Anne Arundel - Grace Garden. Probably a top-5 outside of the city. Heck, it's top-5 even if you include the city.

Howard - Iron Bridge, Aida, Victoria's, Tersiguels, Elkridge Furnace Inn.

Baltimore Co.: Artful Gourmet Bistro

Carroll Co.: Baldwin's Station

Howard Co.: Portalli's

EL SALTO - Parkville (there is more to Mexican than Don Pablos.)
Sanders Corner over the reservoir

Baltimore County: Linwoods, Liberatore's (Timonium)
Howard County: Victoria
Carroll County: Paradiso, Smokehouse (Antrim)

Howard: The Coho Grill off Hobbits Glen Golf Course

Pasta Plus in Laurel. You'll find authentic italian food at this hole in the wall that will put most places in Little Italy to shame. Don't let the shody exterior fool you!!

If you are in HarCo, you know about and love Italian Sensations. I have tried many things on the menu, and never once had something I did not like. Fast friendly service and family owned.

The Orient in Perry Hall/Towson has the best sushi around.

Carroll County: Baldwin's Station
Howard County: Elkridge Furnace Inn
Baltimore County: Linwoods

Baltimore County: Milton Inn, Christopher Daniel, Artful Gourmet, Tark's

Anne Arundel Conty - Trattoria Albertos

Harford County: Fiesta Grill in Bel Air. Hands down the BEST, authentic Mexican food I have ever had.

Harford County: Box Hill for crabcakes, Mountain Branch for pork chops
Balto County: Chaps!

Mia Carolina in Glyndon-Baltimore County. I drive from the city to enjoy their pastas and veal dishes.

Off top of my head -

BaltCo:
Chopstix (Perry Hall - sushi)
Sushi Hana (Towson - sushi)
Canella's (Perry Hall - Italian Deli)

HarfCo:
Fiesta Grill (Bel Air - Mexican)

HoCo:
Victoria's Gastro Pub (Columbia)

How did I forgot Mountain Branch?! (HarfCo.)

Catonsville Gourmet
Mirchi Wok / Mango Grove
Little Spice
Victoria Gastropub

Howard County: Pho Dat Thanh

Edgewater Restaurant
Mayo Road
Anne Arundel

Hands down the best restaurant in the area is The Rumor Mill in Ellicott City. Fresh, innovative, caring personnel, good bar. What else do you need?

I'd have to answer you by creating the perfect meal:

Iron Bridge Wine Co. (HoCo)
Cheese plate and a flight of wine
Restaurant Sabor (BaCo)
Halloumi Cheeese appetizer
Bluestone (BaCo)
Seared Sea Scallops Salad
Mari Luna Latin Grill (BaCo)
Gaucho Hambriento
Osteria 177 (AACo)
Meditteranean Sea Bass
Rita's Ice (many locations)
Cherry Ice

And the next day I'd go to Milton Inn for Sunday Brunch and get the Eggs Rockefeller.

Baltimore County: Pizza Johns

Baltimore County - Friendly Farm.
I can walk to it and I'm having lunch there tomorrow :)

HoCo - Rumor Mill
And if you like Indian, Mango Grove.

I agree that Pasta Plus in Laurel is incredible but it is in Prince Georges county. Besides it is better kept a secret!

Totally disagree about El Salto. The one time I went the meal was uninspired and mediocre start to finish. Even the chips and salsa were boring, for cryin' out loud!

I'm not sure why you would leave Carroll County off the list, but if you include them you have to list the Antrim 1844. I would also put in Bullocks and Brick Ridge.

For Howard County I'll do Asian Court for dim sum, Victoria's, Tersiguels, Elkridge Furnace Inn, Bistro Blanc, and Diamondback Tavern.

Baltimore County I'll go Costas Inn, Pizza Johns, 7 West Bistro, Mari Luna, Fazzini's, and yes I know they are chains but I'm going to include Ruth Chris in Pikesville and the Famous Dave's in Owings Mills.

Anne Arundel gets Beefalo Bob's, Middletown Tavern, Punks, Galway Bay, and Ann's Dari Creme.

Harford County has my mom's kitchen and the Cloverleaf Diner (apparently now called the Aberdeen Eagle Diner) on account that's where I ate as a kid.

I didn't include any place that I haven't been to, so no Oregon Grille, Lewnes, G & M, Mr. Bill’s Terrace Inn, Harry Browne’s or Christopher Daniel to name a few of the places that I'm sure will end up on the lists of others.

HoCo - The Rumor Mill - save room for dessert!

Relative newbie to MD, Ciao Bella in Baltimore - does that count for BaltCo?

Limited dining exp in Anne Arundel - will need to reserve judgement.

Special to Sobo Bob and Frank Burrows: Shhhhhhhhh!! You want to wait longer in line????

Rumor Mill - amazing taste combinations!

RoCK - I'm not sure whether Carroll County was excluded or that there is just a dearth of decent choices here in the boonies. What passes for "special" out here are places like Paradiso in Westminster - a fully mediocre example of pseudo-Italian fare. I only wish we could get more exciting options, particularly ethnic choices. Yes, there are plenty of Americanized Chinese joints, but that's about it. There's not even any Thai or Indian places within 15 miles, the closest being Owings Mills.

kind of, sort of the reason

In HoCo definitely Bon Fresco, Maiwand Kabob, and R&R Deli!

Baltimore County: Bluestone. My favorite spot of anywhere for HH on Wed/Thurs. Yamato Sushi: Despite being in a strip mall, excellent sushi and BYOB.

For Harford County, you have to include Pairings Bistro. I would put it in the top 20 in the state for consistently good and inventive food.

Anne Arundel: Punk's Backyard Grill, Tsunami, Level

Laura: Is Yamato Sushi where Johnny's Sushi was in the SuperFresh mall?

Laura: Is Yamato Sushi where Johnny's Sushi was in the SuperFresh mall?

Mari Luna Latin and the original..tarks and of course Linwoods in Baltimore County..and what about Aida and Tursigals in Howard County

Mango Grove (Columbia) & Asian Court (Ellicott City). Awesome veggie/vegan food. Asian Court has the best mock chicken I've ever had.

On Carroll County, obviously they don't have a wide range of restaurants, although there is a thai place on Main Street in Westminster. I would say, however, that in the Antrim they have one of the top restaurants in the region. There is nothing in Harford County that even comes close to it, so I'm at a loss as to why Harford County is included but Carroll is not. And I'm from Harford County.

Oh, and I'd like to add Chick and Ruth's to my list for A.A. county.

Howard County: The Rumor Mill.

Hands down, the best in HoCo is The Rumor Mill in old Ellicott City. Great food & service--I always feel so welcomed when I go. And, I've everyone I've ever gone with thinks the same. It's like the old Cheers song, going into a place "where everyone knows your name." Only The Rumor Mill also has terrific and creative food. It's not just my No. 1 in HoCo, it's my No. 1 in the area!

Baltimore County:
The Orient (on Bel Air Road-Perryhall) for great Chinese and Sushi for lunch on weekends, no crowd, great lunch specials and fantastic sushi!

Blue Stone has a great chop salad I pick up in the summer for carry-out to compliment steaks on the grill at home.

Papa's in Hillendale for crab cakes. I call ahead and grab carryout order or the daily specials. Lots of backfin meat, minimal filler, good stuff.

Pasta Blitz at Carroll Island has fantastic lunch specials on weekdays and makes the best crab pasta dish with a cream sauce. The Greek salad is huge, they sell pizza by the slice. Excellent Chicken Cheese steak sub! You order ahead and grab your meal to take to the boat and go out and watch the sunset!

Captain Joe's in Essex for steamed crabs, put their number in your speed dial, call after 3pm and reserve your crabs for dinner. Remember to get some steamed corn too! Great local business who stands behind their crabs, no waiting to be served like Terrace Inn who makes you wait 45 minutes to be seated when they open.

Ashland Cafe in Cockeysville for their breakfast sub, its fresh, hot and full of breakfast goodness. Many locals enjoy this spot to begin their day. Service is fast, people are friendly and Keno is there to pass the time. We usually wager $10 and play 10, $1 games and see how we fared when we leave (pick 2 numbers). It adds excitement to the start of the day!