, I don't know what your problem is, but if three people need to bump and squirm beyond you to get where they need to go, you might be considered an obstacle. Oh! I almost forgot, this woman was part of the group of people who abandoned their table for over 20 minutes. Remember this for later. 2a) Asshole patrons, Part II: Once were seated rather awkwardly in our too high/too low chairs, we started mulling over our menu options. About five minutes in, we heard a resounding BANG from the table next to us. We all jumped and I felt my chair shake. We turned around to see a rosy-cheeked, balding man grinning like an idiot and adjusting himself in his chair. Apparently, he lifted the glass table-top when he stood up and it dropped back down as soon as he sat down again. At no point did he apologize. He just sat there, squinting and smiling. He and his group left shortly after and Elena immediately cleared their table and moved us over so we could sit more easily. I heart you, Elena! 3) Live music by people who should not use amps in a cramped space. Do you really need huge amps in a room that's roughly 50 square feet? The sound was borderline deafening at times, and I felt bad having to scream my order to Elena, who also had to shout the specials to us. 4) People who should not sing along with live musicians, or any musicians, or should just not sing at all, ever. Remember that woman who glowered at us? The one who wasn't even sitting at her own damn table? Welp, she decided to sing along to "Hallelujah" and she dragged out poor Elena to sing along with her. Fortunately, Elena had a good singing voice and did not attempt to drown out the musicians. The rude woman's voice, however, was tinny and piercing, and the notes she screeched were well beyond the limits of human tolerance. After the song ended, she sat down, beaming proudly, while I carefully removed my fingers from my ears. I sincerely hope I never encounter this woman in a public setting again. POSITIVES: 1) The food. The nachos were excellent, and the refried beans were a perfect blend of savory and sweet. My smoked salmon bagel with capers and cream cheese was also very good, and the bagel was toasted just right. Everyone else enjoyed what they ordered, although my sister thought the bacon in her sandwich was a little thick. 2) The service. Again, Elena was on point and very sweet. She saved the day for me. Bellefonte, I'm giving you another chance. Don't fuck it up. read more

My two star rating for this place is an average of probably around 7-8 visits over the past 4 years to the Bfonte Cafe. When this place has got their proverbial shite together, I like it. But when they don't, it can be a bit of a train wreck. I have always found the food just OK here. Maybe I am ordering the wrong dishes, because I know loads of people that think this place is out of this world great. Very rarely have I had something that blew my socks off, but I've never had I had a dish that was God awful. Just Ho-Hum. As some of the other reviewers have stated, this place has mad potential, but doesn't live up to it, and I completely agree. I love the funky atmosphere, and music scene, so big props for that. A cold Dogfish Head and a good spot on the porch on a nice day, and this place is all I want. But..... I do have to talk about my last visit here which would be a 3 star review, but I've gotta knock it down to one star for one reason, and one reason only. The freaking bartender/server. Not only was this guy wasted drunk (which he openly admitted), he must have been higher than a kite. This guy's eyes were so squinty I don't know how he saw what he was doing. Now listen, I have no issue with a server who has had a drink or two, or a toke, but at least be able to do your job. The nonsensical blabbering from this dude was so irritating he literally ruined the meal for me, and my dining companions. He had a stupid comment for everything. This guy could very well be the most annoying person I have ever encountered in a restaurant. EVER. Despite my dealings with this burnout, my Thai Chicken sandwich was good with a nice amount of fresh ginger. I will no doubt return to the Bellefonte Cafe, but will hopefully time my visit in accordance with this guy's day off. read more

Disappointed this time We have been several times, and have always enjoyed the food, the atmosphere, and the service. This time, Bellafonte did not live up to it's promise. We came for a late-ish lunch, around 2 pm. Few people there, yet service ended up being very slow. We ordered two beers. They were severd in cans. No glass. We asked if we could have a glass. It took about 10 minutes before they brought one. By which time we had grabbed glasses from the next, empty table. The menu listed a tofu bahm mi. We asked if it could be served with pork instead of tofu (something delicious versus something we see no need to ever eat.) We were told they were out of the avocado, but otherwise could accommodate our request. When the wrap was served, it was nothing but greens, a sauce, and pork. Where were the pickled vegetables? With the slow service, we didn't have a chance to ask until half the sandwich was eaten (we were hungry). Their response: they brought out a side dish of pickled vegetables. No excuse. We ordered another sandwich. Both required a lot of salt to be tasty. We wondered if we should bring all the salt shakers in the restaurant to the kitchen, because they must have run out of salt. Not sure if we will be back. If we are, hoping for a much better experience! read more

Love the bellefonte cafe! I love going to listen to the live music that happens every once and awhile from the local artists. The food is fun and pretty good. I just recently went there and I would have to say its my new hang out spot for a little food and good spirits. read more

The Bellefonte Cafe hosted my 60th surprise BDay party last night, we had the place to ourselves. 50+ friends and family all enjoyed fantastic fresh food brought out all throughout the evening. Great, friendly staff, cozy atmosphere, love this place. I highly recommend as a party place for birthdays and family get togethers. The food was so good we couldn't keep up with it so be sure to order a lot!! Thanks everyone for the wonderful night, I won't ever forget it! read more

Great food, and more variety than you'd expect from a cafe. Service can be a little on the slow side, so I wouldn't recommend it if you're in a hurry. But fine for a nice leisurely meal or cup of coffee. read more

I have really come to love this place. Its a tiny piece of real, non-mainstream charm that you do not find very often and most definitely not in conservative Delaware. The diverse people that you meet here are, at least from my experiences, down to earth and pretty chilled out. Food is delicious and worth the wait. Just plan accordingly to enjoy the atmosphere, cold drinks, bask in the good energy and the time between ordering and receiving your food will fly by. Donna can throw down a tasty meal as easily as she spins some body movin grooves. Im not much of a dancer, but shes even gotten me to get out of my seat and move my feet via some classic 80s to funky Hindustani style music. A charming lil spot to unwind your mind and sip on coffee, tea, or one of their funky fresh cocktails. read more

I so really wanted to have a positive experience here. They added an outdoor patio seating area in the back which is great. It reminded me of places I visited in Key West. Why only 3 stars then? The service: I felt that Nate (I believe it is his name based on the receipt) really made a good effort. They were busy and seemed understaffed for the night. When we saw him he was quick and on his game. The person who was helping him though was aimless wonderer with no sense of direction or urgency. She dropped a drink that took her 10 minutes to slowly clean up. Then spent the night talking about being busy with a table of friends and when food/drinks came out she claimed she didn't know who they went to. The kitchen: two meals, one being a salad, took over 30 minutes to come out. We were starving and the salad was basically a 1/3 of chicken breast with 4-grape tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce. It did not justify the entree salad price of $11. read more

Horrible! The food and service were almost bad beyond description...almost. First I sat for 15 minutes before I could order a drink. My Irish coffee took 25 minutes. Why? No whipped cream or mint or chocolate shavings or powder. It was a mug of coffee with (I guess) Irish whiskey and milk. We had reservations for a party of eight so they finally took our meal order. When the food finally arrived, half the orders were wrong and/or cold. They reheated my black bean burrito and it returned a white food on a white oval plate. No presentation value at all. Also, no avocado which I ordered at $2 extra. I could have had a far better burrito at Taco Bell. The wait staff never got some orders correct. I have never been served by a more dull and dim-witted wait staff. The sooner this food atrocity closes the better. I wouldn't walk across the street for a free meal from the Bellefonte Cafe, let alone venture to this dreary neighborhood. Save your money, your palette, and your sanity. Go anywhere else. read more

Bellefonte Burger is legit. This cafe feels like a secret hideout. You'll like it. Cool atmosphere in an unexpected place.

Awesome place! I had been here a few years ago and liked it but hadn't had the urge to go back. I decided to try it again this past week and was officially wowed by the food. My fiancé and I had the vegan burger and the bahn mi. Both were really flavorful and delicious. We left feeling full but not bloated. Also, it was fun to sit out on the porch on a summer evening. read more

Great food if you have the time to wait. Love the funky ambiance in and out. Very friendly.

This place is an absolute gem! It's a small, whimsically decorated restaurant with a great vibe. The stafff is friendly and attentive without being intrusive. The Special Panini (mushroom & Brie) was outstanding. I will definitely be back soon! read more

Awesome atmosphere where it feels like you just went on vacation.

Excellent plethora of fresh delicious options from soup salad to entrees. Just happened upon this place on my travels. Yum!

First time at this cafe and I loved it. Delicious food and great live music on Sunday morning. Expect slow service because it's a small kitchen and can get crowded, but it's worth the wait. Recommend the salsa and portobello/swiss quesadilla. Yum. read more

The stars are more for the atmosphere and menu possibilities than the actual food and service. But thats the reason i go out to eat anyway. Like everyone else said, the food (sandwiches) took a loooooong time. Tasty though. Great quirky atmosphere inside including the clawfoot tub in the bathroom. We sat outside on the front porch, had pretty decent wine...while we waited, waited....a fabulous day and good conversation, so no problem here. Nice server but he could probably use a 5hour energy boost. Food was Cubano sandwich, bobotiser wrap and grilled cheese with avocado, bacon and tomato.- cubano was the tastiest of three. Might've seemed even tastier because by the time we got it, we were feeling the wine and hunger. Lots of vegetarian choices. Way tastier and healthier than most places for lunch. Will definitely try again :) Maybe i could order ahead~ read more

Would be 5 stars. I used to love the quinoa burger and the half off specials on Tuesdays. They discontinued this item and made a wrap they offered half price on Tuesdays. Now I feel a,little left out because upon visiting this Tuesday, they told me they no longer have any discounted vegan items and only meat burgers for half off. As long as it's like this, I will not be returning. Btw the burger and the wrap were beyond delicious and you guys do a great job. read more

Excellent server and great food on Friday afternoon MAY 17. We were out on the backyard dining area. It was very peaceful. We decided to come back the day of the festival on Saturday May 17 and were informed you need a reservation. It wasn't the same warm welcoming tone and would have preferred an option of when we could dine rather than here we are completely booked which was also expressed to many other customers who wanted to dine. It gave both my wife and feeling this was not the warm atmosphere we previously experienced in the past. read more

Try their quesadillas- spinach with pine nuts. AMAZING. Would go back again for it. Service was a little slow... no, a lot slow. But it's a slow town and I don't think theyr'e used to New Yorkers coming in an expecting fast service, so it was fine. The quesadilla was worth it :) read more

The Cafe is THE ULTIMATE Place To Relax and Take It Easy. Great Food, Great Atmosphere, Great People & Great Music. There is NO OTHER place like this in all of Delaware. read more

Just had three tacos for nine dollars. Two fish tacos and one chicken Cobb taco. Both were fantastic. And what a great deal. Every Wednesday night is taco night. I got them take out so I really can't comment on the service that has been a problem in the past. read more

Overall excellent flavors. Their vegan burger is a hit or miss with some folks, but the flavors are definitely unique compared to other veggie burgers in the area. Had their mexican apetizer, salmon benedict and vegan burger and would repeat the order after trying out their other dishes. Only downsides was the salmon benedict's salad side which had little to no dressing. I can appreciate raw vegetables at home, but when eating at a restaurant, I would hope they would do a little more than just pluck the plants out of a bag and throw it on your plate. read more

Amazing food and drinks. Plus a great atmosphere! I always come in when I go through Delaware.

Wow - such an unexpected delight! The sausage was great, the panini was full of cheesy melty goodness. Service was friendly and quick. Live music was setting up as we left. read more

So let me just say this first: I would usually not give any place a 5/5 star rating after a first visit; however, this is an occasion in which I will make an exception because I can't wait to go back multiple times. I'll explain that shortly. I ordered a Bellefonte Burger, which per their menu, is an "8oz angus beef burger, guacamole, cheddar, tomato jalepeno and bacon jam, brioche bun." While I ordered a medium, my patty came out closer to a well-done... this is normally a deal-breaker and earns some down-votes in my book; however, I was pleasantly surprised in the consistency throughout the patty. Usually, ordering a well-done burger is just too dry for my taste and you can almost expect them to overcook it even further with burnt edges. The bacon jam was perfectly blended into the guacamole and did not drip one bit. It was a sizable 8oz-patty burger that I wasn't afraid to put down (for chips) and pick up without making a mess. I'll certainly give them another chance with this Angus, but there's more... My sister ordered a veggie burger, which I do not see on this yelp menu so you'll have to take my word for it. I tore a piece off while she wasn't looking, and I was surprised with the firmness of the patty and the fact that I was able to pick out a flavor that belonged to none other than lentils. I've tried veggie burgers, and they are usually prone to falling apart/exploding on every bite. This one is a winner, and despite not being a vegetarian, I actually look forward to trying one of my own the next time I come. Which leads me to why I said I will come back multiple times: half price burger day is Tuesday, and half price burritos is Wednesday. The former is most important because most local half price burger places do that on Mondays! I can now have more opportunities to fatten up on burgers. Atmosphere: This place is very hip. Walls wear different colors and artwork, and there's even a piano tucked in a corner. Bands play here, so check their schedules. I went to the restroom upstairs, and I thought it was quite interesting that every seating arrangement was different -- chairs and tables of various heights and designs. This place is a hidden gem. My only warning for you is to watch out for dog poop out on the streets! Some people walk their dogs and let them relieve themselves on the sidewalks without cleaning after them. You don't want to end up walking around the neighborhood looking for puddles to dunk and sticks to pick. Ask me how I know. read more

Rediscovered this place last night with friends. We live down the street and had eaten lunch there 6 years ago when we first moved in. At that time, service was painfully slow and we were the only diners in there. They also had no high chair for my one year old - I understand it wasn't exactly a family friendly place since the bar seemed to be the biggest draw, but it definitely contributed to my overall negative dining experience. We had heard that they changed ownership or management last year and we decided to give it a try. So glad we did! Not only do they have the adorable wrap around porch on which to dine or drink, but they also created a wonderful back patio with umbrellas, tiki torches and a vegetable garden. We felt like we were on vacation! Inside, there was live music and a very cool, low-key, artsy vibe, quintessential to Bellefonte. They definitely made the back patio family-friendly. There were a couple of families out there when we arrived - I even spotted some high chairs! Drinks and food are reasonably priced and we were all happy with everything we ordered. While I can't say it tops my list of "foodie" places in Wilmington, there were some interesting and innovative choices (especially for vegans and vegetarians). We will certainly be back! read more

I had dinner for the first time here on Friday night. I knew from the minute I walked in by the eclectic furnishings and paint and the motley crowd inhabiting the place that I was going to love it. The menu has a great assortment of simply prepared fresh yummy food. I had some divine guacamole and a pork and basmati rice burrito... Yum. I will definitely be going back often. It was even affordable. One thing to note though, go prepared to do a lot of waiting and people watching, the staff is extremely laid back. read more

LOVE this place! Cool atmosphere and a little off the path. The service did take a little while longer than most places but still a cool place if you're not in a hurry. read more

Fantastic little diamond in the rough! Lets face it, yes it takes a few minutes to get your food but they practically go out into the garden and pick it for you! I've been meaning to write a review for a while. Donna is a great owner and cook. Relaxed atmosphere. Easy going people. Not the mention an amazeballs homemade curry on Friday evenings!! You have to stop in this place. Stay awhile. No one bites. read more

Went to this cool cafe with my family tonight What a great atmosphere. Live music fills the rooms but not too loud. We were still able to enjoy our dinner and have good conversation. The musician was a young lady who played guitar and sang original songs. She seemed at home and relaxed with the people in the room and many of them even sang along. The food was original and a refreshing change from the local chains. It reminded me of flavors that I enjoy on our trips to Napa. We had a chance to meet the new ownerers. They were so down to earth and really seemed to enjoy having us stop by. It was almost like we came over their house for dinner. We will be back for sure! read more