photo by maria deforrest
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Michael Ludden and his team at the Atlantic Sands Hotel in Rehoboth Beach unveiled the Cellar Door restaurant this past summer. The general manager says the restaurant’s peaceful, tucked-away atmosphere and evocative keyhole logo (designed by his daughter Amanda) cultivate a spirit of je ne sais quoi. “It’s a downstairs setting that makes it very quiet and relaxing,” he says. “The atmosphere takes you out of the hustle and bustle of Rehoboth.” With chef Lenny Iorio, Cellar Door plies smoky, Cajun-inspired comfort food like wood-fired oysters and jambalaya. Seafood-centric daily specials and Iorio’s sticky-bun-peach bread pudding are menu standouts. The restaurant aims to “make it simple,” Ludden says, “And keep it about the food and ambiance. We developed the restaurant around the space, and from the simplicity of that, everything else flowed.” 20 Baltimore Ave., Rehoboth Beach, 227-1004, www.cellardooronbaltimore.com