In 1997, brothers Eric and Norman Sugrue opened the doors to Big Fish Grill. It has grown from one 90-seat restaurant to the Big Fish Restaurant Group, which includes multiple Big Fish restaurant locations and a variety of other restaurants throughout the Delaware region. Big Fish offers delicious and approachable family-style seafood.

Chefs William “Bill” Hoffman and Merry Catanuto have made their Hockessin restaurant a family affair. They live on the premises with their two children. Since opening in 2011, the restaurant’s changing menu has featured a tasteful collage of flavors, textures, foams and sauces.

Capers & Lemons, located in a bright, modern space, takes a contemporary approach to Italian cuisine. Look for upscale versions of the classics—ravioli, cavatelli, pizza, veal saltimbocca—as well as grilled venison loin and braised short rib.

The colorful, contemporary dining room, open kitchen and fresh approach made Cool Springs an instant hit. Cool Springs’ fare is approachable and fun, from subtle seafood bisque to classic stuffed flounder to swordfish in crispy Parmesan crust and grilled tuna with a ginger reduction.

Eclipse has changed over the years, moving from upscale white linen to funky bistro. Artfully blending innovative cuisine, an award-winning wine list and genuine hospitality.

To be sure, this is where the well-known chefs go for their own special occasions. The Back Porch Café offers cozy, intimate dining. Much of the menu is seasonal, but you’ll likely find the jumbo lump crab-and-shrimp cakes.

Walter’s is the quintessential Wilmington restaurant. And it serves the kind of food diners always come back to. Long after the foams, infusions and emulsions have lost their luster, you’ll enjoy a grilled strip steak, crab imperial or broiled cold-water lobster tail, all with a salad and baked potato.

Talk about a burger-lover’s heaven. And what goes better with burgers than beer? The 12 taps pull favorite local brews, and there’s a large selection of bottles. There are salmon, tuna, turkey and veggie burgers, too, as well as familiar comfort entrées.

The team forages from South Jersey to Sussex and from southeastern Pennsylvania to the Eastern Shore in search of meats, fish and produce to transform into food people love: a slow-roasted half chicken with cheese grits, asparagus and tasso gravy; a tomato-y saffron-scented seafood stew.

Actresses Elizabeth Montgomery of “Bewitched” and Elizabeth McGovern of “Downton Abbey” are two of the many Elizabeths providing inspiration for the pizza menu at this popular restaurant, which since 1993, has crafted gourmet pizzas in a wood-fired oven.

The concept centers around a build-your-own-bowl menu. Diners pick two bases (spinach, kale, arugula, brown rice, quinoa, red potatoes, for example), two veggies, seeds, a protein and a sauce, like mango habanero or garlic red pepper. You also get two additional ingredients of your choice (think tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers and chickpeas).

From a lot shared with Big Chill Surf Cantina and Liquid surf shop, Taco Reho plies traditional Mexican favorites with experimental flourishes. The results vary from chipotle-and-tomato braised chicken tinga tacos to Thai-inspired curry tacos.