We have a winner!
After 4 Mayors, 3 iterations, and nearly 15 years, the Annapolis Market House is back in business! Now, don’t get me wrong, this is not the same old Market House of the 90s and earlier. This is one that has been crafted from the ground up, and built with the amenities that the community wants.
It’s not the cheapest place to eat in downtown Annapolis–all menu items are very fairly priced. But it is exactly what residents and visitors alike need. A comfortable, affordable, quality place to eat, drink, shop, and socialize.
Poke bowls. Baked goods. Burgers from the grill. Paninis. Flatbreads. Oysters. Sandwiches. Groceries. And yes, beer and wine!
I ate three meals in there last week–a lunch, a dinner and finally a breakfast. Lunch was a grilled cheese sandwich and it was spot on. Added a few slices of bacon and we were good to go. The burger I had a dinner was equally good. It was not the 1/2 pound burger you get at McGarvey’s but then again it did not come with the price of a 1/2 pound burger at McGarveys. Also with my dinner, I enjoyed my first beer EVER in the Market House. The Market House Ale added a nice touch to the burger. Side note, the hand fried chips are some of the best I have had–thin, crispy, not too salty. Also probably not great for you in a health conscious way, but oh so good! Breakfast, I am not going to lie. I was a bit disappointed. It was mid-week and they serve bagels and baked goods, but nothing from the grill. So a breakfast sandwich was not on the menu. The General Manager did tell me that they are going to be offering grilled breakfast options on the weekend, so that’s a good thing. But the croissant and hot chocolate I had was also very solid.
[bctt tweet=”After 4 Mayors, 3 iterations, and nearly 15 years, the Annapolis Market House is back in business! ” username=”eyeonannapolis”]
The place is comfortable. It has a variety of seating. Sit at the bar. Sit on the counter and look at Ego Alley. Grab a table. Pull up a stool to the high tops. Something for everyone. It also is a place that feels comfortable in lingering. Each meal I had there ended up lasting a bit longer than expected because we got talking to someone that we had not seen in a while.
Which brings me to the neighborhood aspect of the new Market House. It is busy. Not so busy that the lines are not moving, but there is always a bustle in there. And if you are a local, more likely than not, you will see someone you know. The locals are supporting it just as the tourists are as well.
There are some quirks. You can buy beer to take home (6 packs, etc) but cannot consume that beer on the premises. You can purchase beer and wine at the bar and drink it at the bar or anywhere inside the Market House. You can drink at the tables outside of the Market House, but you cannot bring alcohol from the inside to the out–for that you need to ask one of the staff (which are plentiful) to carry it out to you. And they say doing business in Annapolis is easier.
They are changing. There is a market in the Market House selling pastas, drinks, vegetables, meats, etc. Initially it was not working out too well so they added some signage marking it..and voila. They will be adding a sound system and a roll-down screen to host future meetings if needed. So, they are looking at ways to make it better.
I do think the “flow” is a bit odd. You order your food at the station and wait for it and pay there. But drinks are at another location and you can either buy them at that location or bring it back to the food station. Families that have people split between a burger, a poke bowl, and some oysters will span the entire length. I am not sure of the solution, it is just a bit wonky.
But these are all minor. The staff is friendly, polite and really has the process down considering it is such a new place. It is clean. The food is great and most importantly, it is quickly becoming a social hub for Annapolis! If you have not been–go!
Oh, and love this small attention to detail right here….
