Jessop’s Tavern in Old New Castle gets $50,000 grant for updates

Jessop’s Tavern in Old New Castle is one of 50 small U.S. restaurants that will receive a $50,000 grant from a historic preservation organization to upgrade, bolster, and grow its business.

The money given to the colonial American tavern, which has roots tracing back 350 years, comes from a four-year-old program from American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s “Backing Historic Small Restaurants.”

It was started in 2021 to help culturally significant restaurants during the pandemic. The program has aided nearly 125 historic small restaurants in every U.S. state, Washington D.C.., and Puerto Rico. 

The restaurant management software company Resy also is offering each historic restaurant complimentary use of its program for one year to help streamline costs and boost restaurant operations.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation selected this year’s grantees from a group of restaurants that operate in historic buildings or neighborhoods and provide cultural significance to their communities through their history, cuisine, and locations.

Many of the 2024 grant recipients include family-owned establishments or those operating for generations.

Jessop’s Tavern at 114 Delaware St. in the historic section of New Castle has been operated by the Day family since November 1996. The colonial tavern is located in a structure that was built in 1674 and predates the end of the Revolutionary War by more than 100 years.

The name Jessop’s comes from Abraham Jessop, a coppersmith who began living in the building in 1724 and operated his barrel-making business there.

It has housed various businesses through the years including the Captain’s Log restaurant in the 1950s and The Green Frog Tavern in the 1970s.

Jessop’s serves American foods with English, Dutch, Belgian, and Swedish influences such as Dutch pot roast, shepherd’s pie, roast duck and Dutch apple cakes.

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It is well-known for its focus on Belgian beers, with more than 300 bottles and 20 drafts dedicated to Belgian brands. Don’t be surprised to see someone in a tricorn hat. The staff has been known to wear colonial-style garb.

Here is the complete list of restaurants that received grants.

Visit savingplaces.org/historicrestaurants for more nformation.

Patricia Talorico writes about food and restaurants. You can find her on Instagram, X and Facebook. Email  ptalorico@delawareonline.com. Sign up for her  Delaware Eats newsletter.