3 Best Restaurants in Deep Creek Lake, Frederick and Western Maryland

Deep Creek's best spot for sophisticated café food serves breakfast burritos and homemade granola and scones in the morning. Lunch brings on an assortment of appetizers and sandwiches, including chicken breast with basil mayo, and fresh mozzarella on ciabatta bread and quesadillas with smoked Gouda, portobello mushrooms, and caramelized onions. Salads feature crisp vegetables and grilled meats. Beer and wine are available when a cappuccino just won't cut it. Best of all, the eatery is just a short walk uphill from the lake, near the public park access, and opens bright and early at 8 am.

Above the county fairgrounds, this homey diner serves affordably priced breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Try the sweet-potato pancakes or sausage gravy and biscuits for breakfast. Homemade potato chips, cut thick and still hot from the fryer, are a mouth-watering treat. Desserts, made in-house, are a hit, particularly the choco-fabulous Sinful Seven Cake. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the restaurant.

A taste of the Southwest meets Appalachia at this restaurant and bar where a large wooden bear and bar stools carved from saplings greet guests. Hearty portions are welcome after a long day of skiing or swimming. Try the Painted Desert Soup with layers of pureed red peppers, corn, and beans, mesquite-grilled breast of chicken, or the huge rack of ribs slow-roasted in habanero sauce.