Hernand Tavern is a food and drink establishment in the City of Hernand and one of the earliest points of interest players visit in Crimson Desert. Run by the innkeeper Dahliathe tavern sits in the central market district of the city and functions as both a social hub and an early-game quest location. Its menu was expanded in Patch 1.00.03which added new food items alongside improvements to how much Health is restored by ingredients and cooked meals.
Overview
The tavern is the player's first real stop inside Hernand proper. After leaving the starting camp, following the fork in the road and heading right into town leads directly to the tavern's entrance. A wooden sign over the door marks the building, and the interior opens into a ground-floor counter area with tables scattered across the room. The tavern is busy during daylight hours and quieter at night, when fewer patrons linger.
Visually, the Hernand Tavern follows the region's mix of timber framing and stone foundations. Hanging lanterns light the room, mugs line the back counter, and a chalkboard behind Dahlia lists the rotating menu. It is one of eight tavern locations scattered across Pywel whose owners can be visited to expand inventory via small pouches sold at the counter.
Location
The Hernand Tavern is located at the center of the City of Hernandnear the tailor's shop, smithy, and equipment shop. Players coming from the south gate follow the main paved street north and take the second left into the market quarter. From the Abyss Nexus northeast of the Saddlery and Stable, the tavern is a short walk west. Nearby landmarks include the bank, the Alchemist's Chamber in Hernand Castleand the central bell tower that reveals the region on the map.
The tavern shares the same block as the player's early-chapter sleeping quarters at the Hernand Lodgingsmaking it convenient to drop off items, rest, and then head downstairs to eat or pick up a quest. During Chapters 1 and 2 this cluster of buildings is the practical base of operations inside the city.
Services and Activities
The tavern offers a mix of commerce, cooking-related content, and a minigame. Talking to Dahlia opens her shop inventory, which includes food items, coin pouches that expand the player's inventory by one slot each, and rotating recipes. Gifting Dahlia food recipes or other preferred items raises her trust level, unlocking additional purchases such as the Food Contract that expands the food selection at the Greymane Camp.
One of the most visited features inside the tavern is the Arm Wrestling minigame. A seated man near the tables challenges the player to a match that doubles as the first real minigame of the campaign. It requires rapid button inputs and timing the cursor against a radial wheel. Arm wrestling reappears in other taverns across Pywel, but Hernand is where players learn the mechanic.
Additional quests chain out of the tavern. Dahlia's Request sends the player to the northern stables to collect an overdue tavern tab from a customer who refused to pay. Pierce's Request and the Where Rumors Gather storyline also feature the tavern as a checkpoint, using it as the social ear of the city where news travels faster than it does at the castle.
Behind Dahlia, a shelf holds the Egg-coated Pan-Fried Fish recipe, which can be picked up during a visit. The recipe feeds into the Cooking system the tavern is thematically linked to.
Patch 1.00.03 Menu Expansion
In Patch 1.00.03 released on March 23, 2026, Pearl Abyss added new food to the Hernand Tavern alongside a broader cooking rebalance. The exact patch quote reads: "Increased the Health restored by ingredients and food items, and added new food to the Hernand Tavern." The change made eating at the tavern a more practical way to recover between fights and exploration, rather than a purely flavorful activity.
The update fit into the wider 1.00.03 theme of quality-of-life improvements. The same patch introduced the Private Storage system and expanded fast travel options. Players returning to the city after launching the update will notice the new dishes appearing on Dahlia's counter and a bump in the stat benefits from existing meals.
Related / Sources
Related articles: DahliaCity of HernandHernand LodgingsArm WrestlingCookingPatch 1.00.03.
Patch 1.00.03 notes:
City of Hernand:
PixelPandArcade Hernand Tavern guide:
tavern owners: