Bethany Beach, Delaware earns a loyal following of summer travelers and vacationing families. It’s no surprise when the area is home to a beautiful shoreline, pristine beaches, plenty of recreation, and a shopping center. No longer regarded as a suburb of Rehoboth, Bethany Beach is stepping into its own by developing a unique local character that its restaurants reflect. Delaware’s geographical location at the center of the Atlantic Coast brings together many regional influences that range from the Old South, New England, Tex-Mex, Cajun, and the Pacific Rim. You can taste these influences with the diverse menus that add a twist on familiar favorites. Staying at a Bethany Beach vacation rental puts you in easy reach of the majority of the area’s culinary offerings. Take a look at these kid-friendly restaurants to make your Bethany Beach vacation even more special.
1. Mickey’s Family Crab House
Since opening its doors in 1990, Mickey’s Family Crab House has chosen local farmers, fisherman, and suppliers whenever possible to deliver the freshest meals. Taste the quality in dressings, sauces, crab cakes, and other items made on site. On the kid’s menu, clam strips, fried fish, and popcorn shrimp join standard burgers and chicken fingers, all of which come with fries and applesauce, while all-you-can-eat crab sates the adults in the room.
2. Bethany Diner
Make the Bethany Diner your go-to place for breakfast, lunch, and dinner while visiting Bethany Beach. The breakfast buffet features French toast and pancakes, bacon, sausage, ham, biscuits, gravy, and fresh fruits. Lunch and dinner menus feature traditional diner fare and with specials including shepherd’s pie, chicken pot pies, and stuffed bell peppers. Sunday is prime rib night, or choose the surf and turf that combines an outback ribeye with three jumbo fried shrimp. If you’ve ever wondered what scrapple is, or whether it should be grilled or fried, this is the place to find out.
3. Bethany Blues
Bethany Blues delivers delicious dishes of pulled pork, smoky ribs, and an award-winning Texas brisket that’s even featured on the kid’s menu, alongside pulled chicken, mac and cheese, and a quarter rack of ribs. Standouts on the adult menu include Carolina-style chopped meat, pulled pork, sage-rubbed chicken, and hickory-smoked ribs. Sample this worthy contender for lunch, dinner, or Sunday brunch.
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4. Parkway Restaurant
The Parkway Restaurant is a bit more upscale than some of Bethany Beach’s other eateries, but maintains a casual and family-friendly atmosphere. The executive chef’s Hawaiian and Pacific Rim experience is evident in appetizers such as prosciutto-wrapped shrimp and pineapple, Asian coleslaw and a Maui poke bowl. The kid’s menu satisfies with steak tips, chicken with green beans and pasta, noodles with cheese, and peanut butter and jelly.
5. Pomodoro Pizzeria
Pizza always satisfies kids, so check out Pomodoro Pizzeria in Bethany Beach for New York-style pies, build-your-own calzones, and rolled stromboli. Trendier, unusual items are served as gourmet pizzas. Try the Margherita pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and fresh basil, or take the white pizza with ricotta, sauteed spinach, garlic, and olive oil back to your vacation rental.
6. Five Guys
Five Guys just might be the best burger chain in the world. Treat the kids to made-to-order burgers with a large variety of toppings, and thin, salted fries cut from a selection of curated potatoes that changes daily. The condiment station even has malt vinegar for dousing the fries. Munch on whole fresh peanuts in the shell while you wait for your food. Take your burgers on the run, or stay and dine at the long, counter-height tables. Five Guys also offers a great selection of shakes that you can personalize with crumbled Oreo cookies, Heath bars, or other assorted toppings.
7. DB Fries
Head to the DB Fries counter for great hot dogs, fried oyster rolls, clam strips, and fries when you want to feed the kids something quick before heading to the beach or a movie. Dine at one of the three or four tables by the counter, or take your meal with you and eat it on the go.
8. Top Dog Grill
Try the “best hot dogs on Bethany Beach” when you stop by Top Dog Grill. The constantly-changing menu is written on a large chalk board and typically offers a variety of sandwiches, wraps, and salads in addition to the extensive hot dog offerings. A shrimp or local catch-of-the-day fish menu item is usually available as well.
9. Sunshine Crepes
Visit Sunshine Crepes for breakfast or lunch to show your family just how delicious this sweet and savory dish is. Choose from delicious fresh fruit-stuffed crepes at breakfast, including bananas and cinnamon, mixed berry, or sweet peach crepes. Breakfast also offers savory crepes featuring bacon, ham, sausage, and eggs with cheese and your choices of onions, peppers, spinach, mushrooms, and tomatoes. Lunch crepes start with diced grilled chicken, vegetables of your choice, and sauces such as Hollandaise, pesto and salsa.
10. The Penguin
The Penguin offers a farm-to-table dinner menu that showcases organic grass-fed beef, cage-free poultry, locally sourced fresh seafood, and fresh organic vegetables from local farms. The restaurant is proud to offer many gluten-free options. Enjoy organic chicken tenders, fish tacos, and salmon BLTs for lunch, and omelets, breakfast wraps, and combos from the griddle for breakfast. Call ahead for dinner options.
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