7 Delightful Tastes of Ocean City, Maryland

There are plenty of great restaurants to dine at when visiting the Ocean City area, but to truly capture the culture through cuisine on a trip to Ocean City, Maryland, visitors may want to make sure they sample these seven tastes.

1. Crabs by the Dozen

Hammer – Time. Delicious.

One reason to come here is to feast on the local crabs. Yes, here you can actually order a bag of crabs and share the feast with family and friends. Order as many dozen as you want, places even offer an unlimited option too. Crabs are plentiful.

I noticed all smiles with the ‘old bay’ seasoned goodness delivered and emptied on the table. It’s hammer time.  Of course, seafood can be pricey, so to give price point, we paid $109 for a dozen medium to large sized crabs at the Crab Bag.

Tip: Steer clear from heavier beers or IPAs and order a light beer to extinguish the flames of the Old Bay seasoning. This just leaves more room for crabs and that’s the mission.

2. Taste America’s Best at Thrasher’s Fries

Walking the Boardwalk with Fries, a must do in Ocean City

You can’t walk the boardwalk without ordering up a bucket of “boardwalk fries” from Thrasher’s. The original and most famous remains a must for visitors each year. Some people have described them as the best fries in the world, but you’ll need to be the judge of that one. But trust me, you will not be disappointed.

Tip: I normally prefer mayo on my fries, but do make sure you try the malt vinegar and salt one the boardwalk.

3. Add Crab to Your Bloody Mary

Enjoying a Bloody with some Crab on the Bay

Ok, so you need to have a Bloody Mary in “Mary”land (or in Delaware.). At the beach, you may go out one evening and partake in a few cocktails, so order up a proper breakfast cure. And order it filled with crab.

Tip: At the Crabcake Factory (bay side) they also offered bacon and shrimp in the ultimate Bloody Mary. Not for me, I just preferred to focus on the crab, with an order of crab benedict or of course some crab cakes too.

4. Morning Coffee at High Tide Coffee and Bowls

Real. Good. Crumb Cake

One of the musts for a great beach town is a local coffee and sandwich (or bowl) shop. When exploring the space coast in Florida, Cocoa Beach had Surfinista and I discovered High Tide in Ocean City (just a bit north into Delaware actually)

The High Tide Coffee and Bowls offers provides breakfast sandwiches and delightful baked goods. Definitely worth a stop for a quality breakfast beach vibe.

Tip: Get the crumb cake. Trust me. Order the crumb cake.

5. Dine at Liquid Assets

Dinning inside the wine store among the Liquid Assets

It is not every time you go to a liquor store for dinner. But in Ocean City, Liquid Assets offers you the opportunity to spend the time waiting for a table browsing both liquors and an extensive wine collection with a cocktail in hand. Not to mention most of the staff is well verse in wines to assist not just with a proper pairing, but also some bottles to go too.

Tip: The small plates and cheeses offerings make this a perfect place for any occasion, but also save room dessert and the handmade donuts, a family (secret) recipe.

6. Buy Local at the Fish Market

Homemade Linguine and clams with sausage.

Many visitors often stay with family in a larger multiple bedroom place complete with a full kitchen. If so, don’t miss the opportunity to try the local seafood catch from a local fish market for a dinner. Yes, you don’t always need to out.

On my trip we visited Captain Mac’s Fish House & Seafood Market where we ordered cherry stone clams (known as little necks) by the 100 for a delicious dinner on our back deck on the canal just before a lovely Fenwick Island sunset.

Tip:  Know the local “Stone Crab,” is not the same Stone Crab from south Florida.

7. Fisher Popcorn for Friends

Famous Fisher’s Popcorn

I am normally a make popcorn at home type of guy and love to pop my own. But the popularity of Fisher’s cannot be denied. People request buckets and it does travel well and can serve as a great souvenir.

Tip:  Of course a bucket may make a great souvenir for others, but can also serve as a wonderful reminder of your time at the shore weeks later from home, when you need a return trip to the beach.

Well there you have seven delicious and decadent tastes from the Ocean City, Maryland. Ordering these will alone allow for a great visit to the iconic beach destination and will be the perfect way to sample the local culture through cuisine.

Stay eating well on your travels, Craig