The Cafe on 26

Fantastic food tucked away right off of Rt 26. First time here and glad we finally gave it a try for a small birthday celebration. The food quality is top notch and complemented by great service.

Starting with the postives, the atmosphere and setting is beautiful, the ingredients all seem to be excellent quality, the place is clean and well presented and the staff are warm and friendly.
It wasn't perfect however, there seems to be a lack of attention to detail in the kitchen - running a special side that ran out but only half an hour after orders had been taken. A side that should have has zucchini and squash was only zucchini, no squash at all. Twice baked potato wasn't even baked once, which should have been immediately obvious to any chef scooping out the middle. Undercooked potato in a restaurant of this quality is a real surprise.
The cocktails we ordered were another example of variability - one was pure rocket fuel strength and the other literally tasted of lightly flavored fruity water. We ended up mixing them together to get something drinkable, but again, a place of this quality serving $16-18 cocktails should be delivering top quality consistently.
I mentioned the potato issue to our server, and she discounted on of the drinks from our bill.
Overall this meal was a bit of a disappointment - I think particularly because we'd been really excited based on the reviews, it was our one meal out without the kids, and to experience a few different issues stacking up left us feeling a bit flat. I do suspect we hit some issues that are not representative of the usual standards, which is a shame for us, but don't read too much into it, from the majority of reviews, most people have a genuinely great meal here.

Cafe On 26 tops our list of favorite restaurants anywhere. We never miss a trip there when we are at Bethany Beach. The food is fresh and cleanly prepared. It does not swim in sauces, spices or oils, resulting in entrees and sides that are truly delicious and respectful of the diner. And you don't need to be a gourmand to appreciate this -- your taste buds will thank you.The crab cakes are outstanding and maybe best of all, gluten free, as is much of the menu. (Other restaurants take note: Gluten-free crab cakes are easily done, so put away the crackers and make more of your customer base happy.) Don't miss the cocktails. They are inspired. A special shout to the waitstaff. They are attentive and pleasant, even when it's busy.