About the restaurant
1617 Baltimore Pike
(Routes 1 and Old 100)
Chadds Ford, PA 19317
610-388-8088
(Routes 1 and Old 100)
Chadds Ford, PA 19317
610-388-8088
Rating:
Hours:
Lunch Monday through Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Dinner daily, 5-10 p.m. Sunday brunch, 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Prices:
$$$
Payment methods:
American Express
Discover
MasterCard
Visa
Cuisine type: American; Steak House
Meals Served:
Lunch
Dinner
Style:
The team behind Wilmington's Deep Blue has crossed the Pennsylvania state line to revamp the historic Chadds Ford Inn into a swanky chophouse and grill. The grand old stone inn has gotten a chic update, but the high-end menu lacks finesse and consistency, and the young service is perpetually confused.
Specialties:
Shrimp cocktail; tuna or beef tartare; coriander duck breast; lamb chops; dry-aged rib eye; duck linguine; chocolate mousse.
Alcohol:
A good selection of international wines, including such nice values as the Stolpman cabernet ($39) and esoterica (sweet Hungarian Tokaji, $50). There are thirty wines at $30 or less, plus a BYO-friendly policy (1 bottle per table max for $10 corkage.) Also, a well-stocked whiskey/port bar and a smart selection of craft beers.
Philly.com Dining
The Rating Key
$ = cheap eats
$$ = moderate priced; most entrees $16-$25
$$$ = premium priced; most entrees $26-$35
$$$$ = hey, big spender; most entrees $36 and up
Superior 
Rare; sets fine-dining standards.
Rare; sets fine-dining standards.
Excellent 
Excels in every category of the dining experience.
Excels in every category of the dining experience.
Very Good
Interesting, with above-average food.
Interesting, with above-average food.
Hit-or-miss 
Poor — No bells
RELATED
1617 Baltimore Pike (at Old 100), Chadds Ford, 610-388-8088; www.brandywineprime.com.
REVISITED: The team behind Wilmington's Deep Blue has crossed the Pennsylvania state line to revamp the historic Chadds Ford Inn into a swanky chophouse and grill. The grand old stone inn has gotten a chic update, and also improved the menu enough since its initial review - most notably, in lightening its sauces - to step up to a second bell.
At a recent revisit, seafood dishes remained a weakness. But the Angus cattle rancher at my table had to concede: His special 14-ounce prime dry-aged rib-eye was shockingly expensive ($50!), but it was memorably, meltingly good. So was my big elk chop with cranberry sauce, and a fabulous California meritage, Lateral, listed (like most of this cellar) at a very fair markup. Reviewed June 17; revisited early December.
