12 New Mid-Atlantic Beach Town Restaurants, Hotels, and Things to Do

Ocean City

Liberatore’s

The Italian wine bar and tapas restaurant, which has locations around Maryland, now has a beach outpost in an unassuming strip mall. Step inside to find a sophisticated bar—the centerpiece of the intimate dining room—and a broad selection of wine, classic cocktails, pizzas, and small plates.

Oysters & Scales

Peter Elias, owner of Spain Wine Bar, has expanded his gustatory fleet to include a pair of new ventures. The first is this posh, Nantucket-inspired fish house located in the Inlet area, serving craft cocktails and an array of shareables (think whitefish tiradito and seafood towers). Choose a table overlooking Isle of Wight Bay or opt for a seat at the bar decorated with wedding-cake chandeliers.

Bai-Tee Bakery & Cafe

This French-Egyptian bakery is Peter Elias’s other recent opening. Facing the boardwalk from the second floor of Commander Hotel & Suites, it has a robust menu of coffee drinks, all-day breakfast, handhelds, cocktails, and baked goods teeming with flavors from around the Mediterranean. Order from the counter, then enjoy your fare in a space that opens onto panoramic ocean views.

Fenwick Island

The Station

After more than half a century, the owners of the beloved family restaurant Warren’s Station passed the torch to new proprietors. The nautical eatery got a significant overhaul, reopening as the Station. Menus pay homage to their predecessor, but upgrades include a raw bar and a carryout counter.

Lewes

Lightship Overfalls Maritime Museum

The 20th-century lightship Overfalls and its accompanying maritime museum have reopened with an expanded waterfront exhibit space in Lewes’s Canalfront Park. The building sits by a historic lifesaving-station boathouse, inviting visitors to explore the history of the 1938 US Coast Guard floating lighthouse before touring the vessel.

Rehoboth Beach

The Waypoint

A facelift has transformed West Rehoboth’s old Shore Inn into a mod boutique hotel. The 20 motel-style rooms are equipped with large windows, hardwood floors, and a minimalist sensibility. Guests can also enjoy onsite pints at Revelation Craft Brewing.

Fifty Nine

Another fine-dining option has landed downtown, courtesy of chef and owner David Kneller, who cut his chops at Easton standouts such as the Stewart and Bartlett Pear Inn. His new spot has a similar upscale mindset, this time with an extra sense of adventure. Expect a playful, globetrotting fusion of land and sea, from a Cuban sandwich reimagined in pavé form to a Scottish-salmon carpaccio with Japanese rice pearls, toasted-nori ranch, and pickled grapes.

Bethany Beach

Ocean 99

Enjoy summery cocktails and waterfront dining at this coastal kitchen in Marriott’s Bethany Beach Ocean Suites Residence Inn. Provisions include gourmet flatbread pizzas and classic seaside comforts such as catch-of-the-day specials, shrimp tacos, crabcakes, and sesame-crusted tuna.

Virginia Beach

Atlantic Park Surf

A new 2.67-acre surf lagoon—the first of its kind in the country—offers world-class artificial waves. Novices and experts alike can ride in a pair of pie-slice-shaped pools that produce about 1,000 swells an hour. Guided or solo sessions, tailored to skill level, take place in a $350 million complex that also includes sandy beaches, food trucks, retail space, restaurants, and a boutique hotel.

Flohom

Looking for a different kind of waterfront experience? A stay in one of Flohom’s two luxury houseboats on Rudee Inlet is an opportunity to sample maritime life with upscale amenities. You get sleek, stylish spaces with a premium mattress, full kitchen, walk-in shower, chic living room, and rooftop lounge with a fire table.

Outer Banks

Sea Chef Dockside Kitchen

James Beard Award winner and former Bistro Bis chef Jeff Buben moved to the Outer Banks to launch this restaurant with son Mac. The casual counter-style eatery overlooks the water from the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center’s new flagship building. It’s a fitting location for a restaurant centered around boat-to-table North Carolina seafood.

Salt & Cypress

Manteo’s culinary scene got a refresh when Salt & Cypress opened in Shallowbag Bay Marina this past fall. The cozy-chic dining room is bathed in natural light, with panoramic views of the bay and Scarboro Creek. From-scratch lunch and dinner menus are studded with Cajun- and Southern-inspired seafood dishes such as crab patties topped with Cajun rémoulade, scallop cakes, and a daily blackened fish that rotates based on the freshest catch.

This article appears in the June 2026 issue of Washingtonian.