Lori’s: A Café’s Touch of Rehoboth
What exactly are the things you look for in an elite eatery in Rehoboth? Fine fare, of course. Splendid behind-the-counter service, always. Outdoor seating, a good day’s must-have. There is a place in Rehoboth that offers all of these: Lori’s Café.
Lori Kline’s intriguing little restaurant fits snugly into the CAMP Rehoboth Courtyard, nextdoor to the Elkins-Archibald Atrium. It’s a walk-up/take-out space that uses colorful outdoor tables in the Courtyard for seating. You walk up and order your food from a counter, and accommodating staff like Sarah and Shelby, and of course Lori herself, make sure your visit is one that makes you want to come back.
The food is top drawer. A breakfast/lunch venue, the Café offers unique takes on all sorts of morning meals, plus salads and sandwiches you won’t find anywhere else. All offerings feature fresh ingredients put together on the premises. Even their bread is baked onsite. Special offerings such as gluten-free bread and a full vegetarian menu complement the regular menu well. For those who like their drinks healthy, Lori’s serves various types of coffees, teas, pink lemonade, bottled water, and juice. Not a soda in sight!
Salads such as The Four B (bleu cheese, bacon, blueberries, with balsamic dressing on greens) and the Mélange à Trois (tuna, egg, and chicken salads on field greens) are just a few of the mouth-watering items you will find on the Café’s salad menu. Vegetarian dishes such as Brie a la Val (melted brie cheese tossed with toasted almonds, Granny Smith apples, and a dab of honey mustard served on French bread) or The Very Gouda (gouda, pear, sprouts, walnuts, and honey mustard on French bread) beckon patrons new and old. What could possibly go wrong? Terrific salads (tuna, egg, potato, and whitefish…yes! whitefish!!!) dot the menu. All are worth a taste. Note: Even the pickles are good!
Then there is the Chicken Salad to DIE for (yes, that’s the name of the salad!). The most popular item on the Lori’s Café fine menu (Lori prepares 100 to 160 pounds of chicken per week.), the sandwich features bleu cheese, chicken breast, toasted almonds, tart apples, and more. I cannot begin to tell you how good this sandwich is. Even Jill Biden loves it (although Joe is a tuna guy). Suffice it to say that there is no wonder this is a Lori’s favorite.
Even the simplest sandwiches are delicious. Case in point: the Corned Beef sandwich with Dijon mustard and lots of onions. This sandwich may look like most corned beef sandwiches, but it features what I think is the best corned beef in town! Lori says it’s all in the slicing, but that was a darn good piece of meat!
We also tried dessert. By this time, we knew it would be delectable, and it was. Baker Holly Moore comes up with various sweets for the restaurant. The day we visited, Sally and I were served either a small cake or a giant cupcake, depending how you eyed it. It looked lovely and tasted even better.
Lori Kline established the Café in 1997 at the age of 30, and it has been a Rehoboth treasure ever since. She left teaching in Maryland behind with a dream, and lived on a boat for a year until she settled ashore. She has been the face of the restaurant ever since, aided by her delightful, loyal staff. For example, Sarah has been on board for 10 years; Shelby for five. The entire staff ranges in age from 19 to 76. Each will tell you it’s a family business where the workers are treated like family.
Speaking of loyalty, Lori dealt with the COVID crisis in a way only a true Rehoboth Beach citizen would. In addition to its variety of meals and by-the-pound servings, the Café dealt with the slowdown in business by offering fresh produce and chicken ready for the oven or grill. All to save customers an extra trip outside the home.
Lori likes to say, “If you leave here hungry, it’s your fault!” I would have to agree. From its huge, overstuffed sandwiches to its mouth-watering salads, its White Fish platter to its Chicken Salad to DIE for, this is truly a Baltimore Avenue treasure. Fine fare, splendid behind-the-counter service, colorful outdoor seating. Check out Lori’s Café seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. this summer. Tell Lori Mike and Sally told you to come!!! ▼
Michael Gilles is a playwright, actor, and director from Milton, and a regular contributor to Letters from CAMP Rehoboth.