For the serious breakfast crowd—those who see the first meal as a bit of a sacred ritual—there’s nothing quite like a café that opens its doors promptly at 7 am, or even earlier, to earn street cred. You’ll find these faithful in rural Vermont and coastal Maine, where the natives line up for pancakes and eggs even in the dark mornings of winter. And they endure in the summer months as tourists disrupt their morning routine with long lines and children.

The country is also living in a time when the breakfast sandwich can give any old coffee shop the right to call itself a breakfast spot, but in the Spy’s rule book, that’s deceptive. The breakfast sandwich has always been the compromise breakfast created for college students and commuters, not for those who understand that offering egg platters is a sign of actual devotion.

For the record, the Mid-Shore has had in the past those kinds of legendary venues, with perhaps Holly’s on Kent Island the best known of the lot on Route 50/300. However, over the last few decades, the American breakfast has become increasingly rare, even as it finds increasing culinary significance in Maryland.

That doesn’t mean there are still no options, and the Spy asked two of its agents to conduct a quick assessment of where one can get a proper breakfast off Route 50. As they continue their research in the upcoming months, we hope our readers will suggest their own favorites, and we’ll add them to the list for surveillance.

But for the moment, these are the Spy favorites:

1. Blackwater Bakery — Cambridge

Address: 429 Race St, Cambridge, MD 21613
Website: blackwaterbakerycambridge.com

If there were a Hall of Fame for breakfast on the Mid-Shore, Blackwater Bakery would be an early inductee. It hits every note just right: consistent food, friendly service, early opening hours, and a menu that treats breakfast like the main event—not an afterthought.

From the three-egg trio platter and bacon to creative daily specials, Blackwater makes it clear they take the first meal seriously, and that certainly shows on their menu, where their lunch offerings make up less than a 1/4 of the page.

It was also the only place we’ve tried where scrapple is proudly served and, just as importantly, prepared the right way. One doesn’t want to fool around with how to cook the Delmarva’s favorite breakfast meat, and Blackwater does it crispy and thin.

The most crucial advantage that Blackwater has is that it’s an authentic bakery. Every day, fresh muffins, croissants, biscuits, and cinnamon rolls are on display, providing almost aromatic therapy to diners.

The other thing to know about Blackwater is that it’s popular. So popular in fact that it added a new wing to handle the morning crowd. They gratefully take reservations, or you can be the first in the door at 7 am, and join the pros.

2. Breakfast in Easton – Easton

Address: 317 N Washington St, Easton, MD 21601
Website: bineaston.com

Stephen Mangasarian, the owner and chef of Breakfast in Easton, is a breakfast hero in the area. A one-man band, Stephen has upheld his New England heritage by offering a classic, delicious breakfast spot that takes its role seriously.

Opening the door at 6:45 am most mornings, Stephen assumes his position in the open kitchen to welcome guests and log orders in a space that comfortably seats less than 20 during the winter and twice that in good weather with the patio open.

Like many places in New England, the menu is short and simple. Eggs, solid pancakes, and good coffee.  Nothing more, nothing less. If you’re in the mood for granola or a double cappuccino, you’ll be out of luck. And that, in keeping with those small diners up north, it’s cash only.

Open from 7:00 a.m. on weekdays, it’s the kind of joint where the coffee is always fresh and refilled without asking.

3. Bonheur – Easton

Address: 5 Goldsborough St, Easton, MD 21601
Website: eatbonheur.com

Now for something a bit different. There is a new kid on the block.

Bonheur doesn’t open early (doors open at 8:00 a.m.), and it doesn’t have the breakfast-in-a-hurry vibe of the other two spots. It’s more like a place you’d find on the Upper East Side of New York. Quiet, comfortable, and with an understated elegance, it feels surprisingly welcoming.

Some of that has to do with the fact that BonJour began on Goldsbrough Street as an ice cream and pie enterprise, which has proved to be successful in its own right. However, decision-makers at Bluepoint Hospitality must have recognized the need in Easton for a reliable downtown breakfast option, and they have recently added morning hours and a new menu.

The results are exceptional.  The menu includes a full range of traditional breakfast favorites, as well as a wide variety of crepes and, of course, avocado toast. But sometimes you can tell a lot about a place by how serious it takes even the plainest of choices, like oatmeal, for example. It can safely be said that Bonheur’s steel-cut oaks are some of the best our spies have had properly served with the freshest of fruit berries and real maple syrup.

The one notable omission from the menu was the absence of Bluepoint’s renowned bakery items, which are available at the nearby Weather Gage coffee shop. Considering that those croissants are some of the very best in the Mid-Atlantic, it’s a bit odd and disappointing that one only has the option of toast.  The agents hope that this policy will change soon.

With a packed house in the Avalon’s main stage, Spy commentator Craig Fuller continued his own “Conversations with Craig Fuller” on Wednesday night with special guest and the newly appointed Maryland Public Broadcasting president, Steven Schupak, for a community screening of MPT’s remarkable “Maryland by Air” documentary. The film, which follows well-known Maryland aviators, including the Mid-Shore’s own Hunter Harris, captures our beautiful state from a bird’s-eye perspective, vividly coming to life on Avalon’s state-of-the-art high-definition big screen.

We wanted to share the entire program with our readers, including the film, to share the magic of this very special MPT production team.

This video is approximately 90 minutes in length.

 

 

 

 

Every Wednesday, Maryland political analysts Len Foxwell and Clayton Mitchell discuss the politics and personalities of the state and region. This week, however, Len is joined by Republican Queen Anne’s County Commissioner Chris Corchiarino to fill in for Clayton over the next weeks while he’s away on vacation.

This week, Len and Clayton discuss a recent state report that showed that 80% of Maryland’s public schools are not in “satisfactory” condition and in need of much repair or replacement. Chris and Len also discuss the impact and concerns of new data centers coming online, as well as county pushback. We end with both of them adding their “Hot Takes” for the week.

This video is approximately 14 minutes in length.

Every Thursday, the Spy hosts a conversation with Al From and Craig Fuller on the most topical political news of the moment.

This week, From and Fuller discuss the recent examples of the Trump administration suppressing freedom of speech in the aftermath of the Charlie Kirk assassination last week. Al and Craig also chat about how this might impact in midterm elections in 2026.

This video podcast is approximately thirteen minutes in length.

Background

While the Spy’s public affairs mission has always been hyper-local, it has never limited us from covering national, or even international issues, that impact the communities we serve. With that in mind, we were delighted that Al From and Craig Fuller, both highly respected Washington insiders, have agreed to a new Spy video project called “The Analysis of From and Fuller” over the next year.

The Spy and our region are very lucky to have such an accomplished duo volunteer for this experiment. While one is a devoted Democrat and the other a lifetime Republican, both had long careers that sought out the middle ground of the American political spectrum.

Al From, the genius behind the Democratic Leadership Council’s moderate agenda which would eventually lead to the election of Bill Clinton, has never compromised from this middle-of-the-road philosophy. This did not go unnoticed in a party that was moving quickly to the left in the 1980s. Including progressive Howard Dean saying that From’s DLC was the Republican wing of the Democratic Party.

From’s boss, Bill Clinton, had a different perspective. He said it would be hard to think of a single American citizen who, as a private citizen, has had a more positive impact on the progress of American life in the last 25 years than Al From.”

Al now lives in Annapolis and spends his semi-retirement as a board member of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University (his alma mater) and authoring New Democrats and the Return to Power. He also is an adjunct faculty member at Johns Hopkins’ Krieger School and recently agreed to serve on the Annapolis Spy’s Board of Visitors. He is the author of “New Democrats and the Return to Power.”

For Craig Fuller, his moderation in the Republican party was a rare phenomenon. With deep roots in California’s GOP culture of centralism, Fuller, starting with a long history with Ronald Reagan, leading to his appointment as Reagan’s cabinet secretary at the White House, and later as George Bush’s chief-of-staff and presidential campaign manager was known for his instincts to find the middle ground. Even more noted was his reputation of being a nice guy in Washington, a rare characteristic for a successful tenure in the White House.

Craig has called Easton his permanent home for the last eight years, where he now chairs the board of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and is a former board member of the Academy Art Museum and Benedictine.  He also serves on the Spy’s Board of Visitors and writes an e-newsletter available by clicking on DECADE SEVEN.

With their rich experience and long history of friendship, now joined by their love of the Chesapeake Bay, they have agreed through the magic of Zoom, to talk inside politics and policy with the Spy every Thursday.

Every Wednesday, Maryland political analysts Len Foxwell and Clayton Mitchell discuss the politics and personalities of the state and region. This week however, Len is joined by Republican Queen Anne’s County Commissioner Chris Corchiarino to fill in for Clayton over the next weeks while he’s away on vacation.

This week, Len and Clayton discuss the impact of the Kirk assassination on Maryland as citizens become more concerned about political violence in the state.

This video is approximately 18 minutes in length.

Every Thursday, the Spy hosts a conversation with Al From and Craig Fuller on the most topical political news of the moment.

This week, From and Fuller discuss the horrific assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk yesterday and the need for national leadership from the White House as the country attempts to heal from such senseless acts of violence.

This video podcast is approximately thirteen minutes in length.

To listen to the audio podcast version, please use this link:

Background

While the Spy’s public affairs mission has always been hyper-local, it has never limited us from covering national, or even international issues, that impact the communities we serve. With that in mind, we were delighted that Al From and Craig Fuller, both highly respected Washington insiders, have agreed to a new Spy video project called “The Analysis of From and Fuller” over the next year.

The Spy and our region are very lucky to have such an accomplished duo volunteer for this experiment. While one is a devoted Democrat and the other a lifetime Republican, both had long careers that sought out the middle ground of the American political spectrum.

Al From, the genius behind the Democratic Leadership Council’s moderate agenda which would eventually lead to the election of Bill Clinton, has never compromised from this middle-of-the-road philosophy. This did not go unnoticed in a party that was moving quickly to the left in the 1980s. Including progressive Howard Dean saying that From’s DLC was the Republican wing of the Democratic Party.

From’s boss, Bill Clinton, had a different perspective. He said it would be hard to think of a single American citizen who, as a private citizen, has had a more positive impact on the progress of American life in the last 25 years than Al From.”

Al now lives in Annapolis and spends his semi-retirement as a board member of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University (his alma mater) and authoring New Democrats and the Return to Power. He also is an adjunct faculty member at Johns Hopkins’ Krieger School and recently agreed to serve on the Annapolis Spy’s Board of Visitors. He is the author of “New Democrats and the Return to Power.”

For Craig Fuller, his moderation in the Republican party was a rare phenomenon. With deep roots in California’s GOP culture of centralism, Fuller, starting with a long history with Ronald Reagan, leading to his appointment as Reagan’s cabinet secretary at the White House, and later as George Bush’s chief-of-staff and presidential campaign manager was known for his instincts to find the middle ground. Even more noted was his reputation of being a nice guy in Washington, a rare characteristic for a successful tenure in the White House.

Craig has called Easton his permanent home for the last eight years, where he now chairs the board of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and is a former board member of the Academy Art Museum and Benedictine.  He also serves on the Spy’s Board of Visitors and writes an e-newsletter available by clicking on DECADE SEVEN.

With their rich experience and long history of friendship, now joined by their love of the Chesapeake Bay, they have agreed through the magic of Zoom, to talk inside politics and policy with the Spy every Thursday.

According the his stepson, Jeff Horstman,  the late Arthur Houghton was not a doomsdayer per say, but it could be said he was a man of his times. When the former president of Corning Glass laid out his plans for the Wye River Plantation in Queen Anne’s County for his beloved Black Angus cattle and the Wye Institute, (later to be incorporated into the Aspen Institute) in the early 1960s, it was not inconceivable that the DC region might be the target of a nuclear attack. With the Cuban Missile Crisis fresh in the minds of many Americans, some of the country’s wealthiest began building fallout shelters as a reasonable precaution to remain alive if such an event took place.

But unlike other shelters that were built to house only a handful of people, the Houghton fortress was a massive underground complex of dorm rooms, a dining area, a social space, kitchen, and endless space for food storage. At its core were twin Kohler generators, fed by massive oil tanks, ready to keep up to 40 people supplied with air exchangers with radiation filters. Rows of bunk beds, each once sealed with fresh sheets in protective wrapping, lined the bedrooms. And Houghton maintained a survival list of those who would be admitted on short notice.

Horstman, who serves on the board of the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, who owns the property, was taking this spy around the property to tour the organization’s new facilities to host children with extremely serious illnesses and their families a special getaway throughout the year. That will be the subject of another Spy story in September but we did take a side trip that day to explore this one-of-a-kind facility.

This video is approximately two minutes in length.