Restaurants in Annapolis

The Reserve's eclectic menu arrays out chic entrees, sandwiches, and salads that promenade across red carpet tongues on the arms of microbrews, craft beers, and wines. Patrons can observe the limits of their friends' selflessness as they politely race to grab shared bites such as crab sliders, two lump crustacean cakes in a dijon old bay aioli ($8). The knowledgeable staff can suggest a selection from a robust medley of wines to pair with entrees, such as the spicy basil veggie stir-fry, served over cilantro lime rice in a thai peanut sauce as spicy as a commencement speech given by Hugh Hefner ($13). Bites of the Angus-sourced barbecue beef burgers ($12), along with other bread-hugged sandwiches, test cheeks' elasticity or slide down throat waterslides with gulps of one of The Reserve's 16 beers on tap.

For the past five decades, Supano’s has been luring patrons inside with a satisfying blend of music and meat. Whether by Frank Sinatra impersonators, jazz musicians, or a karaoke singer who just stubbed her toe, live tunes supplement the sounds of knives slicing into 20-ounce new york strip steaks and forks sliding into chunks of meaty lasagna. Supano's look is just as classic as its menu. Nestled in an aged brick building with a cobblestone façade, the restaurant emits an old-world vibe complete with warm lighting and photos of famous singers.

Below Supano's Steakhouse is Supano Zone. The underground sports bar fits the mold of a dream man-cave, with LED TVs that show all college games and pro-sports events. A shuffleboard table, dartboards, and a pool table welcome co-ed competition, which onlookers can cheer on while slurping down beers. The bar has long been a cherished place for hosting celebrations: after Baltimore hosted the first Grand Prix, the pro drivers lounged at Supano's and even left behind some memorabilia that is still on display.

Not everyone who loves wine is fortunate enough to transform that love into a viable career, much less a successful business. But Christopher Spann did just that with Wine Market Bistro, whose numerous accolades stand as testament to his achievement. More than 25 wines can be savored by the glass in the loft-like dining room, while the adjoining wine shop stocks more than 800 bottles ranging in varietal and region. These bottles can be enjoyed in the bistro for a small corkage fee. The wine-friendly menu fills the rustic-chic dining room with the aroma of house-made mini brats, diver scallops, and dry-aged ribeye. And in warmer months, diners can take their meals on the courtyard patio and cool off by piling ice block after ice block onto their laps.

Your Groupon gets you access to the classic meat and seafood dishes, generous salads, and inventive sandwiches of City Cafe’s New American menu. Executive Chef Chad Gauss uses local and all-natural ingredients whenever possible, whipping up sophisticated takes on classic Americana such as the TV Dinner ($15), a hearty plate of Kobe Salisbury steak, pan gravy, mashed potatoes, veggies, and a chocolate brownie to top it off. Theatre-goers still waiting for William Shatner, Brian Blessed, and Al Pacino to appear on stage together can enjoy something equally hammy with the 3 Little Pigs ($16), a porcine plate of grilled pork loin, West Carolina pulled pork, smoked bacon, potato hash, and spinach. Lite Fare, on the other hand, includes sandwiches such as the hometown favorite Baltimore Club ($19), the salmon BLT ($12), and the exotic Moroccan lamb burger ($13). City Cafe also offers an impressive array of meal-worthy salads, including the beef tenderloin ($17) and seared tuna ($15), all of which are served on plates, and never in wet baskets.

Chef Carlo Vignotto's love of cooking began simmering during his childhood, as he worked at his family's Venice restaurant, before rising to a rolling boil as he earned a culinary degree and studied under some of Italy's master chefs. Now co-owner and executive chef of La Tavola Ristorante Italiano with partner Michael Goldsmith who also operates as the establishments GM, Chef Carlo demonstrates his passion for the culinary arts with made-from-scratch pastas and Italian dishes crafted from fresh, high-quality ingredients. "La Tavola's strongest suit is its lineup of pasta dishes, a few of which can compete for top ranking in or out of the neighborhood," reads the Baltimore Sun, its pages flecked with cream sauce and ground truffles. Seafood, chicken, and veal courses also appear on the menu and chef Carlo can oft times be seen preparing them as a special guest on the news.

In 1940, crowds of people would line up outside Tresilla Robino's front door, all awaiting coveted seats in the tiny dining room she had set up in her basement. Today, Mrs. Robino's grandson replicates her beguiling Italian recipes and maintains a family business that has thrived for more than 70 years. Cooks place hearty meatballs atop tangles of housemade spaghetti and tuck seasoned meat and creamy ricotta cheese into hand-formed pockets of ravioli. The kitchen staff also breads veal cutlets by hand before topping them off with provolone and red sauce, and dusts sweet cannolis with powdered sugar for clear fingerprinting.