Food Traveler Magazine Summer 2017 | Page 142

NoRtHeAsT The Mountain Side of Maryland Authenticity is Mountain Maryland’s calling card as a Mid-Atlantic travel destination. With American frontier history that dates back to a time when George Wash- ington commanded British troops at Fort Cumberland, the wooded ridges of the Allegheny Front are attract- ing getaway visitors with a unique mix of old and new. Ancient native footpaths, stunning Victorian architec- ture and small town charm are augmented by a new generation of farm to table operations, a world class rail trail and a hip music and arts scene headlined by DelFest, one of the nation’s top roots music festivals. The local food scene mirrors this blend of old and new – offering a mix of locally-owned eateries that go back nearly 100 years to the heyday of US 40 and National Road and a flourishing crop of specialty restaurants and pubs clustered in two downtown A&E districts in college-oriented Frostburg and his- toric Cumberland. Thanks to attractions like the Great Alleghany Pas- sage (a 300+ mile network of trails between Wash- ington D.C. and Pittsburgh), the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, vintage neighborhood walking tours and 60,000 acres of public forests and parks visitors of ages have no trouble keeping busy between din- ing experiences.