Jul 28, 2024 - Food and Drink

Where to eat Chesapeake catfish around D.C.

Anna Spiegel

A blue catfish sandwich — The Salt Line's crispy blue catfish sandwich. Photo: courtesy of The Salt Line

Blue catfish isn't new to D.C. menus, but local chefs are ramping up efforts to serve it.

Why it matters: Blue catfish checks all the happy seafood boxes: It's local, wild, sustainable, versatile, budget-friendly, and most importantly, delicious.

Zoom in: Long Shot Hospitality chef Kyle Bailey and his team recently hauled in a whopping 800 lbs of blue catfish on a fishing trip spearheaded by local photographer and conservationist Jay Fleming.

Diners can typically find it at many of their restaurants, including a fried waterman's platter at The Salt Line, blackened catfish Creole at Dauphine's, and crispy fish tacos at Ometeo.

What they're saying: "It's so versatile — it fries well, sautes well, smokes well, it's juicy and you can't cook the moisture out," says Bailey.

More great places to try it:

🎣 Preserve in Annapolis fries up blue cat for fish n' chips with malt vinegar aioli.

😋 The Dabney in Shaw dishes up crispy Chesapeake catfish sliders on their bar menu (one of Anna's favorite dishes in the city).

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Where to eat Chesapeake catfish around D.C.

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