Photo by Deny Howeth
Take your dining experience outside this season with our guide to the best open-air seating.
99 Sea Level
With a beachside view to match its seafood-centric menu, 99 Sea Level Restaurant and Raw Bar offers patrons the opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of dishes, including crabcake sandwiches, scallops and yellowfin tuna.
Available for curbside pickup, delivery, dine-in and takeout. Reservations can be made online.
99 Hollywood St., Bethany Beach; 539-0299
Big Chill Beach Club
Dock at Big Chill Beach Club and enjoy its array of lunch and dinner options—all alongside priceless views of the Indian River Inlet. Menu options include salad shreds and bowls, crabcake and shrimp sandwiches, and SoCal-style burgers and tacos.
Available for dine-in and takeout. Reservations can be made online.
27099 Coastal Highway, Bethany Beach; 402-5300; bigchillbeachclub.com
Bluecoast Seafood Grill and Raw Bar
Right off the beach, Bluecoast Seafood Grill and Raw Bar presents an ideal destination for anyone wanting to take a quick break from the sand and surf. Menu options include salad bowls, butcher meals and coastal classics like the Crab-Stuffed Jumbo Shrimp and Lobster Fra Diavolo.
Available for curbside pickup and dine-in. Reservations can be made online.
30904 Coastal Highway, Bethany Beach; 539-7111; 300115 Veterans Way, Rehoboth Beach; 278-7395; bluecoastrehoboth.com
The Cove Bar and Grill at Bayside
Featuring a waterside view, the Cove Bar and Grill offers patrons a menu focused on fresh seafood. Enjoy tasty salads, sandwiches and family-style suppers.
Available for curbside pickup and dine-in.
31806 Lake View Drive, Selbyville; 436-3200; livebayside.com
Crooked Hammock Brewery
Settle into the “Hammock State of Mind” at this Lewes brewery. With picnic tables and games, the space is reminiscent of a neighborhood cookout. Enjoy a refreshing beer paired with food favorites like the Pineapple Express Wings and Nachos.
Available for both dine-in and takeout. Reservations can be made online.
46707 Crooked Hammock Way, Lewes; 644-7837; crookedhammockbrewery.com
The Cultured Pearl Restaurant & Sushi Bar
It’s time to elevate date night—literally. From the rooftop deck—complete with a 16,000-gallon koi pond—enjoy Japanese cuisine and sushi, as well as views of Rehoboth Avenue.
Available for curbside pickup and dine-in. Reservations can be made online.
301 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach; 227-8493; culturedpearl.us
The Den Bar and Grille
After a day on the golf course at Bear Trap Dunes, relax and replenish over classic American burgers, sandwiches and salads at The Den.
Available for curbside pickup and dine-in.
7 Clubhouse Drive, Ocean View; 537-5600; beartrapdunes.com
Fish On
Just as its namesake suggests, Fish On restaurant specializes in seafood. Menu options include classics like fish and chips, shrimp and grits, and fish tacos.
Available for curbside pickup and dine-in. Reservations can be made online.
17300 N. Village Main Blvd., Lewes; 645-9790; fishonlewes.com
Grain on the Rocks
Grain Craft Bar + Kitchen expands with another location, this time at the Delaware beaches. Watch the Cape May–Lewes Ferry set sail while dining on American fare. Live music is also a mainstay at this spot.
Available for dine-in and takeout.
43 Cape Henlopen Drive, Lewes Ferry Terminal, Lewes; 291-3900; meetatgrain.com
Half Full
Half Full puts a unique spin on pizzas, soups and salads, complemented by a robust wine selection. Housed in a quaint cottage in Lewes, this spot can fill up fast, so plan ahead.
Available for dine-in and takeout.
125 Second St., Lewes; 645-8877; halffulllewes.com
Hammerheads Dockside
With an outdoor environment reminiscent of a beach party, Hammerheads Dockside grants customers the opportunity to kick back and relax with a delicious meal—all against a calming, sun-kissed backdrop. Menu options include soups and salads, sandwiches and wraps, and shared plates including Blackened Tuna Bites, Peel and Eat Shrimp, and Crab Balls.
While the outside bars are currently closed, patrons can make reservations on the restaurant website. Available for curbside pickup.
39415 Inlet Road #2600, Rehoboth Beach; 752-8010; hammerheadsde.com
Heirloom
This farm-to-table spot is a must-try for the ultimate foodie. With an outside patio, patrons can enjoy Chef Matthew Kern’s innovative dishes right on downtown Lewes’ main drag.
Available for dine-in and takeout.
212 Savannah Road, Lewes; 313-4065; https://www.facebook.com/heirloomdelaware/
Rusty Rudder
Boasting the “best bayfront seafood” of the East Coast, the Rusty Rudder restaurant offers plenty of surf-and-turf. Menu options include salads, sandwiches, tacos, and entrées including Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl, Flat Iron Steak, and Maryland Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes.
Available for dine-in and takeout.
113 Dickinson St., Dewey Beach; 227-3888; rustyrudderdewey.com
Striper Bites
Dine dockside at Striper Bites while enjoying traditional and unique seafood dishes. Menu options include greens, sandwiches and sushi rolls, including Alaskan Bonfire, Firecracker Tuna and Tempura.
Available for curbside pickup and dine-in.
107 Savannah Road, Lewes; 645-4667; striperbites.com
Victoria’s Restaurant
Victoria’s Restaurant strives to grant guests an experience with good food right on the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk. Menu options include Crab Cake Sandwiches, Duck à l’Orange, and Lemon Dill Salmon.
Available for curbside pickup, dine-in and takeout.
2 Olive Ave. and the Boardwalk, Rehoboth Beach; 227-7169; boardwalkplaza.com
The Wheelhouse Restaurant and Bar
Set right on the water, the Wheelhouse Restaurant and Bar brings the best of both worlds with a blend of land and sea specialties. Menu options include craft burgers, dockside sandwiches, tacos and lettuce wraps.
Available for dine-in, takeout and no-contact delivery. Orders and reservations can be made online.
7 Anglers Road, Lewes; 291-2163; wheelhousede.com
Published as “Dining Al Fresco” in the Fall Beach Guide/September 2020 issue of Delaware Today.
Photo by Deny Howeth[/caption]
