The old Fawcett Boat Supplies site near Annapolis City Dock is now a slick, redeveloped nautical hub that Chesapeake Whalertowne, Oasis Marinas’ Annapolis Town Dock, and Annapolis Boat Shows call home. All that had been missing was a buzzy restaurant for the prime space overlooking Ego Alley. Until now.
110 Compromise Street will be the newest location of The Choptank, a classic fish and crab house concept in the center of Baltimore’s Fells Point waterfront. It’s owned by Atlas Restaurant Group, who has 21 restaurants including several near the Baltimore harbor. This will be their first foray into Annapolis.
Atlas CEO and Founder Alex Smith has felt connected to Maryland’s capital city since he played professional lacrosse for the Chesapeake Bayhawks.
“I fell in love with downtown Annapolis and have always wanted to expand our restaurant group to this historic
area. When the space became available we knew we wanted to expand The Choptank concept because of the popularity and success garnered at the original Fells Point location in Baltimore. We hope this is the first of many projects that we will do in the city of Annapolis in the years to come.”
The Annapolis Choptank location will be expansive, with 7,500 square feet of indoor space and 8,500 square feet of outdoor dining space. The outdoor area will feature a covered rooftop bar overlooking the water, and dockside dining with fire pits and outdoor games.
The ambience will be elevated by the design work of Patrick Sutton, a noted Baltimore-basdesigner. The inspiration is a “classic Maryland crab house,” with a “bustling, fun energy.” The food will be Chesapeake-style, as the restaurant’s name implies, and will use local seafood. The Choptank even has its own spice recipe for steamed blue crabs.
Smith says choosing this spot to expand Atlas’s reach is a no-brainer.
“We feel this is not only one of the best locations in the city of Annapolis, but the best waterfront location in the entire state of Maryland,” said Smith. “A large portion of our customers at Atlas’ 16 Baltimore properties come from the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County region, so this expansion makes it more convenient for those guests to enjoy an Atlas experience closer to home.”
The Choptank’s neighbors at 110 Compromise have met the news with enthusiasm. The Oasis Marinas team tells Bay Bulletin, “We are excited to welcome Choptank restaurant to downtown Annapolis… situated between the docks, Ego Alley, and our local community of boaters, everyone should be ready to feast.”
Atlas Restaurant Group’s timing may be especially good, given the ongoing popularity of boating since the pandemic.
“We are noticing early signals, that the boating season, is going to be very healthy, and that with the surge of new and returning boaters to the docks, Choptank will win many hearts over,” the Oasis team points out.
-Meg Walburn Viviano
