Daytripping with stops at Santoni’s Marketplace, Glyndon Grill, Maria’s, and Hampton National Historic Site

This is probably my last feature for this year and a wonderful year it was. Hopefully, everyone enjoyed our travels visiting various restaurants and tourist attractions.

So we’ll say farewell to 2024 with the same routine, three restaurants, and a tourist attraction. So let’s get off the couch and head to Glyndon.

And my goodness, here we are at Santoni’s Marketplace, 4854 Butler Road. Not exactly a restaurant but lots to eat. But after ordering your food inside there are some tables outside. Open seven days, at this location since 1986 (the original location opened in Highlandtown in 1931), plenty of parking, quarterly specials, hot case specials (2 per day under $10.00), and freshly made food in cases and on display on the floor daily. Lots of prepared foods for your lunch or dinner.

One of their specialties is catering. They have a full staff just for that. They will cater to just about any occasion (just think of an occasion and they’ll do it).

A member of the staff will see you through every step. It might be the first time for you, but not for them. They’ll start with appetizers, to main dishes, flowers, dessert, side dishes, and items I can’t even know about. Oh, they like doing tailgating parties….410-833-6610…santonis.com

Next stop, Glyndon. Gee, we’re already there. Next door is Glyndon Grill, 4844 Butler Road. Open seven days, Saturday/Sunday brunch, bar with TV, locally owned, full liquor license, daily sandwich and dinner specials, kids menu, happy hour, great burgers and crab cakes. Not too early to think about booking a holiday party or purchasing gift cards. One of my favorite dishes, salmon with mixed greens….443-881-4183…glyndongrill.com

One more note, the restaurant is part of the Stone Bridge Restaurant Group. They also operate Barrett’s Grill, Hunt Valley, and Barrett’s on the Pike, Bel Air.

We’re leaving Glyndon but we’re not going far, maybe two miles. And here we are at Maria’s, 31 Main Street Reisterstown. I had to go there for the Summer Salad, offered year-round. Open seven days, Monday through Thursday specials, locally owned, dinner specials, for example, Tuesday it’s lamb chop and a half bottle of wine., alcohol served seven days, plenty of parking, and a bar with TV.

Let’s go back to the nightly specials. I’m guessing the most popular is Monday. That’s crab cake night. You get a jumbo lump with two sides for $19.99. Have you seen the prices of crab meat? That’s not a question, more of a statement. $19.99 is a very good price. There’s also a room for private events and they will cater off-premise but you’ll have to pick up the food….410-777-9707…mariasrestaurant.com

As I usually do, I will leave you with a place to visit. To Towson, we go to the very interesting and historic Hampton National Historic Site, 535 Hampton Lane.

Established in 1948 it sits on 62 acres with various areas to see on property. Basically, the site preserves some of the history of an 18th-century working plantation. Included are the Georgian Manor House, gardens, grounds, and original stone slave quarters. At one time this was a 25,000-acre slave plantation.

The estate was owned by the Ridgely family (1745-1948) and was one of the largest private homes in the U.S. when completed in 1790. It was the first site selected as a National Historical Site for its architectural importance by the U.S. National Park Service. The Ridgely’s sold the property to the Avalon Foundation but it is now part of the Andrew W Mellon Foundation.

It was closed for three years for renovations and re-opened in November 2007. There are about 18,000 visitors per year. Guided tours are available. You can take a self-guided tour of the gardens. The Mansion is on tour only. All tours are free. Open year-round. Check for events. Ample parking and a gift shop. I’m told there are about 7,000 objects in the Mansion House….410-828-9480

And that about wraps it up. Thanks for reading what I had to write all year and thanks to the Post Examiner for giving my writing a home. Happy holidays.