Riverside sips return to Stella of New Hope

Summer is upon us, and in New Hope, one of the area’s most scenic seasonal spots is back in action.

Stella of New Hope, tucked inside the boutique Ghost Light Inn, has officially reopened its outdoor bar for the season, inviting guests to settle in for riverside cocktails, leisurely brunches and sunset dinners overlooking the Delaware River.

Launched last year, the open-air space offers a relaxed and walk-in-friendly way to experience the restaurant and the local flavors in each dish from Executive Chef Keith Bernstein. Guests can enjoy 180-degree views of the Delaware River while sipping on recently debuted seasonal cocktails, weekend brunch, dinner, and bar offerings. 

This season’s cocktail lineup includes The Green Room ($17) with gin, green apple–cardamom syrup, egg white, cardamom bitters, and honey drizzle; A Samui Study ($17) with Thai tea, coconut rum, lime, and simple syrup; and the Raspberry Garden Fizz ($17) with tequila, raspberry syrup, lemon juice, simple syrup, egg white, and club soda. 

Brunch will be available at the outdoor bar Friday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lemon ricotta pancakes ($16) with pure maple syrup, powdered sugar, and whipped butter are on the menu, as well as eggs benedict ($19) with two poached eggs, hollandaise sauce, house-made buttermilk biscuit, Rolling Hills Farm field greens, and cider vinaigrette; and ahi tuna bowl ($20) with marinated ahi tuna, soy, sesame, macadamia nuts, wasabi peas, arugula, cider vinaigrette, sweet onions, farro, and sake aioli. 

Dinner highlights include local apple and gouda salad ($16) with frisée and local arugula, pecan, honeycrisp apples, beemster gouda, and apple cider vinaigrette; wild mushroom dumplings ($16) with mushroom purée, pickled cauliflower, herb emulsion, and wasabi air; and house-made lobster ravioli ($42) with poached lobster, sweet peas, meyer lemon butter sauce, hazelnut bread crumbs, black truffle, and lemon zest. 

From the bar, guests can order a Wagyu Burger ($24) with creamy brie, pork belly fig jam, arugula, and pickled red onion on a brioche bun, served with French fries, or Artisanal Cheese ($38) featuring Humboldt Fog goat cheese, Beemster Extra-Aged Dutch gouda, Organic Caveman blue cheese, Nettle Meadow Farm triple-creme, truffle honey, truffle salt, black cherry confit, fig mustard, Granny Smith apples, dried apricots, spiced walnuts, fresh baguette, and sea salt and olive oil breadsticks. 

For now, the outdoor bar is operating weekends through May 24, with service running Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 8 p.m. On Memorial Day, the space will open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Beginning May 29, Stella will expand to full seasonal hours — Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., weather permitting.

The restaurant also plans to debut refreshed brunch and dinner menus later this season.

For more information, visit stellanewhope.com