Geyer's serving seafood on Coastal Highway
This year, the family behind Geyer's Seafood Market emerged from nearly 10 years outside of the restaurant biz and are now back in action in Lewes.
The Geyers owned a family restaurant by the same name on Route 113 in Milford for nearly 40 years before they sold the business nine years ago. Bruce Geyer, a third generation restauranteur, said he considered other avenues to get back into the business, but nothing seemed to fit until the seafood market opened up, presenting new opportunities and challenges.
"We looked for opportunities," Bruce said. "But this was the first one that really appealed."
Since Bruce, Susan and Jordan Geyer took over the former home of Jimmy Lynn's market early this year, the seafood shack has gotten an eye-catching yellow-and-red paint job and an infusion of new recipes, prepared foods, desserts and most recently, a small bar with the passage of their liquor license.
Seafood is available to carry-out or for dining on premises, with a small bar for those waiting on orders and limited seating indoors or outside on new picnic tables with umbrellas.
"We've expanded the prepared foods and kept some of the favorites from Jimmy and Lynn's market," Bruce said, "but we also brought in some of the Geyer's recipes to expand the menu."
Shellfish, including blue crabs, shrimp, lobster, clams, king and stone crab claws are available steamed on-the-spot and served with melted butter and cocktail sauce.
Sourcing fresh seafood from waterman has presented new challenges, Jordan said, but after owning and operating as Geyer's Seafood for nearly six months already, he's typically able to contact enough providers to keep the cases overflowing with plenty of shellfish and four to five ever-changing varieties of fresh fish.
Oysters, crab cakes, scallops, shrimp and clam strips are offered in fried seafood baskets that include a side and sauce, and sandwiches range from the Ahi tuna salad melt to the oyster po'boy in the new prepared foods menu.
Cream of crab, lobster bisque and Maryland crab soup can be paired with a new crab Louis salad that features mixed greens and crabmeat with Louis dressing and crabby eggs.
Ahi tuna, shrimp, chicken and seaweed salads are also available by the pound with other prepared foods such as crab imperial, lobster mac and cheese, clams casino and stuffed shrimp to take home for parties.
The recent addition of a liquor license and bar with three rotating taps, microbrews, standard cocktails and wine has transformed the seafood market to a more relaxed seafood house, and new specials including a recent all-you-can-eat popcorn shrimp special for Father's Day is helping to attract a new clientele and hang on to the return customers, Susan said.
"Between the location and the followings from previous owners and the Geyer's family restaurant, people are curious," she said. "People are stopping because they recognize the name, and we also painted the place bright yellow, so it shows up more."
For more information about Geyer's Seafood Market, call 302-644-9329.
