Maryland's Best Chef, Restaurants, Bars Picked For 2018

OCEAN CITY, MD – Maryland's best restaurants, bars, and food service industry leaders were honored Sunday at the 2018 Stars of the Industry Awards held at the Clarion Resort Fontainebleau Hotel in Ocean City. Over thirty thousand people voted for their favorite Maryland restaurants and industry professionals. Nominees included Stanford Grill in Columbia, Lewnes' Steak House in Annapolis and Woodmont Grill in Bethesda.

The competition recognizes new restaurants, chefs, craft brewers, established restaurants, and Ocean City favorites, among other categories. “For the first time ever, the Restaurant Association of Maryland hosted our annual industry awards Gala in Ocean City. Over the years dozens of Eastern Shore restaurants have won our statewide awards, so it made perfect sense to bring the celebration to them. The industry responded with a great party with over 500 people from all over the state in attendance” said Marshall Weston, president and CEO of the Restaurant Association of Maryland, in a news release.

The following restaurants and restaurateurs were honored in each category (winners are in bold):

• George Batlas – Manor Tavern (Winner)
• Rashad Edwards - George Martin Group
• Jon Kohler - Pairings Bistro
• Enzo Livia - Il Pizzico
• Julian Marucci - Tagliata

Maryland's Favorite Restaurant:

• Lewnes' Steak House - Annapolis
• The Prime Rib - Baltimore
• Stanford Grill - Columbia
• Sunset Grille - Ocean City (Winner)
• Woodmont Grill - Bethesda

Maryland's Favorite Bar or Tavern:

• Cancun Cantina - Hanover
• Dock Street Bar & Grill - Annapolis
• The Horse You Came In On - Baltimore
• Looney's Pub - Bel Air (Winner)
• Upper Deck Sports Bar and Grill - Mt. Airy

SEE ALSO: Foodie Favorites, Most Romantic, Best In US: MD Restaurants 2017

RAM Restaurateur of the Year:

• Kyle Algaze - Iron Rooster
• Bob Giaimo - Silver Diner (Winner)
• Mike Isabella - Mike Isabella Concepts
• Charles Levine - Citron
• Jay Taustin - The Embers Restaurant/BLU Crabhouse & Raw Bar

Maryland's Favorite New Restaurant:

• Ekiben - Baltimore
• The Elephant - Baltimore (Winner)
• Heritage 485 - Prince Frederick
• Medium Rare - Bethesda
• The Turn House - Columbia

• The Ale House- Columbia (Winner)
• The Brass Tap at the Fitzgerald - Baltimore
• Pizzeria Paradiso - Hyattsville
• Wet City - Baltimore
• White Rabbit Gastropub - Frederick

• Boris Bobrov (Server) - AIDA Bistro & Wine Bar (Winner)
• Brian Cieslak (Sous Chef) - Preserve
• Ryan Galliant (Bar Manager) - Hudson Coastal

• Acme Paper & Supply Co., Inc. - represented by Andy Attman (Winner)
• Heartland Payment Systems - represented by Chrissy Mayhew
• Prime Souce Purchasing, Inc. - represented by Bessie Marino
• The Schmid-Wilson Group - represented by Rob Schmid
• UnitedHealth Group - represented by Kimberlee Vandervoorn

• Dumser's Dairyland
• Fisher's Popcorn
• Kohr Brothers Frozen Custard
• Thrasher's French Fries (Winner)
• The Wrapper

• BLU Crabhouse & Raw Bar
• Crab Alley Restaurant & Seafood Market
• The Crab Bag (Winner)
• Hooper's Crab House
• Phillips Crab House

Ocean City's Favorite New Restaurant:

• Braddah Barney's
• Dry Dock 28
• Northside Pit & Pub
• Rare & Rye (Winner)
• Shotti's Point

Brice & Shirley Phillips Lifetime Industry Achievement Award:
Susan Jones – Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association

Maryland Hospitality Hall of Honor:
1. Harrison Group - Ocean City
2. Waterman's Seafood Co. - Berlin
3. Ocean Odyssey - Cambridge
4. Clarion Resort Fontainebleau Hotel - Ocean City
5. Market Street Inn - Salisbury
6. DaVinci's by the Sea - Ocean City
7. Macky's Bayside Bar & Grill - Ocean City
8. Annie's Paramount Steak & Seafood House - Grasonville

Cornerstone of the Industry Award:
1. Blackwall Hitch - Annapolis
2. Cafe Mezzanotte - Severna Park
3. Glory Days Grill - Statewide
4. Tino's Italian Bistro - Columbia

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