Ah, Home Grown. In my 4 years at UD, I probably had everything on the menu- twice. The place is great for vegetarians, vegans, gluten free folks, and omnivores alike. As a vegan, I appreciate that I can have something different every time I come here (not a veggie burger or a salad all the time, too!), and even my meat eating friends can just get a plain cheeseburger and call it a day. Also thumbs up for knowledgable staff- several times I've come here and have had all of my questions promptly answered by my server- ranging from ingredients to opinions on several food options. They used to have a really great veggie sandwich that's disappeared with a recent menu redesign, and I quite miss it. The one they've replaced it with isn't nearly as good :( also, some of the items can be a little pricey- I guess some of them have premium ingredients, but it can also be frustrating. I like the bar on weekends- it has an earthy vibe, live music, and an interesting crowd. And a tip- if you're planning on going for brunch, make a reservation! The place gets packed on weekends! read more

As a girl coming from a place with very few vegetarian options, this was awesome! The decor is funky and the music fits it just right. It was a little dirty but we were here at 9:30 at night. I had the vegan sloppy Joe and I was like a kid in a candy store it was so delicious. Cannot wait to come back and visit my mom so I can go again. read more

I like the place because my wife is vegetarian. Great selection for both her and me-- the meat eater. Great micro brew selection. Nice, trendy and creative menu. Definitely not a cookie cutter chain restaurant. If you are in Downtown Newark, my advice is try it--you'll find something you like. read more

Delicious dinner, great beer selection, and great live music. The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because the food is overpriced (there are great drink specials though). I had a rigatoni dish with seitan, which tasted absolutely amazing, and the portion was big enough for me to have leftovers for lunch the next day. My stepdad got one of the weekly specials, which was a cauliflower steak with butternut squash spread and some swiss chard, shallots, and micro-greens on top. It was a beautiful presentation and my stepdad said it tasted amazing, but at $18 it was incredibly overpriced for literally just vegetables with no protein... gotta throw some seitan or tofu in there, guys! Overall, I won't be ordering food there because of the price, but I'll be back for drinks and the live music. read more

I first started going here for the amazing selection of martinis; it was a relaxed bar atmosphere when we needed a break from Rooney's or the Stone Balloon (RIP). After a few visits, we decided to try the food! Every single time I go, I am reminded of why of love it...amazing food, drinks, and atmosphere, and I am never disappointed! Not to miss - mushroom soup and CRAB FONDUE. The crab fondue is amazing...it makes me happy just thinking about it! Friends who have moved away always make Home Grown a priority on their to do list when they are back in town because of the amazing crab fondue. The menu changes seasonally so it keeps thing interesting. Don't worry, the crab fondue seems to be a permanent fixture on the menu. There are always plenty of vegetarian/vegan and healthy options on the menu so it really caters to everyone's dining preferences. I would definitely recommend it! Try the crab fondue!! :) PS. If you park behind Happy Harry's, you can get an hour parking validation coupon. read more

Stopped here on my way from Philly to DC, had a really tasty meal. Definitely worth going out of your way to eat here! read more

Home Grown Cafe - New American Near Me - Newark, Delaware

This Main Street mainstay has consistently been my favorite spot for a meal out with my family, friends, and longtime girlfriend-now-wife. The afternoon my pops and I moved myself into my freshman dorm, where did we go? Home Grown. Where to for several birthday feasts among my parents and two other siblings. Home Grown. Where did my wife and I go after I proposed? Home Grown. I mostly stick to a vegan diet, and my wife chooses a vegetarian option consistently. We highly value HG for their array of veg options and expressed willingness to sub just about anything to suit your dietary preferences. The service and atmosphere have been continually conscientious, warm, and--what can I say?--groovy. We can enjoy time with our more carnivorous parents here, which we value over and against comparable New American eateries that can alienate rather than invite the more culinary traditionalists (read: meat and potatoes folks) among us. Local art rotates with the seasons along with new flavors, dishes, and musicians. We love the value, too. We personally opt for something like the Green Goddess sandwich (previously dubbed the Chef's Sandwich, previously dubbed the Power House) with their house veggie burger, which is the best I've enjoyed (and I've tried many). For the initiated, this one is beet based with a delightfully crisp exterior and rich, dark color. I'd reckon it carries with it some black beans and offers an earthy, slightly sweet, smoky flavor. Very much unlike the standard veggie burger fare that appears to be on other restaurants' menus as an accommodating afterthought. This recipe was given much care and intention, and it shows. With a generous side of their mixed greens and house vinaigrette, we both get a plate for 20 dollars even. More often than not we're taking home the other half of the sandwhich for tomorrow's lunch. Granted, the entrees are considerably more expensive, but know that you can have a terrifically satisfying meal for two (just get water, of course...) for 25 dollars, tip included. Without a moment's hesitation, Home Grown is and will be our go-to for years to come. read more

Love the menu options here, but the entrees are very hit-or-miss for the price. Bucket O'fries always awesome. But last dinner my wife's beef tenderloin was tough beyond words or chewing. No offer to take it back, replace it, or anything. I tasted it as well and she was quite right. My chicken was good, but kind of a chintzy portion for $17. And the service was only acceptable: not very attentive at all. Not sure we'll go back. Disappointing. read more

Awesome restaurant. They have great vegan and vegetarian options, especially for brunch. Everyone should try a vegan omelette from Home Grown. The fake eggs aren't just scrambled tofu (like many other places). Maybe chickpea flour? Whatever the omelettes are made of, they're delicious. I also recommend trying the veggie burger and seitan wings. Home Grown also has a decent beer selection and top-notch Bloody Mary's. Definitely give this place a try! But be aware that it can get crowded, especially on weekends during the school year. read more

I keep trying to like this place more but it's soooo hit or miss. The menu is okay. They don't change it often but when they do they seem to take off the most popular items. I do like their new addition of maine root ginger beer. It's simply just okay though. There are more healthier options on Main Street now that are a bit more reasonable. I will say you can't go wrong with their happy hour though. Drink and food specials are good and the crowd is more mature than others. read more

If you want to get a meal - good luck! We went in and were told we had to wait 10 minutes, ok. There were 2 tables for 2 and the other side was totally available. Maybe they didn't have the wait staff. There were 2 of us. 5 minutes later got seated on the other side. Our waiter came, took our drink orders and we never saw him again - 20 minutes plus??????? Never got to place a food order. Left the money on the table for our drinks. Told the hostess what happened, she said "ok." This happened on December 22, 2017. read more

The food is spot on here and there's almost always a drink special going on. Great selection of beers and great selection of seasonal foods. Prices are well worth what you pay for. read more

Have been a fan since I first visited on my 21st birthday. I've always had a good experience here- for brunch, dinner or having drinks, and also as a showcased artist. I try to visit Home Grown whenever I'm in the area. The staff is very friendly. Weekend Brunch (with a mimosa) will always be my favorite here. read more

The selection of vegan/vegetarian options were a big draw for me. We came here on an unseasonably warm November afternoon - we sat outside on their front patio to watch the foot traffic and cars on Main St. I had the vegetarian version of their Fighting Blue Hen sandwich (melted Monterey Jack, lettuce, tomato, crispy onions & house made BBQ sauce) - the chicken was replaced with their housemade veggie chicken, which was lightly breaded and fried. I was expecting a messy sandwich with the BBQ sauce but it wasn't. The sandwich came with housemade potato chips. Everything was good - the veggie chicken appeared to be made out of seitan - it made for a soft consistency but it was enjoyable. read more

I think I like this place. It is almost worth putting up with the college scene in Newark and having to put $3.75 in change in the meter and leaving in the middle of dinner to refill it. (Although now that I look at their website, I see that they pay for your first hour if you park in a lot, so that was partly my own fault for not doing the research.) But anyway...I was first struck by the beer selection. I started off with a Southern Tier Unearthly, which was only $8 for a 22 oz. bottle! They had a quality list of beers and our bartender was knowledgeable about beer as well, which is always a plus. The fact that there were so many vegan items on the menu was exciting for me. I have a dairy allergy, so that meant that I had plenty of choices...even though I did not plan to actually abstain from meat. For my meal, I had the Banh Mi with chicken. They are not kidding when they say "spicy" aoili, by the way. This sandwich was quite tasty and full of flavor. Also, the fries were enjoyable and worth the $2 up-charge. If this place were in Philly or Wilmington, I think that it would quickly become a staple for me. read more

I love places that support local anything (farmers, artists, etc.) and this place does exactly that. It's even in their name! I felt a little ridiculous being a 20-something ordering a grilled cheese from the menu, but this was seriously the best GC I've ever eaten. I tried my friend's Southwestern California Cobb salad and ended up splitting her salad and my GC between the both of us. It was all so delicious! We ordered the Baked Spinach Spread also. When the waiter tried to clear the plate from the table, I quickly told him to leave it so that we could scrape every little bit out of the bowl. (Yes, THAT good.) They've also got great beer from local breweries, if you enjoy trying new beers. I will certainly visit this place the next time I'm there for work - VERY tasty! read more

I came here with a large group of people, and had an overall pleasant dining experience. In a nutshell: 1) The wait to be seated wasn't too bad, even though we came with a large group just after the lunch rush. 2) The service was friendly, albeit a bit slow. 3) The food ranged from good to great, with exception of a poorly cooked hamburger. The BLT with vegan bacon was out of this world, and the grilled cheese was fantastic. The fries came out cold and gross, but the server switched them for a fresh batch when we asked. 4) The price is about what you would expect for the location, the menu, and the atmosphere. This is a 3.5 star restaurant that gets bumped up to four for using local ingredients and offering herbivore and omnivore options for almost everything on their menu. read more

Don't get discouraged by the girl at the front desk, everybody else is nice there and the food is generally worth the wait. There are many vegetarian and gluten-free options and the food is very good in general. It's not an extreme healthy place with all kinds of grass juices and stuff like that -since they don't even have fresh-squeezed juice-, but there are options for all tastes and they are very accommodating. If you stay late after dinner you can enjoy the bar, and some days of the week live music as well. Just hold your table if you are going to stay, because you will not find a free table later. The desserts are good too!!! read more

This place is groovy. I think thats the perfect word to describe it. First time I've visited here, they IDed me and gave me wrist band. Which was confusing because I came to eat and not bar hop. Funny thing is, it was not much like a bar so im still confused. Anyway, my bf and i ordered the veggie burgers. He got chips as a side and i got the mushroom soup. Veggie burger was ok. I like the goat cheese but wasn't feeling the jelly on the burger. It made it sweet and the goat cheese pairing with the jam was weird. I love goat cheese but Im not a fan of it combined with sweet flavors. More of a savory kind of eater. My bf, however, loved it and ordered it the second time we came. Mushroom soup was LIT! So good i wish I ordered some to go. My second visit here I ordered the caesar salad and i was bummed out because it was small and not nearly enough dressing. The extra dressing I requested definitely bumped it up a notch. I enjoyed it but I wish the portions were bigger. Deducted stars for the portion size and the pricey menu! Adding protein to the salad was a $7 up charge. Girl bye! read more

Had a quick drink here for wine and dine . In keeping with the trend of all things "home grown" they were pouring organic wines from bonterra I tried the Pinot nior and chris did the reisling. Both were ok. The menu looked inviting but we had a table at cafe gelato. read more

Another solid brunch from Home Grown. I went with the best BLT ever as did the majority of my table. It's going to be hard not to order this on every visit from now on. The homemade chips were cool and thus a bit pasty, not hot and crisp as I would have liked. Oh well, guess that's what I get for substituting for the home fries! We started with the french toast stick appetizer which was amazing. A good portion for sharing with warm french toast coated in cornflakes. Perfection topped with warm maple syrup. I still have a problem with the all local menu and Kraft jam...come on people! read more

Based on Yelp! Reviews I arranged to meet a friend here - she lives close by and this turns out to be her family's favorite place. Turns out - everyone was right - Home Grown was great! Delicious fresh food, friendly if not accurate service and a helpful if not really accurate hostess (estimated a 45 min wait, then seated us after less than 10 minutes) made it a slightly disjointed experience. But the food was great, prices were reasonable and I chalk up the rest to quirks you find with a VERY young staff. If you are in Newark and are not on a tight schedule I'd recommend Home Grown. read more

Pros: Good drink menu Brunch Great salads Cons: This place was awesome when I was in college (ate here all the time from 2004-2007), but things have negatively changed. Favorites: Thai chicken salad read more

Home Grown was my big standby all through college. If I still lived in Delaware and could afford it, I would eat at Home Grown every single day of the week. Seriously, it's that good. It's the one place that, as a vegetarian, I felt like I had loads of creative, tasty options and my carnivore friends could be happy too. Almost every dish comes with the option of steak, chicken, tuna, vegetarian chicken, tofu, seitan or portobello. I usually stuck with their sandwich and salad menu because the prices were more reasonable and the entrees often fail to wow me. Their appetizers are always amazing and the drinks are the best in town. The prices are a little hard on the college budget, but it's certainly worth the trip for the great food and cool atmosphere. If you go, try their raspberry long island iced teas, pot of gold fries, anything with veggie chicken and the Greco-Roman Ceasar salad (if its still on the menu). From my 21st birthday celebration to school nights at the Home Grown bar, I've made so many good memories at Home Grown... and ate a lot of good food in the process. read more

I spent three years living in Newark while gaining a Master's from the Univ. of Delaware. Home Grown was -- at the time -- considered one of the more "expensive" and "nice" places to eat on Main Street. So, on a my first return visit to the area in two years, I decided to meet up with some old classmates who were still in the area here. The place is still quite nice and their menu is still varied and has a lot of veggie options for those who aren't craving meat. The drinks were still well-made, and the crowd seemed to be the usual mix of students/locals/business people/families visiting their student at college/etc. The one thing I did notice this trip was the prices... they no longer seemed oppressive. Perhaps it is because they've come down? Perhaps it is because I've spent three years living in a state that over-taxes businesses who in turn pass it on to the consumer? Perhaps it is because I haven't had to live on a grad students budget in three years? All three? At any rate -- it's affordable. :) read more

We went here after Oktoberfest for some non-sausage options. The wait to get seated wasn't long despite a decent size crowd. The bar was available to idle at until a table was free & there was a decent microbrew selection on hand both on tap and in bottle, with equally decent prices. For my meal I kept it light since I had eaten my weight in German food at lunch. I had seared rare tuna bites which were excellent! They came served with a dollop of spicy mayo on each piece & some kind of noodles in the middle that I can only describe as pickled Ramen, but again, very good & went great with the tuna. I had the mushroom soup as an app (I usually love mushroom based soups) but it wasn't that great, too thin of a body and too peppery. I didn't even finish it. She had the falaffel & said it was very good although I didn't try any of it. Service was good. Decor was cool, but the seating seemed to lack a little privacy between tables. The section we sat in was all crunched together, kinda like a diner which made it seem like we were having dinner with the people next to us... kinda makes open conversation a bit awkward. Overall a very good experience & they even validate parking for the lot. If I'm ever looking for dinner in Newark again I'll definitely keep it in mind. read more

A hidden jem! In a world where everyone is serving the same boring, greasy burger, Home Grown really stands out. Yes, they have burgers. But so much more: locally produced meats, vegetarian, and even vegan options. Salads done right, amazing choices of wraps, and entrees inspired by all over the world. I love how they will happily custom make anything the way you like it. Waiters know what is in the dishes and if you have a food sensitivity or avoid meat for ethical reasons, they can advise you well. If I could afford to, I would eat here all the time! They do what I think all decent restaurants should: they list where ingredients come from, they can answer questions about ingredients, and they promote local farms & producers. It's great to know they make the food in their own kitchen out of fresh local ingredients! Such a nice break from the factory-farmed corporate microwaved dinners the big chain places serve!!! Here's the deal about the bar: they do have a nice bar with affordable drinks. But they're walking distance from U of D dorms, so expect the bar area especially is swamped on weekend evenings. They have live music on weekend nights, and they're really big into supporting local talent. The decor on the walls is even from local artists, and it's rotated out from time to time. They change up the menu every month or two, so there are always exciting, seasonal new choices. But the only down side is my personal favorite (dishes made with their meat-free chicken) are no longer offered. Their nachos are amazing and don't seem to change, and it's something I'll order to share no matter who comes with me. They do feature an outdoor seating area. However, I've always just come at times when it's way too hot, cold, rainy, or windy, so I don't know what the patio is like. I recommend getting reservations if you're coming during peak weekend dinner hours. It can be popular. I do not recommend bringing little kids. Menu, restaurant layout, and decor are all geared towards adults. For parking: there is a city lot right behind them and they will validate. Cons: Only down side is the price. The entrees can be around $17 + drinks and appetizers. read more

So delicious! We always bring out of town visitors here to sample the Pot O Gold fries and local other local fare. Great vegetarian and vegan options, friendly staff. Recently I have started going out here on weeknights, and they are very accomodating to large groups nursing drinks and appetizers. Definitely a new favorite spot! read more

OK - there are a few things I absolutely LOVE about Home Grown - one being the Thai Chicken Wrap, and another being the Pot 'O Fries - and the quasi northern California decor makes me reminiscent for home. Have sometimes ventured elsewhere on the menu with mixed results. Seems the farther you do down the gourmet route, the more hit and miss it is. You want something French and froofy - go across the street to the Wine House. That said, this is one of my regular haunts in Newark - probably been there three dozen times (I DO love that Thai Chicken Wrap!) and I always appreciate the colorful wait staff as well. I say put on your bell bottoms, tinted glasses, and take the plunge! read more

I went to Homegrown twice while I was in town for a friend's wedding...and they actually catered the wedding, too! I love that they have some many veggie options! The first time, I had the seitan wings (yum!) and a tofu banh mi, though the Homegrown twist placed the sandwich in a flatbread instead of the traditional baguette. The seitan wings came with a really deliciously spicy Buffalo dipping sauce. We went back the next day for brunch, and I tried the Roasted Long Hots, which were very tasty. If that wasn't enough, I then had the vegan Mushroom Madness Omelet. It was probably the best vegan omelet I've had (I admittedly haven't had many). There were so many other dishes I wanted to try! My friends had non-vegan dishes and seemed to enjoy their meals as well. One friend really loved the grilled cheese sandwich. Definitely recommend for brunch! read more

Home Grown is a cool spot! It's part bar, part shop, part restaurant. I came with a friend who grew up nearby and he loves their wraps. I decided to try the house chili, which tasted great and came with a nice alternative to soda crackers in the form of spiced corn chips. Think fritos. While I would have liked to have been more adventurous, I could only stay for a little bit. This seems to be the place to be seen if you're hip and in college at nearby University of Delaware. I would come back here for sure! read more

We're staying in the area for a couple of days. Home Grown was one of the spots that showed up with vegan options. The vegan banh mi sandwich is so yummy with a side of fries! My husband really enjoyed his shrimp po boy as well. Very friendly staff. Update: we came back for dinner the following night. The vegan nachos were yummy and so were the tofu tacos! Our waitress was a joy and super helpful! Also the vegan carrot cake was great! Thank you! read more

We ate here with 4 of us with dietary restrictions- a Vegan, a Celiac, a Dairy Free and a Low FODMAP. Our Server, Tyler was fantastic! We found great options for all. We had Falafel wrap, Corned Beef sandwich, Hamburger and Grilled Chicken Sandwich. All with no problems. Thank you Tyler for being Up for the Challenge! read more