Old Bay shrimp is a signature dish of United States; we have verified places to eat it in Washington DC. Wild blue Gulf or Atlantic shrimp boiled in Old Bay seasoning and served chilled with cocktail sauce, a beer-and-newspaper plate at every DC seafood counter. Start with where to eat Old Bay shrimp in Washington DC.
Old Bay shrimp · Washington DC
Wild blue Gulf or Atlantic shrimp boiled in Old Bay seasoning and served chilled with cocktail sauce, a beer-and-newspaper plate at every DC seafood counter.
Old Bay seasoning was developed by Gustav Brunn, a German-Jewish refugee who arrived in Baltimore in 1939 with little more than a hand-cranked spice grinder. He started the Baltimore Spice Company in a Light Street basement; Old Bay (named for the Old Bay Line steamship that ran the Chesapeake) launched the same year. The blend of celery salt, paprika, mustard, bay leaves, black pepper and red pepper became the regional seasoning for steamed crabs, but in DC kitchens it travelled to shrimp boils, fries and cocktails. McCormick acquired Old Bay in 1990; the recipe is unchanged.
Where to eat in Washington DC:
- The Salt Line
- Maine Avenue Fish Market
Where to eat Old Bay shrimp in Washington DC: the editor picks