The Cafe on 26
Since 2010, The Cafe on 26 (referring to the state route upon which it is located) has been a mainstay higher-end boutique restaurant focusing on seasonal cuisine delivered by veteran servers, often the owner and her friends and family. Gourmet crab cakes are a must at every Delmarva seafood restaurant, and C26 boasts a no-filler version that, when combined with crab soup and dip, confirms its Delmarva gravitas. Still, no local seafood restaurant expects to rely upon seasonal Maryland crab dishes alone, so C26 offers other fish as well, in addition to steak, duck, and pork, all served with two complimentary sides. And all of it good, but not exceptional given the menu prices and the slow, often uneven service. But before patrons even get to the menu, when you first arrive at C26, you are confronted by rules, during our last visit, printed on paper taped to the front door and hostess station (rather than quietly included on the menu or posted with some form of professional board). The rules include time limits for meals depending upon party size; no separate checks; no booster seats or high chairs; extra fees for credit cards and credit card exclusions; cell phone use restrictions; and other dining guidelines that seem to render eating at C26 a privilege enjoyed only by rule-following guests. For a restaurant with among the highest food prices at the beach, the rules may be glaring, but even more surprising is that their number almost exceeds the selection of wines on the limited drinks menu. Red and white wine are essentially house offerings (for well-traveled and seasoned diners, we never heard of most of them), and there are no house cocktails; instead your server will remind you that “we can make whatever you want.” That may be true, but only if “whatever you want” includes pedestrian-off-the-rack spirits (Jack Daniels may be bourbon, but at these menu prices, a selection of bourbons is expected; same with Dewers and Crown Royal, which are technically in the scotch family because they are blended whiskies, but not often enjoyed by scotch-loving guests ordering dinners in the $100 per person range). Whatever drinks you order may be served at C26’s outside patio on a cozy summer evening, if only slightly interrupted by the hum of Rt. 26 traffic, steps from your table. Or, you may prefer inside dining in the circa 1920s bungalow, complete with for-sale art on the walls, a curious choice for restaurants not necessarily promoting local artists but pining for an additional commissioned revenue stream. Given its longevity and reputation for friendly and spiritual dining, C26 holds a special place in the mature dining market, one that continues to thrive with a certain class of visitors who find that enjoying a restaurant which does not cater to families with young children holds its own special charm. For some of those first-time patrons, however, C26’s menu prices may cause them to wish there actually was a children’s menu.
