Brandywine Branch Bistro

Dave Roberts

For starters, make sure you wear a sweater and bring a cozy blanket. It was uncomfortably cold. We went because I heard what a great little place this was. I wish I would have read some of the reviews first. We were seated right away and order was taken within 5 minutes(Great so far). 35-40 minutes later I received my mushroom appetizer. Keep in mind 2 other tables near me that arrived after me were enjoying their appetizers AND meal by now. After an hour of waiting on my meal, I decided to call it quits. Asked for my bill for the items I received and was given a bill for my entire meal. Including my entre(trout) which I never got. The manager/owner came over and asked what was happening. She cleared the bill completely, which was 1 order of mushrooms(still undecided how I feel about them) and 2 drinks. I have always understood that at a restaurant you can get bad service or a bad meal, but give them a second chance because maybe they’re having an off night. But, won’t be coming back.

Timothy Taynton

The first couple times we went, this place was great. Food was pretty over-priced, but it was good, and the drinks are very good as well. Then I called to make a reservation for my wife's Bday party and everything seemed fine until the day we showed up, and they had no clue a reservation was made. That's fine, mistakes happen, and they did make accommodations for us; but it seemed like we were just bothering the staff and had to go find the waitress several times. This all wouldn't have been a huge deal if the last time we went was okay, but it was more of the same. I understand it might have been a busy day, but there were at least 3 servers, a manager and several other staff for a relatively small place, it shouldn't take 30 minutes to even get some menus.

Stefan Soo Tim

I have been driving past this spot for about 20 years or so, long before it was a distillery and bistro, back when it was just the shell of an old stone barn and always thought "Someone should really fix that place up. I have been meaning to stop in once the distillery and bistro moved in but never made the time until today. What a charming and cozy little place. It looks like it should have a huge dining area inside but it doesn't, I assume because of the distillery portion of the building. Nonetheless it is beautiful and inviting. The wait staff are attentive and knowledgeable. Considering I stopped in for lunch I didn't sample a lot of the drinks, I just had a neat pour of their Custom Cask 118. Do you know that feeling you get at the end of a 4th of July fireworks display? When they let off a barrage of rockets which fill the night sky with color and light. That's their Custom Cask 118 when if makes it into your chest. It's as though you're the night sky and the 118 is the barrage of fireworks. Spectacular. I will have to stop in there again soon and sample their flights and take the tour of the distillery. Yes, they do tours. The menu is limited, but from what we had if that is any indication of the quality of the menu items in general, then the food there is some of the best in the area. I had the lamb and pork chili and it is thick and tasty without being chocked full of hot peppers. The beef tenderloin was cooked to perfection with a crust on it that made my mouth water. The green beans were crisp with a crunch and the mashed potatoes were creamy and filling. I can't speak to the seared salmon special with Jasmine rice, cucumber seaweed salad other than to say the presentation was unexpectedly beautiful and I was told that it was delicious. You'll see for yourself in the accompanying photos. Altogether this was a far more pleasant experience than at your typical local bar/restaurant in a picturesque setting.

Jon Carl

The plates were small and a little on the expensive side, but well worth it with the quality of food. I had both the cask room bourbon and a gin and tonic. Both were excellent and I would definitely get the bourbon again. The atmosphere was classy and it's a good place to grab a drink and talk for a while. I will be coming back again.