The Back Porch Café is much more than a restaurant

In the mid-1970s, a unique restaurant that seemed to define that era came to Rehoboth Avenue. The Back Porch Café embodied the feeling of the ‘70s and the atmosphere of Key West. All that was missing were the sunsets on the pier and the iguana man. I lived a couple of blocks down on the other side of Rehoboth Avenue in the Moore Building, which housed a drugstore at the time and is now retail shops. The street was different then; the old Thunderbird shop stood guard next door, and The Art Age was up the street, among other old landmarks.

The Back Porch Café replaced the weathered yellow Marvel Hotel that had been there forever. My parents had honeymooned there in 1942, and their pet Boston bulldog sporting one blue eye and one brown eye had devoured the lace curtains. A seafoam-green paint job had replaced the yellow exterior, but blues were the favorite colors of the new landlady, Margaret Bunch. She and her husband David Bunch Sr. were the new real estate owners in 1974. Now, Damar Inc., Margaret Bunch and her son David Jr., are the landlords.

Ted Fisher and his wife Libby, and Victor Pisapia were the original owners and creators of the Back Porch. Later, Siri Svasti, Keith Fitzgerald and Marilyn Spitz came on board as owners along with Leo Medisch as executive chef and Bee Neild as bartender. Bee is the beloved bartender who made me my first Negroni with Campari in the summer of 1974. We often laugh that he made it triple strong, and I staggered the whole two blocks back to my apartment in the Moore Building.

I used to go to the bar in the evenings with my pet skunk Leroy. They kindly put up with this for a few weeks. Finally, I had to take Leroy back to the Burns Tropical Fish pet store since he nipped at my ankles and I had to wear boots around my small apartment. The Back Porch bartender gently told me afterward that pets weren't allowed at bars.

I used to go to the deck to indulge in their House Coffee ceremony, an attention-getting ritual even without a skunk on your shoulder! Goblets of coffee and liqueur are set aflame after lemons are rubbed on the rims of the glasses. Real whipped cream is plopped on top, and cinnamon is sprinkled atop this fiery creation.

Memorable and unusual Back Porch dishes include sweetbreads and garnishes like fiddlehead ferns. Salmon is flown in from the Pacific Northwest, while crabs and dayboat scallops come from the Eastern Shore, and lobsters are procured from Maine. A fabulous chocolate torte topped with an orchid is made in-house and is a memorable dessert.

Dimitri Shubich and his wife Aksana Varanova bought the restaurant in 2020, right before the pandemic began. Both had worked as servers in the restaurant for years before. Dimitri, who grew up in Russia, and Aksana from Belarus embody the American dream and are both proud United States citizens. Their first year under COVID rules was scary, but they persevered and have maintained the Back Porch Café in its legendary saga with immense success. Dimitri told me that the kitchen is the engine of the place, and they have kept many of the same employees and favorite dishes.

So, the Back Porch Café continues on as the place to see and be seen. The rich bohemian vibe can be felt in the buttery yellow main dining room filled with longtime friends, arty people and old money. And you can enjoy dining under the stars on the deck for a special summer night. The spacious front room holds more diners comfortably.

Next year, The Back Porch will celebrate its 50th anniversary, so expect it to be quite a year! How many local businesses can claim a half-century of staying in operation, and thriving through thick and thin?!

I used to dine there in the 1970s when it all began, enjoying classical Spanish guitar in the background. It was the filtered golden light of the ‘70s. It continues successfully into the Rehoboth of 2023 with fresh flowers and fresh faces, as well as some old friends. I would have been there one way or another every night if I could, and now, since moving back home to Milton, I can be there more often.

I was at the Back Porch twice last week to celebrate the opening of my art show, my other muse. Now everyone can enjoy the Back Porch Café culture into November. Maybe I can go there for my 75th birthday this year! I was 25 the year it all began.

Call 302-227-3674 for reservations and springtime hours.The Back Porch Café is located at 59 Rehoboth Ave.; call 302-227-3674 for reservations and springtime hours or go to backporchcafe.com.