Maryland’s coastline has a rhythm all its own; part tide, part tradition, and very often, the scent of crab cakes sizzling in butter. In quiet coves and bustling markets, cafés still turn out the kind of recipes that made the state famous: crisp-edged, golden, and full of sweet jumbo lump meat.
Locals know where to find them, tucked behind seafood counters or along weathered docks where the air smells like salt and spice. From Faidley’s in Baltimore’s storied Lexington Market to Old Salty’s on Hoopers Island, these kitchens carry decades of practice in every bite.
Here are eleven places where Maryland’s crab cake legacy still thrives, one perfectly packed patty at a time.
1. Faidley’s Seafood, Baltimore
Lexington Market hums like an old song, vendors calling out orders, the scent of frying seafood drifting through the air. Faidley’s sits right in the center, both chaotic and comforting…