Fall time is lunch time at the beach

At the end of this weekend, the hungry parking meters of downtown Rehoboth Beach will be safely stowed away until spring. Those of us who live here can finally venture eastward without having to get our financial affairs in order. That, combined with shorter days, can only mean one thing: Lunch! 

That being said, it won’t be long until Henlopen City Oyster House again opens for off-season afternoon munching. Chris and Joe will be busy this fall putting together their second location in The Avenue Hotel. But hopefully they won’t forget the chowder and the lobster reuben on the HCOH lunch menu. Around the corner, Dave Sauers (former chef at the now long-gone Mixx) has kicked up the menu and the quality at The Pond to notches heretofore unknown. It’s all comfort food, of course (it is The (ultra-casual) Pond, after all) but it’s well done and attractively presented. Down Wilmington near the Boardwalk are two great choices for lunch. The first is Zogg’s (the Granny Smith apple/brie burger!) and Yolanda Pineda’s Mariachi. She even has a Sunday brunch with such delights as chorizo eggs Benedict. 

Hidden gems for lunch include Leo’s Modern Mixture (Leo’s got a whole new menu for you to try). Of course the Baltimore Avenue standby, Lori’s Oy Vey Café, remains open into the fall to feed your chicken salad cravings. Interestingly, chicken salad is also the sleeper at Big Fish Grill. The two are completely different. You might need to launch a fact-finding mission (on a croissant). Breakfast for lunch can be fun on a cool day, and it’s always on the menu at Crystal (ahhh, the pancakes), The Robin Hood (feta omelet with well-done scrapple), and Dewey’s Sunrise. The same applies to The Starboard, but only for a while longer. Speaking of The Starboard, directly across the street is the new-for-2016 Starboard Raw. They are open for lunch with a very nice menu and about a thousand craft taps. 

Fins Ale House and Raw Bar on Coastal Highway is also a popular lunch spot. A half-dozen PEIs and some fried oysters can give you the strength to face the rest of the day. Fins is directly across the street from the delightful Palate, presently serving lunch on weekdays. It will be hard to pass up Lorraine Papp’s amazing baked goods. Sacrifice causes stress, so just stay calm and order something sweet. While we’re on the highway, I should mention that the new El Azteca is open for lunch, as is the Forgotten Mile Ale House. And Pickled Pig Pub up there by Pier 1 Imports opens every day at 11. 

Feeling a bit more formal? You still have a few more weeks to enjoy lunch and “apres surf” fare at the iconic Back Porch Café. And there’s nothing like Sunday brunch out on the back porch at Back Porch. Get the scones. Just get them. 

Victoria’s is open daily in the Boardwalk Plaza Hotel with a generous serving of Atlantic Ocean view. Summer House is consistently good, with quick service to move the parade of lunching Realtors in and out. Dos Locos’ afternoon specials are cheap and filling (sit at the bar and just try to resist making an afternoon of it). Lily Thai dishes up wallet-friendly lunches with a spicy edge. Recent additions to the lunch list include Blackwall Hitch, America’s Pie and Matt’s Fish Camp up toward Lewes. Matt’s also has a lobster reuben, and you owe it to yourself to give it a try. Wash it down with some of that clam chowder. And a plate of fried Ipswich clams. 

Quickie carryout for ambulatory chomping includes Louie’s (a pepperoni slice – or two), Gus & Gus’ Place (burgers and chicken for warm fall days), The Point Coffee House & Bake Shoppe (signature sandwiches and a cuppa’), Alison Blyth’s fish ‘n’ chips emporium Go Fish!, Arena’s (BLT on wheat toast), and of course the old standbys, Grotto and Nicola’s (“Nic-O-Boli” means “Rehoboth” in Italian). 

Milton Friedman said, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch,” and that may be true. But, with the Atlantic glistening in the distance, a leisurely repast in Rehoboth is certainly the best bang for the buck you’ll get most anywhere.