10 beach restaurants you shouldn't miss
From bagels to brisket, the beaches have you covered. Relying on online reviews, we’ve come up with a list of 10 can’t-miss restaurants.
1. Frank & Louie’s Italian Specialties, (302) 227-5777, Rehoboth Beach. This eatery offers both inexpensive sandwiches and meals for the whole family, such as lasagna and eggplant Parmesan. According to the Rehoboth Foodie, (www.rehobothfoodie.com) the “Holy Grail” at Frank and Louie’s are their hero sandwiches. The Foodie’s favorites are the Tiny Dancer, a Caprese salad on a roll, and the Sal Special, a mix of thin-sliced Italian meats with provolone.
2. One Coastal, onecoastal.com, Fenwick Island. Known for its breakfasts and hipster ambiance, One Coastal is among the highest-rated Delaware beaches restaurants on Yelp.
Breakfasts range from $9, for an egg sandwich on ciabatta with meat and potatoes, to $14, for the smoked fish bagel. Open nights and weekend mornings.
3. Vanderwende Farm Creamery, vanderwendefarmcreamery.com, Bridgeville. Online reviewers gushed about this family-owned ice cream shop, with more than nine in 10 visitors giving it an “excellent” rating on TripAdvisor.
The Vanderwende family milks 225 Holstein cows on a 4,000-acre farm. They also sell milkshakes, floats, sundaes, banana splits, ice cream sandwiches and ice cream cakes.
4. Kaisy’s Delights, kaisysdelights.com, Rehoboth Beach. Highly ranked on Yelp and TripAdvisor, Kaisy’s claims it is the first maker of Kaiserschmarrn in the country. This traditional Austrian dessert, named after Austrian emperor Kaiser Franz Joseph I, is basically shredded pancake. Kaisy’s also offers sandwiches and coffee.
5. Bethany Blues BBQ, bethanyblues.com, Bethany and Lewes. With a wood-fired smoker built in Mesquite, Texas, Bethany Blues makes a claim to authentic BBQ. Menu includes 12 beers on tap. Serves lunch and dinner.
6. Off the Hook, Bethany Beach, offthehookbethany.com. Billing itself as a hot spot for the local food crowd, this seafood eatery buys from area farmers and anglers. Opened in 2010, Off The Hook was founded by the owners of the Indian River Seafood Company. They’ve since opened two more restaurants, Just Hooked, in Fenwick Island and Hooked, in Ocean City, Maryland.
7. Surf Bagel, surfbagel.com, Lewes. They make New York style bagels from scratch. Bagels are $1.20, or $12 for a baker’s dozen. Also has breakfast and lunch menu, including cheesesteaks, smoothies, salads and baked goods.
8. Henlopen City Oyster House, hcoysterhouse.com, Rehoboth Beach. Described by washingtonian.com as a “a convivial nightly party,” the oyster house opens daily at 3 p.m. and does not take reservations. Dinner starts at 5 p.m. Serves duck leg, boar rack and ribeye steak, though the menu is oyster-heavy, with around eight varieties.
9. Agave Mexican Grill and Tequila Bar, agavemexicanrestaurant.net, Lewes. Visitors can sample the more than 70 varieties of agave tequila, either by sipping them from tasting flights or trying one of their specialty margaritas. Online reviewers raved, but repeatedly warn to expect a long wait to be seated.
10. a(muse.), amuse-rehoboth.com, Rehoboth Beach. Offering a modern Mid-Atlantic dining experience (and, yes, creative typography), a(muse.) has a small but varied menu. Includes five- and seven-course meals, at $69 and $89. Serves dinner 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday, and until 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Closed Mondays.