2 Best Restaurants in Frederick and Western Maryland, Maryland

From the elegant black-and-red dining room to the lush plants and trickling waterfall in the bricked courtyard, you'll want to dress snazzily for this upscale American and Italian restaurant. Signature dishes like the decadent "exploding" shrimp appetizer and the baked radiatore—lobster, scallops, and shrimp in a creamy sherry tomato sauce—are a hit. End your meal with bananas Foster, prepared tableside with flaming liqueur. The cheerful high-ceiling bar area offers a menu of updated pub favorites like sliders as well as excellent happy-hour specials. Musicians play in the garden on Thursday and Friday during warm weather.

Owned by a charismatic family from Italy by way of Baltimore, this restaurant and wine bar is a favorite of locals and tourists. Black-and-white photos of Italy hang on a textured wall painted warm shades of gold and orange, and candles flicker on tables in the covered patio. Try the slow-cooked chicken Ottaviani, the owner's Italian grandmother's signature dish, or Pasta Chivitella, penne and wild mushrooms in a rich cream sauce. There's an impressive wine list, and decadent deserts—try the tiramisu—complete the experience.