At the beach, a good meal doesn’t necessarily end at the table. Increasingly, coastal Delaware restaurants are adding market, deli and retail elements.
The idea makes sense given the number of second homes, vacation rentals and day-trippers. Customers can grab a quick meal for the beach or dinner and take home a tasty souvenir.
Milton has two notable examples. Birdhouse Rotisserie Kitchen & Market, Ami Rae’s spinoff from The Backyard, opened on Broadkill Road with a dinner-only restaurant focused on rotisserie chicken, as well as a small market offering fresh produce and prepared take-home items.
Abbott’s Grill at Paynter’s Mill also goes beyond the dining room with Abbott’s eXpress, a separate grab-and-go area featuring coffee, pastries, desserts and local goods. It’s also the restaurant’s takeout area.
In Midway Shopping Center, Smart Brasil Market & Cafébrings an international angle. The Brazilian concept offers meats, cheeses, Brazilian bread and pantry items. The café, located in the back, sells açaí bowls, pão de queijo (cheese bread), coxinhas (croquettes), coffee and pastries.
In Rehoboth Beach, The Market at 59 Baltimore sits next to Fifty Nine, a fine-dining restaurant. Initially, co-owner and chef David Kneller wanted to dedicate the entire space to the market after spotting a need. He then added the intimate restaurant, which seats fewer than 40 people. The Market features to-go foods, fresh produce, baked goods and artisanal products. Don’t see what you need? Just ask.
Across Baltimore Avenue, Pazzo Italiano Market & Kitchen gives the former Frank & Louie’s space a broader market identity. The partnership between Frankie and Louie Bascio and Second Block Hospitality’s Dave Gonce and Bob Suppies keeps the familiar sandwiches, sauces, butter cakes, cookies and meatballs while adding imported meats and cheeses, prepared foods and pantry items.
Italian concepts have long understood the lure of “eat here, shop here.” Touch of Italy, particularly the Route 1 location in Rehoboth Beach, blends restaurant, deli, bakery and Italian marketplace. Russo by the Sea Italian Market, in Tanger Seaside Outlets, takes the idea even further, pairing sandwiches, pizza Romana, cheesesteaks, gelato and cannoli with imported olive oils, cheeses, olives, cured meats, pastas and sauces.
Dogfish Head’s Rehoboth campus adds a branded retail twist. Between Brewings & Eats and Chesapeake & Maine, the Off-Centered EmPOURium lets fans take home Dogfish merchandise and other goods, extending the experience beyond beer and dinner.
Big Fish Market received a redo earlier this year that created a clean, contemporary look. It’s affiliated with Big Fish Grill next door. Not surprisingly, the star is fresh seafood. But this is also the place for Big Fish takeout, box lunch specials and catering.
DiFebo’s Market in Bethany Beach sits across Route 26 from the flagship DiFebo’s Restaurant. Customers flock there for breakfast sandwiches, panini, grab-and-go focaccia, brick-oven pizza, hoagies, pantry goods and gifts.
Farther south, Good Earth Market & Organic Farm in Ocean View remains one of the clearest examples of the concept. Former owner Sue Ryan built the business around a 10-acre property west of Bethany Beach, where gardens, retail shelves and dining became part of the same experience.
Now under the supervision of longtime employee Melissa Hekl, Good Earth continues as more than a place to eat. Customers can shop for organic produce and pantry items, enjoy brunch or dinner, attend an event or linger in the gardens.
For coastal restaurants, the market model offers more than another revenue stream. It gives customers another way to connect with the brand, whether they’re sitting down for dinner, stocking the condo or packing the car for the trip home.
