The Milton Inn Restaurant, Sparks Glencoe

Within a 272-year-old fieldstone building, the aroma of pan-seared seafood and glazed meat drifts through dining rooms as patrons clink together glasses of fine wines. Throughout its history, the building served as a rest area for travelers and a prestigious school for boys. It wasn't until 1947, when Ivan Drechsler purchased the location, that it was restored and established as a country inn.

Executive chef and owner Brian Boston, who was named 2011 Chef of the Year by the Restaurant Association of Maryland, crafts upscale American dishes in the Inn's bustling kitchen. To complement its food, the Inn boasts a wine cellar that includes more than 200 handpicked selections, which rest beneath colonial-style dining rooms illumined by tabletop candles and crackling flames from a rustic stone fireplace. The restaurant's romantic ambience and open-air garden terrace have drawn diners celebrating momentous occasions for many years.