The phrase “Cellar Door” is said to be one of the most beautiful word combinations in the English language. While we at ShoreBread are not too sure about this scholarly theory, what we do know for certain is that it is the name of a positively delicious restaurant in Salisbury. As we were looking for a perfect date night spot, we stumbled upon this cozy nook, snugly fit in between office buildings and downtown businesses. We couldn’t resist stepping inside to the welcoming atmosphere and after sitting down to a tasty meal, we knew that we had found a hidden gem.
Cellar Door is a brand new restaurant, opening just last August, and yet, it has an ambiance as if it has always been right where it stands today. The antique charm that hangs in the air left us feeling as if we had just entered an old-world European pub and left the modern age for a moment. In fact, there are multiple elements that add to the Cellar Door’s inviting vibe. Some romantic old-age hints include the wood decorating the full size bar that was originally used in the Great Shoals Lighthouse that once stood on the Wicomico River, the granite stone walls that are part of the building’s original foundation and the large safe that now acts as the kitchen’s cooler.
The restaurant’s style may be antique, but the food is delicious and functional with a versatile menu that changes with the customers’ needs throughout the day. As co-owner Chris Culver told us, “lunch consists of soups, salads, sandwiches… (and caters to those) who work and live downtown.” “They don’t have a lot of time to eat and usually come in on their break from work,” Culver said, so meals are designed to be easy to eat in a short time or to bring back to the office.
When we visited during lunch hours, we ordered a pesto chicken flatbread which was deliciously slathered with pesto and paired with a bowl of the crab and beer soup. Part of the soup’s unique flavor comes from the beer that is used in the recipe and hails from local Eastern Shore breweries.
At night however, the dinner transforms into tapas style dishes. “They may not be traditional tapas food, but they are served in the tapas style” Culver said. Guests can enjoy three to four different menu options that are shared among those at the table. Some of the yummy dishes to choose from are crab cake sliders and tuna tacos, which are served with pineapple and lime sauce. Customer favorites on the menu include the prime rib, scallops, roast beef and the exotic tuna tacos. Not only is the food delicious but it is one of the better choices for customers out there; “We don’t have a fryer, there aren’t a lot of French fries and greasy food that we make so the food is healthier,” Culver said.
The restaurant also serves versatile functions, from a quaint dinner retreat, to a nightlife spot with live music on weekends and lunch break specials. Culver also told us, “if you want to get away from the bar scene we also have a lounge.” We’ve decided that the Cellar Door has it all and is definitely a destination that we will be returning to, very soon.
