3 Best Restaurants in Brandywine Valley, Pennsylvania

The chef-owners of Philadelphia’s acclaimed Vedge, Kate Jacoby and Rich Landau, bring their mind-opening vegan cooking to the Brandywine Valley countryside at this intimate, prix-fixe restaurant in a historical building, part of the former Dilworthtown Inn complex. The modern farmhouse vibe—Instagram-worthy with fireplaces and wooden beams, floors, and tables—creates an inviting but not intimidating setting for the plant-based, multicourse (and quite filling) tasting menu, a sophisticated feast that changes seasonally but always includes global influences and local and organic produce. A vegan cheese plate is available for an extra charge, as are tempting sorbets and ice creams. Besides dining tables, there’s a chef’s table, bar area, and seasonal outdoor porch seating. Those not sure if they want the full experience can have a drink and order items from the short snack menu, but the Farmer’s Feast is a marvel. 

Lines can get long at this local, family-owned favorite for good reason: the lengthy, rotating list of ice cream flavors, from classic (coffee, black cherry, butter pecan) to creative (lime, banana peanut-butter fluff, cotton candy), means there's something for every taste and mood. The owner was inspired by the fresh, high-quality ingredients used in the rich, creamy ice cream and tropical fruit popsicles of the Mexican state of Michoacán.

The pricey, farm-to-table eight-course prix-fixe dinner at this cozy, cult-favorite market and eat-in spot in the heart of Kennett Square requires advance planning, but fortunately Talula's offers its own artisanal cheeses, house-cured meats, and handmade breads and pastas throughout the day, along with a coffee bar and prepared meals for takeout. Breakfast and lunch at the communal table feature seasonal soups, salads, and sandwiches using local ingredients, or you can just pick up the makings for a picnic. The four-hour-long dinner—about 20 people maximum at two tables—is a special treat that is so popular you have to book a year in advance, making it one of the Northeast's top restaurant reservations since 2007.