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Founded by the Sloan Brothers in 1956, The Charcoal Pit has proudly endured as one of Delaware’s last truly iconic restaurants. Owned and operated by Louis Capano Jr. and III since 1986, The Charcoal Pit remains committed to serving its award-winning flame broiled burgers, triple spun milkshakes and warm hospitality to generations of families, U.S. Presidents and hungry travelers alike. In an ever-changing cultural and culinary landscape, Charcoal Pit stands as a testament to tradition, the importance of community and the timeless value of great food with a friendly smile. **NOW SERVING BREAKFAST FRI-SAT-SUN 7AM-11AM
Casual 1950s diner with jukeboxes at tables features classic charbroiled burgers, fries & shakes.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 2600 Concord Pike, Wilmington, DE 19803
Phone: (302) 478-2165
Website: http://charcoalpit.net/
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Order: Order online
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Related Web Results
The Charcoal Pit | Wilmington DE Diner & Famous Burgers
Serving Delaware’s best burgers and shakes since 1956. Enjoy retro vibes, flame-broiled favorites, and family-friendly dining at The Charcoal Pit.
Charcoal Pit (@charcoalpit1956) · Wilmington, DE – Instagram
2.3K+ followers · 536 posts · Home of Delaware’s best burgers and shakes since 1956. It’s worth the trip to the Pit!
Charcoal Pit, Wilmington, DE., 4/3/24 – Dining With Frankie
2600 Concord Pike, Wilmington, DE 19803 Charcoal Pit has been serving burgers and ice cream creations since 1956. It has long been a favorite of President Joe …
Reviews
J Kim
The restaurant feels straight out of a 70s diner and still has many of the old components in it. We recieved our food really quickly but it took a while for our waiter to give us our check. The food was super solid and definitely a great spot to visit in Delaware
… moreSandy McFarland
So classic and cute. Food was good and service was great. But it’s The Chocolate Milkshake that won my heart . Definitely would recommend and visit again!!!
… moreJohn Ryan
A staple of North Wilmington, Delaware since 1956. Come for the nostalgia and classic style cheeseburgers and milkshakes. Service has always been good whenever we’ve gone. A fun thing to get as a group or celebration is the “kitchen sink” which is 20 scoops of ice cream!
… moreDavid Pilz
If you want a good old fashioned buger or milkshake, this is the place. The food is awesome, especially if you want comfort food. The bugers are the best anywhere in the region. The milkshakes are best anywhere. Theres a reason it’s been around for 70 years. Its a must stop if youre in the area.
… moreD S
Stopped in to try the Charcoal Pit today as I have passed by the location several times while.working in the area. I asked to be seated at the counter because I was alone and I noticed they were pretty busy. I ordered the Steak & Egg special. My server AJ was very polite and attentive. My food came out quickly however it wasn’t correct but AJ quickly resolved the issue. As I was eating at the counter I had a first hand view of their ice cream making operation. While the establishment does have the appearance of being really clean and the workers using gloved hands while preparing the deserts there was one young lady who blew this illusion away. I observed her scratching her head several times with her gloved hands and continually checking her cell phone and texting using the gloved hands, (and we all know where most people use there phone’s, lets be honest) and never once changed the gloves before returning to scooping ice cream and preparing deserts. The other workers, changed their gloves often. After observing this very unsanitary situation, I decided against ordering a milk shake or dessert.
… moreI B
Fun, chill diner that’s perfect for a burger and shake. The coffee (espresso chip?) milkshake is divine. Many booths have a jukebox – the music was pretty low so we could never confirm if our songs made it on air, but it’s a cute touch.
A shout out to the waitstaff ensuring that our order could accommodate our gluten-free party member. Even though they are not completely gluten-safe, the burgers and grill are on a separate area than the buns, so they made sure to not give them a bun.
… moreA shout out to the waitstaff ensuring that our order could accommodate our gluten-free party member. Even though they are not completely gluten-safe, the burgers and grill are on a separate area than the buns, so they made sure to not give them a bun.
Chad Winkler
I visited Charcoal Pit a couple times already and I very much enjoyed both visits. I was recommended to come here from a coworker and at that point I was looking for something different on a Lenten Friday. I happened to notice that they have a crab cake sandwich so for a change of pace I gave Charcoal Pit a try.
This diner has a bit of history to it, running for several decades and does its best to preserve as much of the retro 50’s/60’s vibe as possible. Thematically this is one of the better diners I’ve been to; many of the booths have jukeboxes, some of the original windows are still present and you can be seated right up at the counter overlooking the ice cream stations.
If you are in a hurry and just want some ice cream, they do have a separate counter separate from the dining area for that. I haven’t used that yet but if you’re just looking for ice cream that would be a useful option. This is good as both times I’ve visited the Charcoal Pit, while not busy, certainly gets good business.
As mentioned, for my first visit there I had the crabcake sandwich. It was decently favorable and done well. The fries were just right for me; just enough crisp and where nice and fresh. And as a plus the fries were not oversalted. They use some very good buns and they do toast them a bit and they hold up well to what they load on their sandwiches. I also had a sundae for my first visit. Chocolate ice cream with hot fudge. It is pricey if you’re used to fast-food ice cream but that two-scoop sundae is pretty big and very generous with the toppings. The ice cream they use is very good and they do have some rotating flavors on their menu as well. My only critique is that maybe not to hot fudge and chocolate together as the chocolate ice cream is a tad rich for the fudge.
Then for my second visit, I tried the Pit Special. This is their basic burger and comes in both a 4 oz and (if I recall) an 8 oz patty and your choice of cheese if you like cheese on your burger. I had the 8 oz patty with cheddar. Again, the buns were prepared perfectly and that was probably one of the best burger patties I’ve had. It was cooked just right and just enough flavoring. The only thing to note is that if you order cheddar, it will likely be shredded and not in a slice. Next time I go, I will definitely try it with Provolone. The price is awesome as well so it’s a great value for a diner burger.
They definitely also have the other diner usuals as well including open-faced sandwiches, chili and so on so there’s plenty to choose from.
The service on both visits was excellent as well. The servers were attentive and ensured my glass was filled and my order taken care of in a timely fashion. They also happily answered any questions I had on the menu items as well.
If you like an old-time styled diner with some history as well as some very good burgers, definitely give Charcoal Pit a visit.
… moreThis diner has a bit of history to it, running for several decades and does its best to preserve as much of the retro 50’s/60’s vibe as possible. Thematically this is one of the better diners I’ve been to; many of the booths have jukeboxes, some of the original windows are still present and you can be seated right up at the counter overlooking the ice cream stations.
If you are in a hurry and just want some ice cream, they do have a separate counter separate from the dining area for that. I haven’t used that yet but if you’re just looking for ice cream that would be a useful option. This is good as both times I’ve visited the Charcoal Pit, while not busy, certainly gets good business.
As mentioned, for my first visit there I had the crabcake sandwich. It was decently favorable and done well. The fries were just right for me; just enough crisp and where nice and fresh. And as a plus the fries were not oversalted. They use some very good buns and they do toast them a bit and they hold up well to what they load on their sandwiches. I also had a sundae for my first visit. Chocolate ice cream with hot fudge. It is pricey if you’re used to fast-food ice cream but that two-scoop sundae is pretty big and very generous with the toppings. The ice cream they use is very good and they do have some rotating flavors on their menu as well. My only critique is that maybe not to hot fudge and chocolate together as the chocolate ice cream is a tad rich for the fudge.
Then for my second visit, I tried the Pit Special. This is their basic burger and comes in both a 4 oz and (if I recall) an 8 oz patty and your choice of cheese if you like cheese on your burger. I had the 8 oz patty with cheddar. Again, the buns were prepared perfectly and that was probably one of the best burger patties I’ve had. It was cooked just right and just enough flavoring. The only thing to note is that if you order cheddar, it will likely be shredded and not in a slice. Next time I go, I will definitely try it with Provolone. The price is awesome as well so it’s a great value for a diner burger.
They definitely also have the other diner usuals as well including open-faced sandwiches, chili and so on so there’s plenty to choose from.
The service on both visits was excellent as well. The servers were attentive and ensured my glass was filled and my order taken care of in a timely fashion. They also happily answered any questions I had on the menu items as well.
If you like an old-time styled diner with some history as well as some very good burgers, definitely give Charcoal Pit a visit.
Wallace Family
I love an old time diner experience and that’s exactly what this was. Mini jukeboxes in every booth. Service was friendly and fast. I think the desserts are the highlight! Nice selection of sundaes but I ordered a milkshake of the month and it was so good! Also loved the onion rings!
… morematthew jerkovic
Charcoal Pit is that place that takes you back in time to when places like this were the norm. Great atmosphere and awesome staff. I had a cup of chili, the Smokey Mountain burger. The best way to describe the Smokey Mountain burger is like this. I’m going to take a line from Samuel L. Jackson from Pump Fiction. Now that’s a tasty burger. And it was!!!
I top it off with their shake of the month for September. A carrot cake shake it was AWESOME!!!!
People people. If you have never been to Charcoal Pit, you need to.
… moreI top it off with their shake of the month for September. A carrot cake shake it was AWESOME!!!!
People people. If you have never been to Charcoal Pit, you need to.
Kernal
We were on a road trip through the area and seen this place last year didn’t visit but this time around I was like we have to stop. The original look and sign just was speaking to me. We went on Sunday mid day so wasn’t too busy. Which was nice was able to really get up and look around with out bothering other customers. It was definitely amazing to see the transformation of how the place became what it is now. There is various historical information and articles about the original crew and owner. The booths was little tight for two big boys like us but was amazing to sit in a place that hasn’t changed in long time. Which looks like changes will be coming soon. According signs on the door but hopefully they don’t change too much. There was not much maintenance issues that I seen.
We ordered two burgers and some waters. They were both fresh and bigger than we thought they were. We decide to get an ice cream sundae to share. Which came out in a weird container and the ice cream went everywhere but it wasn’t too bad. We will definitely come back for the history of the place and the food if we travel through area again. If you are big fan of buildings that have been kept like a time capsule this is the place for you.
… moreWe ordered two burgers and some waters. They were both fresh and bigger than we thought they were. We decide to get an ice cream sundae to share. Which came out in a weird container and the ice cream went everywhere but it wasn’t too bad. We will definitely come back for the history of the place and the food if we travel through area again. If you are big fan of buildings that have been kept like a time capsule this is the place for you.