The Best of Delaware 2009

From crab cakes and cheesesteaks to prime rib and clam bakes, little Delaware is packed with great places to eat and terrific places to shop. Here’s the cream of the crop.

by Matt Amis, Maria Hess, Drew Ostroski, a host of guest critics (click on page 52 to meet them) and, of course, you Published June 16, 2009 at 08:21 AM

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Leland P. Kimball III is general manager and artistic director of OperaDelaware. He is a fine judge of all things cultural.

Mark and Kelly Leishear of Milton have been making us feel less guilty about eating sweets since 2005. With children Bella and Liam, the family comprises Bella’s Cookies, a line of irresistible natural and organic treats.

Philip Livingston, owner of Elegant Slumming and Philip Morton Gallery in Rehoboth Beach, is a certifiable man about town. He’s also a regular contributor to InStore Magazine.

Mike Meoli owns six McDonald’s restaurants downstate, and has been a member of the Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce for nearly 15 years. His wife, Kelli Meoli, works closely with the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition.

Lise Monty of Wilmington is an author and chair of the Delaware State Arts Council. She’s also a former editor of Delaware Today, which automatically qualifies her as a Best of Delaware expert.

If anyone knows about beach classics, it’s Alex Pires, a partner with Highway One, which owns several of the resort area’s most popular spots, including the Rusty Rudder and the Bottle & Cork.

Ciro Poppiti III of Wilmington is an attorney in private practice and director of wines and spirits for NKS Distributors. He is a fine dining expert.

Robin and Patsy Rankin stir up Key West-inspired goodness from Bethany Beach at their Patsy’s Restaurant. The mother and daughter are both graduates of L’Academie de Cuisine Professional Culinary School in Maryland. When they dine out, they opt for something different, like a few rolls of sushi.

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