Foodies, give the Culinary Coastal Highway a Test Drive!
Did you know that Southern Delaware Tourism coined our areas restaurant community, Southern Delaware's Culinary Coast a haven for anyone who enjoys culinary travel and adventure? That is so true, and even more today.
Owning a successful business with my husband Bill Bell, our life as busy Lewes real estate brokers is consuming. We work 24/7, and we know, especially at our age, how important it is to make good food choices at the end of a long work day.
Flash back in time... McDonalds opened at Route 24, the Garden Gourmet sat on the highway right outside Rehoboth Beach, the Lampost, owned the Steele family (Caf Azafran) was a local landmark that is now Crabby Dicks and 1776 Steakhouse nestled itself in Midway Shopping Center", where it remains popular today. During the off-season (JAN-APR), what did we do? We longed for spring and for most of the dining establishments in town to open for the season.
Fast forward to the day when the Tanger Outlets came to town; the restaurant chains followed (among them Outback, Cracker Barrel, Applebees and TGI-Fridays), moving in to satisfy the increase in year-round retail workers, relocating baby boomers and the plenty of day-trip-shoppers taking advantaged Delaware's tax-free shopping.
Take a look at today, our Culinary Coastal Highway map has exploded! Starting with Jake's Seafood adding to a second location on Route 1/Coastal Highway in the 90s, this trend continues through to today when restaurateurs now see the advantage of having a brick and mortar store and capitalizing the increased traffic driving today on Coastal Highway.
Bill and I now call the "roughly five miles" of Route 1 between Lewes and Rehoboth Beach, our Culinary Coastal Highway. To us, this small stretch of road offers a variety of food choices while still being very close to our business and just a short drive back home.
There's something for everyone on the Culinary Coastal Highway with food at many price points. Some of our favorites include Michys Relaxed Dining, Fork + Flask @ Nage, Matts Fish Camp Lewes, Fins Ale House and Raw Bar and Big Fish Grill. This summer, were looking forward to the opening of another Bluecoast Seafood Grill and Raw Bar in the shopping center with Bed, Bath and Beyond and the Fresh Market and Rosenfeld's Jewish Delicatessen. Yum!
While we do not have every restaurant on the Highway listed below, heres a good start to a Culinary Coastal Highway adventure. Nor are we food critics, but the Rehoboth Foodie is, so we included his review links to the following dining establishments. The Foodie uses 5 stars to rate each establishment for Overall Experience, Food, Service, Noise, Bathrooms and Value. On the Rehoboth Foodie review pages you can also see pics from the restaurant and read his review. Now you decide!
UPSCALE DINING
1776 Steakhouse American / Traditional Midway Center | (302) 645-9355 | Foodie Review
Fork + Flask @ Nage American / Traditional 19730 Coastal Hwy. | (302) 226-2036 | Foodie Review
Hooked Seafood & Martini Bar Seafood / American / Traditional 18585 Coastal Highway, Midway Shopping Center | (302) 827-4944 | Foodie Review
Touch of Italy (Rehoboth) Italian 19724 Coastal Highway, Shore Plaza | (302) 227-3900 | Foodie Review
Michys Relaxed Dining American / Traditional 19287 Miller Road, Rehoboth Marketplace Shopping Center | (302) 227-0999 | Foodie Review
Palate Bistro & Catering American / Traditional 19266 Coastal Highway, Safeway center | (302) 249-8489 | Foodie Review
Just in Thyme American / Traditional 38363 Robinsons Road at Coastal Hwy. | (302) 227-3100 | Foodie Review
SEAFOOD & FISH HOUSES
Matts Fish Camp Lewes Seafood / Fish Houses 34401 Tenley Court, Lewes | 302-644-2267 | Foodie Review
Surfing Crab Seafood / Fish Houses 16723 Coastal Highway, North of Nassau Bridge | (302) 644-4448| (302) | Foodie Review
The Crab House Seafood / Fish Houses 19598 Coastal Highway | 302-227-2019 | Foodie Review
Fins Ale House and Raw Bar Seafood / Fish Houses 19269 Coastal Highway | (302) 227-3467 | Foodie Review
Big Fish Grill Seafood / Fish Houses 20298 Coastal Highway | (302) 227-3474 | Foodie Review
Jakes Seafood House Seafood / Fish Houses 19178 Coastal Highway | (302) 644-7711 | Foodie Review
UPSCALE PUB Food CRAFT WINES & BEER
Pickled Pig Pub American / Traditional 18756 Coastal Highway | (302) 645-5444 | Foodie Review
Crust & Craft Mediterranean / Spanish / French / Irish /Italian Midway Galleria (next to Panera Bread) |(302) 313-5029 | Foodie Review
Delaware Distilling Company American / Traditional 18693Coastal Highway in Midway Center | (302) 645-8273 | Foodie Review
Forgotten Mile Ale House American / Traditional 20859 Coastal Highway | (302) 212-2151 | Foodie Review
AMERICAN CUISINE
Grandpa(MAC) Coastal Highway American / Traditional 4561 Coastal Highway |(302) 313-4751 | Foodie Review
Bethany Blues-Lewes American / Traditional / BBQ Grill 18385 Coastal Highway | (302) 644-2500 | Foodie Review
Jimmys Grille Rehoboth American / Traditional 19724 Coastal Highway | (302)227-4888 | Foodie Review
INTERNATIONAL CUISINE
Cabaas El Salvadorean 18388 Coastal Highway| (302) 313-4398 | Foodie Review
Saketumi Asian / S.E. Asian / Japanese / Sushi 18814 Coastal Highway | (302) 645-2818 | Foodie Review
Tokyo Steakhouse Japanese / Sushi 17906 Coastal Highway | (302) 645-9728 | Foodie Review
GoBrit! British 18388 Coastal Highway | (302) 644-2250| Foodie Review
PANTRIES & FOOD-TO-GO
Nage Pantry Salumerias / Delis / Gourmet Markets 19724 Coastal Highway | (302)727-5664 | Foodie Review
The Fresh Market Groceries / Food-to-Go 30098 Veterans Way next to Bed, Bath & Beyond |(302) 227-3401 | Foodie Review