Charcoal Pit

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Stepping in to the original Charcoal Pit location on Concord Pike in Wilmington brings a sense of 50s nostalgia. You can probably tell from the picture—it’s the kind of place that has jukeboxes at every table. Known for its burgers, milkshakes, and ice cream, Charcoal Pit originally opened in 1956, and has since expanded to three additional locations in North Delaware.

The burgers come in 4 oz. or 8 oz. sizes, chargrilled, with the standard optional fixings and served on a sesame-seeded bun. Like any good burger joint should, Charcoal Pit uses only fresh ground beef.

The burger’s artery-clogging partner in crime is the milkshake, which Esquire magazine named on their “67 Things Worth a Detour” list a few years back. Charcoal Pit’s milkshakes are made fresh with hand-scooped ice cream and served in frosted metal cups. If you don’t like to drink your ice cream, the menu also includes a large selection of huge sundaes named after area high schools. And if you’re feeling really adventurous, there’s the “Kitchen Sink,” filled with 20 scoops of ice cream and six different toppings.

Jeff’s Take:
Charcoal Pit also has a number of other menu options, such as chicken and seafood, but ordering anything other than a burger and a shake is like going to Ruth’s Chris and not getting the steak. I’d suggest passing up on the French fries, which are pretty mediocre—they’re about ½ inch thick with very little flavor, and you can expect about half the batch to be soggy. Since you’re not getting the fries, you might as well fill that void with some more meat, so go with the 8 oz. burger.

I prefer my burgers medium rare, so I like the fact that Charcoal Pit cooks their burgers to order. The chargrilling adds a lot of flavor to the meat. On my most recent trip to the Pit, the patty was a little firmer than I would’ve liked, but all of the flavor was still there. Nothing fancy about these burgers—like the décor, they’re old school, and that’s just fine with me.

I’m a big fan of either the chocolate or “black and white” shakes, which go perfectly with the burgers. The hand scooped ice cream makes for a much better shake than soft serve, both in flavor and consistency. For the full shake experience, I suggest you dine in—the frosted metal cups add a nice iciness to the texture that just isn’t there when you’re getting a paper cup to go.


Mike's Take:
I completely agree with Jeff's choice of milkshake. The "Black & white" Shake is definitely the way to go. The milkshakes at Charcoal Pit are superb and unrivaled. I've never had a better milkshake anywhere else (maybe as good) and there certainly is not comparison in the area.

Charcoal Pit actually offers a new "Grand Slam Burger" which is 10oz of certified Angus Beef. This is definitely the burger to get at the pit. It is much juicier (and more consistently good) than the smaller 8oz. and 4oz. varieties. It's a big classic burger done right.

Other notable choices are the Chardog and Grilled Cheese. The Chardog is a hotdog with a nice charred crispy flavor to it. The grilled cheese is another standout especially if you add some cooked oniions and tomato to it. The new Certified angus beef reuben is another good choice if you are in the mood.

Charcoal Pit is a staple of Delaware, and it should be. It has the best milkshakes in the area and cooks burgers and hotdogs in that classic style, thus living up to its name: The Charcoal Pit.




2600 Concord Pike
Wilmington, DE 19803
http://www.chacoalpit.net/

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