Beach eats just keep getting better every season

It’s been a busy 2019! Coastal Delaware Restaurant Week raised $3,000 for Meals on Wheels Lewes/Rehoboth as nomads and locals alike got to sample sips and bites from Fenwick to Milford and from the sand to Milton, Millsboro and Georgetown. Forty-seven Cape Region restaurants stepped up to the plate with lunch and dinner specials to help make the event a success. That’s the way we roll here in Sussex County. 

Speaking of lunch and dinner, there’s a lot happening up and down the coast, but probably the most immediate is the soon-to-open Raas. Asian and Thai fusion with a whisper of Indian will be the theme there on Savannah Road in Lewes, and Chef GG, Dr. Vinay Hosmane and his team are putting the finishing touches on this long-awaited spot. It’s a huge undertaking and they are wisely taking their time. 

The perpetually-sold-out EatingRehoboth.com walking food tours have added new stops to their popular tasting treks through town. Newbies include Karly Gamaitoni’s G Rehoboth. She and Chef Ross Thompson wow the guests with an unusual menu, an upbeat bar and hidden-away outdoor dining. Just east of there, Indigo Indian Restaurant is thriving in their second season here at the beach as they introduce tourgoers to an authentic Indian bite twice every week. One of the newest stops on that tasty stroll is The Pines on Baltimore Avenue. Former baseball pro Tyler Townsend and his crew keep everyone smiling and sipping downstairs, while they engage in a bit of music upstairs. Back on The Avenue, walking into the Olive Orchard Tasting Room at First Street Station is like walking into another world. The walls are lined with stainless steel casks called fustis. Each one is brimming with infused olive oils and balsamic vinegars. Tiny tasting cups tempt you to open the spigot and sample a few drops. My vote for the best in the vinegar show is the cinnamon-pear dark balsamic. It’s just barely sweet, but with a deep fruity finish that makes any salad stand up and talk. New proprietors Eloi Cardoso and Curt Whitehair make everyone feel welcome at this home cooks’ dream-come-true. 

I like writing about hidden gems, and two of these are the newly remodeled Pond (aka The Pond) on S. First Sreet. Longtime owner Pete Borsari capitalizes on the informal vibe with major strides in the menu department - and EatingRehoboth tourgoers are loving it! Yet another little gem is the tiny Catchers restaurant just next door to Hotel Rehoboth and Lupo Italian Kitchen. Boss Roland Buckingham and his friendly kids give you the 100 percent family treatment with amazing made-in-house appetizers, custom cocktails and hardshells spiced up with a bit of quirky commentary from Roland - if he’s in the mood…. 

One of the newest Rehoboth pastimes is the EatingRehoboth Coastal Highway Tours where visitors and locals can get to know some of the tasty spots on Coastal Highway. In partnership with Jolly Trolley, each tour kicks off at Bluecoast Rehoboth where guests are treated to a bespoke taste and a cocktail in the private library room.  Then, depending on the week, the tour proceeds to restaurants that include Saketumi, Miyagi Ramen Bar, Fork & Flask, Touch of Italy, the new Crust & Craft and even Rosenfeld’s Jewish Deli! There’s always a special surprise stop, and on the highway it’s often none other than Jim Schroeder’s Beef Jerky Outlet. If you haven’t experienced this place, do yourself a favor - it’s a lot more than just jerky! 

So many places to wine and dine in the Cape Region! We’re already putting together an amazing lineup for Coastal Delaware Restaurant Week 2020, so you can explore every nook and cranny of our culinary adventures by the sea. 

Writing this has made me hungry (it doesn’t take much). Rehoboth Beach, Lewes, Dewey and the surrounding areas have certainly stepped up to the plate for yet another season of good eats. If you’re visiting us - or even if you live here - get out and see what’s it’s all about. After all, y’gotta eat!