Baltimore is well-known for the football team, the Ravens, and baseball’s Orioles. It is also the backdrop for almost all of John Waters’ films.
Slightly lower on the list is the city’s well-known ability to make the best crab cakes in the nation—a secret to most Americans, save for New England seafood enthusiasts.
What’s so special about Baltimore crab cakes? Well, most people say you should braise them to preserve the flavor, but other people really want them fried—as long as you use the appropriate cooking oil.
For those who would prefer to just consume them after the shellfish are harvested and prepared, there are numerous restaurants offering their own takes on the traditional crab cake. These are a few that are frequently at the top of lists in the area.
Woodberry Kitchen
The majority of people in Baltimore who order crab cakes receive their appetizers on a platter, but Woodberry Kitchen (2010 Clipper Park Rd.) goes above and above in terms of presentation.
They serve the treats to customers hot off the stove in a skillet with finely sliced potatoes, asparagus, and a few other vegetables. The employees won’t argue with you if you prefer your cakes grilled because that’s the only way Woodberry will cook them.
These six-ounce appetizers are not only excellent but also durable because the lumps of crab are combined with a variety of ingredients like as egg, fish pepper, and oil before being broiler.
They also take great care to guarantee that everything that is served to customers is entirely produced locally. The crabs are harvested by Chesapeake fishermen and are then taken to a factory on Hoopers Island for steaming and selection before being sent to Woodberry.
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Jimmy’s Famous Seafood
Though most restaurant owners would kill for that distinction, Jimmy’s Famous Seafood (6526 Holabird Ave.) isn’t just well-known for being endorsed by TV celebrity chef Guy Fieri.
The restaurant is, admittedly, well-known for its March Madness special, in which the proprietors offer lifetime free crab cakes to the first person to correctly choose the winners of every NCAA game. The appetizers are greatly valued by the regulars, who send us a lot of feedback about the offer.
It makes sense, too. Both locals and visitors now consider Jimmy’s crab cakes to be a must-try. The eight-ounce appetizers are so well-liked that Jimmy’s hasn’t changed the recipe since the restaurant first debuted in 1974.
That’s right, the cakes are made exactly like they were when the North Carolina State Wolfpack won the collegiate basketball championship.
An added benefit? About how you want your cakes prepared, the kitchen won’t dispute. They will gladly broil or cook it for you. After that, you’ll be presented with a variety of vegetable options.
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Koco’s Pub
In Baltimore, Koco’s their (4301 Harford Rd.) is a restaurant that consistently ranks among the best eateries for its crab cakes. They aren’t hesitant to refer to their version of the dish as “world famous,” considering the thousands of crab cakes they put on their menus every week.
With 11 ounces of mass, which is double that of a baseball, the servings are likewise enormous.
Despite all of that, they guarantee an abundance of creamy crab that requires very little filler because the flavor seems to be plenty. The greatest advice for those looking to add some heat to that enormous portion is to mix in some Old Bay, which is a favorite seasoning in Maryland.
Koco‘s offers four more crab cake meals in addition to that. In addition to eating it by itself, you may also eat it as part of a sandwich, on a roll, or on a platter with cole slaw, fries, potato chips, or Caesar salad.
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Final Words
Any seafood enthusiast must taste the crab cakes from Baltimore. There’s a crab cake experience waiting for you in Baltimore, whether you want them softly fried at Woodberry Kitchen, a typical Baltimore dish from Jimmy’s Famous Seafood, or an enormous serving brimming with crabmeat from Koco’s Pub.
Come hungry, then, for a taste of Maryland heritage is waiting for you in Baltimore’s crab houses.
