LEONARDTOWN, Md. — Leonardtown’s Town Council on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025, voted to support a liquor license transfer for The Front Porch as longtime owner Jeff Lewis moves to sell the downtown restaurant and its building.
In a unanimous vote, the council approved a letter of support to transfer The Front Porch’s Class B restaurant beer, wine and liquor license — including the existing licensed outdoor seating area — from Jeffrey Lewis LLC to MJP23, Inc., owned by Gautam Patel and Shailesh Patel. The Front Porch is at 22770 Washington St.
The Patels told officials they plan to keep the restaurant’s concept while making phased technology and cosmetic upgrades over the next two years. The transfer request is slated to go before the St. Mary’s County Alcohol Beverage Board in November.
The property is listed for sale at $2.6 million and is marked contingent on Infinitas Realty. The listing describes a historic, porch-front building of about 5,988 square feet on a corner site facing the town square, within walking distance of Leonardtown Wharf. The license transfer is handled through the county process.
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