Coles Point Tavern: Good vibes on the Potomac

Coles Point Tavern has been standing tall above the Potomac for 70 years. Photo by Jackie Nunnery

When they say Coles Point Tavern is on the water, it is literally built on pilings over the Potomac River.

And with that distinction, comes another—because the state border between Virginia and Maryland runs just off the Virginia shoreline, you arrive in Virginia, but you dine in Maryland. St. Mary’s County to be exact.

While the tavern has been a fixture of Coles Point since 1954, what was once a rough, rowdy and weathered tavern, is anything but today. The team of Ann Hyder and Chris Winters have turned the spot into a welcoming family-friendly hangout.

That is not to say they have walked away from the tavern’s colorful history. Walk in and you can sit at the same bar as when it first opened 70 years ago. Hyder and Winters can tell you the stories of the characters that have filled this place like long-time regular and wing-walker Chuck Tippett. His story adorns the wall along with Loren “Sammy” Landman, the restaurant’s original owner, and memorabilia from area sports teams, photographs, and everything collected along the years.

With summer upon us, you would be hard pressed to find a better way to spend an afternoon. Photo by Jackie Nunnery

“We’ve changed the whole atmosphere,” Winters said. “And the only way to do that is with food.”

The couple built a following at their previous restaurant, AC Cafe and Grill. Word-of-mouth has spread about Winters’ seafood and burgers and Hyder’s signature drinks since they started managing the restaurant in 2012 before purchasing it outright two years later.

On the warm, sunny day we visited, seats outside on the wrap-around decks were the perfect place to experience the cool breeze and views of the Maryland shoreline. There was also a steady stream of boaters—Coles Point Marina and Tall Timbers Marina in Maryland are both minutes away—tying up on the lower dock to enjoy an afternoon of friends and food. With plenty of space, it isn’t one of those restaurants trying to turn tables, and many lingered on this late spring afternoon, including us. Those that hang out until later in the day will be rewarded with sunsets on the Potomac.

Did you know ?

The tavern is one of only three restaurants on the Potomac River’s Virginia/Maryland border. The others are the Riverboat on the Potomac in Colonial Beach and Tim’s II at Fairview in King George.

Our server Jocelyn, born and raised in the area, was full of knowledge about the visiting dolphins—they start arriving early in July if you’re interested—the tiger and bull sharks and the nesting ospreys on the tavern’s roof. Sadly, the pair did not make an appearance while we were there.

The menu highlights the tavern’s 70 years with “The Originals just like Sammy used to make us” featuring burgers, pizza and pulled pork. There is also enough variety to cater to varied tastes. The Tavern Specialties include classics like the crab cake sandwich but Winters is particularly proud of their seafood pizza. “It’s our claim to fame. Now you see it everywhere. I’m kind of flattered, but at the same time…” he trails off with a laugh and shaking his head. It’s loaded with crab, scallops and shrimp along with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses all on a hand stretched pizza crust.

The Tavern Mac. Like the other Mac but better. Photo by Annie Montessi

Winters also is proud of the Tavern Mac which he modeled after his childhood favorite, the McDonald’s Big Mac. “As a kid, it’s how I started cooking for my family,” he said about first trying to perfect the burger at home. Decades later, he appears to have done just that. The juicy double-decker burger, like many items on the menu, is large enough to share, allowing me and my husband/lunch partner, Blaine, to try more items on the menu. The secret to the juicy burgers, according to Winters is using “fresh, never frozen beef and hand forming the patties.”

Having sampled the turf, we tried a couple of options for the surf. I had to order the crab cakes as part of my never-ending quest to try them all. As promised they were full of fresh, locally sourced crab, and not much else other than seasoning and a light batter. I love a crab cake without all the filler and it delivered. To get a true taste of the Chesapeake Bay, try the fresh hand-cut fries which are seasoned with Old Bay.

We also chose the jumbo scallops which were delicious in their simplicity of preparation. Tender yet nicely browned on the top, the scallops come with melted butter or an in-house prepared cocktail sauce for dipping. And because we were sharing, we also tried the rockfish bites. Breaded and fresh out of the deep fryer, they were crunchy, and especially delicious when dipped in the freshly made tartar sauce.

Sometimes you enjoy a place because of the atmosphere, other times it’s for the food. At Coles Point Tavern, we enjoyed both. “We wanted to create a ‘Cheers’ type of atmosphere. Make it people’s favorite restaurant on the water,” Winters said.

Hyder and Winters seem well on their way. Both enjoy the hospitality part of the business and it shows. Hyder addresses most by their first name and all with a smile. Winters puts great care into the preparation of the food. After decades in the kitchen, it’s still “rewarding to have people come up and say that was a great crab cake,” he said.

My first visit to the tavern will definitely not be my last. Not only are there a few more things to try on the menu—the crab nachos and pickle fries both sound delicious—but I would love to catch a sunset and a glimpse of those dolphins.