Hidden gems in the northern hinterlands!

My vast network of spies, moles and operatives ferreted out the topic of this week’s Retail Therapy column here in Beach Paper. Extensive dumpster diving, email hacking and arm twisting revealed that columnist Deb Griffin was secretly writing about nearby Milford, De., the up & coming alternative to beach traffic that straddles not only a river, but also two counties.
 
So why not jump on the Milford bandwagon along with Deb? Another incentive was longtime Milford resident Chrissy Sarro. She’s like a cute little bee buzzing around my head, repeating over and over, “Check out Milford! You’ll like it!”
 
Though not a Milford native, Chrissy has been there since 1978. The culture shock of living on a hundred-acre farm in rural Delaware after growing up in New York was difficult for the 14-year-old, and when her father took over the old Oliver’s Meeting House to open Benedetto’s restaurant, the family found themselves immersed in a food-service crash course. The place was quite successful – until it burned to the ground in 1987.
 
Chrissy loved the business, and worked as a cook for a while, eventually partnering with her mother in a café. Things went well there – until the floor collapsed. (Apparently that was a big deal, as the Army Corps of Engineers gave them 45 minutes to vacate.) They opened yet another eatery, and this one remained standing, with the floors intact. And that’s where she met Rehoboth’s iconic entrepreneur, restaurateur and chef, Kevin Reading. Reading saw the opportunity to add proven talent to his resources at Nage, and she began to help out with parties and events. She immediately connected with Reading’s partner Josh Grapski, the present owner of Nage, now Fork & Flask @ Nage.
 
When Reading opened Milford’s Abbott’s Grill in the old Smith & Company Steakhouse, Chrissy took the opportunity to help him get the place up and running. And this is where she lured me to the northern hinterlands. And she knew just how to do it: baked goods, ice cream, coffee, candy and burgers!
 
Milford does indeed have some hidden gems, including Dolce Bakery – a combination coffee shop, ice cream parlor and bakery. This cozy spot on Walnut Street is just a few doors down from  Sugar Bee Sweet Boutique. Proprietors Peggy Reilly and Sherry Shupe have all the vintage candies in shiny glass apothecary jars, along with the rather-pricy-but-worth-every-penny DeBrand truffles. Peggy generously allowed us to taste around a bit; combine that with the high-octane lattes from Dolce, and we staggered out of there hallucinating, but happy.
 
Properly fueled, we proceeded to the Mispillion River Brewery where there’s always some sort of celebration going on. We were encouraged to guzzle … uhh, I mean, evaluate … some selections. So much for the sugar/caffeine buzz. Brewery boss Eric Williams recently partnered with Kevin Reading to open Brick Works in Smyrna, De. Reading’s food and Williams’ beer! A match made in … well, Smyrna.
 
Of course, no Milford trip is complete without visits to Abbott’s Grill, Arena’s and Georgia House. Abbott’s Corporate Chef Ryan Cunningham watches over the kitchen in Milford and also the new Abbott’s on Broad Creek in Laurel, De.  And I just learned that the Arena’s in Milford is their highest grossing location (they have seven)! Just around the corner, Georgia House shares Walnut Street with Dolce and Sugar Bee, and is a go-to spot for consistently reliable comfort food with a bit of an upscale twist.
 
That little Chrissy bee is already buzzing around with suggestions for even more fun in Milford, including the new Touch of Italy soon to open in the towering (well, towering for Milford, mind you…) bank building at the corner of Walnut and Front streets. Stay tuned for more Milford news as the big day approaches.