Where to Find the Best Crab Cakes in the U.S.

These crab cakes are worth building an entire vacation around.

Crab cakes are simple in their elegance. Made with just a few easy-to-find ingredients — usually bread crumbs, mayonnaise, mustard, and of course, crab meat — the crab cake makes for an uncomplicated people-pleaser. First made by Indigenous groups surrounding the Chesapeake Bay area, the crab cake has long been popular along the Mid-Atlantic coast. However, the uncomplicated but delicious dish has made its way to every corner of America, delighting people with its briny sweetness. In fact, these five destinations serve up such spectacular crab cakes that they are worthy of planning an entire vacation around right now. Keep scrolling to find out where you can dig into some of the best crab cakes in America.

Jimmy's Famous Seafood, Baltimore

This family recipe, which has drawn customers from all over the world, starts with high-quality crab meat (which chef/owner Tony Minadakis sources as locally as possible) and includes finely chopped white bread (no crust), eggs, mayo, wet and dry mustard, Worcestershire sauce and Jimmy's own seasoning. Can't make it to the restaurant in Maryland? That's OK. Jimmy's ships its crab cakes nationwide.

Faidley's, Baltimore

Damye Hahn runs this family restaurant, founded by her great-grandfather way back in 1886, with her mom, Nancy Faidley. Nancy started making Faidley's now-famous crab cakes in 1987, and she's still making them by hand today. The recipe is as consistent (and as secret) as it was back then, and it starts with jumbo lump crabmeat. The cakes are served naked with lettuce, tomato, balsamic, and crackers. And, like Jimmy's, Faidley's is also happy to ship you its crab cakes, so long as you reside in the continental United States.

Fishing with Dynamite, Manhattan Beach, California

Chef David LeFevre spent his childhood summers along the eastern shore of Virginia, where he'd fish for crabs with his grandfather, proudly using pig ears for bait. He brought both the memories and the recipe with him to this beloved Manhattan Beach restaurant, whipping up Maryland blue crab cakes for the hungry patrons that book tables months in advance. In addition to some classic flavor notes like Old Bay and Worcestershire sauce, his rendition features chives, apple, celery, and parsley. The crab cakes are served with cabbage slaw, house-made pickles, and lemon remoulade.

Charleston Grill, Charleston, South Carolina

The crab cakes are a local and guest favorite at the Charleston Grill, found inside the Belmond Charleston Place hotel. The restaurant's culinary ambassador Michelle Weaver created the cakes using jumbo blue lump crabmeat and not much else. As she likes to joke, "There is so much crab in these cakes, the only thing holding them together is love and hope."

Stono Market and Tomato Shed Café, Charleston, South Carolina

This café began as a simple lunch stand for nearby packing plant employees. Twenty years later, the Tomato Shed Café. is making crab cakes according to the founder's recipe, Miss Babs. Made with crabmeat — in the summer, the kitchen goes through 80 pounds per week — cracker crumbs, bell pepper, and secret seasonings, the cakes are deep-fried and served with lettuce, tomato, and tartar sauce.

Fenwick Crab House, Fenwick Island, Delaware

If you're looking for award-winning crab cakes, then it's time to make your way to Fenwick Crab House in Delaware, specifically to Fenwick Crab House, which has won major accolades for its crab cakes. Make it a meal by ordering the For the Love of Crab Cakes, which combines a crab cake with a BLT, all served on a brioche bun.

Seatown Rub Shake and Fish Fry, Seattle, Washington

The Dungeness crab cakes win major praise from diners visiting Seatown Rub Shake and Fish Fry. Chef Chris Schwarz makes his cakes with all the usual ingredients but spices things up with a little coriander creme fraiche, pairing it with asparagus and crispy potatoes for a heartier meal that will keep you full ... at least until you come back for another one for dinner.

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