Dough Roller to open in March

After 35 years in Ocean City, Md., The Dough Roller is expanding to Rehoboth Beach.

Set to open in March at 44 Rehoboth Ave., The Dough Roller will bring the same family atmosphere, great pizza, subs and salads the restaurant is famous for at its four Ocean City locations.

“We’re just really excited to be in the area. Rehoboth is beautiful. It’s a great environment; it’s just a great overall place to be,” co-owner Kevin Gibbs said. “We really just wanted to bring our quality of food up here and try different places than Ocean City.”

Gibbs said the intention is to open The Dough Roller with more limited menu than what is served in Ocean City, where breakfast is popular. He said they will focus on their bread-and-butter – pizza – as they grow accustomed to Rehoboth.

Gibbs said The Dough Roller will likely be open by mid-March. The restaurant was granted a permit of compliance by the Rehoboth commissioners Feb. 20, paving the way for The Dough Roller to get its liquor license.

“By Easter for sure,” he said. “We’d like to get open just to get open and have everybody come by and check the place out.”

Ultimately, The Dough Roller with have 120 seats with a small bar, Gibbs said.

Founded by family patriarch Bill Gibbs on Third Street and the Boardwalk in 1980, The Dough Roller gradually expanded over the years to include restaurants in Ocean City and one in Rockville, Md. Part of the Gibbs family foray into Rehoboth includes the purchase of Rehoboth Ale House, although that restaurant has separate management.

“They’re going to have their own thing there,” Gibbs said.

In the future, Gibbs said there could be more Dough Rollers in Rehoboth if the response is good.

“I think our quality of food is very strong. We’ve been feeding families for a long time and we’re still a family business,” he said. “We have a very personal touch with our restaurants and people are going to know the difference. We can fit in by providing a warm, family atmosphere and a nice, high quality food.”

The Dough Roller will be open seven days a week, from 11 a.m. to midnight. For more information, go to www.doughrollerrestaurants.com.