Harry's Savoy Grill is named as a USA TODAY Restaurant of the Year. What makes it special?
Patricia TaloricoHarry's Savoy Grill is a premier steakhouse in Wilmington, Delaware, and this week, it has made national news: Along with 46 other restaurants, Harry's was included in the 2024 USA TODAY Restaurants of the Year list.
"This is really nice," owner Xavier Teixido said. "We are known as a chef-driven steak and seafood house. Our appeal is we're comfortable. We're neighborhood-y. We have great hospitality and great people. The food is very current and is always really solid, but it's not intimidating."
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What makes Harry's Savoy Grill stand out
The roots of the building that houses the classy Harry's go back to the 1930s. The site had been home to several restaurants over the years including the King's Inn, the Smuggler's Inn and the Old Admiral's Inn.
Teixido, who has worked in Philadelphia and at Commander's Palace in New Orleans where he helped hire a young chef named Emeril Lagasse, was a partner in a Delaware-based hospitality group when the site became Harry's in 1988. He immediately instilled high standards that remain to this day.
Teixido became the sole owner of Harry's by 1993 and later brought aboard business partner/protege Kelly O'Hanlon, who started as a Harry's bartender in 1995. Both are passionate about high-quality food, beverages and service at the 170-seat restaurant. The reliable restaurant got a cozy, nearly $1 million overhaul in 2007.
Harry's is a warm place where people come and establish traditions for birthdays, anniversaries, special occasions, holidays and annual family gatherings. Its lasting appeal and popularity are clear: Patrons can indulge in fine dining in the clubby main dining area and find more casual fare in the convivial lounge/bar area, which has a separate menu with items like prime rib sandwiches, truffle fries and vol au vent d'escargot au champagne that go down nicely with a cold beer, robust California red or an icy cold martini.
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What to order at Harry's Savoy Grill
Seafood: Freshly shucked raw oysters from either the East or West coasts; New England clam chowder; clams casino; broiled jumbo lump crab cakes with bok choy slaw; or Pennsylvania trout with bacon sherry beurre blanc.
Beef: Harry's signature dish is its prime rib au jus, aged 45 to 60 days, served with a horseradish cream sauce and au gratin potatoes. The 45-day-aged, 18-ounce ribeye can be ordered with a variety of sauces including béarnaise, bordelaise, Bercy butter, a compound butter made with shallots, wine and parsley, and bacon-bourbon butter. Add-ons to the steaks include jumbo lump crab cakes, grilled shrimp, scallops, or a Maine lobster tail.
Dessert: Save room for the restaurant's creme brulee that's been on the menu since the late 1980s.
Did you know?
Harry's isn't named after anyone in particular. Teixido said he and his former partner were looking for a name with a real retro feel. They like Harry. "We thought, 'we never met a bad Harry.'" On Sundays, Harry's offers a three-course special of Caesar salad or New England clam chowder, prime rib and whipped potatoes and creme brulee for $44.95.
Details: 2020 Naamans Road, Wilmington, Delaware; 302-475-3000, harryshospitalitygroup.com/harrys-savoy-grill