On the Delaware coast, breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day. Since we’re now crossing seasons, breakfast spots are going to be in hot demand. Here are a few favorites.
Lewes-Milton
The Blue Heron Grille at the Rookery Golf Course (27052 Broadkill Road, Milton, 684-3103) is famous for its chipped beef. Breakfast is served daily. The Sunday buffet is $7.99 for adults, $5.99 for children.
Bagels are made every day at Surf Bagel (17382 Coastal Highway, Lewes, 644-1822) in the New York style, which means they hit the water before the oven. The shop also offers hot morning sandwiches with egg, cheese, and bacon, sausage or Taylor ham. Real-fruit smoothies include a choice of Rhino Boost.
Baked oatmeal is Café Azafran’s (109 Market St., Lewes, 644-4446) claim to fame. The oatmeal is made in big sheets, cut, put in a bowl, warmed, and topped with milk or yogurt. A popular frittata is made with mushrooms, red pepper, spinach and provolone, and served on a bagel or multigrain roll. Or order a traditional frittata with Serrano ham and a blend of gourmet cheeses. It’s served with a roll and butter.
Pick any bagel at Books by the Bay Café (111 Bank St., Lewes, 644-6571) and the staff will add bacon or sausage, scrambled eggs and the cheese of your choice. The All-American breakfast includes two eggs any style, home fries and toast. The Irish breakfast is made with two eggs any style, imported Irish bacon, mushrooms, grilled tomatoes and toast.
The Blue Plate Diner (329 Savannah Road, Lewes, 644-8400) serves scrapple, pork roll and grits, making the restaurant the “Mason-Dixon line of food,” says co-owner Mark Grabowski.
Like the Blue Plate, the Lighthouse Restaurant at Fisherman’s Wharf (7 Angler’s Road, Lewes, 645-6271) serves the gamut, from an assortment of juices to creamed chipped beef to a spinach-and-Swiss omelet. Big eaters can dig into the Maximum breakfast: two eggs, two pancakes, two bacon strips, two sausages and home fries.
Rehoboth Beach
Breakfast at the Robin Hood restaurant (ocean block of Rehoboth Avenue, 227-0770), has been a tradition for 40 years. Doors open at 6 a.m. Eggs Benedict and omelets fly out of the kitchen. Among the most popular are the Greek omelet, made with spinach and feta, and the Western omelet. Customers can also design their own.
Head to Arena’s Deli & Bar (149 Rehoboth Ave., 227-1272) and the new Arena’s Café (4113 Highway One, 226-CAFE) for The Porker—an egg, bacon, sausage, American cheese and tater tots in a wrap. Or try the Hangover Helper—an egg, steak, American cheese and mayo on a torpedo roll.
Try the filet mignon and shrimp omelet at The Crystal Restaurant (620 Rehoboth Ave., 227-1088), which serves breakfast from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Don’t let the name of Royal Treat Ice Cream Parlor (4 Wilmington Ave., 227-6277) fool you. Breakfast is served from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The French toast is made with Italian bread.
At Gus & Gus (Wilmington & Boardwalk, 227-3229), favorites include ham-and-cheese omelets and French fries—not home fries, mind you.
Stop in Coastal Café (19406 Coastal Highway, 227-2269) for a breakfast burrito, real-fruit smoothie, chai or homemade blueberry muffin. The burritos include two eggs, lettuce, cheese, sautéed peppers and onions—plus salsa and sour cream—all packed in a wrap.
Sammy’s Kitchen (32A Wilmington Ave., 227-1168) is open 24 hours. Sammy’s specializes in chocolate chip pancakes, but is also popular for corned beef hash and eggs, and T-bone steak and eggs.
Dewey Beach
For more than 30 years, Sunrise Restaurant (2300 Highway One, 227-3202) has ruled Dewey’s breakfast scene. Credit the Sunrise omelet, made with feta cheese, tomato, onion and green peppers. Hours are 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Shop: Destination Surf (1808 Highway One, Unit 4, 227-2227) serves New York bagels not New York-style bagels. Though made in Dewey, the bagels follow the authentic recipe, so they’re no less than the real thing. Specialties also include smoothies and fresh coffee.
Bethany Beach
Customers of the Penguin Diner (105 Garfield Pkwy., 541-8017) favor the crab-stuffed Baltimore omelet made with Swiss cheese and tomato, and the Bethany Breakfast Combo: two eggs any style and a choice of fruit salad, bacon, ham, sausage, scrapple or turkey links, served with home fries and toast.
At the Baja Beach House Grill (109 Garfield Pkwy., 537-9993), get the breakfast burrito with chorizo, scrambled eggs, sautéed peppers, onions, pico de gallo and cheese. Or choose bacon, ham or sausage instead of chorizo. The restaurant serves Seattle’s Best Coffee at the espresso bar and offers the torta, a breakfast sandwich on a Portuguese white roll.
Cool Breeze Café’s (97 Garfield Pkwy., 537-2400) breakfast pizza includes cheddar, provolone and mozzarella with your choice of toppings. Just before baking, the pizza is topped with raw scrambled eggs, which puff up in the oven for a quiche-like effect. The toasted Cool Breeze bagel is made with cream cheese, smoked salmon, avocado and a tomato slice.
Ocean View
The breakfast burrito at Kool Bean Café (111 Atlantic Ave., 541-5377) is made with eggs, onions, red peppers, cheddar jack cheese and chorizo on a flour tortilla and topped with lettuce, scallions, salsa and sour cream. The Farmer’s Bake is a casserole made with eggs, ham, peppers, onions, cheddar cheese and home fries, all scooped into a crock and topped with fresh tomatoes and scallions.
Fenwick Island
At Dirty Harry’s Restaurant (100 Coastal Highway, 539-3020), the Hungry Man’s Special features three pancakes, three eggs cooked to order, two sausage links, and toast or biscuits for a hair over $8. Jimmy’s Kitchen (6 Ocean Bay Plaza, Coastal Highway, 537-2423) serves breakfast till 11 a.m. Warren’s Station (1406 Ocean Highway, 539-7156) serves all the basics starting at 8 a.m. daily. But get there soon—seasonal Warren’s will close September 21. May is a long time to wait for your next breakfast.
