Pier 450 Ridge MD Review
If ever I need to escape “real life” – to feel a bay breeze on my face, and sip wine with my toes squiggling in the sand of a makeshift beach while watching a glorious sunset – I’ll wend my way down to Pier450 in teeny Ridge MD – population somewhere around 600.
While portions of the new Pier 450 hark back to the former – now defunct – 1940’s era Scheible’s Fish Camp, anglers who came to the tip of St. Mary’s County MD (where the Potomac River meets the Chesapeake), will hardly recognize the place.
Pier450 is among our list of the most Surprisingly Romantic Hotels in MD.
Even the 450 ft fishing pier, for which this lodging-restaurant is named, has undergone a restoration that’s added lighting and seating.
Save for the blockbuster sunsets and the exteriors of the extremely renovated lobby-restaurant and motel-type rooms, the spot has been totally transformed – thanks to DC-based visionary owners, Peggy Binzel and Cathy Austin, who purchased the property in 2019.
Keeping the original camp footprint, they worked hard to make the place attractive to a more affluent and/or trend-seeking clientele. They installed a riverfront sandy beach, complete with plenty of seating and firepits. They planted extravagant gardens and tapped Chef Carlos Gomez-Starnes (formerly of the Mayflower and Hay-Adams in DC) to head up their restaurant – creating one of the best dining spots in the region.
First Impressions of Pier 450
No wonder Binzel and Austin were captivated by this former fishing camp property. The setting speaks for itself – bookended between waterfront and a working farm. It’s so bucolic, I felt my breath deepening and heart rate slowing as soon as I arrived.
In the dimming light of sunset, I couldn’t stop taking pictures from the pier. Every second brought renewed joy. If ever there’s a place that whispers “restorative,” it’s this.
Rooms at Pier450
While not “refined” in the classic genteel sense, all 8 motel-like rooms are artful, fun, and definitely upscale (Keurig, flat screen TV, Wifi). Each has a different theme. Each a capsule of cuteness. (Mine was a kind of butterfly, fish scale, Dolly-Parton mashup: undeniably quirky). All have cathedral ceilings with exposed beams – creating a soaring effect – and pristine bathrooms with cool tilework.
The breezeway connecting the rooms is festooned with flowering vines, and so exquisite, I expected some fairytale character to show up and start singing.
Dining at Pier450 POV (Point of View) Restaurant
Yes, that view of the waterfront, from nearly every seat in the house, bedazzles, especially during sunset. But, so do the dishes that emerge from Chef Carlos’s kitchen. He and his team present an American Cuisine with international flare. Nearly everything is made from scratch in house, including pastas, breads, and desserts.
Some consider Pier450 the Best Fine Dining in St. Mary’s County, and will make the nearly 2 hour trip from DC just to eat here. Boaters from all over coastal MD (and even farther), will sail/motor over for dinner and tie up to the pier.
During the pandemic, when people couldn’t travel abroad, Chef developed meals from many different cultures. “You can’t travel, so I’ll take you around the world through food,” he thought. The tastings were hugely popular, and showcased Chef Carlos’s range at the range.
Pier 450 Gift Shop – The Chandlery
Usually, hotel stores are full of logoed attire and your typical mass produced products. Not here. Pier 450’s shop features unique new and vintage clothing, crafts, food, and jewelry, curated like a mini-museum. Even if you don’t buy anything, it’s fun just to look.
More Fun At Pier 450
On select Sunday evenings in the summer, Captain Phil Langley, takes guests out for a sunset cruise on his boat, the Lisa G. (He also runs Watermen Tours nearby).
Check the website for various on-site workshops, including art classes, flower arranging, cookie decorating, and even make-and-take “shell bedecked mirrors” All include food and drink. (For a fee).
Check out more to do in the area on our 21 Things to Do in St Marys County MD post.
Pier 450 Ridge MD Review Pin
