Seafood shacks, craft breweries, and wineries along Delaware's culinary coast

For many New Yorkers, Delaware seems worlds away. And it is — in spirit — with its wide open spaces, farmland as far as the eye can see, and miles upon miles of quiet coastline. But in reality, it’s only a few hours’ drive from New York City. At the end of the journey, you’ll find a delicious reason to visit: Delaware’s Culinary Coast, which encompasses beachfront towns like Lewes, Rehoboth Beach, and Bethany Beach. The area earned its nickname thanks to its thriving restaurant scene, numerous farms, a rich seafood culture, and unique experiences like sipping local wines with sloths or stopping at a brewery on a bike trail.

Nassau Valley Vineyards cofounder Peggy Raley is part of the reason why the Delaware coast has become such a culinary hot spot. Peggy was born into an agricultural family who has been in this area for 300 years — but ironically, she wanted nothing to do with it and fled for Europe, where she found herself working in the Bordeaux region of France as a wine journalist. But all that changed on one visit home. “It occurred to me that it was very strange that my home state had no wineries, since it has sandy soil — some of the best in the world for growing grapes — and a proximity to the Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean that makes for a temperate growing climate,” says Peggy. “But I discovered that the state prohibited the production of alcohol for resale.”

To make a long story short, Peggy and her dad started planting vines on his farm and she lobbied the state and got the laws changed — opening the door for other wineries, distilleries, and craft breweries to come. Thanks to that pioneering vision, you’ll now find culinary entrepreneurs like Josh Grapski, a managing partner with La Vida Hospitality, which runs breweries and restaurants in the area such as the Crooked Hammock Brewery and Big Chill Beach Club. Like Peggy, Josh was surprised by what the area had to offer. “I thought I’d end up in a big city in the middle of it all,” says Josh, who discovered this region while he was at culinary school in northern Delaware. “But I was drawn in by the charming small town feel, the great culinary talent, the farmers and fishermen, and the tremendous natural resources by sea and by land.”

In fact, the resources in Delaware’s Culinary Coast are so spectacular that Danio Somoza, chef-owner of Harvest Tide Steakhouse in Lewes and Zoca Modern Mexican Restaurant in Bethany Beach, doesn’t even have freezers at his restaurants. “With all the farms and the local ingredients, it doesn’t get much fresher than this,” says Danio.

Hungry yet? We’ll see you on the Culinary Coast.

-Laura Begley Bloom, New York's Senior WeekEnder Writer

Along with gorgeous weather and the peak harvest season, fall brings lower prices and more availability at Delaware’s personality-filled boutique hotels. Here are a few of our favorite finds.

From Dogfish Head, the craft brew that helped put Delaware on the map, comes a quirky-cool inn. Look for clever touches like a library curated by San Francisco’s City Lights Bookstore, retro-style bikes to borrow, and minibars stocked with locally made snacks.

There’s romance in the air at this stylish coastal retreat that House Beautiful named the best designed hotel in Delaware.

You can’t get any closer to the ocean than this laid-back hotel that serves up free wine and cheese and just-baked cookies every day at 5 p.m.

When Peggy Raley is looking for a food-focused staycation, she heads to this hotel with a rarity in Rehoboth: a beachfront restaurant. “The hotel has glorious oceanfront rooms,” she says. “And Victoria's restaurant is really nice, with white tablecloths and beautiful food.”

Tucked into the dunes, this 1901 Victorian was the first building in the area to have indoor plumbing and gaslights. Today, the original antiques and tin ceilings make it feel like a flashback to another era.

With its endless farmland and miles of pristine beaches, it’s no surprise that Southern Delaware features an array of restaurants highlighting local seafood and produce. Can’t decide where to eat? You can take a culinary tour with Eating Rehoboth.

“They have the most insane crème brulée French toast — served with ice cream, optional — plus a juice bar if you prefer to be healthy,” says Peggy Raley.

What if Willy Wonka made coffee? That’s the motto at this local roastery, which serves over-the-top drinks and crazy sweets to start the day, from Ooey Gooeys to Gorilla Sticks.

This farm-to-table restaurant has a beautiful weekend brunch that showcases some of the region’s best produce against the backdrop of a blooming garden.

Joe Biden is a regular at this sweet stand with an ever-evolving menu of offbeat flavor combinations like bacon ice cream and sweet corn with cinnamon.

The fries are sold by the bucket right on the boardwalk. “They’re addictive,” says Josh Grapski. But just don’t ask for ketchup: In Delaware everyone tops the fries with vinegar.

A local institution since 1937. Order your caramel-covered popcorn doused with Old Bay Seasoning.

While the dishes are simple at this beachfront spot set right in a state park, the views are epic. (Heads up: The $10 parking fee is worth it.)

A Southern-inspired bistro with shrimp and grits to die for.

Dogfish Head's legendary craft brews pair perfectly with wood-fired pizzas from a stone hearth oven, house-baked pretzels, crab-corn chowder, and more.

This chef-driven brewpub elevates standard pub grub. Think spice-crusted tuna with lemon-herb quinoa. Don’t miss a tasting flight of the farm-fresh brews, and save time for ping pong and bocce ball in the beer garden.

Laid-back easy-drinking beers, served with the kind of foods you’d cook in your backyard (but better).

Locally sourced, expertly crafted modern Mexican cuisine (like a Mexican paella with soft shell crab and lobster tail). In a rush? Swing by the new grab-and-go farmer’s market.

“This upscale restaurant will change your mind forever about how you look at Chinese food —and half the chefs in town eat there, which should tell you something,” says Peggy. “Try the hand-rolled dumplings.”

The freshest sushi. “Don’t miss the Hairy Mexican, a roll with fried shrimp and avocado, or the Sloppy Joe with eel and cream cheese,” says Danio Somoza.

“The food is really off the hook and they’ve made a huge commitment to sourcing the very best local seafood and the very best ingredients,” says Peggy.

An award-winning crab house with a crab cake that’s not to be missed.

In the last decade, Southern Delaware has undergone a major oyster renaissance, and the briny bivalves peak in the fall. This oyster purveyor has a market where you can sample them.

“The oldest fine dining restaurant in the area,” says Peggy. “These guys were doing farm-to-table before anybody coined the phrase.”

Another culinary trailblazer, this is the place for a very delicious dinner and a show.

Classic French country cuisine. “The restaurateur, Megan Kee, has a good eye for concept,” says Peggy. “The food is always great, but when you walk into one of her restaurants, it’s an experience.”

The steaks are aged for 21 days and everything is made in-house, even the bread.

Beyond the beaches, Sussex County is rich in agriculture. From handmade ice cream to farm-fresh produce that’s found on menus throughout the region, these are some of the finest sources.

The place to go for pumpkin picking, corn mazes, and other seasonal fun.

You can take wagon tours and go apple picking at the oldest apple grower in Delaware.

The largest dairy farm in Delaware is a fourth-generation family-run business that depends on over 1,000 cows to make its farm-fresh ice creams.

Family owned and operated since 1954 with 300 cows devoted to creating small-batch, homemade ice cream.

Visitors to Southern Delaware’s Culinary Coast will find more than a dozen craft breweries, wineries, and distilleries, with extensive outdoor spaces that are perfect for al-fresco sipping. Here are a few spots not to miss.

The first vineyard in Delaware is celebrating its 30th year, but this is so much more than just a vineyard. Besides a tasting room for sampling the winery’s award-winning bottles, there’s also a wine museum, an art gallery, and a farmer’s market.

This winery offers unexpected experiences like “Sippin’ With Sloths,” where you get to enjoy a glass of wine with an adorable sloth.

For craft beer fanatics, it doesn’t get much better than Dogfish Head, where you can sample a wide variety of off-centered ales and exclusive brews. “It’s a must-see as a fellow craft brewer. They’re a leader in our area,” says Josh Grapski.

Every tried mead? The fermented honey drink is the house speciality at this Scandinavian-style brew hall, which also has fruit wines and ciders on tap. Best of all: You can get there on a local bike trail.

“Delaware used to be called the ‘Small Wonder’ because there’s so much to do,” says Brent Hott, an oyster farmer with Delaware Cultured Seafood. Here are just a few of the many adventures in this area.

Learn more about the mighty bivalve on an oyster tour with this family-owned local grower that supplies restaurants up and down the East Coast. “Being in the water is a whole other experience,” says Brent.

When Brent wants to go biking, this is his place. “This trail goes all the way across from Georgetown to Lewes and is mostly paved,” he says.

An oceanside state park with a seaside nature center and biking and walking trails. “I’m a history buff and this is an awesome place to go to see the old fire towers from World War II that protected the mouth of the Delaware River,” says Peggy Raley.

“If you like birdwatching or walking trails, there’s so much going on,” says Brent. “It’s pretty in fall when the leaves start to change.”

Southern Delaware’s temperate autumn weather is ideal for open-air events and festivals that celebrate the bounty of the region.

This beloved festival honors two of Southern Delaware signature eats (apples and scrapple) with live entertainment and hundreds of vendors.

Fun fact: Not only is Peggy Raley a winemaker, she’s also a jazz musician and the force behind this event hosted at venues all over the region, from brunch restaurants to her very own vineyard.

Lucky for you, 2021 marks the first year of the region’s new restaurant week, offering up deals on food, hotels, and more.

Bring your toothbrush and some mouthwash to this offbeat event that is dedicated to the pungent plant.

Rehoboth Beach does Halloween like none other — broom tossing contests, a sea witch hunt, haunted houses, a fiddler’s convention, the list goes on.

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