Baldwin's Station Named Maryland's Favorite Restaurant

SYKESVILLE, Md. (WJZ)—It's a restaurant inside an old railroad station, and it just won a major award from the Restaurant Association of Maryland.

Ron Matz has more on a taste of the old main line in Carroll County.

The kitchen is busy at Baldwin's Station. The popular restaurant sits along the B&O's old main line in Sykesville.

"The railroad station was built in 1883. It has great ambiance. It's a great setting. The Patapsco River is flowing by off the veranda. It had a great feel to it from the get-go," said Stewart Dearie, Baldwin's Station owner.

And these are great times for Dearie.

"We take nothing for granted," he said. "We'll have the plaque on the wall and think back on that Monday evening at the gala at Martin's West. We have a great summer in front of us."

Baldwin's Station, known for its fine food and unique setting, was just named Maryland's favorite restaurant.

"Last Monday night was pretty special. We had been nominated in the top five for Maryland's favorite restaurant by the Restaurant Association of Maryland. The voting was done by the general public. I think we were pleasantly surprised that we won. Everyone was shaking my hand," Dearie said.

"It just shows you if you have good food and good service and you have the clientele base to reach out to," said Darrick Granai, Baldwin's Station executive chef. "It was definitely a huge honor, something that I won't forget, something that will stick with me for a long time. It was really nice for sure."

On May 9, Baldwin's Station will present "Memories along the Rails," where you can re-live the old dining car experience of the B&O.

They'll re-create old menus and the authors of the book "Dining on the B&O" will be there.

"What we do is create an authentic menu from what the chefs worked with from the 1940s to the 1960s. It's just a neat event. You'll get to know people who ran the trains and people who worked with them. They give their insights to people who are enjoying the meal as well as a history lesson," Granai said.

It's a taste of history and more overlooking the Patapsco.

"We've been open for 15 years. It's quality food and service in a great setting. I look for people to relax and enjoy themselves and come back often," Dearie said."We got a lot of people from the D.C. and Baltimore corridor. A lot of people find they can meet halfway between the two settings."

Baldwin's Station opened in 1997 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. For more information about the May 9 event, click here.