DEWEY BEACH, Del. - The Lighthouse in Dewey Beach is set to reopen this week after fire marshals said a Wilmington man set fire to the restaurant and it’s landmark lighthouse in April 2020. The fire halted the reopening of the new Lighthouse Restaurant. Now a little over a year later, the restaurant is ready for customers and customers are ready for the restaurant. Construction workers spent all day Monday putting final touches on the restaurant.
The restaurant will have indoor dining, but the outdoor seating overlooks the Rehoboth Bay and has a wrap-around deck. Plus the restaurant will also have live entertainment! Some in Dewey Beach say the restaurant is not just an attraction, but it's also an economic motivator.
"We came to have lunch. They're not open yet until Thursday apparently but we are excited to try it out even though there is no lighthouse at the lighthouse but you know that's ok!" said Julie G. from Delaware.
The restaurant had a soft opening over the weekend ahead of its grand opening Thursday.
"I had dinner here the first night, and sampled everything on the menu. Well, I tried to sample everything on the menu, but the food is going to beat everyone's expectations. It isn't bar food, it's restaurant food,” said Paul Bauer, Dewey Beach Commissioner.
Managed by the TKO hospitality group, the open air restaurant will have televisions for live sports, garage doors to open the restaurant up, and an indoor center bar and outdoor bar.
"It's been a long time coming, this project turned out better than any of us expected. It's turned into that town center, that asset, that everyone was hoping we would have,” said Bauer.
With this reopening the restaurant is creating 25 new jobs with 10 of them being full time.
Bauer says the local economy can benefit from this.
"Dewey is getting a better dining experience now too. I think that's bringing a lot more customers to this town,” he said.
Thomas J. Hanna, President of Harvey Hanna & associates said in a statement "This setting offers spectacular sunsets with a one of a kind festive Rehoboth Bay beachfront environment."
The restaurant says it will open on Wednesday at 4 p.m. for dinner, but the public can still attend the grand opening Thursday, July 29 at 11 a.m. There will be drink specials and live entertainment.