Scalessa's "My Way" Old School Italian Kitchen — Restaurant in Wilmington

📍 1836 N. Lincoln St., Wilmington, DE 19806 📅 Visits: January 25, 2024 & September 25, 2025 Scalessa’s is one of those neighborhood Italian kitchens that wins you over with warm service, hearty classics, and portions so big you’re guaranteed to leave with a box. If you are visiting and can’t take leftovers with you, highly recommend sharing a meal. Comparing my two visits—first in January 2024 and again today in September 2025—the consistency is impressive, with new highlights that make a return worth while. An additional note, you can walk to Scalessa’s easily from the Brandywine walkway along the river from downtown. About a 2 mile walk from downtown along the scenic trail. Atmosphere • 2024: Cozy, family-style feel with limited seating inside. A perfect “hidden gem” vibe for locals. Love the pictures and tributes to Sinatra and The Rat Pack. • 2025: Same intimate space, but busier and livelier tonight. Outdoor tables and a fire pit added a nice touch, though the rainy weather kept most people inside. Would like to be able to hear the music be a little louder to enjoy it. The walls had just been painted and new flooring installed, so all the pictures and memorabilia will be going back up shortly. Starters • 2024: No appetizer—straight to the main course. Lunchtime and we were walking w miles back so we did not want to overstuff ourselves. • 2025: Began with the risotto balls, a special. Absolutely massive, golden on the outside, creamy inside, served with ricotta and marinara. Easily sharable. Salad • 2024: Crisp romaine, cucumbers, tomatoes, Parmesan, and Italian vinaigrette. Simple and refreshing alongside the heavy entrée. • 2025: Nearly identical. Main Entrées • 2024: Chicken Parmesan with gnocchi—a giant breaded cutlet covered in marinara and mozzarella, served with a hearty side of gnocchi. Comfort food at its best. • 2025: Ordered the Chicken Parmesan with gnocchi again. The chicken was just as tender and cheesy, but the gnocchi seemed lighter and more delicate this time. A subtle refinement that elevated the dish. Dessert • 2024: No dessert. • 2025: Treated myself to the Chocolate Butter Cake—a decadent mix of cake and brownie textures, gooey but not overpowering, with whipped cream on the side. A must-try finish to the meal. Easily can be shared. Service & Experience Both visits featured attentive, friendly servers who paced the meal well. In 2025, I appreciated being asked whether to hold the entrée until I finished the appetizer—thoughtful touches that show they care about the diner’s experience. The owner stopped over multiple times to check to see how the meal was. Final Thoughts Scalessa’s remains consistently excellent between visits. 2024 introduced me to their unforgettable Chicken Parm and gnocchi, and 2025 added the risotto balls appetizer and chocolate butter cake, making the meal even more indulgent. Next visit I am going to venture out and try something different. Not sure what yet, but looking forward to it. ⭐ Rating: 5/5 (both visits) – Dependable, hearty, and delicious every time. If you’re in Wilmington or passing through on I-95, Scalessa’s should be on your list. #Review #Resatuarants #Wilmington #Delaware...

I was really looking forward to eating here. I heard really good things about their food. We walked in, and I thought it was going to be more like a fine dining place , but it was not. We were seated at a small table. It was kinda cold. So we moved, but no matter what table we sat at, it was still cold. Like they had a fan blowing. The waitress was young but very kind. We ordered and waited a little longer than we should have. But the food came out very hot. The wedding soup was right on point. Delicious 😋 Our food was served right on top of each other, which I absolutely hate, and we had to ask for rolls. But the waitress was very friendly so we overlooked that. I had gnocchi with shrimp in a Rosa sauce. The gnocchi were very light and fluffy, and the sauce was sweet. The shrimp were very big and plentiful. The only thing I did not like about the dish was that the shrimp had the tails on them still. I didn't want to have to get my hands dirty with sauce; trying to peel the tails off. Some people like really big shrimp. But in a dish like this, I think smaller with more of them. All in all, the food was good, a bit pricey without the ambiance of a fine dine in restaurant. It was more like a sandwich shop atmosphere. We did not see a bathroom anywhere, either. So my suggestions for me to give it a 5 star would be There are no tails on the shrimp Serve a bowl of good finely grated cheese with the wedding soup. Remodel your dining area and add some tablecloths, maybe a little table lamp. Train your servers to time the food, and bring drinks and rolls immediately to give your customers something to nibble on while they wait. Get a bathroom. ( I don't know how you can run an establishment with no bathroom. ) We will go back since the food was really good to try sandwiches and maybe just take out.

Recap to my review: I always give my honest opinion. I read reviews that help me in so many ways. I generously gave it a 4-star review because I did really like the food. The outside of the establishment was cute with that old-school italian charm.However, the inside was lacking a bit, with no signs to let the public know that you offer a bathroom.. , and so I made some suggestions and offeredafew pointers.(oh look I made a typo 😬). Apparently, some people can not take constructive criticism and bashed me for my review on their personal fb page. This left a bad taste in my mouth, as did the tails on my shrimp. I feel if you have something to say, then you should really post it on your business platform and not hide behind your personal Facebook account.. Let the community know how you really feel. Don't worry, I will not return to your food establishment as there are so many other great Italian restaurants to visit in the area. I'm still giving you a 4 star because I'm an honest person, and literally, this does not affect my life. Good luck with your...

Last night; Thursday, September 21st, 2023, my good buddy from Raleigh, North Carolina came up to visit. He told me he wanted "The Best Hoagie" in Wilmington for lunch Friday. So, I went to the internet and looked for "The Best". I read a lot of reviews and saw a lot of ratings. However, one stuck out above the rest; Scalessa's, at 1836 N. Lincoln St. here in Wilmington. I grew up in Delaware County, Pa, and grew up eating cheese steaks and hoagies. But, I'd never heard of Scalessa’s. They have a 4.8 out of 5.0, and that’s excellent. It said their food was real Italian, and I know real Italian food well. So, I thought we'd give it a try. WELL DAMN...what a wonderful surprise. The place is cozy, comfortable, and CLEAN!!! The lady and man behind the counter (who I’m guessing are the owners), were friendly, helpful, and accommodating. Truly, they were. I have a temporary chewing problem, so, as much as I really wanted a cheese steak, I couldn't get one, because I could chew the roll. The lady suggested a steak served like an entrée, without the roll...she served it in a bowl with the cheese, pickles, tomatoes, and ketchup on top, appetizingly presented. The steak was OBVIOUSLY, thin-sliced prime rib, not a cheap cut of steak... (not grizzly or fatty). Even better, it was melt-in-your-mouth, TENDER...I didn’t need teeth. My friends "OLD SCHOOL ITALIAN KITCHEN” hoagie, had; provolone, pepper ham, capicola ham, Prosciutto ham, and the freshest looking ripe veggies. THREE times my buddy stopped eating to show me how much was stuffed in that Italian roll (which was freshly baked). After devouring it, he said; "that is the best hoagie I've ever eaten." When I dropped him back off at his hotel, the last thing he did was to thank ME for the great hoagie (like I made It)? I think they'll be a few Scalessa’s hoagies traveling back to N.C, when he goes back on Monday. Bottom Line; Scalessa's food is dynamite. Their hoagie and cheese steaks are "legendary", and I’ve rarely ever used that word in a review. BTW, I was a chef for 43 years, and have worked with some excellent chefs, and ran some very successful restaurants. so, I know great food. You don’t have to be fancy or big, expensive or have “reservations-only”, or have tablecloths and candles on the table, to have great food, a great food operation, and be successful. You’ll get great food, great service (with a great attitude), and a comfortable, cozy atmosphere when you choose Scalessa’s. Thank You folks at Scalessa's for a wonderful...