Baltimore County’s Summer Restaurant week kicks off this Friday, July 10th and runs through Sunday, July 19th. This is a chance to explore the County’s dining options with a fixed price menu option. The majority of restaurants offer dinner specials, while some also have a separate lunch special menu. While not always the case, our family has found that these menu’s usually offer slightly discounted pricing. Here in Northern Baltimore County, these local favorites are participating:

A full list of participating restaurants can be found here.

While the drive up to Blueberry Hill is just under 40 minutes from Hereford, it may just be worth the trip this Saturday. Whether your family is dreaming of blueberry pancakes, warm muffins, homemade cobbler, or simply enjoying fresh blueberries by the handful, you’ll have plenty to bring home.

The festival features local food vendors, artisan pop ups, live music, and, of course, plenty of fresh blueberries ripe for the picking. Families are welcome to bring lawn chairs and picnic blankets to relax and enjoy the music. Vendors will be on site from 10 AM to 3 PM, though you are welcome to come as early as 8 AM to start your picking.

This Saturday is self-pick only, with blueberries priced at $5 per pound. Blueberry Hill is cash only, so plan accordingly. If you’re curious which vendors will be in attendance, they’ve been highlighting different ones on their Facebook page.

When our family went to bed on the Fourth of July, we were hopeful that we would wake up to electricity. The storms that rolled through that evening had knocked out the power, and we had used all the water left in the well tank (a story for another time). When the flick of the light switch did nothing the next morning, we decided it was time to pack up the kids and head out in search of breakfast.

We didn’t have a place in mind, but were in the mood for something new as we headed towards Bel Air. We ended up parking in a lot off Main Street and found our way to the Sunny Day Cafe. The place was full of charm, inside and out. Tables with umbrellas were set up for patrons who preferred outdoor dining. Given that our family just survived the night with no AC, we opted for the cool chill of indoor dining.

Inside is a long and narrow cafe. The option for counter seating gives off neighborhood diner vibes, while still offering table seating. We recommend going early, as the place filled up, doesn’t take reservations, and there is limited table seating inside for parties of more than two.

We were thoroughly impressed with the menu, and feel confident that the entire family can find something they will be excited about. Avocado toast, belgian waffles, eggs benedict, oreo cookie pancakes, croissants, traditional omlettes; the list goes on and on! And we haven’t even gotten to the crepe menu, which includes plenty of sweet and savory options.

The cafe does not have a kids menu, so you’ll need to order them a standard dish or build the kids breakfasts a-la carte. Our kids shared an egg and one of the enormous biscuits. As a table we split a side of bacon, I crafted my own omelette, and my husband ordered the veggie omelette. We couldn’t leave without trying one of the famous crepes, so we all split the Nutty Monkey (nutella + banana). While we can’t speak to the lunch options, they have a mix of sandwiches, burgers, crab cakes, salads and more.

All of the food was delicious and I particularly appreciated the free refills of iced coffee following a busy Independence Day. The Sunny Day Cafe is located at 101 South Main Street in Bel Air and is open every day from 7 AM to 3 PM. Check out the menu.