Grain Craft Bar + Kitchen to Open at the Cape May-Lewes Ferry Terminal

Renderings of Grain On The Rocks./Courtesy of Lee Mikles.

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Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) officials recently announced the selection of Grain Craft Bar + Kitchen to redevelop, reposition and operate the restaurant and associated facilities located at the Cape May–Lewes Ferry Terminal in Lewes. The restaurant, known as Grain On The Rocks, will renovate the current facility during the winter of 2019-2020 and be ready for the summer of 2020.

Local designer Sara Scholl designed the logo for Grain On The Rocks./Courtesy of Lee Mikles

Located in historic Lewes, the location offers a mix of indoor and outdoor seating options with outstanding views of the water and the ferry operations. The DRBA recently renovated an adjacent activity area to include a fire-pit, pier, pergola, picnic tables and open green space where you can relax with a Dogfish Head brews, Dogfish Head Distilling Co. cocktails and beer-infused eats.

Accessible by boat, bike or car, the location offers plenty of free parking for all. The ferry operates year-round, transporting nearly 1 million passengers annually between the Delaware and South Jersey resort areas.

Lee Mikles, who co-owns Grain’s other three locations with Jim O’Donoghue, is thrilled about the opportunity.

“We are very excited about the exposure for the brand being at a resort destination that draws from such a large region. We want to create a beach dining destination that locals and resort goers both enjoy. We have a great partnership with Dogfish Head from our earliest days in Newark and we are very excited to continue working with them in Lewes,” says Mikles.

Renderings of Grain On The Rocks./Courtesy of Lee Mikles.

The search for a restaurant partner began in May, and the DRBA was looking for someone to take the business to the next level.

“Grain’s brand, menu and focus on creating a dining destination for families align perfectly with our goals for the location,” says Heath Gehrke, director of Ferry Operations at the DRBA.

And diners can expect Grain’s signature, updated comfort food menu that is customized to fit each individual Grain location.

“The menus at each location are tailored a bit based on local tastes and sourcing options,” says Mikles.

Renderings of Grain On The Rocks./Courtesy of Lee Mikles.

Live music and events are also a big part of the Grain brand, and Mikles promises to bring them to the Lewes location as well.

“After we complete renovations, which will take us through the spring, we will be open year-round and later than they currently are, which will create more job opportunities,” says Mikles.

For more information about the Cape May–Lewes Ferry, including a schedule and rates, visit cmlf.com. For more information about Grain Craft Bar + Kitchen, visit meetatgrain.com.