+1 302-539-2233+ Add websiteImprove this listing
Hours
Wed
5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Thu
5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Fri
5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Sat
5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Ratings and reviews
4.5
RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere
Food and ambience
Local cuisine, American, Seafood, Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
Is this restaurant good for local cuisine?
Details
Women-owned
Tripadvisor allows businesses to update and manage their attributes and details, but does not verify the accuracy of this information.
About
The Beach's Premier Boutique Restaurant. Serving Fresh Local Seasonal Cuisine. Indoor and Outdoor Dining. Reservations Only. 7 Nominations for 2022 & 2023 for Best of Costal Style. 2020 Trip Advisor Traveler's Choice Award, 4 Nominations 2018 for Best Chef, Best Romantic Restaurant, Best American Restaurant, Best in Bethany Beach/Ocean View. Winner of 2017 Best of Delaware Delaware Today Magazine Readers Choice - Best American Restaurant, 2015 Winner - Battle at the Beach Chef Cook-Off, 2015 Winner - Culinary Genius Award for the Northeast Region. Executive Chef Jason Bostaph, 4 Awards - 2013 Best of Awards from Coastal Style Magazine - Best Chef Sussex County, Best Appetizers, Best Authentic American Cuisine and Best Coffee.
PRICE RANGE
$8.00 – $62.00
CUISINES
American, Seafood
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
Meals
Dinner
FEATURES
Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Private Dining, Seating, Parking Available, Free off-street parking, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Mastercard, Visa, Discover, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Gift Cards Available
Contribute
4.5
205 reviews
Excellent
142
Very good
36
Average
12
Poor
5
Terrible
10
Ed K
Bethany Beach66 contributions
May 2019 • couples
Cafe on 26 continues to impress and excel in the quality of food and service!
From the moment we walked in we were pleasantly greeted by Terry and our awesome dining experience began!
Saw Peter, a server we knew from previous visits and Terry asked Peter to be our server.
Maria, reserved our favorite table on the front porch with a nice view of the restaurant and plenty of light from outside.
We enjoyed our appetizers of Caeser salad and claims casino along with our entree’s of the house specialty “encrusted salmon” and stuffed flounder with lump crab!
Desserts are amazing, so we ordered the mousse and a slice of cheese cake to go!
It just doesn’t get any better than dining at Cafe on 26 for a special occasion or everyday dinning!
If you haven’t been yet, you are missing the best restaurant in Southern Delaware.
Cafe on 26 does not disappoint, I promise, and make your reservation early!
Enjoy, we always do!!
Written May 19, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maria F
Ed,
Happy Anniversary to you and Diane! So glad we made your dinner special on this special occasion and that you chose to celebrate here at Cafe 26! We've become a dining destination, thanks to your reviews and word of mouth... so yes, it's always recommended to make those reservations early!!!! Thanks for sharing to others :) Cheers...Maria
Written May 20, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ilovedeliciousfood
Lewes32 contributions
May 2019 • friends
Our party of four enjoyed a very good Mother's Day Dinner. Starters were very good mussels and rave reviews for the cream of crab soup. Entrees were halibut(small portion), excellent scallops and their famous salmon dish which was quite good. The key lime pie and chocolate mousse were very good, the chocolate cheesecake was outstanding. Nice setting and friendly staff with an attitude to please. Peter, our waiter, made several trips to the kitchen to get the correct answers to questions we had.Prices were fair and commensurate with the quality of the food. Will definitely return!
Written May 13, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maria F
Ilovedeliciousfood,
We thank you for taking the time to let others know of your dining experience here with great detail. We do have daily delivery for freshness and prepare everything homemade in house. I too loved the triple chocolate cheesecake! Our staff truly aim to please in their service and we do hope to see you in again.
Cheers....Maria
Written May 14, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Allie
New York58 contributions
Sep 2018 • family
I go here every year for my birthday, my mom's birthday or any time we can! the food is absolutely delicious and has amazing gluten free options. you cannot go wrong with any option. the salmon is one of their signature dishes for a reason (I get it every time!)
Written April 30, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maria F
Dear ALNICDE,
Happy Birthday and thanks for spending that special dinner here with us! It's hard to stray away from our Signature Salmon Dish as it has won many awards! Cheers....Maria
Written May 1, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
1000mL
Arnold221 contributions
Apr 2019 • couples
Not disappointed by our return to this local favorite. Best crab dip (although a little pricey at $18) we've had in a long time! Meatloaf night delivered as promised -- a great dish at $22 (a bargain for a menu that averages $35/entree). Caesar salad at the adjoining table looked enormous, and suitable for 2. Friendly professional staff. Lovely setting. A little disappointed that the place serves no bread, but the hot pretzel sticks (at $6) were good. Glad to have missed the in-season beach crowd this time, but understand on our return that reservations will be needed. Figure on $50/person here + tip. Oh yeah, we'll be back!
Written April 25, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maria F
Thank you so much for taking the time to let everyone know on Trip Advisor about your dining experience here at The Cafe on 26! So happy you enjoyed the food! Hope to see you in again soon and Remember....
Reservations are Always Highly Recommended by calling 302-539-CAFE(2233) Cheers...Maria
Written May 1, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
James S
Ocean View36 contributions
Mar 2019 • couples
Often referred to this restaurant as the best in the area, but can no longer say that.
When for Prime Rib night last Thursday and looked forward to what we thought would be a great dinner (as it had been in the past). Could not have been more disappointed. While we weren't in a hurry, It took, what seemed forever, for the food to come out. When it did come out, along with it seemed half of the other guest's meals, it was sub-par. Just can't express how disappointed we were in quality of the food. While our server was very pleasant (no complaints about that) we are putting this place "on the back burner" and will no longer be recommending it to friends.
Written March 31, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maria F
James S,
So sorry you had a bad experience and so sad one bad experience on a "Special, Inexpensive, Prime Rib Night" you wouldn't recommend us anymore. We always highly recommend reservations and plan our menu accordingly and just can't predict the massive wave of walk-in tables one week and not the next. We do purchase and prepare/cook our food daily and that night, we were so happy that we didn't actually sell out of our inexpensive Prime Rib Dinner Special, which is on Thursday nights at a huge discount, due to the many "walk-ins" that came in at the same time without a reservation. While we plan and try to accommodate all scenarios, sometimes it can be challenging, especially this time of year when we have minimal staff due to the very small amount of diners that do go out in the off season. It's especially hard to predict a number of patrons to be prepared for when many just "walk-in" one week and not the next. We are a very small restaurant as you know ,since you say you have visited us before, compared to our competitors, and we really rely on our reservations, as they are always highly recommended.
It's our pleasure to offer our Prime Rib at such a discount (not making a profit as we don't use cheap meats) for our locals as a special through the winter, as a "thank you" for their continued support of a small local, family owned, non corporate business. It's very frustrating too, when people just patronize us on "special" nights and not really try our regular menu out and support us on a normal night. We do pride ourselves in our Fresh (not frozen or pre-portioned plastic packaged) Seafood, Fresh Local Grass Fed Dry Aged Beef, and in house homemade everything from our salad dressing to all our sides and desserts.
Once again, we apologize for the slow service, slow presentation/preparation of your meal, and "sub-par" flavor for the special inexpensive Prime Rib of the evening. Cheers, Maria
Written April 2, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Liz W
White Marsh14 contributions
Feb 2019 • couples
My husband and I ate dinner here on Saturday afternoon it was phenomenal, the filets were on point and the sides were delicious, we got the Nutella cheesecake it was unlike any I had ever had before. We will definitely be back
Written February 19, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maria F
Dear Essential 12,
It was our pleasure! So happy you enjoyed your first time here and glad you will be back so we can wow you again. Thank you for taking the time to let others know of your Cafe 26 dining experience. Cheers...Maria
Written February 20, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Wik
8 contributions
Dec 2018 • none
The food was amazing and the staff were delightful. Being in a renovated house, it was really cozy. Would highly recommend this restaurant.
Written February 15, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maria F
Dear Adventure,
Thanks for taking the leap to try us out! We hope you do get to come back. Thank you for the recommendation to the public by posting this review! Cheers....Maria
Written February 20, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ed K
Bethany Beach66 contributions
Jan 2019 • friends
Introduced friends to Cafe on 26 that had not enjoyed this restaurant before. They absolutely loved dinner, friendly service and atmosphere! Promised to return with more new patrons!
Written February 5, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maria F
Ed,
We can't thank you enough for ALWAYS introducing new friends to the Cafe on 26! You and Diane are very special here and we love that you ALWAYS let the public know of your dining experience. Cheers, Maria
Written February 6, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
FredKus
11 contributions
Sep 2018 • couples
Food is excellent- a little pricey so for special occasions only!! They have a good selection of entrees - we enjoy the fish options.
Written January 15, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maria F
Fred,
Our Seafood, Local Black Angus Dry Aged Meats, Vegetables, etc. are brought in and prepared in house Daily for Absolute freshness. We thank you for trying us out and for letting others know of your dining experience here at the Cafe on 26. Cheers....Maria
Written January 16, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ed K
Bethany Beach66 contributions
Jan 2019 • couples
We reserved a New Years Eve dinner table for 8 very good friends at 8 PM for the second year in a row! We were immediately greeted at the front entrance, invited into the lobby, and ordered drinks. Our table was ready 10 minutes early so we were seated promptly! Our server, Gabriela, was excellent and gracefully accepted our request for individual couples checks as we all had purchased gift cards. Our entrees included the famous encrusted Faroe Island Salmon or Lobster Tails both generously covered with delicious lump crab meat. Everyone enjoyed their dinner! Thank you Maria, Gabriella, Jason, Olga, and the entire Cafe on 26 staff for making our New Years Eve dinner another memorable occasion!
Written January 3, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maria F
Ed,
Thank you so much for telling others about your New Year's Eve dinner here at the Cafe on 26. We are always grateful you bring a group for NYE and throughout the year. We had a lot of fun this year with the waiting lounge, music, drinks and most importantly the food. You were smart booking really early for the holiday as we broke records this year and unfortunately had to turn away over 100 people. Cheers to a great 2019! Maria
Written January 5, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
John S
Milton26 contributions
Dec 2018 • couples
Christmas Day we decided to eat out. We've had some less than satisfying meals on this holiday over the years and we were cautiously hopeful that our selection would be a good one. It was not just a good one as it turned out. It was fantastic! What a great surprise.
We had a minor problem with our seating despite a reservation when we first arrived. That was nicely resolved and it quickly faded as we settled in for our dinner. The food was terrific.My bowl of cream of crab soup was tasty, rich, and loaded with chunks of crab: a delight. My wife's salad was a visual treat and she reported that it tasted even better than it looked.
I selected their speciality, a salmon prepared with a potato-cheese crust, topped with crab in a wonderful sauce. The overall taste was unbelievable and the portion was huge. I struggled to finish it but Finish it I did! I wasn't going to let any of that get away.
My wife had the flounder topped with crab imperial and had the same reaction as I did.
The waitstaff were great; attentive but not intrusive.
It is so unusual in this region to find a meal that truly satisfies. So many places along the so-called 'Culinary Coast' live on hype and they so often disappoint. The Cafe on 26 just serves great food without excessive fanfare and reaps the reward of grateful satisfied customers.
Thank you for completing our Christmas Day celebration.
Written December 26, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maria F
John,
You're Very Welcome! We want to make all our diners feel this way Always, and especially on Christmas Day! It is one of our busiest days of the year and we thank you so very much for all the wonderful detailed compliments! Remember we are open year round so don't be a stranger! Cheers....Maria
Written December 29, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Tony Smith
Cape Coral51 contributions
Jan 2018 • none
This is a perfect place to celebrate an important occasion. The service rates a 10 as well as their menu. Chicken salad is outsatanding. The crab cake is great too.
Written December 25, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
thecafeon26
Thank you so much for your 5 star review! Congratulations on your Vow Renewals and Cheers to a Happy New Year!!!! Maria
Written December 27, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Dan T
Georgetown200 contributions
Dec 2018 • couples
This was our second visit to Cafe on 26. I really enjoyed one of the specials, the Fisherman's Stew. It was packed with mussels, clams, shrimp and mahi mahi along with potatoes, corn and lima beans in a delicious tomato-based broth. My wife and one of our friends liked their crab cakes and twicebaked potato. Our other friend enjoyed her salmon. The service was very good.
Written December 2, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maria F
Dan,
Thank you for those great compliments! Thank you also for sharing on Trip Advisor! Keep in mind we change up our menu daily for those specials and post our menu daily on Facebook for everyone to see our ever changing menu. Hope to see you in as a regular now :) Cheers, Maria
Written December 4, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
IndigoBoy0
Washington DC205 contributions
Nov 2018 • family
Excellent food in the area! Had the swordfish which was amazing! Would definitely return. Service was great!
Written November 24, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maria F
Dear IndigoBoyo,
Thanks for taking the time to stop in and try us out and most of all, letting others know of your 5 star review of us! We always get that fresh delivery daily for Seafood, Beef, Veggies, etc and prepare everything in house. Hope you stop back in when your back in town so we can Wow you again. Cheers, Maria
Written February 6, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Catherine C
Naples60 contributions
Oct 2018 • couples
Cafe on 26 has been a solid choice for my family for many years. Lately I've been disappointed at the change in menu and loss of my two favorite side dishes. Also they've stopped (or never started - don't remember) serving bread - it is a good place for those intolerant of gluten. My husband loves the salmon. I appreciate that we can usually get a reservation even in summer and one can be heard - there isn't the cacaphony that makes so many otherwise restaurants so challenging to enjoy.
Written October 31, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MariaF84AA
Catherine C
Thank you for the great review and taking the time to let others know. If you can tell me what 2 favorite side dishes you are speaking of I would greatly appreciate it and perhaps add them back on if I'm forgetting something. We've only taken off our "Cafe Tabouli" (a couple years ago) as it didn't move very well, but nothing else off our side dishes as I can recollect. As a matter of fact, not only have we kept the same ones, we have added extra side dishes seasonally with fresh local produce i.e. local brussel sprouts, asparagus, corn, succotash, etc. Yes, we did stop serving bread 6 years ago when we expanded our salad and appetizer choices. We have kept our same signature menu and are excited that we have added so many new entrees, specials and appetizers to it.
We very much appreciate you as a repeat customer and we look forward to seeing you again. Cheers....Maria
Written November 1, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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