Top 10 Places for Food, Drink and Treats around Lewes and Rehoboth Beach
Besides knowing the housing market and neighborhoods, as a local real estate agent, I should be able to give you the skinny on the best tastes in town. After an exciting day of looking at Rehoboth real estate, you may need a place to celebrate a find.
Here are my favorite places for food, drinks and treats by the shore. Some are well known, others are hidden gems. The following choices span all manner of dress code, from dress-to-impress date nights to board shorts.
Best Restaurant
Agave
137 2nd Street
Lewes, DE
Agave is upscale, authentic Mexican cuisine, and among the best food I’ve had anywhere. The guacamole menu alone includes roasted pumpkin seed and aged gouda, shrimp and garlic, and gala apple and midnight moon cheese options. Off the dinner menu, I can’t recommend the house specialty of Chilies en Nogada enough.
Keep in mind, like most restaurants at the shore, Agave does not take reservations. Wait times can be up to a few hours for larger parties in peak season.
My tip for Agave: show up around 5:00 and see what the wait list is like. If it’s a few hours, head to Cape Henlopen for some beach time or chasing horseshoe crabs and picking up snails in the low-tide waters of Delaware Bay.
Plan to come back a half-hour before your approximated table seating.
Best Family Place
Paradise Grill
27344 Bay Road
Millsboro
How can you not love a restaurant you can boat to? However, Paradise Grill is much more than a restaurant. It’s a gigantic hangout space that will keep your whole family occupied for hours.
There’s a small, private beach, multiple bars, kids’ playground on the sand, constant live music on multiple stages, tons of indoor and outdoor seating (the latter in the shade), kayak and paddleboard rentals, raw bar, palm trees and even a Hopkins Farm Creamery stand.
Plus, despite all the distractions, the food’s pretty darn good!
Best Safe Choice
Big Fish Grill
20298 Coastal Highway
Rehoboth Beach
Let’s say that as your local real estate agent, I just found you your dream beach home. One thing you better get used to is visitors, and being by the shore, they’ll want seafood!
It’s often difficult to gauge just how much seafood your guests can take, and if they’re coming from the middle of the country, their definition of seafood may not be up to seaside standards.
Big Fish Grill is your go-to restaurant. Everything on the menu is quality, so there are no bad choices. It also offers a variety of options, from light seafood fare to ocean overload. It’s perfect for discovering your guests’ likes and dislikes, and setting the baseline for introducing the richer fare.
Best Place for New Conversations
Rose and Crown
142 2nd Street
Lewes
Having lived in Baltimore for over a decade, I grew to really appreciate the friendliness of the town. You could walk into almost any bar alone, sit on a stool and within 10 minutes, you’d be in an engaging conversation with your neighbor.
At the shore, I find this happens the most at Rose and Crown. Urban and sleek, this self-styled British pub has a great upscale vibe and is filled with friendly locals and visitors alike. There are plenty of cocktail, wine and beer options, perfect to pair with delicious starters, sandwiches and entrees.
Best Bar
Surf Cantina
19406 Coastal Highway
Rehoboth Beach
The Big Chill Cantina? The Surf Cantina? The Big Chill Surf Cantina? Who cares if they’re a little mixed up on the name. This place is fantastic.
The crowd and vibe are local, spanning all ages. The permanently parked Taco Reho truck offers amazing tacos and burritos, and the weekends often boast great music on the outdoor stage.
The deco and design will have you feeling like you’re a step from the beach, and far removed from the actual location on Route 1.
Best Sandwich
Overstuffed Sandwiches
28266 Lewes Georgetown Highway (Route 9)
Between Georgetown and Route 1
This non-descript, no-frills place is way too easy to pass, so keep your eyes open for it. You’ll be rewarded with “The Rob” – a grilled Italian all chopped up like a cheesesteak, with just enough spice to put some hair on your chest, as my grandpa would say (much do my sisters’ chagrin), without making your eyes water.
I can’t honestly speak of Overstuffed Sandwiches other options as I ALWAYS get “The Rob,” but I’m sure they’re tasty.
Best Ice Cream
Hopkins Farm Creamery
Route 9 and Dairy Farm Road
Lewes
There’s nothing like ice cream right from the source. Hopkins Farm is a working dairy farm that puts the cream in ice cream, where you can visit with the cows who are supplying your dessert.
Lines get loooong in the summer evenings (often 45 minutes), so here’s another tip: stop by in the afternoon when it’s less crowded and pick up some pints for home.
Best Boardwalk Snack
Fisher’s Popcorn
Rehoboth Beach, Bethany Beach and Fenwick Island Boardwalks
I’m originally from Chicago, and there are three food items we Chicagoans swear by: Chicago pizza, Italian beef and Garrett Popcorn. Well, my Chicago brethren will be upset about this, but Fisher’s Popcorn tops Garrett.
I particularly love the caramel corn, especially when walking the boardwalk. It’s fresh and warm, and truly addictive. You’ll be surprised at how quickly that tub disappears.
Best Brewery
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
6 Cannery Village Center
Milton
Delaware is starting to explode with craft breweries, with Revelation Craft Brewing, Iron Hill Brewery and Crooked Hammock Brewery all getting in on the action. While all are good, the standard bearer for me is still Dogfish Head’s Milton location.
Get four samples of original, fresh beer every time you show up. The tasting room is great for socializing, and you can get your growler filled without having to deal with the crowds at the Rehoboth Beach restaurant.
Also, the kitchen has a slew of new, handcrafted eats. You can challenge your friends to bocce, and even the tours are entertaining. Plus, there’s always parking.
Best Crab Fix
Copps Seafood
34392 Copps Lane
Lewes
Off of John J. Williams Highway, Copps is another blink-and-you-miss-it spot. You’ll find fresh and farmed seafood to take home for your grill, but out of all their options, you cannot go wrong with a bag of crab claws.
You get 100 per bag for under $6, so spread out the newspaper, melt a little butter and start dipping. These bags of claws don’t last long, so call ahead of time to make sure they’re available.
Hungry Yet?
Go and give these options a try, or track down your own favorites. If you want to switch from finding restaurants to finding houses, give me a call. As a local real estate agent, I’ll be thrilled to show you some homes.
Michael Getzlaff
The Nitan Soni Group
302-515-5711