President Biden visits Wilmington restaurant that catered his daughter's 2012 wedding
President Joe Biden on Saturday night stopped into a longtime Wilmington restaurant that catered his daughter's 2012 wedding.
After attending a Saturday evening Mass at St. Joseph on the Brandywine Catholic Church in Greenville, Biden went to dinner at his sister Valerie Biden Owens' home.
He wasn't ready to call it a night. At about 8:50 p.m., the president's motorcade dropped him off at Piccolina Toscana restaurant in Wilmington's Trolley Square area.
Biden was visiting with his campaign leadership team, who was gathering at the Italian restaurant at 1412 N. Dupont St. for a weekend retreat, according to a White House press pool report.
It's unknown if Biden had a snack, but you certainly can't go wrong with a Toscana wood-fired pizza or one of its signature breadsticks.
The president didn't stay long, and the motorcade left the restaurant for his Greenville home about 20 minutes later.
Toscana owner Dan Butler said Saturday's visit by the president was somewhat of a surprise.
"I wasn't sure if he would be coming. We only found out a few minutes before he arrived," Butler said. "He wanted a picture with the staff. We had just served the entrees so we had a moment to drop everything and get together for the pic. My staff was beside themselves with excitement."
Butler added, "Joe really understands the impact he has on people having the chance to meet him. As many Delawareans already know, he's very personable."
The Biden family has been known to frequent Piccolina Toscana for years. When he was a senator and later vice president, Biden and first lady Jill Biden dined at the restaurant that has been a part of the Delaware dining scene since 1991. He sometimes brought his mother, Catherine, who died in 2010.
Butler has known the Bidens for years. He said Biden, a longtime customer, has not been to Toscana since he became president.
"It's always exciting when the Secret Service buzzes around and the motorcade rumbles in," Butler said. "My staff will be talking about this for years to come."
In 2012, Butler and his Toscana staff catered daughter Ashley Biden's 2012 wedding reception at the Biden's Greenville home.
The meal was fresh tomatoes, arugula and house-made mozzarella, seared salmon and quinoa, and roasted chicken breast with grilled vegetables. It also included penne with Pomodoro sauce, a dish made especially for Biden, who was then vice president.
"Joe always eats pasta when he comes to Toscana," Butler told Delaware Online/The News Journal.
Former Toscana executive chef Robbie Jester, who has since appeared several times on the Food Network and won the Netflix culinary competition show "Pressure Cooker," prepared an antipasti table, set up near the pond on the Biden property.
It was a rustic spread laden with olives and a variety of dishes, including cheeses from DiBruno Brothers in Philadelphia, sliced cured meats, bowls of oven-dried tomato salad, artichoke and roasted mushroom salad, homemade tomato relish and containers of grissini (long, thin crunchy Italian breadsticks).
At the end of the evening, as the Toscana staff began clearing tables, Biden began lending a hand.
"He was stacking chairs," Butler said until one of the staffers asked Biden to stop. "He said, 'I can't have my boss finding out you're stacking chairs.' [Biden] kind of chuckled."
The Biden campaign staff, which has its headquarters in downtown Wilmington, previously has visited Piccolina Toscana. They spent $1,030.00 at the restaurant on New Year's Eve, according to filings from the Biden for President committee that reported its spending through Jan. 31.
President Biden is a well-known fan of Italian food and its culture.
During the National Italian American Foundation’s 48th Anniversary Gala in October 2023, Biden joked, "I’m Jill Biden’s husband. You know, I may be Irish, but I’m not stupid. I married Dominic Giacoppa’s granddaughter."
Where the president's staff dines out: Joe Biden's Wilmington campaign spending: Pizzeria Bardea, The Quoin, Sweet Lucy's & more
In recent months, while visiting his Delaware homes, Biden has dined at Mrs. Robino's, The Quoin and Rocco Italian Grill & Sports Bar, all in Wilmington.
The president returned to Washington on Sunday evening.
News Journal staff reporter Ryan Cormier contributed to this article.
If you want to read more stories from Patricia Talorico, visit delawareonline.com/staff/2646617001/patricia-talorico You can find her on Instagram, X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. Email [email protected] or leave a message at 302-324-2861. Sign up for her Delaware Eats newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: President Joe Biden visits longtime Wilmington Italian restaurant
