By Jodi Thornton
While enjoying the historic sites of Burlington, take time to enjoy the local seafood.
Beginning in 1624, when Belgian Walloons established a trading post for the area's Native Americans, Burlington has appeared often in the annals of American history. Notables such as Benjamin Franklin and Abraham Lincoln made their home in this charming cobblestone district along the Delaware River. Burlington was the scene of witch trials in colonial times and a hotbed of underground railroad activity during the Civil War. With more than 40 historic sites to see in the Burlington area, take a break to enjoy refreshing local cuisine at one of the nearby seafood restaurants
Riverdeck
A fun and friendly atmosphere awaits you at the Riverdeck. Located near the Burlington Bridge, River Deck's relaxed ambiance for lunch and dinner turns to an all-out party after dark. Weekly theme nights include bikini nights, video game competitions, poker championships and live music. A full menu is served for both lunch and dinner, featuring a variety of steaks, chicken, pasta dishes and finger foods as well as seafood entrees. Start off with a plate of fried calamari, clams or shrimp, or experience the South Philly-style mussels served with spicy garlic or marinara sauce. Entrees include local favorites such as lump crabmeat and shiitake sautee. Lighter appetites may enjoy the Philadelphia snapper soup or one of the restaurant's handcrafted salads. The bustling sports bar atmosphere makes River Deck a great meeting place to have a lively time with friends and enjoy the local crowd.
Blue Claw Crab Eatery
No matter what your seafood tastes, you're likely to find it at the Blue Claw Crab Eatery. Famous for an extensive menu of both seafood and landlubber favorites, the Blue Claw has been delighting customers and critics alike since 1961, topping area "best of" lists for more than 10 years. The casual seaside decor is decked out with hanging fish, crabs, seashells and items collected by the owner while on crabbing trips. To start your meal, you may wish to experience the lump crab cocktail or the Buffalo garlic shrimp, the eatery's most popular appetizer. For the main course, the crab feast serves up a sampling of the restaurant's blue, snow, dungeness and king crabs. Another local favorite is the clam bake, combining clams with an array of shrimp, mussels and three varieties of crab.
Curtin's Wharf Restaurant
Whether you're seeing sights in the historic district or boating the waters of the Delaware River, Curtin's Wharf Restaurant is a natural stopping point for a relaxing riverside lunch or dinner. Sit on the deck at one of the charming umbrella-shaded cafe tables or dine under cover of the open-air restaurant. The menu includes items appealing to meat eaters and vegetarians, as well as offering a wide variety of seafood items. Lunch offerings include Curtin's famous crab cake sandwich, served with a remoulade sauce, and marina medley, a platter of seafood, egg and tuna salad. For dinner, you may wish to begin with mushrooms stuffed with crab meat, crab cakes or steamed clams. Entrees include a variety of fried, grilled or broiled fish and shellfish. For a taste of both land and sea, chicken and crab Florentine serves up a winning combination. Although the Marina offers year-round service, the restaurant is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Resources
About the Author:
Jodi Thornton has been writing for more than 25 years and has been published in "Out N About Magazine," "Adam's Rib" and "Country Woman," among others. Traveling the 48 states, this avid outdoors woman finds wilderness adventure and local cuisine to be constant inspiration for her writing and photography.
Photo Credits:
seafood medley image by jcpjr from
Fotolia.com
