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What started as a food truck concept in 2019 then became a beachside bistro in 2021. The Federal, located just a short block from the famed Rehoboth Beach boardwalk has become a full-service, beach casual, fine-dining bistro. The demure restaurant now hosts the two concepts in one space – you can enjoy fritters before dinner, for a happy hour snack, or go for a boardwalk stroll. Federal Fritter menu features a variety of crisp, poppable & snackable fritters, while The Federal menu expands on a way of eating that best defines Todd & Ellen’s culinary style, the menu reads like a postcard from the Mid-Atlantic. Chef Gray pays careful attention to the seasons, honoring what the Delmarva region harvests.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 62A Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
Phone: (302) 727-5609
Website: https://www.thefederalrehoboth.com/
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Reservations: thefederalrehoboth.comopentable.com
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Related Web Results
The Federal Rehoboth | A Fine-Dining, Beach-Casual Bistro
A fine-dining, beach-casual bistro, and eat bar by Chef Todd Gray and Ellen Kassoff. Located one block from the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk.
The Federal Rehoboth Beach Bistro (@thefederalreho) – Instagram
A cozy coastal bistro. Seasonal Mid-Atlantic flavors & craft cocktails. @equinoxdc’s little sister. Open Tues-Sun 5-9 PM. Reserve below.
The Federal Rehoboth Restaurant – Rehoboth Beach, DE | OpenTable
The Federal, located just a short block from the famed Rehoboth Beach boardwalk has become a full-service, beach casual, fine-dining bistro.
Reviews
Bill RB
Great restaurant, wonderful owners and staff.
Went here on recommendation from a friend, made reservations well ahead to be sure we could get in in the middle of busy summer. We showed up a little early, no problem, they had plenty of open tables at that time, but which quickly filled up within an hour…glad we had reservations! It is a smaller restaurant, not that many tables, which is why you need reservations, and why it works so well…plenty of staff to take care of each table without stressing or running about.
Was greeted by the owner Ellen like we were old friends, and Todd (chef and owner) came out and chatted with us also, found out we had mutual friends!
The Federal is known for it’s fritters, so of course we had to try some. Had two different kinds with sauce, very tasty! While we were waiting on our dinner, Todd brought us another small appetizer he made for us to try…nice! For dinner, we had pan seared scallops, and the cast-iron skillet Delmarva chicken, a mix of seafood gumbo, andouille sausage and rice, both dishes perfectly cooked and flavorful.
We were too full to order desert and just happy to sit and enjoy our wine, but Todd once again came out with some complimentary small chocolates that went very well as a finish along with our wine.
Can’t describe how friendly everybody was, from the owners to the wait staff, everybody just seemed at ease and very polite and attentive. Wish all restaurants could be friendly, so attentive, and have such great food!
Would I go back…absolutely!
Would I recommend…most definitely!
… moreWent here on recommendation from a friend, made reservations well ahead to be sure we could get in in the middle of busy summer. We showed up a little early, no problem, they had plenty of open tables at that time, but which quickly filled up within an hour…glad we had reservations! It is a smaller restaurant, not that many tables, which is why you need reservations, and why it works so well…plenty of staff to take care of each table without stressing or running about.
Was greeted by the owner Ellen like we were old friends, and Todd (chef and owner) came out and chatted with us also, found out we had mutual friends!
The Federal is known for it’s fritters, so of course we had to try some. Had two different kinds with sauce, very tasty! While we were waiting on our dinner, Todd brought us another small appetizer he made for us to try…nice! For dinner, we had pan seared scallops, and the cast-iron skillet Delmarva chicken, a mix of seafood gumbo, andouille sausage and rice, both dishes perfectly cooked and flavorful.
We were too full to order desert and just happy to sit and enjoy our wine, but Todd once again came out with some complimentary small chocolates that went very well as a finish along with our wine.
Can’t describe how friendly everybody was, from the owners to the wait staff, everybody just seemed at ease and very polite and attentive. Wish all restaurants could be friendly, so attentive, and have such great food!
Would I go back…absolutely!
Would I recommend…most definitely!
Pam Peerce-Landers
Went here on NYE. Had the tasting menu. I opted for the salad with fried oysters, the seared tuna with soba noodles, the hanger steak and the pot au crème. Paired with wine: $155.
Salad: greens were ok. Oysters were minuscule, over breaded and greasy. Rating: 2
Tuna: Was mealy in texture and if i had eaten them blindfolded I wouldn’t know what they were. The rest of the dish was ok. Rating: 2: tuna 1, rest 3.
Hanger Steak: The steak itself was tasteless. It looked good so I thought it was because it was unseasoned. Unfortunately, salt didn’t help. The Tuscan broccoli raab was tasteless as well. Should have a nice bitter taste. It was limp suggesting it had been overcooked. The horseradish mashed were inconsistent—some bites had no horseradish flavor and others too much. Rating: 1
Pot au crème: excellent. Rating: 5
Manhattan: poor. Wasn’t made with sweet vermouth. This was very disappointing since i had a superb one at the Spirits dinner in November 2025. Rating: 2.
Wine pairings: 3. The Rojas with the steak was excellent. IMO, a sparkling wine should have been served with the dessert.
I was seated in the bar area next to the kitchen along with 2 same sex couples. When I was leaving I could not help but notice that only opposite sex couples were seated in the front of the house.
Will I be back?
Yes, because my first experience with the St George spirits dinner was exceptional. I’m going to the Japanese whisky dinner. Hopefully, it will be excellent and tonight was not representative.
… moreSalad: greens were ok. Oysters were minuscule, over breaded and greasy. Rating: 2
Tuna: Was mealy in texture and if i had eaten them blindfolded I wouldn’t know what they were. The rest of the dish was ok. Rating: 2: tuna 1, rest 3.
Hanger Steak: The steak itself was tasteless. It looked good so I thought it was because it was unseasoned. Unfortunately, salt didn’t help. The Tuscan broccoli raab was tasteless as well. Should have a nice bitter taste. It was limp suggesting it had been overcooked. The horseradish mashed were inconsistent—some bites had no horseradish flavor and others too much. Rating: 1
Pot au crème: excellent. Rating: 5
Manhattan: poor. Wasn’t made with sweet vermouth. This was very disappointing since i had a superb one at the Spirits dinner in November 2025. Rating: 2.
Wine pairings: 3. The Rojas with the steak was excellent. IMO, a sparkling wine should have been served with the dessert.
I was seated in the bar area next to the kitchen along with 2 same sex couples. When I was leaving I could not help but notice that only opposite sex couples were seated in the front of the house.
Will I be back?
Yes, because my first experience with the St George spirits dinner was exceptional. I’m going to the Japanese whisky dinner. Hopefully, it will be excellent and tonight was not representative.
Stacy Litchford
Fritters are the best here! The other menu items are good – but fritters!! I got corn, artichoke and apple Fritters with caramel sauce. All were good but the apple are melt in your mouth, light and fluffy and with the caramel sauce are beyond amazing. We also had the short ribs with bok choy and carrots in a balsamic glaze and the apple ginger cake a la mode. The cake definitely needs the ice cream (or actually they should offer the caramel sauce as a topper) because it’s kinda dry otherwise. All in all a good meal. Definitely get those Fritters. Pro tip – if you order to go check for all of your dipping sauces. We didn’t get the other two savory ones to try but didn’t want to drive back for those.
… moreJoha Sta
Food tastes good and the food is well presented. I would have appreciated bigger sizes in sauce and some pickled vegetables to balance the fried starters.
Stuff was friendly, energetic and explained the menu, it was helpful to make our choices.
… moreStuff was friendly, energetic and explained the menu, it was helpful to make our choices.
Liezell Bradshaw
Oh my gosh, what a surprise and hidden gem! I highly suggest grabbing a meal at this place when in Rehoboth – the food is divine and the unique drinks as well! Love the gnocchi! Next time I might ask for some cheese on the strawberry and frisée salad. Do yourself a favor and try this place! The service was fantastic (we sat at the bar and the bar tender Garrett was amazing!) We loved how involved the owners were with the staff.
… moreCindi D
I visited this new, fun casual local restaurant today and was blown away by the friendly, welcoming atmosphere, detailed story of how this new restaurant came to be and the amazing taste of the different foods offered. Todd was excited to show me how passionate his wife, Ellen, and he are about this new restaurant. Todd describes the dining experiemce as ‘comfort elegance’ and I agree! They offer an array of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options, all made in-house from scratch by Todd, who trained in culinary arts in Israel. I started with the Parmesan Risotto with the Chive Crème Fraiche- which was moist and full of robust flavors. Second, I tasted the Roman style Artichokes with Louisiana style Remoulade- the artichoke was crispy and paired well with the rich and tangy remoulade. Third was the Corn Fritter with the Lemon Horseradish Aioli- the corn fritters are made with fresh sweet corn and a hint of jalapeño, which was amazingly complemented by the creamy aioli. I, then, had a sample of the sweet corn chowder, made with a coconut milk base which offered a unique taste and sweetness I hadn’t encountered before. Lastly, I finished with the Apple Pie Fritters, and let me just say this was the perfect sweet ending to an amazing mix of wonderful flavors. This restaurant is a must go!! I really look forward to visiting again in the near future. Thank you!
… moreMichelle Bechard
What happened? This was one of our favorite restaurants. Last nights dinner was horrible and expensive. The tempura shrimp with arugula? The arugula was a limp mess as if it had been dressed yesterday. The gnocchi was inedible. Hard little pieces of dough that was to have been accompanied by scallops and shrimp? Didn’t see any shrimp and the scallops were small and buried under some kind of orange sauce. The Scottish salmon was overcooked -can’t say anything to justify the price. Never again!
… moreIbrahim Alkhalaf
Do yourself a favor and visit this lovely restaurant right on the Rehoboth beach boardwalk. The service and food are unmatched. The owner Todd Gray and staff truly care about your experience. The food is absolutely amazing – everything we tasted melted in our mouths. Absolutely the best meal we had while in Delaware. Highly recommend!
… moreDena Cornett
We had an excellent 5 course meal with wine pairings on New Year’s Eve. The food was creative and delicious. The staff was very attentive and personable. We have really enjoyed our brief visit to Rehoboth Beach.
… moreMichael Gray
This is the way fried foods are supposed to be! Basics taken to a whole new level. Corn fritters are the best version of them I’ve ever had. The Fri-nini Sandwich stuffed with the artichoke fritters stands as new benchmark for a panini sandwich, and the perfect fried oysters in the sandwich by the same name was a delicious bounty. Joined by parmesan truffle fries made a meal I’ll long remember.
… more