Charles County, MD

Excellent seafood is one of Maryland’s trademarks, and Charles County certainly delivers in the dining spectrum. You can find signature dishes such as steamed blue crab and Maryland crab cakes at local seafood restaurants, as well as barbecue, ethnic cuisine and family-friendly fare. Farm-fresh meats and produce are also easy to access in Charles County, thanks to the La Plata and Waldorf farmers’ markets.

Seafood – A Maryland Tradition
The family-owned Captain John’s Crab House & Marina on Cobb Island is a local institution that has been serving fresh-caught seafood since 1963. Some of Captain John’s most popular dishes include blue crab, Alaskan snow crab and steamed shrimp. Captain Billy’s Crab House in Newburg is another tasty dining destination, offering outdoor dining on a waterfront deck. The featured seafood platter at Captain Billy’s consists of fried crab cakes, flounder, oysters, scallops and shrimp. Also located in Newburg, Gilligan’s Pier Seafood & Steakhouse is popular for its Tuesday evening all-you-can-eat crab legs and shrimp, and Wednesday evening is prime rib night. Diners can also relax on Gilligan’s backyard beach and watch the sun set while sipping a pina colada at the restaurant’s tiki bar.

International Delights
Savory Chinese cuisine is on the menu at Benny’s Chinese Restaurant in White Plains and Hunan Star Chinese Restaurant in La Plata. Hunan Star is a longstanding favorite with ethnic food lovers and features a buffet with traditional Chinese favorites such as General Tso’s chicken, fried rice, and hunan shrimp and chicken. At Loredo’s Mexican Restaurant & Lounge in White Plains, customers come back time and again for handmade burritos, guacamole, tacos and enchiladas as well as margaritas and fried ice cream. Loredo’s also specializes in steaks and seafood.

American Favorites
One of Charles County’s best breakfast spots is Marie’s Family Restaurant in La Plata. Home-style biscuits and gravy, eggs cooked to order, fluffy pancakes and flavorful ham slices are popular breakfast choices. Marie’s also features daily lunch and dinner specials such as prime rib. Family-owned Lefty’s Barbecue Unlimited Inc. has been serving meats slow-cooked over a hickory wood fire in Waldorf since 1989. Menu favorites include Lefty’s Fried Wing Dings, battered wings served with the restaurant’s signature barbecue sauce, and platters piled high with seasoned beef brisket, ribs smothered with sauce, chicken and pork chops. Johnny Boy Ribs is another local favorite that has been using the same authentic barbecue technique to cook ribs since 1961. The La Plata restaurant is both a carryout rib shack and an eat-in restaurant, and it is most famous for its open pit cooking method and secret sauce developed by Mama Sophie. In Hughesville, Randy’s Ribs & Barbecue offers roadside dining at its best. There’s almost always a line at the window for Randy’s barbecue sandwiches and platters, and the barbecue shack is known for catering unforgettable luaus and wedding dinners featuring whole pig roasts.