Remember where Cafe Azafran used to be on Market St. in Lewes? After Richard Steele and family opened Azafran #2 in Rehoboth Beach, they closed the Lewes Azafran. It became Gate House Restaurant for a while, and that closed shortly after the Gates family took over the Buttery in Lewes and rebranded it as 2nd Street Tavern. The old Gate House is now the (relatively new) Eggcellent breakfast/lunch spot.
The former Cafe Azafran spot is now all about breakfast and lunch. The new owners, Elina Kamalova and her husband, are no strangers to the breakfast/lunch schedule – Elina worked for her good friend Dina Escamilla at The Nook in Milton, and Elina's husband worked at diners and breakfast spots all around Delaware. Funny coincidence – Elina and Dina are both from the same city in Russia, both have degrees in accounting, but they never met until they both emigrated to America. Additionally, both Elina and Dina both took care of customers at the iconic Sunrise Restaurant in Dewey Beach.
Elina met the guy who was to become her husband when she came here from Russia for a vacation in 2007. She returned to the United States permanently, earning an accounting degree at Delaware Technical & Community College while working here and there – mostly serving breakfasts and lunches. The cozy Eggscellent has a surprisingly big menu for its size, and the service could not be friendlier. Elina was a guest on my Beach Eats radio show in June 2020 just before they opened on July 17th. After what has seemed like forever, I finally made it in there – thanks to prodding from our friends Kevin and Debbie Short (Debbie is also an alumnus of Sunrise in Dewey!)
I have to get this out of the way before I go any farther: The Cream of Crab Soup at Eggcellent is already a Rehoboth Foodie Pick Hit! Silky, creamy and not at all floury, the soup is loaded with chunks of crabmeat and is delicately seasoned. Even if you're there for breakfast, don't miss this soup!
The breakfast menu at Eggcellent has a long list of creative omelets including a lox omelet (salmon, onion, tomato, capers, cream cheese) and their top-of-the-list Eggcellent Omelet (basically their Florentine omelet, add mushrooms and black olives). There is a total of eight omelets on the menu, including a build-your-own. My first-time go-to is always the omelet, and I had the ham & cheddar. Plain and simple, but it lets me know if these people know their omelets. They do. It was quite good, though I personally would have liked it a bit less done. I consumed it all, plus pancake (Elina's pancakes are wonderful) and a slice of extra-crispy scrapple. This IS Delaware, after all….
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Classic breakfasts offer the popular combo with various versions of eggs, meats, veggies, cheese – you name it, it's yours. Breakfast sandwiches include a Morning Burrito and their very popular Avocado Toast. The rest of our crew had the club sandwich (served regulation-style with the little quarter-slice points facing up) and what might possibly be the shining star on the breakfast menu, their very own version of French Toast sporting cinnamon, a sprinkle of powdered sugar and … wait for it … granola! Elina admits that that was her idea and it's a big hit with the regulars.
For lunch, it's all about sandwiches, burgers, salads and subs. One of the stars on the menu is the Overfalls Burger (make with a portobello mushroom, spinach, swiss and roasted peppers). Six sandwiches round out the list, including the Mediterranean Chicken sandwich. (Think Eggcellent Omelet, but as a sandwich! A home run for sure.)
Check out the gallery for some photos, and we plan to return soon for lunch. That will generate more photos, I promise. Eggcellent Restaurant is at 109 W. Market in the little court with Olive & Oats. You can call them at (302) 200-9528
