Take A Ride On The Culinary Coastal Highway

Foodies, give the Culinary Coastal Highway a Test Drive!

Did you know that Southern Delaware Tourism coined our area’s restaurant community, “Southern Delaware’s Culinary Coast” –a haven for anyone who enjoys culinary travel and adventure? That is so true, and even more today.

Owning a successful business with my husband Bill Bell, our life as busy Lewes real estate brokers is consuming. We work 24/7, and we know, especially at our age, how important it is to make good food choices at the end of a long work day.

Flash back in time…  McDonald’s opened at Route 24, the Garden Gourmet sat on the highway right outside Rehoboth Beach, the Lampost, owned the Steele family (Café Azafran) was a local landmark that is now Crabby Dick’s and 1776 Steakhouse nestled itself in “Midway Shopping Center”, where it remains popular today. During the off-season (JAN-APR), what did we do?  We longed for spring and for most of the dining establishments “in town” to “open for the season.”

Fast forward to the day when the Tanger Outlets came to town; the restaurant chains followed (among them Outback, Cracker Barrel, Applebees and TGI-Fridays), moving in to satisfy the increase in year-round retail workers, relocating baby boomers and the plenty of day-trip-shoppers taking advantaged Delaware’s tax-free shopping.

Take a look at today, our Culinary Coastal Highway map has exploded! Starting with Jake’s Seafood adding to a second location on Route 1/Coastal Highway in the 90’s, this trend continues through to today when restaurateurs now see the advantage of having a brick and mortar store and capitalizing the increased traffic driving today on Coastal Highway.

Bill and I now call the “roughly five miles” of Route 1 between Lewes and Rehoboth Beach, our Culinary Coastal Highway. To us, this small stretch of road offers a variety of food choices while still being very close to our business and just a short drive back home.

There’s something for everyone on the Culinary Coastal Highway with food at many price points. Some of our favorites include Michy’s Relaxed Dining, Fork + Flask @ Nage, Matt’s Fish Camp Lewes, Fins Ale House and Raw Bar and Big Fish Grill. This summer, we’re looking forward to the opening of another Bluecoast Seafood Grill and Raw Bar in the shopping center with Bed, Bath and Beyond and the Fresh Market and Rosenfeld’s Jewish Delicatessen. Yum!

While we do not have every restaurant on the Highway listed below, here’s a good start to a Culinary Coastal Highway adventure. Nor are we food critics, but the Rehoboth Foodie is, so we included his review links to the following dining establishments.  The Foodie uses 5 stars to rate each establishment for Overall Experience, Food, Service, Noise, Bathrooms and Value. On the Rehoboth Foodie review pages you can also see pics from the restaurant and read his review. Now you decide!

UPSCALE DINING

1776 Steakhouse
American / Traditional
Midway Center | (302) 645-9355 | Foodie Review

Fork + Flask @ Nage
American / Traditional
19730 Coastal Hwy. | (302) 226-2036  | Foodie Review

Hooked Seafood & Martini Bar
Seafood / American / Traditional
18585 Coastal Highway, Midway Shopping Center | (302) 827-4944 | Foodie Review

Touch of Italy (Rehoboth)
Italian
19724 Coastal Highway, Shore Plaza | (302) 227-3900 | Foodie Review

Michy’s Relaxed Dining
American / Traditional
19287 Miller Road, Rehoboth Marketplace Shopping Center | (302) 227-0999 | Foodie Review

Palate Bistro & Catering
American / Traditional
19266 Coastal Highway, Safeway center | (302) 249-8489 | Foodie Review

Just in Thyme
American / Traditional
38363 Robinsons Road at Coastal Hwy. | (302) 227-3100 | Foodie Review

SEAFOOD & FISH HOUSES

Matt’s Fish Camp Lewes
Seafood / Fish Houses
34401 Tenley Court, Lewes | 302-644-2267 | Foodie Review

Surfing Crab
Seafood / Fish Houses
16723 Coastal Highway, North of Nassau Bridge | (302) 644-4448| (302)  | Foodie Review

The Crab House
Seafood / Fish Houses
19598 Coastal Highway | 302-227-2019 | Foodie Review

Fins Ale House and Raw Bar
Seafood / Fish Houses
19269 Coastal Highway | (302) 227-3467 | Foodie Review

Big Fish Grill
Seafood / Fish Houses
20298 Coastal Highway | (302) 227-3474 | Foodie Review

Jake’s Seafood House
Seafood / Fish Houses
19178 Coastal Highway | (302) 644-7711 | Foodie Review

UPSCALE PUB Food CRAFT WINES & BEER

Pickled Pig Pub
American / Traditional
18756 Coastal Highway | (302) 645-5444 | Foodie Review

Crust & Craft
Mediterranean / Spanish / French / Irish /Italian
Midway Galleria (next to Panera Bread) | (302) 313-5029 | Foodie Review

Delaware Distilling Company
American / Traditional
18693 Coastal Highway in Midway Center | (302) 645-8273 | Foodie Review

Forgotten Mile Ale House
American / Traditional
20859 Coastal Highway | (302) 212-2151  | Foodie Review

AMERICAN CUISINE

Grandpa(MAC) Coastal Highway
American / Traditional
4561 Coastal Highway | (302) 313-4751 | Foodie Review

Bethany Blues-Lewes
American / Traditional / BBQ Grill
18385 Coastal Highway | (302) 644-2500  | Foodie Review

Jimmy’s Grille Rehoboth
American / Traditional
19724 Coastal Highway | (302) 227-4888 | Foodie Review

INTERNATIONAL CUISINE

Cabañas
El Salvadorean
18388 Coastal Highway| (302) 313-4398 | Foodie Review

Saketumi
Asian / S.E. Asian / Japanese / Sushi
18814 Coastal Highway | (302) 645-2818 | Foodie Review

Tokyo Steakhouse
Japanese / Sushi
17906 Coastal Highway | (302) 645-9728 | Foodie Review

GoBrit!
British
18388 Coastal Highway | (302) 644-2250| Foodie Review

PANTRIES & FOOD-TO-GO

Nage Pantry
Salumerias / Delis / Gourmet Markets
19724 Coastal Highway | (302) 727-5664 | Foodie Review

The Fresh Market
Groceries / Food-to-Go
30098 Veterans Way next to Bed, Bath & Beyond | (302) 227-3401 | Foodie Review

The post Take A Ride On The Culinary Coastal Highway appeared first on Active Adults Delaware Blog.