Best Seasonal Restaurants in Rehoboth Beach

We went the evening of New Year’s Day. The meal was simply excellent. Not fancy, as we would imagine French haute cuisine, but excellently prepared and generous portions. It was not inexpensive, but we agreed the dinner and experience were well worth the cost.

The host, waitress and staff were absolutely wonderful. The food was delicious. It was my Birthday and they treated me so nice. My husband and I will definitely go back.

This was our first time at Shorebreak Lodge, but it definitely won’t be our last. What a fantastic dining experience. The atmosphere is lovely, with nicely spaced tables, very comfortable modern chairs, and a gorgeous bar area. Our waiter was attentive, the food was delicious from starters to dessert … and the cocktails were out of this world. You must try their “Smooth Under Pressure” old fashioned - it’s the best I’ve ever tasted! We also had a visit at our table from the owners, Ben and Diane, who were both so personable and accommodating. HIGHLY recommend Shorebreak Lodge for anyone who wants to sit at the bar and enjoy some light bites with a hand crafted cocktail, or for those folks who are looking to order a fabulous meal in a comfortable, beautifully decorated dining room. Shorebreak Lodge is a GEM!!

I dined here for the Feast of the Seven Fishes: 6 seafood dishes plus dessert. Not all the dishes were successful, but I applaud the chef’s originality. IMO, the exceptional dishes were: 1. The first one, oysters with a champagne toast. What was exceptional was the hint of ginger. 2. My second favorite, the second one with thinly sliced raw baby octopus and white truffles with a blood orange vinaigrette. 3. My favorite, the sixth course, olive oil poached catfish with caviar. The catfish was so so so good! One It was pillowy soft and delicious. Its sweetness and richness was nicely offset by the arugula salad. 4. The seafood soup. Not overly rich and the mussels, cockles and shrimp were perfectly cooked. The less successful dishes for me were: 1. The fried baccalia and artichokes. I found the fish overcooked and way too salty. 2. The squid ink spaghettini. The pasta was bland and while the uni butter and chili emulsion were excellent, there wasn’t enough of them. Dessert was average. Not too sweet. My biggest complaint was the mousse which was too hard and thick. Service was excellent and I very much appreciated how each dish was described to us.

If you have eaten at DC's Equinox, where Todd Gray is the Chef, you will know the quality of food served here at The Federal. The monthly 7 course, pre-fix pairing is "amazing" and the Wednesday night 4 course with the pairing is optional. Plus you can get their amazing fritters any day as well. The atmosphere is fun and very "european" in style in that you can should you want, chat with your table neighbors or sit in the bar area for dinner. Ellen does a great job of making you feel welcome and also that you are a happy customer. You can tell she loves her restaurant, food and history. Don't miss this!