Sip and Bite Encounters with Lynne O’Meara: The Front Porch

Continuing with the Leonardtown theme, Friday night, I had dinner at The Front Porch. It had been a long time since I had such a wonderful meal. From the time we walked in the door to when we stepped off the porch, everything was perfect!

The restaurant is in a beautiful, historic house on Washington Street. Originally constructed in the 1850’s, the home was purchased by Lynwood and Ruth Sterling in 1911 and was where they raised their 17 children. The home remained in their family until 2005. In 2006, renovations began to convert the home into a restaurant. Many of the historical elements remain, including wood floors and trim, fireplaces, door transoms and different dining rooms. There are five dining rooms on the first and second floors, and they are intimate, cozy, and inviting. There are local photos and shadow boxes on the walls. The shadow boxes hold artifacts found during the house renovations.

Owner Jeffery Lewis was the General Manager before he bought the restaurant in 2018.

The menu features starters, soups, sandwiches, salads, entrées, and homemade desserts. The have daily specials and many any of the menu ingredients are locally-sourced. They have a large selection of whiskey, offer craft cocktails and beer, and have an extensive wine list. The Front Porch also has a children’s menu.

There were three of us dining the night I went. It is always fun to have someone else along to get their opinion. All three of us agreed the night was fantastic!

We started the night with two appetizers…Crab Dip, and Brussels and Bacon. The Crab Dip was crabby and creamy with a slight bite of spice. The dip also came with toasted bread slices, and we were very pleased to see there was enough bread for the amount of dip. Usually, I have to ask for more bread, but this time I didn’t. Sometimes it is the little things. The Brussels and Bacon was fried brussels sprouts with pork belly, honey, and feta cheese. It came with a Dijon mustard dipping sauce. I must say…the Brussels and Bacon appetizer was simply amazing! The best all three of us have ever had!

Our entrees were delicious too. We had Pork Shank (my friend Heather and I both had this) and Salmon Crab Scampi. The Pork Shank was served with kale and cheese grits and had a tangy BBQ sauce. Heather substituted risotto for the grits. The Pork Shank had a wonderful flavor and was fall-of-the-bone tender. The BBQ sauce was a perfect accompaniment! The Salmon Crab Scampi was tasty too. It had a white wine, butter, and garlic sauce and large pieces of lump crab over perfectly cooked salmon. It was a perfect blend of flavors.

To end the meal (and because I am really doing this for you…my readers), we all had dessert. We had Classic Crème Brulee (my favorite), Chocolate Crème Brulee, and Smith Island Carrot Cake. Everything was fresh, yummy and scrumptious!

Our waitress, Grace, was amazing too! She was knowledgeable, appropriately attentive, and friendly. All the staff we encountered were wonderful and Jeff should be proud of his crew!

I had not been to The Front Porch in several years and I must tell you it was a wonderful night with friends and amazing food!

Current Coronavirus restaurant restrictions limit indoor seating to 50% of seating
capacity. At The Front Porch, reservations are recommended and can be made by
calling the restaurant (301-997-1009) or through Open Table reservation service.

The Front Porch hours: