One Coastal

The original creation of husband-and-wife local farmers, One Coastal quietly established itself years ago as one of Fenwick Island’s secret farm-to-table treasures, surprising guests with locally-sourced coastal fare, which always satisfied discerning locals.  Word spread, visitors from throughout Delmarva started appearing, tourists flocked, and a boutique gem migrated into a stunning commercial success, with the food slowly suffering from increased attention to table turnover.  Bold dishes with great flavor and an often intriguing combination of ingredients gave way to more commercially opportunistic entrees, and the former owners returned to their farm, leaving One Coastal with new management which navigated the kitchen away from culinary curiosity.  The food remains the draw, and the owner-chef still surprises with creative seafood dishes that provoke many diners to try to score a still difficult reservation.  But the great culinary promise of One Coastal has become almost as scarce as parking spaces in its meager lot.  With its James Beard award semi-finalist chef, One Coastal still has the promise of a neighborhood local star where friends meet at the cozy bar and pick-and-share among the always-changing special dishes and a carefully curated list of special cocktails prepared by one of Delmarva’s master mixologists.  Indeed, the promise to join Delmarva’s growing list of elite restaurants is still there, but with only a handful of tables and an expansive open kitchen, One Coastal finds itself struggling between boutique quality fare and business success, two competing qualities which gravity typically drags to a neutral culinary plateau.  One Coastal still thrills most times, especially with its attention to seafood specials, but diners familiar with the previous iteration are sometimes left wondering about the former promise which gave way to the realization that when art and business collide, the landlord still has to be paid.  One Coastal remains on the precipice of great food promise, a restaurant which yearns to be four-star special, but, for now, its four star reach only barely exceeds its three star, but still extraordinary, culinary grasp. 

 

101 Coastal Highway

Fenwick Island, DE 19944

302-537-4790