Where to eat on a short trip to Maryland (Easton and Baltimore)

[GardenFresh]

Hi all,

I am visiting my dad in a couple weeks, who just moved to Easton, MD. This will be my first time to Maryland, and I'd like to really experience all the great food I know is around there (and I don't trust my dad to know yet where the good places are!).

So I know we will be spending a day each in Baltimore and Annapolis doing some shopping for his new house, and some time around Easton as well. I would especially love to have some soft shell crab, as I understand it should still be the season for that in a couple weeks, and where better to have it for the first time than in Maryland!

Otherwise, I would love any suggestions anyone has for can't miss spots in any of those three places, including someplace for a nice birthday dinner and some more casual hole-in-the-wall places.

Thanks so much in advance!

[bachinskin]

Try Scossa in downtown Easton, across from the courthouse. Great northern Italian food with local ingredients. Chef was at Harry's Bar in Venice and then Cipriani's in New York. The decor is modern and elegant. Sunday brunch is a winner.

[GardenFresh]

Thanks everyone for the great suggestions – can't wait to try some of them when I get down to the area later this month. Won't be going for another week, so if any more occur, I'd be happy to hear about those too. Thanks. Cheers!

[FoiGras]

If you want to Wow Dad for his birthday, take him to the Prime Rib in downtown Baltimore. The restaurant is elegant and formal and has the most wonderful soft shell crabs. They also serve fabulous prime rib, lambchops and Crab Imperial.

Fells Point has lots of casual dining places. You guys could meander about and decide where to dine once you were in the area. FoiGras

[noodlelust]

Brewers Art in Baltimore is one of my favorite restaurants anywhere. A great non-seafood option in Baltimore!

www.noodlelust.com

[lawhound]

Piazza Italian Market is not a hole-in-the-wall, it's an upscale Italian deli in a high-end strip center near the center of town in Easton. But it was very good. Also near the center of town is Easton Market Square, a collection of a half-dozen or so food vendors inside a market building with one or two attached restaurants. That was also good.

[Just Visiting]

Other than crabs:

We love Out of the Fire (in Easton, a charming town). A newish place called the Bartlett Pear Inn is getting rave reviews from professionals and eaters alike.

[tartuffe]

Out of the Fire is terriffic; try to sit at the bar where you can watch the elaborate choreography in the tiny kitchen

[woodleyparkhound]

Cantler's in Annapolis: http://www.cantlers.com/

Cream of crab soup at The Narrows (Kent Island)

[dining with doc]

soft shell crab at The Narrows in Kent Island
crab feast with steamed hard shell crabs and steamed clams at Cantlers in Annapolis, The Crab Deck or Harris Crab House in Kent Narrows
great steak and seafood at Lewnis in Annapolis
Bartlet Pear Inn in Easton

[agarnett100]

Beware of Harris Crab House in Kent Narrows - if you go Sunday go early as the Red Eye Dock Bar has a weekly Bilini Contest which makes parking challenging

[lawhound]

Ditto Lewnes in Annapolis.