DINING TASTE
Exquisite Experiences
T
By Tom Worgo Photography by Stephen Buchanan he first impression you get when you walk up to Blackwall Hitch Annapolis is of the rooftop deck and yellow doors. They immediately grab your attention. The interior pops with a marble-topped bar and a chandelier that hangs from the second story. Marble tables with rustic chairs and antiques are sprinkled throughout the restaurant.
“It’s important to have an up-to-date, freshly decorated place where you enjoy yourself,” Events Director Jessica Oliver says. “We handpick items. We want to be comfortable and inviting, but upscale and fresh. We have the architectural elements and the exposed lighting, the glitz and the glam with the little bling elements.” You can see boats go by on nearby Spa Creek from the rooftop deck. It’s also a space where diners can enjoy the restaurant’s great food. Assistant General Manager Michael Ennis describes the menu as “American Cuisine with a seafood flair.” Indeed. Seafood does dominate the menu. Rockfish is a customer favorite and something that fits into the Americana category, Creole Rigatoni, is also a big hit. We recently talked to Oliver and Ennis about everything that sets the restaurant apart from others. And we spoke with Executive Chef Danny Choung about Blackwall Hitch’s cuisine.
Michael, what kind of customers are you trying to attract? People that want to come in, enjoy our environment, and see what it’s all about. Everything here offers you an experience. You can come down here and be in the wine room, which is an enclosed private dining area. You can be in either of our main dining rooms, or go to the main bar for a really cool experience. There are probably eight to 10 different experiences you can have here by just coming to this restaurant. You have the fine dining. You can have a closed intimate experience in the living room or wine room. You have the wine and oyster bar. You have the crow’s nest—our outdoor experience.
pickle, a dill pickle, a lime wheel, a lemon wheel, two pieces of bacon, two steamed shrimp, two blue cheese stuffed olives, a jalapeno stuffed olive, along with lump crab meat. It’s one of our signature drinks. We also do a great strawberry ginger Margarita using Patron Silver, real strawberry puree, lime juice, and ginger beer. With craft beers, we knock all the local brews out of the park. Jessica, can you talk about the rooftop deck? It is our most popular space. It’s a Brazilian hardwood deck that overlooks the skyline of the State House. It has a quick-service bar, a lounge area with couches, and tables with yellow umbrellas for dining.
Do you offer signature drinks? The bartenders put a lot of effort into making these drinks. One of the highlights, which is offered year-round, is the massive Bloody Mary. It’s a 32-ounce mason jar and it’s loaded with a Gherkin
BLACKWALL HITCH 400 Sixth Street, Annapolis 148
What’s Up? Annapolis | August 2022 | whatsupmag.com
Do some customers just come to dance and see the bands on the weekends? We have a very large bar that has a stage. We do live music on Friday and Saturday nights. We
| 410-263-3454 | blackwallhitchannapolis.com
