Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats in downtown Rehoboth Beach, Delaware is where Dogfish Head all began back in 1995. They have the state's only legal distillery where they make lots of hand-crafted spirits, upstairs in the Rehoboth Beach Brewpub, and a small experimental brewery, so they always have something interesting on tap or in the fermenters for you to try.
The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly and boasts antique barn wood and stylish black and white photos. After spending all morning at the beach, Keith and I walked down to Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats for a late lunch. I was parched, and of course hungry from all the fun in the sun. We were seated right away, yet it took a while for us to even be acknowledged for a glass of water. We had plenty of time to look over the menu, which featured classic pub food. We decided to try a sampler of their "classic" beers that came with five 4 oz. tastes (
Shelter Pale Ale, Indian Brown Ale, 60 Minute IPA, Raison d'Etre, and
Chickory Stout) as well as one 2 oz. taste of their exclusive seasonal offering,
Ancient Ale. I enjoyed the sampler, as it gives someone like me who is not an avid beer drinker the opportunity to try a little bit of each, as opposed to committing blindly to a full glass. I noticed they make their own spirits as well, so after the sampler I switched and ordered a
Peach Sangria made with Fifer Orchards Peaches,
Dogfish Head White Light Rum, peach liqueur and white wine. Keith switched to the
Darkside and Stormy made with
Dogfish Head Darkside Rum and homemade ginger beer with fresh ginger, lemongrass, fresh lime juice, lime zest and piloncillo. Both drinks were served in a large water glass and while I could taste the alcohol, the other flavors were a bit subtle. Nothing was really "wow!" about the cocktails.
For food, I ordered the
Woodgrilled Portobello Sandwich with marinated mushroom and tomato on ciabatta bread with goat cheese spread and watercress. It normally comes with caramelized onions, but I asked mine without. While I liked the woodgrilled flavor of the mushroom, I found the filling to be lacking compared to the doughy and dry bread. Instead of fries, I substituted with a small side of
Pub Salad that was a simple mix of lettuce with grape tomatoes, cucumbers, and carrots, with an interesting smoked tomato vinaigrette. Keith ordered the
Jumbo Lump Crab Cake Sandwich that came with red onion, lettuce and a gorgeous tomato on a kaiser roll with an overly salted Dogfish Head remoulade on the side. His plate was finished off with French fries. The crab cake was decent, but again Keith found the remoulade sauce to be overpowering with its saltiness that it almost ruined the meal. Overall, Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats is a casual spot along the main strip in Rehoboth Beach that is great for beer, but go somewhere else to eat.
Total Rating:
3.25
Food: 3, Price: 4, Service: 3, Ambience: 3, Accessibility: 4
What I ate:
Woodgrilled Portobello Sandwich
woodgrilled marinated mushroom and tomato on ciabatta bread
with goat cheese spread and watercress
served with a side of Pub salad
Plus Keith ate:
Jumbo Lump Crab Cake Sandwich
with red onion, lettuce and tomato on a kaiser roll
served with Dogfish Head remoulade and French fries
