Wilmington vegan eatery now certified kosher

Drop Squad Kitchen, a vegan eatery at the Wilmington Riverfront that's been operating for several years inside an ice cream parlor, has recently received kosher certification from the Vaad HaKashrut of Delaware.

The family-run kitchen at 928 Justison St., founded by Abundance Child, becomes the first kosher restaurant in Wilmington in more than 20 years.

Vaad HaKashrut of Delaware is an independent community organization. It serves the needs of kosher certification for Delaware’s Jewish Community.

A kosher certification means that, besides being vegan, the restaurant now meets all the requirements of kashrut, or Jewish dietary law. Kashrut is based on passages in the Torah, and on Talmudic and other Judaic teachings.

In broad terms, kosher forbids consumption of pork and shellfish and the mingling of meat and dairy products at the same meal or preparing and serving either with utensils that have been used for the other.

The process of kosher certification involved a review of all ingredients and a thorough cleaning of all equipment at Drop Squad Kitchen. The Molly's ice cream parlor that co-exists with Drop Squad Kitchen also is kosher certified.

A Vaad HaKashrut representative will visit the restaurant to ensure it maintains its kosher certification.

“One of the things we appreciate about the move to being officially kosher certified is the attention to detail," said Child. "Attention to detail is what we call the soul in our food.”

Rabbi Steven Saks, head of the Vaad HaKashrut of Delaware, said having a local kosher restaurant "enhances the vitality of Jewish life in Delaware."

Drop Squad Kitchen gets it name from a 1994 Spike Lee movie. The menu includes smoothies, shakes, salads, dishes like the popular "V-Steak," or vegan "cheezesteak" and macaroni and "cheeze" that's made with rice pasta and cassava-yam cheeze.

The eatery is open daily and also offers catering and cooking demonstrations. Visit dropsquadkitchen.com

One of the last glatt kosher restaurants in New Castle County was the former Zaydie's Place on Philadelphia Pike in Penny Hill.

Downtown Wilmington once had a few kosher restaurants including Herschbein's, which operated in the 1930s at Sixth and King streets.

The old Gamiel Bros. Delicatessen and Restaurant at East Seventh Street was approved for kosher catering only. The former Jack Lundy's on Miller Road served "kosher-style" food.

Contact Patricia Talorico at (302) 324-2861 or ptalorico@delawareonline.com and on Twitter @pattytalorico