Southern Comfort Cuisine at Miss Shirley's Cafe

by

The Taste

Strongly influenced by Southern culinary traditions, Miss Shirley’s Cafe offers beloved dishes, such as shrimp and grits, fried chicken, and biscuits and gravy. But perhaps what makes the restaurant truly unique is its creative twist on these classic dishes—reimagining comfort food with a distinct Southern flair. 

Conveniently located adjacent to The Westin and The Residence at Park Place in Annapolis, Miss Shirley’s Cafe has become a highly sought-after dining destination for both locals and tourists. The family-owned and operated business serves breakfast, brunch, and lunch in a welcoming setting where guests feel at home.

“At Miss Shirley’s, we take pride in our beautifully presented plates, flavorful aromas, festive cocktails and mocktails, and prompt and professional service,” says David Dopkin, managing member, Miss Shirley’s Management Company. “We offer Southern hospitality, attention to detail, and an upscale-casual award-winning dining experience for our guests.” 

In addition to Annapolis, Miss Shirley’s Cafe also has locations in Roland Park, Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, and BWI Airport.

To learn more, we spoke to Dopkin.

What makes the Annapolis location special? It’s ideally located in the heart of downtown Annapolis and offers Southern charm. I took the best elements from our Roland Park and Inner Harbor locations to help design an efficient operation that our team and our guests would want to experience on a regular basis. 

Tell us about your background in the restaurant business. My mom says I was standing in a pack ’n play when I was six months old, lining up the canned goods on the shelves at The Beef Inn, our family’s first venture into the restaurant business. When I was six years old, I traveled to College Park, Annapolis, Rockville, and D.C. with my dad [the late Eddie Dopkin, who founded Miss Shirley’s Cafe in 2005] on weekends to help at The Bagel Place. At 16, I spent weekends working on the back of The Classic Catering People truck. 

After graduating from the University of Maryland and teaching fifth grade for five years, I served as the Director of Food Service for the Baltimore Ravens with The Classic Catering People. When my father relocated the original 42-seat Miss Shirley’s location in Roland Park across the street to a much larger footprint in 2007, my wife, Brandy, and I came on board to help grow our upscale, casual cafe and later expanded to the Inner Harbor in 2008 and Annapolis in 2011. 

How did it feel to celebrate Miss Shirley’s 20th anniversary this year? We felt a sense of pride in our creativity, consistency, and perseverance, as well as great appreciation for our loyal guests and for the dedication of our passionate team. The majority of our management team has worked with Miss Shirley’s for over 10 years—and many are close to 20 years, such as Corporate Executive Chef Zuri Coles! We’ve been celebrating all year!

What are some of your top-selling dishes? One of our top-selling dishes is our Blueberry & White Chocolate Chip Pancakes, which are on our menu under our Griddle Cakes listing of Best Pancakes in the Country by Food Network. The Cy Young Omelet with egg whites, applewood-smoked bacon, spinach, and white cheddar is also a crowd pleaser. Gluten-free guests opt for our Fresh Banana, Pineapple, Strawberry, Blueberry, or Chocolate Chip Gluten-Free Pancakes, which were voted best gluten-free pancakes by The Baltimore Sun. 

Which dishes truly showcase your Southern-inspired cuisine? Guests travel from near and far to try Get Your Grits On, which includes jumbo blackened shrimp on fried green tomatoes, stone-ground grits with diced bacon, tomato, and chives, and roasted corn emulsion, dusted with Cajun spice (as seen on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives). 

If I didn’t have your attention at shrimp and grits, explore our other dishes, including Pimento Cheese Biscuits; Grandpa’s Cornbread; Hot Honey Fried Chicken Deviled Eggs; Pineapple Upside Down Griddle Cakes; Fried Chicken, Biscuit & Gravy Omelet; Shirley’s Gumbo; and our signature Chicken ‘N Cheddar Green Onion Waffles (also seen on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives). 

What is one of your most popular cocktails? The Spicy Shirley, our version of a Bloody Mary, is made with our housemade Bloody Mary mix and vodka and garnished with a skewer consisting of a green tomato slice, green olive, lemon and lime wedges, peppadew, bourbon-infused pickled okra, and a jalapeño slice, along with a celery stalk and an Old Bay rim. It’s like a drink and a salad all in one! The cocktail won “Best Bloody Mary” in What’s Up? Media’s Best of Annapolis.

Why is it important for Miss Shirley’s to offer options for guests with food allergies? We want our guests to feel included at the dining table. We’re proud to have peanut, tree nut, and sesame-free kitchens and “CONTAINS” statements on our menus to make the dining experience safer for our guests.

Miss Shirley’s Cafe “Grandpa’s Cornbread”

Yields 1 loaf or 8–10 each muffins

Ingredients

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1.5 cups buttermilk
  • 4 ounces unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons
  • brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons
  • granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon
  • baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons
  • baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon
  • kosher salt
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1/2 cup (4 oz) chopped peppadew
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
  • 2 each fresh
  • white corn

Method

Remove husk from corn and remove cornsilk. Rub corn with tiny bit of olive oil and place on oven-safe sheet tray. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Bake in 350 oven for about 15–20 minutes. Remove from oven when cooked and slightly browned. Let cool and then cut corn off cob carefully. In large bowl place dry ingredients – cornmeal, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir together to mix. Add eggs, buttermilk, sugar, and melted butter. Mix together until it just comes together—scraping sides of bowl well. Add chives, peppadews, and roasted corn. Stir just to incorporate evenly. Do not over mix. Heat oven to 350 degrees. If using bread loaf pan, spray with pan spray and scrape mix into pan. If using muffin pan, spray muffin pan or use muffin cups. Scoop batter into each hole about half full. For loaf, bake for about 40–45 minutes, rotating halfway through. Loaf is done when toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. For muffins, cook for 18–20 minutes, rotating halfway through. Muffins are done when toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Once removed from oven, let cool and serve. Bread will keep for 3 days covered at room temperature or refrigerated for 4–5 days (may also freeze for up to 1–2 months in sealed Ziploc bag).

Miss Shirley’s Cafe  | 1 Park Place, Annapolis • 443-4BRUNCH • missshirleys.com