Soft shell crabs are a tradition and a right.  Whether you’ve been living in the Chesapeake region your whole life, a recent transplant or a visitor soft shell crabs are a unique and delicious food that is very special to the area, and speak to our regional character. Soft shells are fried up and taste meaty, salty, and succulent whether plain or on a sandwich.

Soft crabs are crabs that have outgrown their shell and go through a three stage process. (1) A new shell forms, (2) the crab wiggles out of the too tight original shell, and then (3) chills out it the water while they harden up again.  The three stages are informally called peeler, busting, and soft shell. Don’t be intimidated: these crabs are cleaned out (lungs and insides removed), completely edible, and begging to be fried!!

Some watermen claim that the soft crab harvest always increases with the full moon – check out http://www.bluecrab.info/fullmoon.htm to read about the Chesapeake soft crab folklore!  After you’ve become a soft crab expert, come see us at Tony and Joe’s and indulge in a soft crab sandwich or sautéed the right way!!

Enjoy!!

Something about the combo of sweet and salty is absolutely DIVINE.  One food that appeals to more a wider taste bud range equates to more yum factor.  This is why nothing is as light and delicious a summer meal as Mahi Mahi with Hawaiian inspired Mango Pineapple salsa.

Come celebrate the holidays at the harbor with Tony & Joe’s!  With space available for parties as small as 20 and as large as 250, we’ve got the perfect venue for your friends, family, and coworkers to get together and spread holiday cheer.  Reservations are going quickly, so call or visit our website today to make sure you don’t miss out!

When you think Escovitch you think Jamaica and rightly so!  Jamaica is an island that has been peopled by diverse and numerous cultures throughout time and its food reflects the nation’s rich background.

Jamaican Escovitch is essentially fish marinated and cooked in vinegar.  That much you know for sure.  But what makes this typical Jamaican breakfast (yes, breakfast!) so special is its antiquity.  Spaniards brought the vinegar marinade technique to Jamaica, which was (and is) called Escabeche in Spain, in the late XV century.  Think that’s old?  This preparation entered Spain via Moorish conquests which took place between the years 711-1492 AD!!  The word Escabeche comes from the Persian word, al-sikbaj, which is a sweet and sour dish.

Any dish that has been around for at least 13 centuries has to be good!!! Come try this historical temptation at Tony and Joe’s – we use tilapia and since we care about your health, it’s broiled!!  Ya mahn!