Lori’s Oy Vey Café
Mid-summer, it’s always a great time to re-visit Lori’s Oy Vey Café in the CAMP Rehoboth Courtyard at 39 Baltimore Avenue. On a sunny summer day there’s little better than CAMPing out for breakfast at Lori’s.
From fresh bagels with lox and cream cheese, to some of her delicious whitefish salad, you’re set for the day. The coffee is always strong and hot to get you going—but if the morning is already warm enough, I suggest the iced coffee—best in the entire one square mile of Rehoboth.
Lori’s freshly-made egg salad is another great breakfast choice, as are the English Muffin egg sandwiches (choice of egg, sausage, bacon, etc.) or the egg sandwiches on bagels or yummy croissants.
If it’s yogurt you crave, try the parfait, with granola and seasonal berries.
And sit at a table near the street and watch Baltimore Avenue wake up. You’re sure to see somebody you know walk by, or meet and greet a shopkeeper on their way to work. Of course, the experience is always best when perusing a copy of Letters from CAMP Rehoboth.
If it’s lunch you want, and you’ve never visited Lori’s, then you must have her legendary chicken salad—whether on wheatberry bread, a baguette, or atop greens, it’s the most memorable chicken salad ever, seriously. I have been enjoying it for 20 years and have not found any to match it. And, it’s exactly 20 years, as the place opened in 1997. Happy anniversary, Lori!
Lots of folks agree with me on the chicken salad, by the way, as Lori’s Chicken Salad has been voted the Best of Delaware year after year by readers of Delaware Today.
As for the salads, try the Strawberry Fields, with greens, pecans, spinach, goat cheese, chives, and strawberries. Not only is it delicious, but it honors Little Cheryl (Blackman), a recently departed Rehoboth Beach icon. Ask any townie about her!
Also try the Beet Goes On salad with beets, mixed greens, and candy pecans. One of my favorites is the Melange a Trois—a platter with a mixture of Lori’s egg salad, chicken salad and tuna salad on greens.
Vegetarians take heart—there’s the tomato/cheddar melt sandwich, Avocado Supreme, or the Cool as a Cucumber. My favorite is the Simply Delicious—vine ripe tomatoes, fresh basil (which you can pick for yourself right outside Lori’s front door) and Vidalia onion with a schmear of mustard or mayo on a bagel. I usually ask for it on a baguette—fabulous!
Meat lovers, do not despair. Lori has piled high roast beef (nice and rare), hot beef and cheese, a Reuben (turkey or corned beef), a classic corned beef sandwich and much more. Then there’s the Bubbie Kline, honoring Lori’s late grandmother—corned beef and cream cheese on rye. Seriously. Rumors are, it’s amazing. (Okay, I haven’t tried it, but now I will have to!)
There’s so much more to choose from, space limits me here! There are always freshly baked cookies, a delectable array of coffee drinks, as well as meats and cheese available by the pound.
Oh! I almost forgot! She delivers—in downtown and even to the beach!
Suffice it to say I have been “aging in place” in the courtyard these more than 20 years, dining on Lori’s wonderful selections and meeting and greeting so many people. Lori’s, with Lori Kline and her friendly staff, is a huge part of the community—sample it for the first time, or reacquaint yourself with one of Rehoboth’s gems.
See you in the CAMP Rehoboth Courtyard!
Lori’s Café is open for breakfast and lunch every day from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. For delivery, call 302-226-3066.
