Restaurants haven’t have it easy during the pandemic. Yet, many continued to serve their community. Here are the winners of the 2022 Best Restaurants of Anne Arundel County Contest.
Executive Chef Danny Baldwin holds the Julep Sampler, left, and 2 sides, right, in the dining room at Julep Southern Kitchen, which has been named best restaurant in several categories. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
2207 Forest Drive, Annapolis. 410-571-3923. julepannapolis.com
It’s almost a given that, while table-hopping with diners, Bob Krohn receives a daily hug. Or two. The food makes folks do it. The pecan-smoked fried chicken, shrimp and grits and chicken-fried steak tend to trigger unabashed thanks from patrons.
“There’s comfort in taking a bite of something, having your shoulders relax and getting a smile on your face,” said Krohn, 68, co-owner of the three-year-old family restaurant. “This is upscale, down-home Mayberry food.”
A spinoff of sorts from The Hideway, Krohn’s award-winning barbecue joint in Odenton, Julep Southern shares some top entrees but adds twists of its own, like the southern egg rolls filled with collard greens, black-eyed peas and pulled pork. The fried green tomatoes, in a remoulade sauce, have a gently-fried shrimp on top.
The setting is rustic: walls are covered with recycled pallet wood, and the light shades are galvanized Italian olive-picking buckets. The bar boasts 61 different bourbons and, in a nod to Southern moonshiners, alcoholic drinks come in Mason jars (takeout jars have handles).
Rib-sticking bread pudding leads desserts; it’s made from the kitchen’s scratch biscuits.
“The biscuits are fluffy and immense,” Krohn said. “Eat a whole one and you’re not so hungry for dinner, but I try not to advertise that.”
Bakery: Julep Southern Kitchen & Bar
Carlson’s Donuts & Thai Kitchen
Julep Southern Kitchen & Bar
Adam’s Grille & Taphouse, Edgewater
Barbecue: Julep Southern Kitchen & Bar
Bartender: Riley Seligmann, Federal House
Natalie Tinordi, Severna Park Taphouse
Julep Southern Kitchen & Bar
Servers Samuel Drum, left, and Haley Wilson pick up orders in the dining room of Boatyard Bar & Grill, a popular seafood restaurant that opened 20 years ago in Eastport. (Amy Davis / Baltimore Sun)
400 Fourth St, Annapolis, 410-216-6206, https://boatyardbarandgrill.com
When Dick Franyo started Boatyard Bar & Grill in 2001, he wanted to pay homage to the culture that shaped him as a kid growing up on the Chesapeake Bay: sailing and fishing.
“Everything that we do has to do with sailing, fishermen, loving the bay, saving the bay, environment and we just really emphasize great food,” Franyo said.
Over the past 21 years, the fare, which includes the Boatyard’s famous “All killer, no filler” crab cakes, has attracted fishermen, boat engineers, quotidian water appreciators, Annapolis visitors, celebrities and even Michelle Obama.
“We are a very popular place and I think people come here because it’s the ultimate Chesapeake Bay lifestyle,” Franyo said. “We know who our customer is and we try to give them great food at a great price.”
From the ambience, to their pint sized drinks and community and philanthropic events, Boatyard has stayed true to its goal of honoring sailor culture and the Annapolis community.
Events include an annual rockfish tournament in the beginning of May, a benefit for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, a fundraiser to benefit Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating, and the Boatyard Bash at Annapolis Maritime Museum, all of which has raised more than $5 million to date.
Boatyard emphasizes using recyclable products and works with companies such as Veteran Composting.
Saving the bay is a top priority.
“We recycle all of our oyster shells in partnership with the Oyster Recovery Partnership, and they come and pick up our oysters shells and put them back in the Bay with spat (oyster larvae) and try to help regrow the oyster population, because that’s the key to cleaning up the Bay,” said Kevin Schendel, Boatyard’s general manager.
The restaurant offers a raw bar experience with a variety of fresh oysters, a large menu featuring Maryland crab soup, crab and artichoke dip, wings, salads, tacos and a New York strip. People can also tap into Boatyard nationwide, as the company ships their crab cakes to all 50 states overnight through Goldbelly.
No matter online or in person, Boatyard’s team hopes to keep people coming back.
“We [try] every day to give everyone a great experience,” Franyo said.
Chick & Ruth’s Delly
Breakfast/brunch: Julep Southern Kitchen & Bar
Burger: Julep Southern Kitchen & Bar
Cocktail: Sailor Oyster Bar (temporarily closed due to fire)
Julep Southern Kitchen & Bar
Level a small plates lounge
Crab cake: G & M Restaurant
The Point Crab House & Grill
Dock Street Bar & Grill
Joaquin Carrada is the person who makes Porchetta, one of the specialties at Giolitti Delicatessen. Giolitti Fine Italian Market and Delicatessen has been named best deli in Anne Arundel County. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
2068 Somerville Road, Annapolis. 410-266-8600. giolittideli.com
Dig into the porchetta sandwich, smothered in melted cheese and caramelized onion. The bread is baked daily in the kitchen, from scratch. The pork is slow-roasted, on site.
“We take our food seriously,” said Gene Giolitti, who — with his wife, Mary — opened this place 30 years ago in a town starved for Old World fare.
“Back then, there was nothing like this around,” said Giolitti, 61. “My wife said she couldn’t even find prosciutto [ham] in the grocery store.”
Nowadays, the lunch line snakes through the deli, with patrons lusting for sandwich favorites like the Italian tuna with capers and chopped cherry peppers; the parma (imported rosemary-and-herb ham with fresh mozzarella and roasted red peppers); and the Italian cold cut, a classic made from the choicest meats. Pizzas, calzones and lasagna have their fans.
“There’s a loyal local following here, some of whom come almost daily,” manager Cheryl Molesky said. “We’ve grown by word-of-mouth.” Mostly when those mouths are full.
“Quality is our guiding light,” said Giolitti, who was born in Rome. “My grandmother said, ‘There are very few things you must do in life, and one is to eat. Fix food right and you’ll be in business.’ "
Dessert: Annapolis Ice Cream Co.
Julep Southern Kitchen & Bar
Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants
Food truck: Greek on the Street
Frozen treats: Annapolis Ice Cream Co.
Julep Southern Kitchen & Bar
Bruster’s Real Ice Cream
Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard
Happy hour: The Point Crab House & Grill
Julep Southern Kitchen & Bar
Indian: Namaste Fine Indian Cuisine
Italian: Cafe Mezzanotte & Luna Blu Ristorante Italiano (tie)
Late-night dining: Stan & Joe’s Saloon
Restaurante Jalapenos, named best Latin Restaurant, is a family operation owned by Alberto Serrano, right, whose daughter Zaneli Serrano, left, is the general manager. Alberto Serrano’s brother Obed is the chef. (Editors note that the restaurant uses the tilde: Jalapeños) (Amy Davis / Baltimore Sun)
85 Forest Drive, Annapolis. 410-266-7580. jalapenosonline.com
Zaneli Serrano humbly helps run Jalapeños, a family business owned by her father, Alberto Serrano.
“He tells people I’m a manager. I’m just his helper,” Serrano, 30, said.
The father-daughter duo aren’t the only ones contributing to the Jalapeños’ family environment.
“We tend to all be a family and we want that vibe to be presented to the customers, where they feel welcomed, pleased and satisfied,” she said.
The restaurant’s atmosphere sets the tone, but the fusion of Spanish and Mexican dishes has been the star of the show for diners impressed with Jalapeños’ tapas.
Standouts include the sea scallops with saffron cream sauce, a new lamb chop dish and their variety of sauces — from a sherry cream sauce to a traditional Oaxacan mole.
“The kitchen takes their time in perfecting the sauces, the dishes and presentation. We try to please every single customer, make sure they’re satisfied with their meals, drinks and service.”
In addition to hoping Jalapeños remains “the best tapas in the county,” the dutiful daughter has goals for the restaurant’s future. “We wish that we still have our great customers, our regulars, but also a new generation — young couples that they can bring their family and continue their parents’ tradition of coming out to dine with us.”
Live entertainment: Stan & Joe’s Saloon
Lunch menu: Chick & Ruth’s Delly
DeShaun Smith, who has been a server since Full On Crafts & Eats opened in March, waits on Marie Gomba, left, and her mother, Judy Gomba, both of Annapolis, at lunchtime. (Amy Davis / Baltimore Sun)
2478-A Solomons Island Road, Annapolis. 443-949-0203. fulloncraft.com
Two couples worked together to create something they felt didn’t exist, birthing Full On Craft Eats & Drinks and opening an Annapolis location this past February.
“We’re not a deli. We’re not just slapping deli meat together. It’s really creative, thoughtful, high-end sandwiches, hence the name Full On. It’s sandwiches gone to the extreme,” said Julie Harris, who owns Full On with her wife Michelle, and friends Bev and Joe Hospital.
When they opened their Rockville location eight years ago, the owners realized they provided more than good food and had created something akin to a mind-blowing experience.
“People just don’t put that much attention into food the way we do. And it really does translate to the final product because people are just blown away by what we do,’” Harris said. “People come to us and say, ‘We get it now.’”
The menu has 23 different sandwiches, more than 100 prep items and everything is fresh.
“Nothing that we do comes out of a bag. We make every single sauce in-house, our meats are roasted fresh daily… It’s all real deal cooking,” said Harris, adding that the bread is delivered fresh daily.
Full On turns out celebrated dishes like The Pilgrim, a Thanksgiving-inspired sandwich that remains on the menu year-round due to rave reviews. The restaurant is also known for its wings and hand-breaded, made-to-order onion rings.
“Our onion rings — for some reason in Annapolis — that’s what everybody is blown away by the most it seems,’” Harris said.
The Annapolis location also boasts a full bar to accompany the craft eats and drinks.
Outdoor dining: The Point Crab House & Grill
Julep Southern Kitchen & Bar
Place to take out-of-towners: The Point Crab House & Grill
Place to take the kids: Annapolis Ice Cream Co.
The Pier Waterfront Bar & Grill
Seafood: Mike’s Restaurant & Crabhouse
Adam’s Grille & Taphouse, Edgewater (tie)
Sushi: Joss Café & Sushi Bar
Takeout: Julep Southern Kitchen & Bar
Full On Craft Eats & Drinks
Value: Julep Southern Kitchen & Bar
Vegetarian options: Potato Valley Café
Marisa Casbarro, left, and her husband Nick Casbarro, right, are from Miami but will be moving to Maryland. They are enjoying lunch and the view from Carroll’s Creek Cafe in Annapolis, which has been voted best view in Anne Arundel County. August 10, 2022 (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
410 Severn Ave., Annapolis. 410-263-8102. carrolscreek.com
How picturesque is the scene from this waterfront restaurant? The setting so moves foodies that one recent customer painted the tableau overlooking Spa Creek and sent a print to the owner. Here, the panorama drives business, proprietor Jeff Jacobs said, and on pleasant summer nights it’s common for more folks to favor the wraparound deck more than inside seating. Word spreads. Actor Natalie Portman dined here recently, and game show host Pat Sajak is no stranger.
On Wednesday nights, one need only peer through the masts of the adjacent marina to see the chase of weekly sailboat races. Treasured sunsets cap off meals plucked from a seafood-laden menu that features award-winning cream of crab soup, a tantalizing sea scallops appetizer and go-to entrees like jumbo lump crab cakes and a herb-encrusted rockfish fillet.
From Carrol’s Creek, one can see historic Annapolis and the Naval Academy, but it’s those gently slapping waves, 12 feet below, that set the tone.
“Drop something off the deck and it may land in the water,” said Jacobs. “Once in awhile, a dinner roll will go overboard to feed the ducks.”
Shrimp and steaks, not so much.
Bread and Butter Kitchen (tie)
Sake Japanese Steak House (tie)
Wine list: Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants
Editor’s note: Winners and honorable mentions were determined by popular vote. Readers were invited to nominate and vote online from May to June.