Beach towns aren’t typically fine-dining destinations. But Southern Delaware’s tourism board aptly dubbed the area the “Culinary Coast,” and one town in particular, Rehoboth Beach, is the epicurean star of the show. This story is part of our May Battle of the Beaches issue. Check back as we break down our favorite beaches in Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey.
Where to Eat
From the innovative dishes and intimate atmosphere to the attentive service and downtown location, Drift Seafood & Raw Bar, opened in 2023, may become your new favorite restaurant — not just in Delaware, but anywhere. Caviar pancakes with blood orange syrup and crème fraîche are a delight, as are the bluefin tuna shiso wraps, the pastas made in-house daily, the lobster French toast — and literally anything else you order. You’ll want to book it twice to try it all. Chef Todd Gray (of Equinox fame) opened The Federal in 2021. It began as a DC food truck selling Equinox’s most popular shareable starters and expanded into this casual fine-dining bistro that pays tribute to the mid-Atlantic and Todd and Ellen Gray’s Italian roots. Book a seat at one of its monthly spirit dinners, featuring four courses and cocktail pairings, for $95 a person. Asian street-food concept Bodhi Kitchen offers creative, shareable plates featuring Thai, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Japanese flavors.
Where to Play
Love Dogfish Head’s craft brews? Learn more about them at Beers with Bryan, a monthly event series at the Rehoboth brewpub featuring a Q&A with brewing ambassador Bryan Selders. If you’re more of a wine drinker, go to Wine Down Wednesdays, a wine tour led by Delmarva Discovery Tours that takes guests to three venues and ends with a beautifully curated picnic on the beach at sunset. Rehoboth has independent shopping, including a large bookstore and surf shops, in its walkable downtown, plus discount brand-name shopping at its 130 Tanger outlet stores. Take the kids to Funland on the boardwalk for old-school rides and an arcade.
Where to Farm Oysters
The aquaculture industry is growing in Delaware, particularly when it comes to oyster farming, which was legalized in 2017. Learn for yourself on a Delaware Cultured Seafood oyster tour. They run from June through November and take guests from the nursery to the ocean by boat and back to land. The quality of Rehoboth’s cuisine owes much to the region’s rich farming and fishing opportunities. According to Visit Southern Delaware, 39 percent of the state is reserved for agriculture, from small mom-and-pop farms to larger commercial operations.
Where to Stay
Rent a beachfront vacation home and live among elites like the Biden family for the summer. There are some solid hotel options to choose from, too. The airy Coast Rehoboth Beach, Tapestry Collection, a 60-room boutique hotel that was a motel before its Hilton transformation, opened in 2023. It boasts an indoor rooftop pool and deck, golf cart transportation to and from the beach, bike rentals, and proximity to restaurants and shopping.
Feature image of The Federal by Ellen Kassoff
This story originally ran in our May Issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine.
