Restaurants in Bowie

Founded three decades ago by a group of friends that simply wanted barbecue, jazz, and a place to sit, Red Hot & Blue grew from its original Arlington location to the robust chain it is today, spreading southern flavors and hospitality to the north. As hickory smoke wafts from kitchen grills, chefs slather sweet barbecue sauces and massage dry spices into ribs, pork, and brisket slow roasted for hours until melty and tender. The sound of classic blues tunes drifts from speakers, and the paraphernalia of the genre's greatest talents bedeck every inch of the walls, from instruments wielded by famous hands to the rock on which Mamie Smith stubbed her toe before emitting the world's first blues croon.:m]]

Sculptures of simple wooden sailboats glide across the wall behind Sake House's sushi bar, where chefs bend intently over long filets of fresh fish. In front of them in the dining room, tables draped with tidy white tablecloths stand out against the dark, wooden walls, and platters littered with colorful sushi travel on the arms of servers. Behind the bar, bottles of chilled sake wear poetic labels such as "Bamboo Dew", "Soaring Cloud", and "Black River", and at hibachi tables, chefs deftly manipulate their knives across steaks and lobsters or carve their initials into broccoli trees.

Servers whisk roasted quail stuffed with pancetta cornbread and grilled filet mignon to white-clothed tables. Dishes like these might have been served on a transatlantic cruise aboard the SS Normandie, which is the inspiration for the stately dining room's interior. Renowned for its lavish and art-deco decor, the 1930s-era cruise ship graces the dining room's walls in a color print—which was actually purchased on the ship—and the very same eye-catching zodiac globes that entranced guests in the ship's dining room dangle from the hammered tin ceiling at Harry Browne's. As guests dine on freshly angled bounty such as meaty lump crab cakes, grilled rainbow trout, and cream of crab stew, they can gaze out at views of the historic Maryland State House from the interior's façade of small-paned windows or on the outdoor patio, which is relatively free of feral lieutenant governors.

Using the same recipes they use at home, Herbal Thai’s owners prepare traditional Thai dishes using time-honored family recipes and incorporating scintillating Thai herbs and spices. Friendly staff members plop plates of pad thai and panang curry in front of patrons as fish fillets sizzle under a three-flavor sauce in the kitchen. Twice a month, Herbal Thai’s cooking classes introduce amateur chefs to the process of crafting Thai curry and soup using raw shrimp, vegetables, and mushrooms. During both class and dinner, a panoply of aromas fills the restaurant with the tangy notes of chili-lime dressing and curry powder.

Owners Bruno and Jimmy fill Mamma Lucia’s kitchen with housemade Italian family recipes. At each of the eight locations, chefs mix and match myriad pastas and sauces such as penne in pink sauce or chicken pesto ravioli in a creamy pesto sauce. Chicken and veal can be dipped in egg and sautéed in a lemon-and-wine sauce or prepared in any of 15 other ways. In the dining room, servers happily deliver New York–style pizzas to tables or to passing taxicabs full of lost Brooklyn residents.

Having earned Metropolitan Kitchen & Lounge the headline of Best New Restaurant in Annapolis in The Travel Bite in 2011, chef David Thomas beckons diners to taste his blend of American fusion fare steeped in a farm-to-table philosophy. Sidestepping culinary school, Thomas honed his craft in kitchens throughout New York City and the mid-Atlantic, developing his passion for French cooking techniques and fresh, organic ingredients. Gourmands feast upon Thomas' creations—made with mostly local products including grass-fed beef and marine-certified seafood—within a three-level dining space that opens to a sidewalk patio refreshingly free of dive-bombing parakeets. Barkeeps pour a selection of craft beers and wines, mix specialty cocktails, and serve a selection of liquors, including short-run spirits. On select dates, live entertainment ranging from local musicians to sock-puppet renditions of Shakespeare regales diners.