15 Hidden Maryland Restaurants Loved By Locals Year After Year

Maryland’s food scene hides some incredible gems only locals seem to know about.

These beloved eateries have stood the test of time, serving delicious meals that keep customers coming back decade after decade.

Mouthwatering seafood, perfect pit beef, and authentic flavors await at these 15 treasured spots you won’t find in tourist guides.

1. Princess Restaurant

Since 1939, this Frostburg landmark has been serving up comfort food that makes you feel like royalty without the royal price tag. Family-owned for generations, their hot turkey sandwiches and homemade pies create lines out the door.

People from the area swear by their breakfast platters, especially the famous buckwheat pancakes that have remained unchanged for over 80 years.

2. Schultz’s Crab House

Winning a James Beard Award didn’t change this Essex institution one bit. Newspaper-covered tables and mallets ready for crab-cracking create the authentic Maryland experience visitors dream about.

Founded in 1950, Schultz’s serves steamed crabs year-round, with people claiming they can taste the difference between their seasoning and anywhere else in the state.

3. El Gavilan Restaurant

Tucked away in Langley Park sits this unassuming Salvadoran treasure that’s been feeding locals for decades. Hand-made pupusas stuffed with cheese, beans, or chicharrón arrive piping hot to your table.

Weekends bring families who’ve been visiting for generations, many claiming the curtido (pickled cabbage slaw) is the perfect balance of tangy and spicy.

4. Lexington Market — Baltimore

Operating since 1782, this historic market houses multiple food stalls that Baltimore residents have treasured for generations. Each vendor has perfected their specialty, whether it’s fried lake trout or homemade cookies.

Market visitors follow unwritten rules about which days to visit which stalls, knowing exactly when fresh deliveries arrive or when special items appear on menus.

5. Chaps Pit Beef

Guy Fieri didn’t discover this roadside shack! Baltimoreans have been lining up for decades before TV cameras arrived. Located in a parking lot beside an adult entertainment venue, the unusual setting doesn’t deter devoted fans.

Watch as pit masters hand-slice beef to order, piling it high on kaiser rolls with their signature tiger sauce – a horseradish mayo blend that completes the experience.

6. Blue Moon Café

Long before their Captain Crunch French toast went viral, Fell’s Point residents were squeezing into this tiny breakfast spot with just a handful of tables. Weekend warriors arrive before dawn to secure seats in the colorful, eclectic space.

Kitchen staff call orders in their own special language, creating a symphony of breakfast sounds that people find as comforting as the food itself.

7. Cantler’s Riverside Inn — Annapolis

Finding this waterfront crab house requires navigating unmarked roads, yet locals have made the journey for over 45 years. Positioned right on Mill Creek, watermen deliver fresh catches directly to the docks behind the restaurant.

People who visit often know to request specific tables with the best water views and to arrive during odd hours to avoid the inevitable wait times that come with no reservations.

8. Andy Nelson’s Barbecue

Founded by a former Baltimore Colts player, this Cockeysville smokehouse blends Maryland and Tennessee traditions. Football memorabilia decorates the walls while smokers outside work their magic on brisket and ribs.

Savvy customers know to order extra sauce on the side, the sweet-tangy recipe remains unchanged since Andy himself started serving BBQ from a small roadside stand in 1981.

9. Attman’s Delicatessen

Surviving on Baltimore’s once-thriving “Corned Beef Row” since 1915, this Jewish deli maintains traditions that have nearly vanished elsewhere. Fourth-generation customers still order using the unique deli lingo their grandparents taught them.

Watching the countermen slice meat paper-thin is an art form, people know to stand back as the line moves with surprising efficiency despite the constant crowd.

10. Davis’ Pub

Amid Eastport’s gentrification, this neighborhood pub remains stubbornly unchanged, a quality locals fiercely protect. Maritime workers and lawyers sit elbow-to-elbow at the bar, united by their appreciation for perfect crab cakes.

Bartenders remember drink preferences of customers who’ve been coming for decades, often pouring before orders are placed.

11. Schmankerl Stube

Stepping into this Hagerstown German restaurant feels like teleporting to Bavaria. Staff in dirndls and lederhosen serve schnitzel and spätzle to families who’ve celebrated special occasions here for generations.

Owner Dieter Blosel has maintained authenticity since 1988, importing specific ingredients and beer steins that can’t be found elsewhere in Maryland.

12. Pete’s Grille

Michael Phelps trained on their pancakes before winning Olympic gold, but locals were filling this Waverly diner’s counter seats decades earlier. The grill sizzles constantly from 5am, with short-order cooks remembering hundreds of regular orders without writing them down.

Cash-only and no-nonsense, Pete’s hasn’t changed its formula since the 1970s, plastic menus, bottomless coffee, and portions that could fuel an Olympic swimmer.

13. Faidley’s Seafood

Located inside Lexington Market since 1886, this seafood institution serves what many consider Maryland’s definitive crab cake. Standing at tall tables (no seats here) has been the tradition for generations of Baltimore families.

Watching the seafood experts crack oysters with lightning speed mesmerizes first-timers. Frequent visitors know exactly which market entrance gets them to Faidley’s counter fastest during the lunchtime rush.

14. Chick & Ruth’s Delly

Politicians and plumbers alike have been squeezing into this narrow Annapolis institution since 1965. Famous for naming sandwiches after Maryland politicians, the menu changes with each election cycle.

Mornings feature the Pledge of Allegiance at 8:30am sharp, with everyone standing regardless of what they’re eating.

15. Pioneer Pit Beef

Catonsville’s roadside beef joint proves Maryland’s barbecue tradition rivals more famous regions. Smoke billows from the small building where beef is cooked over open flames, then sliced thin to order.

Regulars bypass the menu entirely, simply nodding to staff who already know their preferences. Secret tip: ask for meat from the middle of the roast; insiders know that’s where the perfect balance of flavor and tenderness happens.