Dewey approves bayfront dining for The Lighthouse

The Lighthouse Restaurant in Dewey Beach will be permitted to implement temporary outdoor dining on the bay beach. 

A resolution passed by town council March 20 allows dining from Friday, May 1 to Saturday, Oct. 31. The dining area is pursuant to the subaqueous lands lease between Dewey Beach Enterprises and the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.

The resolution authorizes seating for up to 44 people, whom the restaurant plans to accommodate with 10 tables accessed via stairs down from the baywalk. It does not permit standing or bar service, or live entertainment, and establishes the area must be cleared of patrons by 11 p.m. 

“Our intent is not to take away any public space, but to activate an underused area in a way that would enhance the overall beach experience,” said Vince DiFonzo, president and chief operating officer of TKo Hospitality, which owns The Lighthouse. “This is designed to be a quiet, controlled, family-friendly amenity.”

According to DiFonzo, condominium owners’ feedback regarding the restaurant’s request was overwhelmingly positive, with the owners of two of the three condos directly overlooking the area submitting letters of support to the town.

At the meeting, community members also expressed overwhelming support for the resolution.

“We’re directly impacted by this, [and] we’re in full support of it,” said Kevin Stack, who owns a condo with his family in the Residences at Lighthouse Cove, which directly overlooks the bay beach.

Since purchasing the unit in 2014, Stack and his family have seen how The Lighthouse and other businesses in town have evolved, and they believe it makes sense for the restaurant to expand onto the beach and make use of the property.

“Any of us who’ve been in restaurants here in Dewey Beach know how challenging it is to get tables on a Friday or Saturday night in the summer,” Stack said. “This offers an opportunity to get some more seating.”

“I think it’s a wonderful addition to Dewey,” said resident Marcia Schieck. “It’s really nice to see it come back, and I think everybody misses the dining outside on the beach at Que Pasa.”

Que Pasa was loved for its outdoor bayfront dining. The restaurant permanently closed in 2017.

“This is being positioned as the new Que Pasa,” Commissioner David Jasinski said. “People are trying to get that feeling and that vibe back.”

But the difference between this and Que Pasa, Jasinski said, is that Que Pasa wasn’t rented out as an event space.

DiFonzo did initially say he was open to renting this space for private events, like wedding receptions. However, after hearing Jasinski’s concerns, he agreed to keep it public.

“There’s been some erosion in public amenities over the years,” Jasinski said. 

For example, he said, the Hyatt turned previous retail space into an event space. By allowing The Lighthouse to rent this area out to private parties, he said, it would turn the area into an extension of that event space.

“It [becomes] less public because people don’t have equal access to it,” Jasinski said. “It’s going to feel very exclusive and very private.”

The resolution was approved under the condition that the space would be available only for public use. 

Additionally, council amended the resolution’s fee structure to comply with town code, at $15 per seat and $1.50 per square foot.

The resolution was approved only for 2026 and will require additional approval for subsequent years.

For a copy of the original resolution or a link to the virtual meeting recording, go to townofdeweybeach.gov/events/42903/.