Delaware Eateries Chapter Two

The restaurant scene in Delaware keeps expanding and improving. I am constantly amazed at the good food I find as I explore the state. Here are ten more places I have tried.

Let me know what you think. Also, please comment on any places you would like me to try and include in the next installment.

Banks Seafood Kitchen, Wilmington

Among my favorite restaurants in Wilmington, this lovely restaurant right on the river has quite a bit to offer. For one, it offers plenty of comfortable outdoor seating where one can just relax and watch the world sail by. More than once, I have seen the Kalmar Nyckel go by, sails flapping.

The main reason to come, however, is the food. The raw bar is among the best in town and I never come that I don't get some oysters. To follow, you are are spoilt for choice among seafood, meat, and vegetarian options. The soups and the salads are a treat if you want something a bit lighter.

The bar is fully stocked and the drinks are always very well made. This is a great place to come if you find yourself down on the river. Highly recommended. 

BBC Tavern and Grill, Greenville

This restaurant is located in a strip mall that has some of the best shopping in Delaware. But, don't spend all your money until you have had a meal here.

While it might sound crazy because of where it is located, BBC has some of the best outdoor seating in northern Delaware. The patio is spacious and equipped with heaters when the weather is nippy and fans when it heats up a bit. I prefer the patio for two other reasons. First, the noise level is much more manageable than it is inside and second, I can bring my dog to the patio. Whenever he accompanies me, he gets a treat from the kitchen.

The food choices are extensive ranging from appetizers to salads to sandwiches to mains. The specials are often very good as well. The portions are a good size, but not overwhelming. I am often able to finish what I order. Try the fried zucchini to start and the crab cake sandwich. Wonderful meal.

The beer list is extensive, filled with local choices. The wine list is also very good and some bottles are very nicely priced. A current Wednesday special is half priced wine, a good opportunity to try something you might not be willing to pay for during the rest of the week.

One of my go to restaurants in Wilmington, stop by if you are in Greenville. You won't be disappointed.

Catch 54, Fenwick Island or Selbyville depending on which address you believe

Catch 54, a member of the SolDel Group, is the perfect example of that old real estate adage -- location, location, location. Situated right over the bridge on Route 54 heading out of Fenwick towards Selbyville, it sits right on the bay and has fabulous views out over the water, It has, in fact, been named the best waterfront restaurant in Delaware.

A nice view, however, will only take you so far. It helps if the view comes with good food and drink. Here, it does.

The wine list is spectacular and it too has won awards. Lots of choices ranging from very drinkable wines at good prices to "I am going to treat myself" wines with their prices. In addition, there is a good selection of beers and cocktails if wine is not your thing.

The food is very good. I had the steamed clams that were delicious, if a tad sandy. I like clams enough that I overlooked it, but a bit of a longer soak would not have hurt. I followed that up with a wonderful salad of fresh, local vegetables and fruits topped with grilled shrimp. Outstanding and more than enough food.

My dining companions had the gumbo (delicious with just the right amount of heat) and the fried oysters which were beautifully done and generously served. 

Give this one a try. I really enjoyed it.

Cosmos Diner Restaurant, Wilmington

Located as you drive out of Wilmington on Maryland Avenue, Cosmo started a small diner here in 1981. It has now grown into a full scale restaurant, but retains that diner feel.

I went in around noon on a Monday in August. The place was packed, mostly with regulars. How do I know? More than once I heard the server say, "your usual today?" I took this as a very good sign and settled in to enjoy my meal.

I decided I needed something Greek, so after a lot of debate, I settled on a gyro sandwich. It was out of this world. The meat was fresh and flavorful, the veggies had crunch, the tzatziki was homemade as was the pita. I had the intention of eating half and saving the rest for dinner. Oh well. The sandwich really is that good.

In addition to the Greek dishes, the restaurant serves full diner fare. They also serve beer, wine, and cocktails which is unusual for this type of restaurant. All are relatively standard and I did not see any Greek wine on the menu.

Although I didn't because I was enjoying my gyro too much, save room for dessert. The counter as you walk in is filled with every type of goodie you can imagine. I was tempted to bring some home, but decided I would come back instead. Highly recommended for lunch in Wilmington.

Dorcea, Wilmington

The owners of this restaurant bought the building just as COVID hit and then had to negotiate all kinds of issues before they could open. I was eager to try it and recently did with an old friend. We both enjoyed it a great deal.

The drinks are very well made and reasonably priced. Dorcea prides itself on its beer menu and rightly so. There is a long list of local beers and some other craft beers on tap. The wine list is truncated but workable.

The food was very good. We both had soups and salads which we enjoyed a great deal. Additionally, there is fairly standard bistro fare, all of which looked quite nice as it passed by our table.

Service was outstanding and the price was right. This is definitely one to add to your bucket list.

Misaki, South Bethany

For many years, I counted this as the best sushi restaurant at the beach, perhaps even in the state of Delaware. The sushi was inevitably fresh and beautifully prepared with a myriad of sushi, sashimi, and roll choices from which to choose. If you fancied something else, you had a choice. The service was outstanding and the space was lovely.

While it is still a very good sushi restaurant, Misaki is not the powerhouse it was. The sushi and the rolls are still excellent, but they do not reach the heady heights of days gone by. The sakes are all good and there is a good selection.

What lets Misaki down is its dining room and its service. Where it was once a small, intimate space, the restaurant expanded into the area next door and lost all of its charm. The ceilings are too high and the acoustics are terrible. The sound level the night I was there was almost unbearable.

The service used to be among the best anywhere. It is now pretty bad. Our server did an OK job, but he had no enthusiasm and his recitation of the specials was rote at best. As we were finishing our meal, the servers started cleaning up around us, one of my pet peeves. I mentioned to my dining companion how much it annoys me when I feel as though I am being pushed out of a restaurant. The young woman sweeping right next us made a very snarky comment directly to me. I was not happy, to put it mildly.

All of this at prices that I usually reserve for a special occasion. Misaki has fallen on hard times. I don't really recommend it anymore.

Pack Da Bowl, Bethany Beach

I was so excited to try this new spot, located in the strip mall just next to Wawa on Route 26. I love bowls and I was pleased that there was a new option for lunch at the beach. I was disappointed.

The choices of bowls are much more limited than I would have imagined. There are a couple of choices for vegetarians and one for vegans, but otherwise all the bowls are meat based. Well, not really. They are rice based.

And, this is the problem. I ordered a grain bowl with chipotle chicken. The list of ingredients was impressive, but when I got home and dug in I realized that the dish was mostly white rice with a few things sprinkled on top. I had to search for a piece of chicken. I picked the meat and veggie bits off the top and left a lot of rice that I mixed in with my dog's food for his dinner.

The price is high for what you get. I don't recommend this spot at all.

Pie, Bethany Beach

Although there is another pizza place in Bethany that is very, very good, Pie holds its own. A very limited menu means that it can concentrate on making excellent pizza which it does.

The choices are a bit more adventurous than some others in town. While you can certainly order a pizza with cheese and pepperoni, many people come to try some more exotic toppings. My favorite is the mushroom pizza, wild mushrooms on a white sauce with basil and lots of cheese.

If you are not in the mood for pizza, this is not the restaurant for you. A few appetizers, a few salads (which are outstanding), and a soup of the day are your other choices.

The one thing that Pie has that some of its competitors does not is a dining room and a liquor license. It is a nice change to sit, have a drink, and enjoy the pizza rather than carrying it home. I recommend Pie if you are in the mood for a good pizza in a nice place.

Sunshine Crepes, Bethany Beach

Tucked away in one of the arcades off Garfield Parkway, this tiny eatery is worth a stop. For such a small place, there is a lot on offer. As you may imagine, crepes are the main fare and there are so many from which to choose. They have sweet and they have savory. Imagine a flavor, and I am almost sure you will find it.

In addition, they offer waffles, acai bowls, parfait bowls, and chia bowls. I had to try the chia. It is a concoction of chia seeds floating in almond milk topped with loads of fresh fruit and nuts. When it arrived, the appearance of the dish is a bit off putting. But, if you taste it, you will be hooked. Even better, it is super filling and fed me two mornings in a row.

To drink, they have wonderful smoothies, fresh juices, and very good coffee. This is a favorite breakfast spot for my family. Recommended if you are in the Bethany area.

Topsail Steamer, Bethany Beach

What a fantastic idea! Combine potatoes, corn on the cob, and all kinds of seafood into a take home steamer. Customers choose what they want and then take it home to steam and enjoy. I couldn't wait to try it.

It is as easy as it sounds. I walked in, chose what I wanted, and walked out the door in minutes. Much faster than prepping everything myself. I took my can home and got hungrier and hungrier as the steaming Old Bay smell began to permeate my kitchen. Each seafood has a different cooking time, but I did not find it difficult to follow at all.

It was an excellent meal. Everything cooked perfectly and I loved my dinner. The portions are generous. I managed to get through a serving, but it was a lot. I ended up sharing some of the potato with my dog who also loved it.

All of this convenience and taste comes at a price, however. My pot, which was really basic, was not inexpensive. Some of the bigger pots are quite pricy, although they say they will feed up to five people. I believe it. When all is said and done, I would probably save some money and prep my own steamer next time. But, it is nice to know this is here for those lazy nights when only steamed seafood will do for dinner.