Eat Well. Buy Local.

Local food at The Point Crab House & Grill.

Why Should You Eat Local This Summer?

Eating local is a common phrase heard over and over – but what, and who, does it really benefit?

When you purchase food from your local farms and markets, you are:

• Keeping dollars in your local economy which supports jobs and local growth. 
• Supporting farmers and their staff who live in your neighborhoods!
• Eating more seasonal food which means it is at its peak deliciousness.

Maryland has diverse offerings of local foods for you and your family and friends to enjoy! On this page find on-farm experiences, summertime recipes, and restaurants that are dedicated to serving locally grown and sourced foods. When you bite into a perfectly grilled burger or sweet corn, make sure it’s from Maryland!

Ways to Enjoy Local Food & Drink This Summer!

• To find any of the ideas below, simply use the search feature at the top of the page or on our homepage! Italicized words will bring you to a new page.
• Take friends and family to a Pick Your Own Farm and get fresh berries, peaches, and apples depending on the time of year.
• Visit a farm brewery, winery or distillery. Find a list here.
  
  

  Beer, wine and cocktail cheers.

• Sign-up for a CSA (community supported agricutlure) and be a part of your local farm and recevie a share of all the crops!
• Enjoy Maryland oysters year-round; wild-caught season is October-March but you can still enjoy delicious oysters all summer long thanks to aquaculture practices!
• Make sure you experience REAL Maryland crab and visit locations that are part of our True Blue program – a certification that ensures the restaurant or retailer is using Maryland lump crab meat.
• Swing by a farmers market and pick up the freshest produce! Many markets also offer local eggs, meat, and more!
• Experience the freshest flowers and check out a cut flower farm, many of which offer pick your own sessions.
• Hop in the car with friends and family and check out the Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trail – paired with local hikes, you can get your exercise and your treats all in one!
• Tend to your garden all summer and talk with your nursery experts about how to keep everything growing. Interested in native plants? See our list of certified nurseries who are committed to offering a minimum of 20% of their inventory to native.
• Get inspired with a recipe from Maryland’s Best and enjoy the bounty summer has to offer!
• Look for the Maryland’s Best logo to ensure whatever you do includes Maryland grown and sourced food!

Featured Maryland Restaurants

Featured restaurants below are dedicated to working with Maryland ingredients as much as possible on their full menu. Restaurants like these help support farmers and watermen and keep the dollars in the local economy!