When Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats opened in 1995, the creative beers made waves. So did the menu, which included pizza crust infused with pre-fermented ale and vinaigrette made with blackberry ale. Thirty years later, beer still makes an appearance in the dishes. However, the kitchen is often content to put the ale aside and let the dishes speak for themselves.
DFH is in good company. Other coastal brewpubs are also popular for their food, not just beer. Here are eight to try.
Big Oyster Brewery, part of the Fins Hospitality Group, started in 2015 near Fins Ale House & Raw Bar on Route 1. Within two years, Big Oyster opened a restaurant at 1007 Kings Highway in Lewes. Standouts include made-to-order oyster stew and tomato basil soup with mini grilled cheese. Also, try the mac and cheese bakes and steamed shellfish with white wine, garlic, Old Bay, and butter – or marinara sauce.
Closer to Route 1, off Kings Highway, Crooked Hammock Brewery, part of the La Vida Hospitality Group, maintains a backyard vibe. The menu’s “cookout mainstays” feature a peachy pork chop, salmon glazed with chipotle honey, and the Grill Master Feast: a half-rack of St. Louis ribs, lager chicken, filet skewers, and a pile of mac and cheese. Pair it with the brewery’s new hard pink lemonade.
First State Brewing does the bulk of its brewing in Middletown, Delaware. However, experimental beers are on tap at the 19266 Coastal Highway location near Safeway. If you visited The Pond or TGI Fridays, you’ll be amazed at the changes.
Belgian styles are popular at First State, and the menu includes mussels served with fries and focaccia. Get them with garlicky lager and butter, marinara and Old Bay, or chorizo, pico de gallo, and cilantro.
Iron Hill Brewery started in Newark, Delaware, in 1996. Now, there are 19 locations, including one at 19815 Coastal Highway near Rehoboth. The restaurant takes a something-for-everyone approach. Choose from pizza, burgers, sandwiches, and approachable entrées such as crab cakes, fish and chips, bangers and mash, and ribs.
Nearby, Thompson Island Brewing Co. walks on the cutting edge with dishes including a kung pao chicken wrap, a birria burrito, and street corn nachos. The new Hawaiian huli chicken is made with wood-grilled chicken thighs, basmati rice, and grilled pineapple. The location at 30133 Veterans Way, off Route 1, offers ample parking.
The OG, Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, is on Rehoboth Avenue next to Chesapeake & Maine, another DFH restaurant. Prepare to be amused. Dogpile Nachos are topped with 90 Minute IPA beef chili and, interestingly, spinach and artichoke dip. The Old Man and the Sea is a pizza with crab dip, mozzarella, pancetta, and Old Bay. Sandwiches include the Grateful Dead Grilled Cheese with truffled Jack and Cooper Sharp American.
Dewey Beer Co., located in the heart of Dewey Beach, features a menu section devoted to Asian fusion, including vegetable lo mein, General Tso’s chicken, and shrimp and chorizo lo mein. The menu is also heavy on handhelds – burgers, cheesesteaks, and hot honey fried chicken.
Like its sibling Thompson Island Brewing Co., Ocean View Brewing Co. has a large dining room and outdoor area. Some dishes are the same, including birria, fried chicken, and za’atar-dusted hummus. Judging by sales, customers love the new citrus-glazed salmon with orange-honey glaze and spicy mayonnaise. It’s located at 85 Atlantic Ave.
These establishments all cater to families. Whether you pick a pint or a soda, the food will leave you satisfied.
