BERLIN — With 10 new beers on tap, including some local favorites and later kitchen hours, the Globe in Berlin is gearing up in a big way for its seventh summer season.
On top of all of that, owner Jennifer Dawicki confirmed that the plan this year is to encourage more special events and to take advantage of the Globe’s 100-year-old building to make the place more than a restaurant.
“I’d like to see the Globe evolve into the cultural hotspot it could be,” she said. “The building is phenomenal. The possibilities are endless.”
While the past few months have been busy for the Globe, Dawicki said that one of the things she is most proud of heading into the summer are the 10 new beers on tap at the restaurant’s coppertop bar.
“The biggest, best new thing is the 10 new beer taps,” she said.
This spring some minor renovations allowed the Globe to install the beer taps directly behind their bar. That means it’s harder to get fresher beer outside of visiting an actual brewery.
“All that’s between you and the beer is the beer shank,” said Dawicki.
Of the 10 beers, seven are from breweries located on Delmarva, including Evolution Brewery in Salisbury and Dogfish Head from Milton, Del. For the truly local experience, however, the Globe is featuring two beers from Burley Oak Brewery, which is located less than one mile from the restaurant.
“We’re thrilled we can supply Burley Oak in a big way,” said Dawicki.
That focus on promoting local is something that the Globe is trying to bring to all aspects of their operation.
“On Wednesday we have tapped into the local crowd for trivia,” noted Dawicki.
By utilizing Tom Simon of Assateague Island’s SuperFun Eco Tours, as host, Dawicki explained that the Globe is able to really put an area emphasis on Trivia Night.
“He gave it so much more of a local flair,” she said of Simon.
Going a step further, The Globe Trivia Night’s will often feature local businesses as special guests. During those occasions, the first two rounds of trivia will be general while the third and final will concentrate entirely on the featured business.
“It’s probably the best cross-promotion we’ve ever done in this building,” said Dawicki.
The idea of focusing on cooperation over competition with surrounding businesses is an attitude that many in Berlin advocate. According to Dawicki, The Globe, where the mantra is “Something For Everyone,” has a strong working relationship with numerous shops in town and Berlin government.
“We could not have better support from the mayor and Main St. Berlin,” she said, adding that the town council and Chamber of Commerce are also extremely involved and helpful.
The synchronization of town and businesses is something that Dawicki believes should be encouraged through special events and shops promoting their neighbors. Along that line, Dawicki pointed out that the Globe’s kitchen takes advantage of Berlin’s farmer’s market during the summer.
“Our chef shops at the farmer’s market once a week,” she said.
The Globe also displays local artists through their upstairs balcony art gallery. Artists can have their work displayed with new pieces rotated in throughout the year. All works in the gallery can be purchased but even if a customer isn’t looking to take home a painting, Dawicki said the art adds a unique atmosphere to the upstairs dining room that not everyone is aware of.
In fact, Dawicki admitted that one of the biggest challenges for the Globe is that many people underestimate the depth and variety of the building.
“We’ve been here for six years and I’m not sure that people realize the plethora of things we have here,” she said. “We have so many pockets of space we can use. We’re a great special events place.”
The internal layout of the Globe is flexible, she said, and conducive to fitting any situation, from wedding receptions to parties or anything in between.
After walking in the entrance, the first thing a visitor encounters is the restaurant’s iconic coppertop bar. While the bar is incredibly popular, Dawicki encourages everyone to walk past it to explore the rest of the building, such as the live entertainment stage.
“We’re so much more than a bar,” she said, highlighting the Globe’s commitment to having family friendly dining.
Beyond the coppertop, the Globe features several unique dining options.
There is a large open space for general dining as well as the upstairs balcony, which with the artwork and a couple couches allows for a more casual experience. In addition, there is a raised dais seating area that Dawicki stressed is wonderful for parties, as well as seating in front of the Globe’s stage, which has hosted everything from live music to silent movies to theatre productions.
“We do live music almost every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday … and there’s a whole other layer with concert events,” she said.
Dawicki added that stand-up comedy is another thing she would love to see more of on the Globe’s stage. However, she promised that she’s open to anyone that wants to come in and discuss a new production.
“I know what works for us,” said Dawicki. “But I try to keep an open mind and experience different things.”
Whatever those things may be, Dawicki is looking forward to the summer season. Aware that Berlin has a reputation for being something of an early-to-bed town, the Globe will be expanding its kitchen hours until 9:30 on weekdays and 10:30 on the weekend starting in July. The bar will remain open until 10 on week days and midnight on the weekend.
One of The Globe’s most treasured days is Sunday when it offers brunch starting at 10 a.m., featuring live music and the soon-to-be-famous George bloody mary mix, a product developed by manager Greg David and currently being sold at sites throughout the shore.
The Globe also trotted out its summer menu for the first time this week and that includes many long-time favorites and some new additions. For more information about the Globe, visit www.globetheater.com.