Best Crab Cakes In Baltimore: 6 Delicious Spots
August 3, 2020 by Molly Beauchemin
You cant visit Baltimore without trying some succulent Maryland blue crab the prized local ingredient that makes Baltimores crab cakes so delicious and renown. Crab is so popular here that its no surprise the worlds favorite crab seasoningOld Bay was actually invented in Baltimore.
Baltimore, moreover, is known for its crab cakes, and there are a number of intriguing places to eat them here. Each of the restaurants on this list use recipes that have their own flavor, nuance, and style.
Some people swear by no-frills takeout counters like Faidleys, while others prefer the charming dining experience at sea-to-fork establishments like Gertrudes.
Either way, no matter what kind of crab cakes youre looking for in Baltimore, the ones below will not disappoint. The seasonings and presentation might differ, but the fresh local crab at the core of each recipe offers an indelibly authentic taste of Maryland.
For the quintessential Baltimore crab cake experience, try more than one crab cake. Then, decide for yourself which one you like best.
Also: Crab is a rich source of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, which helps quell inflammation and improve mood.
Below, we spotlight the best places to try authentic Baltimore crab cakes in the city. Enjoy!
Nomtastic Foods: Jimmys Famous Seafood
The hype is so real! Theres so much to love at Jimmys, but their crab cakes definitely THE highlight. Wed go as far as to say one of the best crab cakes in Maryland.
Just look at this meaty, magical deliciousness: 1% filler, 99% crab. And theyre the size of softballs! And they apparently also offer a gluten free version as well for those of you with dietary restrictions. Join them in house at 6526 Holabird Ave or get them shipped straight to your door because treat yourself.
Award Winning Lump Crab Cakes
A family owned and operated business since 1886, Faidley Seafood continues to operate in Baltimore providing award winning crab cakes, prepared foods and freshly merchandised seafood in a market place atmosphere to locals and visitors alike.
“Hands down, Faidleys is where you should head for a crab cake if you have only one day in Baltimore.”
Business Hours
Indoor and Outdoor Tables for Raw Bar and Kitchen or Curbside CarryoutMonday Thursday 10:00-5:00 Friday Saturday 10:00 5:30, Closed Sunday
Crabs & FishMonday-Saturday 10:00-5:00 Fish Market open for Walkin, Phone Order, or Curbside
Forget Viagra. Eat Oysters. .
In Bawlmer, Hon, Crab is King
Jumbo lumps the filet mignon
100 Things Every Foodie Should Do In Baltimore#1Have a jumbo lump crab cake from Faidleys on a Saltine.
the single greatest thing that must be eaten at the market – the most delicious dish in all of Baltimore, maybe the most beautiful hunk of seafood anywhere on the East Coast between Maine and Charleston Harbor – is a Faidleys crab cake.
Faidleys Crab Cakes are crusty on the outside and tender, moist, and packed with crab on the inside.
Theyre plump, sweet beauties with large pieces of crab meat and subtle seasoning . Every subsequent crab cake will be measured against hers.
You dont sit at Faidleys, you stand, leaning against waist high counters bolted to the old markets floor. And in that position, you enjoy perhaps the best crab cake youll ever have the pleasure of eating.
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Black Watermen Of The Chesapeake Bay
Since the 1800s, African American watermen have been fishing for crabs and other seafood in the Chesapeake Bay. At a time when many of the nation’s Black men and women were still enslaved in southern U.S., many Black Jacks were given “Seaman Protection Certificates,” which, according to the Talbot Historical Society, gave them status as American citizens and allowed them to earn legal wages. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, these skilled fisherman caught and processed seafood like oysters and crab alongside their white counterparts and became integral to the local economy.
Captain Tyrone Meredith is a fourth generation waterman who learned to crab from his father. His grandfather and great-grandfather also fished in the bay.
“We’ve been here ever since the 1860s, making a living, working on the Chesapeake Bay,” Meredith told TODAY.
Meredith’s father, Captain Eldridge Meredith, became just the fifth Black man to be named Admiral of the Chesapeake Bay, a prestigious award bestowed by the governor and recommended by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Today, the Black Jacks’ trade is dwindling. One of the last generations of Black watermen making his living solely from crabbing is 75-year-old Lewis Carter, who began working when he was 15.
A New Generation Takes On Tradition
While younger generations of watermen may have left the waters to search for better job prospects positions on land, there is no shortage of new life in Baltimore’s culinary scene today. New chefs in the city have emerged to honor the crab in different ways. Among them is chef Alex Perez, who owns the popular new restaurant Papi Cuisine.
“I grew up watching my grandma cook a lot. I started pretty much combining the foods that I learned to cook from my grandmother with the foods I learned to cook from my father,” Perez, who was born and raised in Baltimore, told TODAY.
Eight years ago, Perez began operating a catering business from his grandmother’s kitchen. Though he struggled initially, he never gave up on pursuing his dream of opening a restaurant of his own one day.
In February 2020, Perez’s dream finally came true and he opened Papi Cuisine, an eatery inspired by his Afro-Latino heritage. But that dream quickly morphed into an unprecedented challenge amid the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Like nearly every restaurant across country, Perez had to quickly pivot and switched to focus his business on takeout orders. Though the brick-and-mortar location had only been open for a few weeks, Papi Cuisine had cars lined up for blocks, which Perez credits in large part to the community support that rallied around one of Baltimore’s native sons.
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Crab Cake Recipe Tips
- Prepare the crab meat mixture ahead of time and refrigerate so theyre ready when its time to cook.
- Be careful not to overwork the crab cake patties when molding them into shape.
- Cook your crab cakes in multiple batches so they dont get crowded in the skillet.
- Adding a bit of baking powder will make your crab cakes light and fluffy.
Youre going to love these classic Baltimore Crab Cakes! They will melt in your mouth as soon as you take a bite. Be sure to watch the video and check the recipe card for the full recipe.
The 15 Best Places For Crab In Baltimore
Drew Hicks: Thursdays they have their crabcake platter for 20 bucks… That’s a 12-ounce crab cake with your choice of fries and cole slaw or a Caesar salad. Literally the best crab cake I’ve ever eaten.
Andrew Syropoulos: Love the crab soup and crabcakes. Best in Baltimore. Get there early. The bar is the most fun.
Freddie: Make a reservation, place fills up quick. Crab cakes are a must, especially on Thursdays. Believe the hype!
David Wertheimer II: Some of the best crab cake sandwiches, plus a raw oyster bar. Dozen raw oysters, add some lemon, horseradish, hot sauce, and wash it down with a Natty Boh!
Divine Boss: One of the best crab cakes in BMore. This is the backfin crabcake for $9
Kirti D: Best crabcakes you’ll ever have. Spring for the lump crabcakes. For sides, you can’t go wrong with their macaroni salad.
Nicole Levine: Amazing! A must do in Baltimore. I have gone to many restaurants in Baltimore for the crabs and this one by far has the best Crabs! Plus the roof top deck is amazing! Great local spot
Gian Uy: The crabs are excellent!!! Get mediums for more meat. Crab cakes are also good!!
Bill Kiewit: Awesome place to get crab and seafood. Fun place to go with a group. Nice atmosphere with excellent service
WineCountryMuse: Love the orange crushes, crabcakes and crabs on the outside deck! Can’t wait for Ravens season.
ZZubin: Authentic spot for smashing crabs with mallet. Bloody Mary bar is very impressive
Susan: Crab hash is incredible!
for you
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The Best Crab Cakes In Baltimore Are Vegan
Its been nearly a year since we started social distancing, staying home to make mountains of sourdough, Korean whipped coffees, and focaccia bread art. But for all the at-home deliciousness weve mastered, were ready for our favorite restaurants! So although travel is still off the table, were celebrating with a mouthwatering tour of the storiesand recipesfrom some of the best-loved, Black-owned vegan restaurants in America. From soul food in Detroit to Ethiopian eats in Brooklyn to a stoner-inspired burger joint in Wisconsin, get ready, because its time to eat.
Scott Suchman / Baltimore Magazine
What Is A Good Side Dish For Crab Cakes
These tasty Baltimore Crab Cakes definitely need some tartar sauce. But besides that, they need a good side dish too! Luckily there are plenty of easy side dishes to go along with classic crab cakes. You cant go wrong with any of these options:
In general, crab cakes taste great with other seafood dishes, bisque, and fresh veggie dishes.
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The Best Crab In Baltimore: Crab Cakes Soft
Looking for the best crab in Baltimore? Baltimoreans dine on this famous crustacean in four ways, and crab houses like Phillips Seafood in the Inner Harbor and Bo Brooks in Canton usually offer all of them. Try as many preparations as possible to see what you like best.
Also note that much of the crab served in Baltimore is no longer from the Chesapeake Bay. This prompted the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to start the True Blue campaign in 2012, which recognizes restaurants that serve only Maryland blue crab. If eating local crab is important to you, check the website for a list of dining options.
We Use 100% Domestic Us Blue Crab In All Of Our Products
Educated consumers realize it’s important to know where your food comes from and here are a few good reasons to ask questions before you buy:
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Imported crab is packed with a chemical preservative necessary for overseas transport.
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Harvesting and processing procedures vary widely from country to country and do not always meet US standards much less Angelinas of Maryland standards.
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Buying a domestic product supports the US economy and reduces the impacts of overseas shipping.
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The flavor of domestic Maryland blue crab is superior, demonstrated in surveys of consumers and food professionals alike.
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“Maryland Crab Cakes” should be made on the continent where Maryland is located .
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Proudly True Blue Certified
We source as much as possible from local Maryland suppliers because we love supporting our local economy and Chesapeake Bay watermen. We’re one of the few companies left who insist on such a strict standard, but we believe our customers know and deserve the difference.
In today’s market, almost all of our competitors rely on imported crab from Asia and elsewhere to keep costs down. In most cases, that means you’re getting an entirely different species than Marylands Atlantic blue crab. You may not even recognize the exotic varieties that are caught and processed thousands of miles away, but many sellers capitalize on the fact that a tasty recipe makes it hard to distinguish what type of crab is actually being used. With Angelinas, youre guaranteed true Maryland blue crab in every bite.
We Tried 7 Classic Baltimore Crab Cakes Including Faidleys Kocos And G& m Heres What We Thought
Ask people their favorite place to get a crab cake, and youll likely hear at least one of three names thrown in somewhere: G& M, Kocos and Faidleys. .
We set out to try seven popular crab cakes in the Baltimore area to see which one was our favorite. A few themes emerged during our travels.
Freshness is key and elusive: Only one of the seven we visited carries the states True Blue logo, meaning its reliably Maryland crab meat.
Texture is hard to get right: The cake should be moist on the inside but retain its shape it shouldnt fall apart when you stick a fork in it. Its not the kind of dish with a lot of room for creativity, as the chef for Alexander Brown Restaurant told me when explaining why he refused to put a crab cake on the menu.
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The 15 Best Places For Crab Cakes In Baltimore
Mike Kafes: Koco’s has the BEST crab cakes!! I Dare you to find a better one. Awsome wings and great family “pub” atmosphere… Read more.
Drew Hicks: Thursdays they have their crabcake platter for 20 bucks… That’s a 12-ounce crab cake with your choice of fries and cole slaw or a Caesar salad. Literally the best crab cake I’ve ever eaten.
Andrew Syropoulos: Love the crab soup and crabcakes. Best in Baltimore. Get there early. The bar is the most fun.
David Wertheimer II: Some of the best crab cake sandwiches, plus a raw oyster bar. Dozen raw oysters, add some lemon, horseradish, hot sauce, and wash it down with a Natty Boh!
Cracken .: Best crab cake in town and they have Boh on tap.
Kirti D: Best crabcakes you’ll ever have. Spring for the lump crabcakes. For sides, you can’t go wrong with their macaroni salad.
Shawna Deavers: Love the new place! Very beautiful. Lobster is great, crab cakes are great, and the fish is AMAZING!
Susie Richmond: After reading reviews apprehensive but oysters excellent, snow crab n steak great and crab cake fantastic no complaints. Server kirstin also great. Would definitely recommend.
Barb Youchah: Crab Cake Platter and Vegetable Crab soup are great!
Angela Wen: Chocolate tart with macadamia nut is one of the best desserts I’ve ever had!! Also good is crab cake, lobster mac and cheese, grilled octopus, and of course, the oysters!
Meg Bowes: Try the old bay mussels, the crab cakes and the orange crush
for you
The Top 5 Crab Cakes In Baltimore
Traveling to Baltimore, Maryland? Be sure to taste the delicious crab cakes while you’re there.
As the souvenir t-shirt states, Maryland is for crabs. And around these parts, those crabs are blue crabs, aka Callinectes sapidus. Once plentiful in the Chesapeake Bay, pollution and over-fishing have caused Marylanders to resort to importing blue crabs from the Carolinas and the Gulf of Mexico. No matter–wherever they come from, blue crabs are some of the most flavorful shellfish around.
While we like to eat them simply steamed, encrusted with a spicy salty seasoning blend, sometimes we prefer the more expedient/less messy way of getting crab into belly–crab cakes. Here in Baltimore, the largest city in Maryland, we have several fine examples of the crabby patty, and many restaurants brag that theirs are the best in town. But whose crab cakes really are the best? Well, that may be a matter of personal taste. Some people prefer their crab cakes to be nothing more than a pile of crab meat, held together by sheer will. Others dont mind if their cakes are a little on the saucy side. Seasoning differs from restaurant to restaurant–not everyone uses the ubiquitous Old Bay–but no bell peppers, please. They detract from the delicate flavor of the crab.
So who has the best crab cakes in Baltimore? Here are five of our favorites.
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