Breakfast at the Beach

Upon entering Nectar, peruse the chalkboard for juice and coffee items, including the juice of the day. After being seated, check out the specialty breakfast selections which are creative and delicious. For the sweet side, consider the buttered pecan French toast & ice cream or the blueberry pancakes. On the savory side of the menu, I loved the salmon benny, a twist on eggs Benedict with house-cured salmon taking the poached eggs and hollandaise to a new level.

There's avocado toast dressed with roasted red pepper sauce, grape tomatoes, feta cheese, poached egg, and sprouts. Vegans will want to pass on the egg, but not the sweet potato hash. A traditional steak and eggs entree or the American breakfast will please those who want a stick-to-the-ribs breakfast to carry them through the morning.

Nectar serves soups, salads, and sandwiches for lunch to round off the menu offerings. Choices for lunch include burgers, a chicken BLT, cauliflower steak, chicken pot pie, etc. If you visit while on vacation, the adult beverage choices might be tempting. Don't miss out on Nectar's namesake: the juices. I tried the beauty balm last visit and received a bright orange-colored blend of carrot, strawberry, raspberry, and orange juice bursting with flavor. Under new ownership, Nectar’s food and service is as good as ever.

Nectar Café and Juice Bar - 111 Neils Alley, Lewes, DE; (302) 645-5842; Open Wed - Mon 8am -3pm

Egg, Rehoboth Beach

Our next beach and breakfast stop is in Rehoboth Beach just down the road from Lewes. Thanks to the staff at Canalside Inn, my wife and I learned of Egg, located at the corner of Canal Street and Rehoboth Avenue. Most diners prefer to eat outside on Egg's expansive patio when the weather's cooperating. Grab a seat and get ready to dig into favorites like crab and avocado toast, shrimp and grits, biscuits and gravy, or the lemon curd crepes.

For a special treat they offer a lobster Benedict, at market price, with a side of their perfectly seasoned and browned home fries. A beef burger is available for diners who can't wait until lunchtime and want to pass on breakfast items. Egg has an ample selection of sides, including pecan-wood smoked bacon, Pap's SOS with cornbread, gluten-free toast, three kinds of homemade toast, and more.

They offer a full bar with a decent wine selection, mixed drinks, and bubbly concoctions such as a regular mimosa, pomegranate mimosa, or a Bellini. Fresh-squeezed orange juice, coffee, tea, sodas, and other juices are on the non-alcoholic beverage list.

Egg - 510 Rehoboth Avenue, Rehoboth Beach, DE; (302) 227-3447, Facebook; Open Every Day 7am-1pm

Sunshine Crepes, Bethany Beach

Intrepid food explorers might stumble upon this hidden gem on their own or possibly with the help of the internet. Located on the ground floor of the Bethany Town Center, Sunshine Crepes serves up a variety of savory and sweet crepes, waffles, and acai bowls seven days a week through the fall (check the website for hours).

When I stopped in minutes after they opened, I found one couple already digging into waffles and crepes while I pondered my choices. Waffles looked delicious, I didn't want to miss out on their specialty, crepes. I ordered the tomato, spinach, mushroom, and mozzarella as a starter and followed up with a strawberry, banana, and blueberry crepe.

I spoke with Pavla Evans, co-owner with her husband Justin, as she cooked my order. Pavla and Justin started Sunshine Crepes 13 years ago working the summer season nonstop, just the two of them. Fast forward to today and they have over 20 employees that help serve possibly the best crepes in the Mid-Atlantic.

With 24 savory crepes to choose from, this can be a difficult decision. I chose the delicious and filling spinach, mushroom, and mozzarella crepe and was happy with my choice. Then my sweet crepe took my breakfast experience to a higher level. The strawberry, banana, and blueberry crepe is a treat for eyes and taste buds alike. Add a large helping of whipped cream to that fruity trio, and very few customers will leave anything more than crumbs behind when choosing this winner. The sweet side of the crepe menu offers 29 tempting choices for your sweet tooth.

On a later visit, I tried the strawberry, banana, and Nutella crepe. Nutella was born for this starring role and had me powering through the piles of bananas and strawberries, loving every bite. It was the best sweet crepe I've ever had! I asked Pavla what the secret to Sunshine Crepe's success was, and she said, "We offer a great product made from scratch daily at a fair price." I agree, and after just a few visits I count myself a fan for life.

Sunshine Crepes - 100 Garfield Parkway, Bethany Beach, DE; (302) 537-1765, Facebook; Open Every Day Seasonally 8am-2pm 

With these three breakfast restaurants, you now have another reason to visit the Delaware beaches. Heed the ocean calling and saying, “Come, it’s time for breakfast!”