People Magazine has released a list of the most popular restaurant in each state, and their local picks may surprise you.
People Food editors chose their winners based on “Zagat’s on-the-ground expert reviews, diner ratings and Google scores—paying special attention to spots sourcing local ingredients and serving iconic or regionally inspired food.” For the Bay-region states, that means seafood, of course.
In Maryland, People deemed Cantler’s Riverside Inn in Annapolis to be the most popular statewide: “Marylanders say the sweet, Old Bay-crusted Chesapeake blue crabs are the best around—and Cantler’s is the most authentic place to enjoy them as you sit on the deck overlooking lovely Mill Creek.”
In Virginia, the magazine’s top pick is Merroir, a self-described “tasting room” in Topping, on the Rappahannock: “At the water’s edge in a sleepy town on the Rappahannock River, cousin owners Travis and Ryan Croxton showcase the oysters they raise there by offering simple dishes served raw or grilled.” The restaurant’s website explains that “merroir” is a term that refers to the unique taste that Chesapeake Bay oysters get from filtering local nutrients.
Delaware’s “most popular” eatery, according to People, is Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, in Rehoboth Beach: “Sip exclusive tastes of the beloved brewery’s experimental ales along with small-batch spirits and upscale pub grub.” Brewings & Eats was Dogfish Head’s original brewery, when the company started out in 1995. At the time, it was America’s smallest commercial brewery.
For the full list of the most popular restaurants in all 50 states, click here.
-Meg Walburn Viviano
