Jeremiah and Anthony Brooks of Hamilton’s on Main

Since it first opened last spring, Hamilton’s on Main has earned a reputation for its eclectic menu, its ambience and its unwavering commitment to create a quality dining experience. Recently, Newark Life met with owners Jeremiah and Anthony Brooks to discuss palates, passions and their idea of one great dinner party.

Newark Life: For several decades, Newark restaurants generally followed the directions that many college towns take: pub grub for the 18-24 demographic. In the past decade, however, visionaries like you are transforming the culinary scene in Newark with bold statements like Hamilton’s on Main. What inspired you to bring your vision to Newark? What possibilities did you see?

Jeremiah: What we noticed when we first visited Newark was that there was an ample amount of college-focused restaurants – bars and fast casuals and places for a quick bite. We also saw that there was a handful of fine dining establishments, so we saw it as an opportunity to fit within that culture. The demographic of the University of Delaware’s student body may not be our target, but they come largely from Long Island, southwest Connecticut and suburban New Jersey, where they have fingertip access to some of the finest restaurants in the world in New York City.

We saw a great opening for us to place something that was a bit more elevated for not only these students’ parents, but for the faculty and also the people of Newark who have a hunger for great food but have to travel to Wilmington or Philadelphia to find.

Here’s the flexibility that you are providing your guests: He or she can choose to spend a significant amount for a four-course meal, but you have created such a diverse menu that he or she doesn’t have to.

Anthony: That was one of the most important components on our journey -- to provide our customers with the opportunity to enjoy great food made from fresh ingredients and melded into a creative culinary experience without having to break the bank. We consider ourselves approachable fine dining – giving our guests the freedom to come as they are and not be afraid to take a journey through the menu and make the experience that they want to have.

every day elegance, you can have a special occasion evening, or you can “Tuesday Night” it.

A fine restaurant is not just about what it does to one’s palate, but what it does to the eyes, and Hamilton’s on Main is a taste of the visual. When you began imagining its décor, what did you wish to achieve, and how did you go about doing it?

Jeremiah: Anthony is the producer of this restaurant, and he sets the stage for me, leaving me to put the production on to match the environment he has created.

Anthony: For me, I never begin with a plan. Rather, the space evolves around me and tells me what will work and what will not. I believe in detail and creativity and eclecticism, and Hamilton’s on Main is a mix of everything, with a statement in every room and space.

Our world is all about Instagrammable moments now, and what we try to create is a world where a customer is enveloped not only by wonderful food but by a comfortable coziness without it being overwhelming.

Hamilton’s on Main is not your first collective rodeo. You owned Hamilton’s Tavern 1840 in Harper’s Ferry, West Va. What did you learn there that you have been able to apply here?

Jeremiah: Everything. The first space we had was an 18-seat dining room in a building built in 1840 with two cool patios overlooking Harper’s Ferry. It was very intimate, but the kitchen was eight feet by ten feet in size. Trying to create a 22-item menu with no cold storage demanded that everything we made was fresh.

Anthony: We were doing everything, and we learned that we can’t do everything. We learned that we have to surround ourselves with people to do our accounting and our marketing, so that we can focus on the guest experience, and maintain the building, the wine list and the menu.

What – or who – gave you the spark to pursue your passion?

Jeremiah: I cut my teeth as a self-taught chef. Alex and John Burley, two of our dearest friends, are graduates of the Culinary Institute of America, and worked with me to help me hone in on my menu ideas and techniques such as plating in our Harper’s Ferry restaurant. They brought so much passion and shared so much information, and I love to learn, so I told them to tell me everything.

Jeremiah: If you want a burger, we have a great burger. If you want to enjoy a steak, we prepare the most amazing steaks to your liking. At Hamilton’s on Main, you can have Continued on Page 60