EDITOR’S NOTE: For more beach news, traffic and weather, visit WTOP’s Summer Beach Guide section.
From famous dive bars to quaint and charming eateries, there’s no shortage of great restaurants in Delaware’s Dewey Beach, Rehoboth Beach and Lewes Beach.
Here are some favorites from WTOP employees, known to visit the beaches often.
19791 Coastal Highway, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware Pit beef is a well-known Maryland style of BBQ that’s been getting its due nationwide thanks to reality TV efforts from the likes of Guy Fieri and the guys at Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Most famous among them is Chaps Pit Beef, which started as a roadside stand in east Baltimore and is now franchised along Coastal Highway in Rehoboth. Those made-to-order, custom sandwiches that start over a hot charcoal grill are now available at the beach. And unlike most other Chaps locations, you can also wash it down with a beer at their bar. – John Domen (WTOP/John Domen)
WTOP/John Domen
56 Baltimore Ave., Rehoboth Beach, Delaware In downtown Rehoboth Beach, you have to walk down an alley off Wilmington Avenue near the corner of 2nd to find The Pines, an upscale restaurant and bar whose owners include Tyler Townsend, a former minor league player with the Orioles. Their goal is to put a modern tavern in downtown Rehoboth. “We didn’t want to reinvent the wheel, we just wanted to take things people are familiar with and put our own spin on it.” The seafood comes from the docks in West Ocean City, the greens from local farms, and the meet from an organic farm in central Delaware. — John Domen (WTOP/John Domen)
167 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach, Delaware This restaurant has everything from crab dip to a fried seafood feast on its menu, and local beer pours from the taps. (WTOP/Kate Ryan)
WTOP/Kate Ryan
1205 Coastal Highway, Dewey, Delaware This new-for-2018 restaurant sources its ingredients from nearby farms. Be on the lookout for plenty of tacos (pork belly, sweet potato, fish and Brussels sprout, to name a few), plus burgers, salads, and lots of mezcal. (WTOP/John Domen)
WTOP/John Domen
102 2nd St, Lewes
Bob Yesbeck of Rehobothfoodie.com tells WTOP’s Megan Cloherty that The Buttery is one of the best restaurants in the area. Menu items include oysters and crudo, charcuterie and cheese, and entrees such as organic half chicken, New Zealand rack of lamb and Atlantic salmon. (WTOP/Megan Cloherty)
WTOP/Megan Cloherty
212 Savannah Rd, Lewes Another one at the top of Yesbeck’s list is Heirloom, also in Lewes. The restaurant is in an old Victorian house and the menu is heavy on seasonal vegetables and fresh seafood. (WTOP/Megan Cloherty)
210 2nd St., Rehoboth Beach, Delaware Everything is homemade at Azzurro, a new Italian restaurant in Rehoboth. Pizza, risottos, fresh pastas and seafood are all on the menu. (WTOP/Megan Cloherty)
59 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach
For creative, high-end cuisine, WTOP’s Shawn Anderson heads to The Back Porch Café in Rehoboth Beach. (WTOP/Megan Cloherty)
1 Wilmington Ave, Rehoboth Beach And when Shawn Anderson is in search of that “classic beachy vibe,” he heads to Zogg’s Raw Bar and Grill in Rehoboth. (WTOP/Megan Cloherty)
1608 Coastal Hwy, Dewey Beach WTOP’s Matt Ritter said, “The restaurant has always been a solid destination for rare, excellent Italian food on the Delmarva, and it continues to be.” Bonus? The bar isn’t too crowded. “A lot of the Dewey Beach regulars from yesteryear still hang in the bar area, but since it doesn’t get as packed as it used to get, you can get the great food there in a more comfortable space”. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
AP Photo/Matthew Mead
125 2nd St, Lewes
Pizzas are the specialty at this Lewes spot. Try combinations such as artichoke goat cheese, Gouda chicken and BBQ chicken. There’s also a great wine and beer list. (WTOP/Megan Cloherty)
WTOP/Megan Cloherty
17382 Coastal Hwy, Lewes “Big, fat, chewy bagels. Toasted and smeared, or served as a sandwich. Worth the trip to Lewes.” WTOP’s John Domen (WTOP/Megan Cloherty)
11 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach
“For subs and pizza, everyone who lives there will tell you it’s one of their absolute favorite places.” — WTOP’s John Domen (Getty Images)
Getty Images
2009 Coastal Hwy, Dewey Beach If you had a rough night out, the Starboard can fix you up in the morning. WTOP’s Reada Kessler says the Eggs Delmarva (basically a crab benedict) is a favorite, and the make-your-own bloody mary bar is legendary. (WTOP/Megan Cloherty)
WTOP/Megan Cloherty
50 Wilmington Ave, Rehoboth Beach Locally sourced ingredients make up a menu of Eastern Shore crabcakes, Thai peanut udon, grilled rib eye and crispy skin red snapper, among many other options. (WTOP/Megan Cloherty)
37300 Rehoboth Avenue Extension # 1 “It’s where the locals go for breakfast. Always busy, even in the offseason.” WTOP’s John Domen (Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
33 Wilmington Ave, Rehoboth Beach The Blue Hen, named for the owners’ University of Delaware mascot, is a new concept from the same team behind Henlopen Oyster House in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The Southern-inspired spot includes everything from biscuits to deviled eggs and fried Amish chicken. (WTOP/Megan Cloherty)
WTOP/Megan Cloherty
142 2nd St., Lewes “Everything on the menu is great, but steak night (they have daily specials throughout the week) is a must order.” — WTOP’s Will Vitka (WTOP/Megan Cloherty)
29 Baltimore Ave, Rehoboth Beach WTOP’s Julia Ziegler has high praise for this seafood spot. “This place came recommended to us while on vacation one year and it didn’t disappoint. It was so good we went back twice in one week. Great family atmosphere.” Her Must Order: Jake’s Famous Seafood Bisque — “If you love creamy seafood soups, you gotta try this soup. Go for the bowl size, not the cup!” (AP Photo/Larry Crowe)
AP Photo/Larry Crowe
8 N 1st St, Rehoboth Beach “A Rehoboth icon for decades, it’s home of the Nicoboli, which no trip to Rehoboth is complete without. A party pizza will also feed your whole beach house, but everyone knows you gotta get a Nicoboli. Very kid friendly.” — WTOP’s John Doman (AP Photo/Larry Crowe)
111 Neils Alley, Lewes Feeling healthy? The juice menu is overflowing with fresh fruit and vegetable concoctions. Of course, there’s also pancakes, steak and eggs, and buttered pecan French toast at this Lewes breakfast spot. (WTOP/Megan Cloherty)
WTOP/Megan Cloherty
38163 Robinsons Drive, Rehoboth Beach “Best restaurant you’ve probably never been to. On the Forgotten Mile (a strip of land between Rehoboth and Dewey), it has some of the best steak and seafood dishes on the Delaware coast. Try the Shrimp Orlando (named after owner Jon Orland), which is shrimp and pasta in a lobster cream sauce with veggies. You can order it even when it sometimes floats off the menu.” — WTOP’s John Doman (WTOP/Megan Cloherty)
36707 Crooked Hammock Way For craft beer, wings, burgers and sandwiches, this Lewes hangout is the place to go. (WTOP/Megan Cloherty)
WTOP/Megan Cloherty
320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach For a taste of Delaware’s most famous beer — and great food items — head to the Dogfish Head brewpub in downtown Rehoboth. (WTOP/Megan Cloherty)
WTOP/Megan Cloherty
3 S 1st St, Rehoboth Beach According to WTOP’s John Domen, The Pond is the best place to go for wings and beer. “Many years ago, a guy who went by Byrd was a bartender and manager there. After closing, it wasn’t uncommon for him to whip up some wings for the crew with a special sauce he came up with. They were so good management eventually made him put his Byrd Wings on the menu. The rest of the menu is good too. There’s often live music from some of Rehoboth’s best local artists and most popular cover bands during the week too.” (AP Images)
AP Images
102 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach
“For the occasional rainy day in Rehoboth, or late afternoon after the beach, the Cafe A Go-Go’s Mexican Hot Chocolate is a twist of the favorite. Plop down in the comfortable couches for a few minutes of ‘ahhhh.'” — WTOP’s Neal Augenstein (Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
50 Wilmington Ave, Rehoboth Beach As the name suggests, oysters are the specialty here. There’s also clams, calamari, lobster rolls and pan-seared scallops. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
AP Photo/Steve Helber
301 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach “I’ve spent a number of birthdays celebrating at the Cultured Pearl in downtown Rehoboth. The different kinds of edamame are to die for.” — WTOP’s Stephanie Flax (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
12 Wilmington Ave, Rehoboth Beach “Green Man Juice Bar & Bistro has been our family’s favorite breakfast, brunch or lunch place for years. Fresh juices, creme brulee French toast, steel cut oatmeal and coffee in an old house a block from the beach.” — WTOP’s Neal Augenstein (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
1818 Coastal Hwy, Dewey Beach WTOP’s Colleen Kelleher recommends this Dewey Beach spot, which serves seafood, tacos, sandwiches and salads. (Courtesy Hammerheads Facebook)
Courtesy Hammerheads Facebook
WTOP/Kate Ryan
19730 Coastal Hwy, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware WTOP’s Judy Taub recommends Fork and Flask in Rehoboth as a “great bar and restaurant.” Check out the menu here. (WTOP/Kate Ryan)
137 2nd St., Lewes, Delaware Agave always has long waits, but fans brave the crowds anyway for the “incredible” Mexican cuisine. (WTOP/Kate Ryan)
111 Bank St., Lewes, Delaware Kindle is another great spot frequented by locals. This bistro serves French-influenced fare. (WTOP/Kate Ryan)
