Dining by the Bay

The long-awaited return of indoor dining on the Bay

by Krista Pfunder

Dining on seafood and other Chesapeake fare while relaxing and enjoying views of the water is paradise for those looking to fully immerse themselves in Bay living at its fi nest.

Whether pulling your boat up to the dock of a waterfront restaurant or strolling over from a quaint bayfront town, the Chesapeake lifestyle can be enjoyed by all.

We’ve put together a list of our favorite spots in Maryland and Virginia to grab a bite and soak up a water view.

No boat? No problem. You can still experience what it feels like to dock and dine.

In Cecil County, Maryland, three eateries have tour boats that dock right there— Chesapeake Inn Restaurant and Marina, Schaefer’s Canal House and The Wellwood.

The restaurants on the following pages are as unique as the Bay itself.

From a crab joint able to catch and hold blue crabs under its docks to offer fresh soft-shell crabs, to a restaurant housed on a 400-year-old historic fort, you’ll fi nd more than just a place to satisfy your appetite.

You’ll likely come away knowing a little more about the area around you. Because the restaurants on these pages pride themselves on sharing and celebrating the heritage, history and bounty of the Bay.

Jimmy Cantler’s Riverside Inn

cantlers.com

Tucked at the end of a quiet subdivision in Annapolis sits what used to be a singlefamily summer home and now serves some of the best crabs in the region. The house, which sits waterfront along Mill Creek, was converted to a bar / restaurant in the early 1940s and quickly became a local hangout for watermen and their neighbors.

Cantler’s has been recognized nationally as a must visit seafood spot in the region, and was featured on The Travel Channel show Food Paradise.

Local seafood on the menu includes Chesapeake blue crabs, local oysters, and rockfish. Non-seafood items such as steak, prime rib, fried chicken and hamburgers are also available.

Cantler’s matches its menus to the season. In the summer, that means soft crab specials —the eatery’s soft-shell crabs come fresh from the tank on the dock at the restaurant.

In fall, rockfish and oysters are menu staples.

The focus is on locally sourced seafood and vegetables like Eastern Shore corn, tomatoes and asparagus. Cantler’s uses only fresh Maryland crab meat in all crab dishes— including a family recipe for crab imperial. Design production by: Mike

Cecil County, Maryland

seececil.org

Cecil County in northeastern Maryland features 200 miles of shoreline featuring great restaurants. Try the crab guacamole at The Fish Whistle at the Granary, which sits along the Sassafras River or the Jazzy Jeff a combination of Chesapeake-style crab bisque and Maryland crab soup at UnWined on the Water, located along the Elk River.

There’e plenty to do while enjoying seafood on the Susquehanna River at Lee’s Landing Dock Bar. The family-friendly hangout features live music and a pirate ship playground.

For history buffs, dine at The Wellwood along the Northeast River. The restaurant began as a fishing and hunting club in the 1800s.

Or keep it casual on the Northeast River at the NautiGoose, known for its laid-back atmosphere and crab cakes.

The elegant Bayard House located in The Old Wharf Cottage, an 18th-century home and the Chesapeake Inn Restaurant and Marina featuring light fare on the deck and an upscale menu upstairs overlook the C&D Canal and are just a short stroll to unique shops.

At Schaefers Restaurant and Canal Bar, dine along the C&D Canal. Schaefer’s is close to the entrance to the C&D’s 17-mile hiking and biking trails.

Foxy’s Harbor Grille

foxysharborgrille.com

Foxy’s Harbor Grille in St. Michael’s, Maryland has tripled in size, taking over the space next door to bring more island flavor to the restaurant that overlooks the harbor. The largest full-service outdoor bar in town, Foxy’s is celebrating 21 years in business with an expansion and renovations.

When neighboring Lighthouse Oyster Bar closed, the owners of the St. Michael’s Marina approached Foxy’s owner about growing her business.

“It was a dream come true,” says owner Terye Knapp. “We had outgrown our patio space.”

The newly renovated space features a cool, island color palette, new seating areas, a gift shop and an event space.

Knapp channeled her time living in the Florida Keys to bring a Caribbean decor and an island vibe to Foxy’s when she purchased it more than 10 years ago.

She included a few Key West favorites on the menu, such as conch fritters, Key West smoked fish dip, Cuban sandwich and a Key lime square for dessert.

The most popular items are the crab cake and orange crush likely the most famous Maryland cocktail.

Speciality drinks, grilled food and live music make Foxy’s a welcoming stop on the harbor for sailors, boaters, tourists and locals.

Carrol’s Creek Café

carrolscreek.com

Located on the side of Spa Creek that overlooks downtown Annapolis and the U.S. Naval Academy, Carrol’s Creek is the perfect perch for sightseeing. A locally owned business, the restaurant opened in 1983 and remains in the family. Jeff Jacobs coowns the business with father Joseph Jacobs.

The waterfront restaurant is named for Charles Carroll of Carrollton, a Marylander who signed the Declaration of Independence. Carroll grew up in the Carroll mansion, located down the street from the restaurant.

A fine dining seafood restaurant with regional accents, Carrol’s Creek focuses on the freshest ingredients for its menu and on local items such as crab and rockfish.

For anyone with nut allergies, Carrol’s Creek has eliminated nuts from the menu and is now certified 100% nut free from Kitchens with Confidence by MenuTrinfo. There are no peanuts or tree nuts in the kitchen.

A few favorites include baked oysters Carrol’s Creek regional oysters topped with horseradish, house-made bacon and Cabot Vermont cheddar and Cioppino, which features fresh fish, clams, mussels, scallops and shrimp in a tomato basil broth.

More than 120 outside seats and its own parking lot means there’s plenty of space to welcome diners.

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Hole in the Wall Grill

holeinthewallwaterfrontgrill.com

At the entrance to Gwynn’s Island, Virginia, sits Hole in the Wall Waterfront Grill. Named for a spot on the Bay directly off the island close to Sandy Point, Hole in the Wall says it’s named for a small, often unpretentious, out-of-the way place with great food.

Views of the Bay, a nearby boat launch and a bridge you may even get to see open and close during your visit add to the relaxed, laid-back feel.

The two-story restaurant features a large deck, bar and air-conditioned indoor dining room. Walls with large picture windows mean almost everyone gets a water view.

Popular menu items include pimento crab dip, tacos filled with shrimp or the fish of the day and the surf and turf burger, a beef burger topped with a mini crab cake, swiss cheese and bacon.

For boaters, Hole in the Wall is the only waterfront restaurant in the County to offer slips to dock and dine.

If you don’t have time to stop and eat or prefer to eat on your boat Hole in The Wall will deliver food to boats at the dock.

Knoxie’s Table

baybeachclub.com

Dine on regionally inspired cuisine with fresh ingredients from local farmers and watermen in a rustic setting in Stevensville, Maryland. Located in the The Inn at the Chesapeake Bay Beach Club, Knoxie’s Table changes its menu each season. The current menu includes Chesapeake crab dip, crab and corn fritters, fresh tuna poke, fried green tomatoes, Chilean sea bass, seafood risotto, salmon piccata and shrimp and grits.

Knoxie’s Table was the vision of Chesapeake Bay Beach Club founder John Wilson, who wanted to create a farm-to-table restaurant sharing the hospitality of Kent Island with visitors.

Diners can choose to be seated in the rustic chic indoor restaurant or the terrace, which features an outdoor bar and fireplace and overlooking The Inn’s lush gardens.

Weekly specials are: locals’ night on Mondays, when two courses prime rib and other Eastern Shore-inspired dishes are offered for $24.95; patty and pint Tuesdays a burger and a beer for $18; whiskey Wednesdays featuring special whiskey cocktails and flights and wine nights on Thursdays when select bottles are half off. Live acoustic music is performed on the terrace by local acts on Thursday evenings from 5:30PM to 8:30 PM.

White Dog Bistro

thewhitedogbistro.com

At White Dog Bistro in Mathews, Virginia, dine on fine cuisine in a Georgianstyle mansion or an outdoor patio with a relaxed, Old Havana style.

The mansion built in the early 1800s was once home to actress Toby Wing. Wing co-starred in films in

the 1920s and 30s.

Featuring chandeliers and fireplaces, the mansion is the perfect setting to dress upor keep it casual.

“Many of our guests have enjoyed an afternoon on the boat or walking through town,” says White Dog Bistro owner and chef Walter Wilkes. “A jacket and tie is fine but definitely not required.”

The outdoor patio overlooks the back gardens and has a Key West or Havana feel.

“I usually include some Creole dishes or pick from Asian, Spanish, French, Italian, Caribbean, Argentinian, Chilean or Australian influences,” Wilkes says. “I’ve traveled to some of these places but mostly I’ve always been a student with my nose in a cookbook or studying the history of a cuisine.”

Wild game is a regular on a menu that also features seafood, filets and vegetarian options such as eggplant.

The bistro now offers Saturday and Sunday brunches.

dredgeirvingtonva.com

Dredge in Irvington, Virginia serves up local oysters and seafood straight from the boat. Fresh soft-shell crabs are dropped off by a local seafood provider for dishes like Dredge’s soft crab bites or soft crab tacos. “A lot of local customers are watermen who come to eat the different seafood specials that we create each week,” says owner Bryan Byrd. “We make sure we are pleasing those with the knowledge of where our seafood comes from, who caught it, and how it should be cooked.”

Local strawberries freshly picked are added to the strawberry shortcake on the spring menu.

Touting a boat- and farm-to-table approach, the restaurant raises its own grass-fed cattle, pigs and chickens at family owned Black Sheep Farm.

Chef Byrd has more than 20 years of culinary experience. Five years spent cooking in Key West influences his style of cooking and menu choices.

Besides seafood, items found on the menu at Dredge include Jerk chicken, Cuban pork, tacos, burgers with a Caribbean, Cajun and Asian influence.

“We are always evolving in the kitchen and basically I come up with my specials with what is available during the season,” Byrd says.

“MATHEW’S BEST KEPT SECRET IS OUT! It’s no surprise really because this small town gem has racked up over 50 “BEST OF” awards in just a few short years. If you’re a foodie anywhere in the Eastern half of Virginia or you’re visiting the Chesapeake Bay area, this is a must try restaurant.” — Steve Cook, Tastebudz, Boomtown Radio

Jackets/Ties Not Required. Reservations Recommended.

Portside Grill

portsidegrillurbana.com

The only waterfront restaurant in the town of Urbanna, Virginia, Portside Grill is known for a menu inspired by local history and offering fresh local seafood combined with seasonal garden items. On the menu are local Bay Dream oysters harvested from a spot where the salinity of the Bay mixes with the pristine waters of the Rappahannock River to create a unique flavor. Portside offers them served naked, roasted or rocked. The eatery’s version of Oysters Rockefeller, the oysters are grilled and then baked with parmesan and spinach bacon butter.

The menu is New American cuisine. In addition to seafood, sandwiches, steaks and burgers are available.

Popular items are crab tots blue crab, potatoes and spices served with remoulade crab cakes, fried green tomato stacks and sea sprouts deep-fried Brussels sprouts seasoned with salt and almonds.

Portside welcomes diners coming via boat, kayak or canoe to dock their boats and dine inside or outside on the patio. The restaurant is a short walk from the historic Colonial port town of Urbanna home of Virginia’s official oyster festival.

Summer plans include and an expansion of the patio area, as well adding live music on Saturday afternoons.

Something Different

somediff.com

Something Different in Urbanna, Virginia serves just that. The restaurant specializes in fine Neanderthal cuisine described as seafood with a side of meat and nuts.

All items served are made from scratch; prepared daily and made to order, from buns and subs

to roasted coffees and peanuts.

On the menu are pit-smoked meats, specialty sandwiches and hearty sides such as baked beans, bacon cheese fries, collard greens and macaroni and cheese.

The Texas brisket is dry rubbed and tender, smoked Texas style and served with hoecakes cornmeal griddle cakes often paired with butter and molasses).

The seafood combo entree allows you to pick two seafood items choose from flounder, salmon, shrimp, oysters, crab cake or soft crab and pair it with side dish.

The eatery uses beef tallow for frying for flavor. For vegetarians, the restaurant offers salads.

Fresh, hand-squeezed lemon and limeades are available, as are craft beer and Prosecco on tap.

Famous not only for the barbecue and smoked meats, Something Different is known for freshly roasted peanuts, rubs, sauces and seasonings, as well as homemade ice cream including adult ice cream flavors that contain alcohol.

The Deadrise

facebook.com/thedeadriseva

You’ll likely see more than water views while dining at The Deadrise in Hampton Roads, Virginia.

A classic Chesapeake Bay Fish House, The Deadrise is the place to be to spot dolphins, whales and views.

Home for the The Deadrise is a 400-yearold decommissioned fort

complete with a moat.

Boaters looking for a place to dine at the mouth of the James River and the Bay will appreciate a well-protected marina featuring deep water, quick access, floating slips and free docking while dining.

The menu focuses on fresh, local seafood. Favorites are the big fish sandwich, seafood burrito, crab cakes and fried seafood baskets.

The owners of The Deadrise — The Tidewater Restaurant Group — have brought their flair for creating unique eateries to the entire Hampton Roads area.

In the nearby town of Phoebus, Fuller’s Raw Bar employs an oyster bar manager to ensure it provides fresh, properly shucked, regional oysters.

El Diablo Loco Cantina and Tequila Bar also in Phoebus offers creations influenced by food cultures from Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.

The family of restaurants is rounded out by Kismet in Newport News. The bistro focuses on fresh, locally sourced goods and brick oven pizzas.

The Office Bistro

theofficeirvington.com

In the quaint town of Irvington, Virginia, you’ll spot a house with toothbrush columns on its front porch. That house is home to The Office Bistro, which used to be the office of the town’s dentist. The restaurant chose to honor the dentist’s legacy by keeping the columns and by incorporating some of the office’s dental history inside.

On the menu are appetizers, salads, flatbreads, sandwiches and more, all made from scratch using locally sourced ingredients.

Fresh seafood specialties like local rockfish beurre noir browned butter, toasted pecans, peppers, roma tomato, spinach, cranberry, thyme and lemon served over sautéed rockfish on crisped roasted potato stack are available when in season.

The restaurant opened in 2018 and then rebranded itself in 2019 as The Office Bistro with an updated menu, expanded outdoor dining on the patio and a newly constructed bar.

A recent Italian-themed night featured stuffed shells, eggplant parmesan, chicken marsala and wild mushroom tortelloni.

Thursdays are prime rib night. A 14 ounce slow-roasted prime rib alongside a one pound loaded baked potato is the daily special.

Aw Shucks!

awshucksoysteropener.com

Most restaurants on Maine’s midcoast didn’t serve oysters until the late 90s. Why? Because using an oyster knife to open the hard shells is diffi cult, time consuming and dangerous. Until then, only a handful of places were offering oysters from what are considered some of the best oyster beds on the East coast.

In 1996, Sherry and Larry Schneider opened King Eider’s Pub in Damariscotta, Maine. After trying out several disappointing methods of oyster shucking and oyster opening equipment for their new place, the Schneiders decided to create their own oyster shucker.

Voila, the Aw Shucks oyster opener was born!

The Aw Shucks machine safely and effi ciently positions the oyster and the blade and then opens the tasty bivalve horizontally, with a single stroke.

The machine keeps the juices in the shell and can be used to open a dozen oysters in under one minute.

It’s dishwasher safe and there’s no learning curve.

The oyster and clam opener the Schneiders created has been sold by the thousands around the world. It is available for both consumer and commercial use.

Butter Pat Industries

butterpatindustries.com

Around the kitchen of Butter Pat Industries, the month of June means one thing: soft-shell crabs and with them, the unoffi cial start of Chesapeake summer. When the temperatures begin to climb, and the locust trees fi nally bloom along the shorelines, the owners of the Easton-based cast-iron cookware company keep their pans at the ready for this local delicacy, which can be found through early fall.

Locals know that the best soft-shells also known as “peelers,” “papers,” “busters,” or, at the exact right time, “velvets” are bought from your local backroad seafood shop, often with their own shedding tanks on site. (For Butter Pat, that’s P.T. Hambleton’s in Bozman, their go-to for both fresh-caught crabs from the surrounding creeks, and a little wisdom from multigeneration watermen.)

With a dozen crabs in tow, there’s little more to do than a quick dredge in fl our seasoned with J.O. Spice, then a toss onto melted butter in a piping hot pan. Cook them inside over the stovetop, or outside over an open fl ame while you wait for the fi refl ies to rise. Either way, that’s where Butter Pat comes in: a Chesapeake Bay Magazine-approved essential for every kitchen particularly in summertime and the right proper tool for cooking soft-shell crabs.