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Crabcake Factory USA Wins Best Crab Cake Sandwich in Maryland Title

Shark on the Harbor, Dutch's Daughter, Pappas and Chick & Ruth's Delly in top five

Food historians agree that the practice of combining minced seafood or meat into a patty dates back to ancient times. In Crosby Gaige’s New York World Fair Cook Book Baltimore Crab Cakes are defined as “a sautéed or fried patty of crabmeat,” and no trip to Maryland would be complete without trying this region's staple. How do you make a crab cake better? Turn it into a sandwich of course!

  • Crabcake Factory USA
    Ocean City

    True to its name, Ocean City's Crabcake Factory USA cooks up crab cakes filled with huge lumps of crab meat. If that's not enough crab for you, they also make a mean crab Bloody Mary to sip alongside the sandwich, which comes on a toasted kaiser roll.
    Photo courtesy of Crabcake Factory USA / Facebook

  • Shark on the Harbor
    Ocean City

    Shark on the Harbor in Ocean City serves a crab cake sandwich made from locally sourced lump crab, Alabama-style white BBQ sauce and hydroponic lettuce from Baywater Greens in Salisbury, served on a multi-grain roll from Crack of Dawn Bakery in nearby Berlin.
    Photo courtesy of Shark on the Harbor

  • Dutch's Daughter Restaurant
    Frederick

    Dutch's Daughter offers casual fine dining to residents and visitors of Frederick. This place knows its crab and serves it in many forms, including the guest favorite broiled crab cake made from jumbo lump meat, served on a kaiser roll with a side of fresh fried chips.
    Photo courtesy of Dutch's Daughter Restaurant

  • Pappas Restaurant
    Cockeysville

    Ask around Baltimore for the best crab cake, and the name Pappas is bound to come up. These 8-ounce lump crab cakes are so good that Oprah named them one of her "favorite things" in 2015. Besides the traditional sandwich, served with lettuce, tomato and a side of fries, Pappas also serves an innovative grilled crab melt – a crab cake served with melted cheese on an open-faced English muffin.
    Photo courtesy of Pappas Restaurant

  • Chick & Ruth's Delly
    Annapolis

    Locals, travelers and visiting dignitaries come to patriotic Chick & Ruth's Delly in Annapolis for flavorful and affordable seafood. Their crab cakes have been voted best in town, and their seafood club comes with a jumbo lump crab cake layered on top of shrimp salad on rye toast. The more basic option features a jumbo lump crab cake with lettuce.
    Photo courtesy of Chick & Ruth's Delly

  • Drum Point Market
    Tylerton

    Drum Point Market, pretty much the only grocer on Smith Island, is open for lunch and dinner, and is known for serving some of the best crab cakes in the region, if not the world. The sandwich here is simple, allowing the fresh crab meat to be the star – just as it should be!
    Photo courtesy of Jay Fleming Photography

  • Ocean City Fish Company
    Ocean City

    You know the seafood has got to be fresh at a restaurant that offers free boat docking for its customers. The Ocean City Fish Company (formerly Captain's Galley) serves Captain's Famous Crab Cake Sandwich (broiled or fried) in the dining room or on an open deck overlooking the Ocean City harbor.
    Photo courtesy of Ocean City Fish Company

  • Koco's Pub
    Baltimore

    Founded in 1985 by John and Joanna Kocovinos, Koco's Pub serves one of Baltimore's favorite crab cakes, made daily from a recipe known only by John, Joanna and their daughter Marcella. The self-proclaimed Baltimore's Best Crab Cake Sandwich features an 11-ounce broiled crab cake, served on a roll with a side of potato chips.
    Photo courtesy of Koco's Pub

  • G&M Restaurant
    Linthicum Heights

    Founded in 1974 as a pizza shop, G&M Restaurant in Linthicum Heights is now famous for its award-winning crab cakes. There's usually a line at this restaurant, and for good reason! Their broiled crab cake sandwich is made from the highest quality jumbo lump crab meat and served with lettuce and tomato on e either bread or crackers.
    Photo courtesy of Brad Owens / Flickr

  • Box Hill Pizzeria
    Abingdon

    It may seem strange to order a crab cake sandwich at a pizzeria, but crab cakes are what make Box Hill famous! Patrons can choose between a fried or broiled crab cake, served no-frills on a roll. Simple and delicious!
    Photo courtesy of Box Hill Pizzeria

USA TODAY 10Best and Sandwich America asked readers to vote for their favorite crab cake sandwich in the state of Maryland. Voting was open for four weeks, and the results are in.

The top 10 winners in the category Best Crab Cake Sandwich in Maryland are as follows:

  1. Crabcake Factory USA - Ocean City
  2. Shark on the Harbor - Ocean City
  3. Dutch's Daughter Restaurant - Frederick
  4. Pappas Restaurant - Cockeysville
  5. Chick & Ruth's Delly - Annapolis
  6. Drum Point Market - Tylerton
  7. Ocean City Fish Company - Ocean City
  8. Koco's Pub - Baltimore
  9. G&M Restaurant - Linthicum Heights
  10. Box Hill Pizzeria - Abingdon

A panel of experts picked the initial 20 nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote. Experts Tawanna Browne Smith (10Best Local Expert), Hannah Carroll (Delaware Wave) and Shannon Morgan (10Best Local Expert) were chosen based on their knowledge of Maryland cuisine.

Additional nominees for Best Crab Cake Sandwich in Maryland included Boatyard Bar & Grill in Annapolis, Cantler's Riverside Inn in Annapolis, Duda's Tavern in Baltimore, Faidley's Seafood in Baltimore, Fratelli's Italian Restaurant in Salisbury, Harris Crab House in Grasonville, Nick's Fish House in Baltimore, Snappers Waterfront Cafe in Cambridge, Suicide Bridge Restaurant in Hurlock and Timbuktu Restaurant in Hanover.

Congratulations to all our winning sandwiches!

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AlertThe Experts

Tawanna Browne Smith

Tawanna Browne Smith

Tawanna has had a wanderlust spirit since she was 13. A dozen or so addresses later, she now resides in Maryland with her husband and two sons. Tawanna is the founder and creator of Mom's Guide To Travel, a family travel blog. She's also a contributor to the Travel Channel. If she's not traveling somewhere out of state, she's either shopping or searching for the best crabcake or the best cupcake in the Baltimore-Washington area.

Hannah Carroll

Hannah Carroll

After graduating from Salisbury University, Hannah Carroll accepted a reporting position with Delmarva Media Group and moved to the beach. She now writes about bars, chefs and restaurants for The Daily Times, the Delaware Wave, Coast Press and Beachcomber. Hannah incorporates her zest for life into her colorful storytelling and her blog, The Sassy Banana. Click here to view her stories.

Jennifer Daskevich

Jennifer Daskevich

After winning the World Sandwich Championships, Jennifer took her love of America’s first and still favorite “hand held device” better known as the sandwich, and founded Sandwich America, America’s comprehensive sandwich driven meal occasion platform. Jennifer believes that “a sandwich is the only food genre that is good for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, or a snack.” Jennifer has won numerous cooking competitions and is a restaurateur, wine sommelier, award winning food photographer, TV food personality with NBC Affiliate WFLA in Tampa and appeared on FYI’s original series World Food Championships. She looks forward to embarking on The Great American Sandwich Trail this summer. Socialize with Sandwich America on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Shannon Morgan

Shannon Morgan

Shannon Morgan is an award-winning editor and writer and the author of 100 Things to Do in DC Before You Die (2015). She has written for USA TODAY Travel, Food Network magazine, the Washington Independent Review of Books and several regional lifestyle magazines, including Maryland Life. She has appeared on WYPR Baltimore and spoken about social media strategies at local and international conferences. She lives in Maryland with her husband and two children and drinks way more decaf coffee than one writer should.