Among young and old, crab cakes remain a tradition in Maryland. With warmer weather comes the chance to enjoy them, at home or eating out. One such place to unwind and grab a crab cake is at Coastal Flats.
Ryan Annis is the managing partner of Coastal Flats’ Gaithersburg location. He has been with Great American Restaurants, of which Coastal Flats is a part, for over 25 years. Annis talked about the founder of Great American Restaurants, Randy Norton and his family.
“Our founder, Randy Norton, alongside his wife, Patsy Norton, and partners Jim Farley and Mike Ranney, founded Great American Restaurants in 1974,” he said. “Over the past 50 years, Great American Restaurants has thrived as a result of their entrepreneurial spirit, enthusiasm for hospitality, and a ton of hard work by thousands of the best team players in the industry. All three of Randy and Patsy Norton’s children — Jon, Jill and Tim — are involved in Great American Restaurants to this day.”
Annis shared how the restaurant and its theme came about.
“Coastal Flats is part of Great American Restaurants, a local, family-owned restaurant group with 14 restaurants, three artisan bakeries and a BBQ spot across Northern Virginia and Maryland,” he said. “Coastal Flats Gaithersburg was inspired by our founder’s family trips to the Florida Keys and draws inspiration from Ernest Hemingway’s 1930s Key West in both decor and cuisine.”
Coastal Flats’ theme and decor create a vacation-like feel for guests and visitors. The decor for Coastal Flats is the result of efforts between designers, artists and architects.
Jill Norton, daughter of founder Randy Norton, is the vice president of design and construction and led a great deal of the design for Coastal Flats Gaithersburg. Leon Chatelain and Sebastian Von Marschall of Bowie Gridley Architects created the vision for the restaurant and oversaw the design.
Alex Crawford and Kristina Crenshaw of Streetsense Architecture carried Coastal Flats over the goal line with design development and construction administration. Jack and Bobbi Gable, Coastal Flats’ favorite artists, created the foyer and dining room murals. William Kautz hand carved and painted the mermaid and kissing fish. Laurie Fisher sculpted the foyer fish and Don Gianella crafted the sailfish.
In addition to the Coastal Flats’ Gaithersburg location, in Downtown Crown, there are Coastal Flats locations in Fairfax, Virginia (Fairfax Corner), and McLean, Virginia (Tysons Corner).
Visitors and guests want an atmosphere where they can enjoy their meal and carry conversations with company. At Coastal Flats, guests can expect a relaxed and contemporary atmosphere serving seafood, steak and pasta with warm and welcoming hospitality. They can get cozy at a booth in their coastal dining room or enjoy their time at the lively bar and outdoor patio.
Coastal Flats is a scratch kitchen, where they prepare their dishes in-house with fresh ingredients from scratch for their guests. The restaurant serves a menu of American seafood inspired by coastal Florida and the Keys, ranging from starters, salads and sandwiches to fresh seafood, chicken, pasta, steak and ribs. Cocktails like the Classic, Mango and Pineapple Mojitos or the Sweetwater Perfect Margarita will take you right to the beach.
If you pay a visit to Coastal Flats, what should you order? Annis said that guest favorites include their jumbo lump crab cakes, of course, in addition to blue crab and shrimp fritters, short smoked salmon, hanger steak, crispy fish tacos and jambalaya pasta.
Coastal Flats also offers a kids menu for those with family members under 12.
Crab cakes are a staple and popular item in Maryland. There are a variety of ways to create and cook crab cakes. It’s a goal of Marylanders and everyone who enjoys seafood to create the perfect one.
“The secret to a perfect crab cake is a simple one,” Annis said. “Lots of fresh, high-quality crab, and not much else! We also offer options for sauteed or broiled, because there’s more than one way to enjoy delicious jumbo lump crab cakes.”
Coastal Flats serves their jumbo lump crab cakes with remoulade sauce, crispy fries and creamy coleslaw. For a perfect lunch, they serve a jumbo lump crab cake sandwich on a freshly baked, buttery toasted bun.
Seasons often bring new changes, flavors and limited-time menus. Coastal Flats has rotating seasonal features based on availability of the best ingredients. As these change frequently, it’s best to check the features during your visit to Coastal Flats for some delicious seasonal options.
SURVEY: Our Readers Get Their Claws on the Best Crab Eatin’ Stops Around
Favorite Local Restaurant for Hard-Shell Crabs
Avery’s Maryland Grille
Frederick
301-228-2722
Bethesda Crab House
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301-652-3382
May’s Seafood Restaurant
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301-662-4233
Seaside Seafood
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410-760-5210
Favorite Local Restaurant for Crab Cakes
Avery’s Maryland Grille
Frederick
301-228-2722
Clyde’s Tower Oaks Lodge
Rockville
301-294-0200
Cosmos Club
Washington, D.C.
202-387-7783
Founding Farmers DC
Washington, D.C.
202-822-8783
G&M Restaurant
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410-636-1777
May’s Seafood Restaurant
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301-662-4233
O’Donnell’s Market
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301-251-6355
Skipjack’s Crab Deck
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410-630-2637
Favorite Crab Shack on the Water
Bridges Restaurant
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410-827-0282
Fisherman’s Crab Deck
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410-827-6666
The Jetty
Grasonville
410-827-4959
