By Richard Caines

QUANTICO — A seasonal Eastern Shore restaurant in business for half a century recently opened back up to seafood lovers in search of the ultimate meal.

The Red Roost opened during St. Patrick’s Day weekend as in previous years, but this time the Clara Road landmark was recognized by the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce and other dignitaries for its 50th year in business with a ceremonial ribbon cutting.

Not bad for a location that once housed chickens and later became a campground’s general store and recreation hall.

“This is an Eastern Shore landmark,” Salisbury Area Chamber President and CEO Bill Chambers said. “It’s one of those Maryland treasures. When people think about coming across the Bay Bridge to the Eastern Shore, they think of the Red Roost.”

The restaurant’s history traces back to Frank and Peggy Palmer, who moved to the Delmarva Peninsula in 1971 from Hyattsville, Maryland to open the former campground.

But due to situations out of their control — namely a 1973 oil embargo — Frank Palmer began to dabble in steaming crabs and local corn.

Soon that experiment — along with a special recipe for fried chicken — sprouted into the Palmer family opening the Red Roost Restaurant in 1974. The family successfully managed and ran the restaurant until 1996, when brothers John and Tom Knorr took over the business while keeping the legacy alive.

“The great thing about the tradition, it started here in 1974 and it is still the same,” Chambers said. “The building is the same, the atmosphere and the signature dishes are the same. Consistency is a hard thing to do in 2024, especially in the restaurant business. But John and Tom have been able to do that.”

The menu has not drastically changed in 50 years, with the steamed crabs, crab cakes and shrimp items remaining favorites of patrons.

“We’ve modified the menu some over the years, but the concept just works,” owner John Knorr said. “I mean, people come to the Eastern Shore to eat crabs.”

One special guest at the March 15 ribbon cutting was founder Peggy Palmer. Palmer said she knew of patrons who came down from Baltimore every week just to eat the crabs on the menu.

“It was always a shock that it was successful,” Palmer said. “Unbelievable.”
Knorr said he is amazed that people continue to flock to the restaurant plastered with dollar bills every year, even with its rural Wicomico Couty location.

“People just come back year after year, week after week,” Knorr said. “It’s just amazing. When we bought it, our opening night we didn’t advertise it or anything. We wanted to get a week or so under our belts.

“I walked outside. The parking lot was packed. And it has been like that every year.”
Chambers said one reason the Knorr brothers are so successful is that they know not to mess with a good thing.

“Thankfully, they haven’t tried to mess with it,” Chambers said. “They’ve got a great recipe, and they are sticking with it.”

Reach Managing Editor Richard Caines at rcaines@iniusa.org.