Frederick’s food scene is up and coming. It’s a hot spot for locals, and it’s a destination for travelers. From breweries to doughnut shops to upscale dining, Frederick has it all. For the month of October, we’ve rounded up a list of fascinating facts about what Frederick has to offer when it comes to food and drink culture. Featured are some local “foodie” accounts whose expertise and experience bring you the insider scoop. We think you’ll learn a fact or two, and may even be surprised!
- Bryan Voltaggio, the executive chef of two restaurants in Frederick—Showroom and Thacher & Rye—was a Top Chef finalist. He was runner-up to his brother, Michael Voltaggio.
- Frederick has 17 breweries, including Maryland’s largest craft brewery, Flying Dog Brewery.
- “Frederick has a restaurant week every year where local restaurants create special menus available for one week only. The menus are offered at "discount" prices—giving residents the opportunity to try new restaurants and unique dishes during this exciting week. Restaurant week generally takes place in the spring and is scheduled for March of 2022.” @dmvfoodfinds
- Of all Maryland counties, Frederick has the highest number of combined breweries, wineries and distilleries.
- Frederick County alone has 30 wineries.
- “The Frederick food scene and just the entire food service industry as a whole in Frederick is a very tight-knit community. Bartenders from one restaurant are friends with servers at another. They are friends with the brewers at the local breweries down the Creek. People who own and work in restaurants here have grown up in the Frederick area. They stay because they love this town so much! I’ve only lived in Frederick for two and a half years and the community I’ve seen in that time alone is pretty amazing.” @dmvfoodscene
- The structure that houses Brewer’s Alley restaurant was first a Town Hall and market house. It witnessed the very first days of Frederick as a city.
- “I personally love the walkability of the downtown Frederick food scene. From coffee shops, to breweries, to dinner spots, the downtown area is the perfect place to create your own 'food tour' while exploring the history and charm of the area.” @dmvfoodfinds
- Firestone’s Tavern is housed in what was Shipley’s department store in the 1920s.
- Crabapples Delicatessen is owned by a true New Yorker, Bruce Derrick. He’s even got the unmistakable Long Island accent!
- Hootch & Banter won “Maryland’s Favorite Bar or Tavern” in 2019 (Restaurant Association of Maryland).
- A growing list of 15 Frederick restaurants uses locally sourced foods. This list includes Cafe Nola, Common Market Cafe, The Wine Kitchen and The Tasting Room.
- “The thing that stands out to me the most about the Frederick food scene is the sheer volume of quality restaurants and bars in the area. What people don’t realize is how many unique, high-quality & diverse restaurants we have in Frederick, even outside of the downtown area. We can compete and hold our own against the restaurants in DC and Baltimore.” @dmvfoodscene
- “Picking a favorite restaurant wouldn’t be fair. We love them all because they did the hard work to create unique environments outside of your typical chain. [As Instagram foodies], we make sure we do not let any restaurant know who we are when we walk in so that we are able to get the real customer experience. We have always been treated with respect, welcomed nicely, and gotten honest service from every restaurant we have tried. And we are able to provide everyone with real pictures of the food—just as they would get if they visited the restaurant. We are thankful to every single one for making Frederick 100 times better with the art of food they bring to our town!” @frederickfoods