One of coastal Delaware’s most scenic dining spots isn’t near the ocean.
At The Clubhouse at Baywood in Millsboro, the veranda overlooks landscaping with lush, colorful plantings. The pond’s glassy surface reflects the sunset, and the verdant golf green is in the distance. There’s a subtropical feeling, as though you’re in Charleston or the Florida Keys.
The Clubhouse and golf course are public, and that’s good news, considering the abundance of development in the area. “We still have a lot of standing reservations—we love that—but we’re starting to see a lot of new folks here,” says Jack Temple, director of operations for Highwater Management, which operates the restaurant.
Over the years, golf course restaurants have had a stuffy reputation. That’s changed. Witness the number of establishments with “pub” or “grill” in the name. Working north to south, here are 12 golf course restaurants open to the public.
The Greenhill Pub, Ed Oliver Golf Club
In the 1980s and 1990s, the restaurant was The Terrace at Greenhill, and the ambience was more formal. Today, the décor is contemporary and cheerful. Dining is available from 8 a.m. to sunset—golfers’ hours—and the clubhouse still has banquet space.
800 N. DuPont Road, Wilmington; 571-9041
At the Rail: Wine Bar & Grill, White Clay Creek Country Club
The dishes at this Stanton restaurant, which has a classic clubby atmosphere, align with what you expect to find in a country club. Think dry-aged New York strip, lobster tail, a Kurobuta pork chop, and snow crab legs. However, handhelds include a turkey-cranberry club, cheesesteak, and pulled-pork sandwich. The second-floor veranda is the prime spot in summer.
879 Delaware Park Blvd., Wilmington; 994-6700
Pub & Grille, Deerfield Golf Club
The intimate dining room offers affordable noshes, including a quarter-pound beef hot dog, turkey burger, meatball grinder, and chicken-salad sandwich. There are six flat-screen TVs, 12 draft beers, and a firepit with sunset views over the course. (The restaurant closes at sunset.) Deerfield is known for its special brunch buffets, which are held in the banquet space.
507 Thompson Station Road, Newark; 368-6640
The Pub at Frog Hollow Golf Club
Head to this friendly restaurant if you want to hang with MOT locals. Executive chef and general manager Marie Cropper is known for elevated pub food, including scrapple tacos, which are a hit at brunch. “We try to be as local as possible,” she says of the menu. “We use Kirby and Holloway sausage, delivered every week, and, of course, Rapa Scrapple. Our produce comes from Teddy Bear Fresh in Easton, Maryland.” Golfers frequent the restaurant during the day, and locals come for happy hour—$10 selected appetizers—and dinner. There are 80 seats indoors and 40 outdoors. Upstairs is The Edge 18, a separate business with banquet facilities.
1 E. Whittington Way, Middletown; 643-2918
The Grille, Back Creek Golf Club
Open for both lunch and dinner, the Grille features “sand-wedges” and entrees, including crabcakes, bourbon-glazed meatloaf, and honey-grilled salmon. There are weekly specials—kids eat free on Tuesdays—and there is often live music. Firepits are cozy options on the patio.
101 Back Creek Drive, Middletown; 378-6499
The Grille, Odessa National Golf Club
The lunch and dinner menus are the same at this small eatery, which attracts golfers and regulars from surrounding homes. According to manager Wendy Schofield, seared ahi tuna is the most popular appetizer, and shrimp tacos are the bestselling handheld. Cigar smokers appreciate the outdoor tables, she says.
1131 Fieldsboro Road, Townsend; 464-1007
Maple Dale Country Club
Now open to the public, the restaurant serves lunch and dinner. The standards are well represented. Consider chicken marsala, filet mignon, roast chicken, and crabcakes. Lunch includes entree salads, burgers, and sandwiches. Wednesday is pasta night; Friday is prime rib night.
180 Maple Dale Circle, Dover; 674-4951
Big Oyster Brewery, Southern Delaware Golf Club
This is the second Big Oyster Brewery; the first is in Lewes. Both are part of FINS Hospitality Group. The menus are similar: steamers, salads, sandwiches, and entrees such as fried shrimp or oysters, ribs, grilled tuna, and macaroni and cheese bakes. Don’t miss the award-winning beer. The clubhouse also has a Topgolf Swing Suite, and there’s a new golf range and event space.
6182 S. Rehoboth Blvd., Milford; 459-2739
The Landing Bar & Grille, Plantation Lakes Golf & Country Club
Get a 12-ounce New York strip, an 8-ounce burger, or Snake River Wagyu meatball sliders. The menu has other trendy items, such as a Korean BBQ fried chicken sandwich and Cuban pork. House-made focaccia comes with whipped butter topped with sea salt and house-made jam.
20301 Charlotte Blvd., Millsboro; 933-8072
Signatures at Bayside, Bayside Resort Golf Club
This restaurant received the 2022 Golden Fork Award from “Golf Inc.” magazine. There is something for everyone: chicken Parmesan, shrimp tacos, meatloaf, Maryland crab soup, and chicken salad with Old Bay.
12021 N. Haven Drive, Selbyville; 436-9998
The Clubhouse at Baywood, Baywood Greens
The menu changes at least twice a year, but there are daily specials with creative selections. Highwater Management has updated the décor with new carpet, refinished floors, and fresh paint. (Furniture is next on the list.) The menu features a crabcake sandwich, a filet with fries, salmon, and fried chicken and dumplings (gnocchi). If the menu layout looks familiar, you’ve probably visited a SoDel Concepts restaurant; Highwater is part of the SoDel family.
32267 Clubhouse Way, Millsboro; 947-9225
Coastal Kitchen at Bear Trap, Bear Trap Dunes Golf Club
The restaurant on the semiprivate club’s grounds is open to the public, and guests often include residents from surrounding neighborhoods. Many members visit several times a week, says Bill Ford, director of food and beverage. The clever menu consists of the Front Nine (sandwiches and quiche) and the Back Nine (salmon BLT, crabcake sandwich, and prime rib grilled cheese). There are stone-fired flatbreads, pretzel-roll sliders with ham and Swiss or chicken salad, and broiled oysters on the half-shell. Along with an enclosed porch, there’s outdoor seating. “We overlook the whole golf course—it’s gorgeous,” Ford says. (Members get a discount on items with blue stars.)
7 Clubhouse Drive, Ocean View; 537-5600
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