Ocean City Boardwalk offers a ton of restaurants and food stands for hungry and thirsty folks “strolling the boards.” In addition to favorites like funnel cakes, slushies, ice cream and pizza, you’ll find national chains and bars that serve beer by the bucket. Here’s a sampling of spots that have stood the test of time.

At the south end of the Boardwalk sits the legendary Thrasher’s French Fries. Claiming to be the mother of all Boardwalk fries, Thrasher’s has been feeding hungry beachgoers for almost 100 years. The potatoes are fresh cut and deep-fried in peanut oil and served by the cup or in a huge popcorn bucket to share. They’re both crispy and tender and wonderfully greasy. By tradition, douse them in salt and cider vinegar. (Don’t even ask for ketchup as Thrasher’s believes it masks the flavor of the potatoes.)
The Wrapper is something of a newcomer to the boards, surviving a decade of summers to date. The concept is simple genius: fresh-baked soft pretzels stuffed with almost anything you can imagine. Choose from sausage, chicken, vegetables, fruit, cheeses and dipping sauces — premade or in your own combination, which takes about 10 minutes to bake. I chose spinach, artichoke and feta, which was awesome. This is perfect handheld snack for strolling.

Fisher’s Popcorn is another century-old beach landmark, still run by the same family. The caramel popcorn is the perfect mix of salty and sweet, and you can even get it with peanuts. The white cheddar is sharp and buttery and will leave your fingers thick with cheese dust. (Yeah, I licked it off.)

Now are you ready for dessert?

Jessica’s Fudge House is a tiny candy shop surrounded by carnival rides and games at the south end of the Boardwalk. The shop is famous for rich and creamy fudge, homemade marshmallows covered in caramel (called caramellos) and huge chocolate-covered strawberries on a stick. My favorite is plump blueberries covered in chocolate, also served on a stick.

Dolle’s might be the oldest culinary landmark on the beach, dating back to 1910. Its fame began with the fresh saltwater taffy made on-site, but you’ll also find homemade caramels, chocolates, fudge and caramel popcorn. For a unique specialty, try the ooey-gooey and delicious chocolate-covered saltwater taffy.

Wockenfuss Candies is a Maryland institution and another multi-generation family-run business. It opened in Baltimore in 1885 and has two shops on the Boardwalk. Glass cases tempt you with homemade chocolates and candies. Traditional favorites include saltwater taffy and taffy pops, creamy fudge, peanut butter kisses and homemade chocolates in every variety imaginable. Specialties include chocolate-covered honeycombs, caramels and creams and perfect-for-strolling chocolate-covered strawberries on a stick. 

In addition to offering several Ocean City restaurants including a drive-in, Dumser’s Dairyland has been a fixture since 1939 on the south end of the Boardwalk. Enjoy rich and creamy soft-serve ice cream on a cone and thick milkshakes, malts and floats.  My favorite since childhood is the dip-cone featuring a chocolate, cherry or peanut-butter flavoring that hardens to a crispy shell around the creamy ice cream.