COMING SOON
Charmed: There’s a new kid on the 800 block of North Calvert Street in Mt. Vernon. This neighborhood cafe that sits just across the street from Brew House No. 16 is expected to make its debut in March. The breakfast and lunch spot from former Riptide by the Bay manager Danae Schrock will offer an array of omelets, sandwiches, burgers, salads, and house-baked muffins and scones. Schrock will also be using her family’s classic soup, Sloppy Joe, and chocolate chip cookie recipes. “For years I’ve dreamed of opening my own little spot in the city,” she says. “I’m excited to be in Mt. Vernon and really make connections in the neighborhood.” 824 N. Calvert St.
29th Street Tavern: Fans of Swallow at the Hollow in Belvedere Square will be happy to hear that owner Aaron Reinhart is spearheading a new project in Remington. Reinhart recently took over the old Long John’s Pub space on the corner of 29th Street and Miles Avenue, and has transformed it into an updated watering hole that still maintains the building’s history and dive bar feel. Expected to open next week, 29th Street Tavern will offer Natty Boh and Monument City 51 Rye on tap, and eats including burgers, cheesesteaks, wraps, and wings. 398 W. 29th St.
The Red Star Charles Village: Big things are on the horizon this year for the team behind The Red Star Bar & Grill in Fells Point. Aside from rehabbing the old Dead End Saloon space down the block, the owners are also planning to open a second Red Star location in Charles Village this spring. The spinoff will join the likes of Honeygrow, THB Bagels & Deli, and Bird in Hand in the new Nine East 33rd student housing development near the Johns Hopkins campus. The Red Star menu is expected to mirror its flagship, featuring a variety of wraps, salads, burgers, and pizzas. 9 E. 33rd St.
Rise Biscuits Donuts: Timonium locals are anxiously awaiting the debut of this biscuit and donut destination, which will host a grand opening fundraiser benefiting the Timonium Elementary PTA on January 13. Lauded by the likes of Food & Wine magazine, the North Carolina-based chain offers biscuit sandwiches topped with everything from sausage and eggs to fried green tomatoes. The donuts are also a highlight, with flavors including maple-bacon, red velvet, chocolate cake, cinnamon twist, and classic glazed with sprinkles. 1620 York Road, Lutherville, 410-372-3171
OPEN
Food Plenty: The family behind Victoria Gastro Pub and Manor Hill Brewing premiered this long-awaited comfort food spot in Clarksville last week. Now operating in soft-opening mode for dinner service, the restaurant serves dishes including pan-roasted rockfish, bison burgers, fried chicken, and macaroni and cheese—with many ingredients sourced from the family’s 54-acre working farm located 10 minutes away in Ellicott City. Food Plenty—which is named after a Windsor Mill farm that owners Randy and Mary Marriner raised their daughters near—joins other local businesses You Pizza and Kupcakes & Co. in the new Clarksville Commons development. 12250 Clarksville Pike, Clarksville, 410-531-0411
Roll Ice Cream & Coffee: Last week, owners Jason Werner and Jessica Reyes unveiled this trendy concept that offers rolled ice cream—a dessert with roots in Asia that presses the cream flat on a cold slab, mixes it with toppings, and scrapes it in rolls into a cup. The Highlandtown shop also features local Vent coffees and pastries by Batch Bake Shop in Hamilton. 3222 Eastern Ave., 443-595-7655
EPICUREAN EVENTS
TO 1/31: Soup Month at Atwater’s
Given this week’s frigid temperatures, Atwater’s soup month couldn’t have come at a better time. The fan-favorite cafe with locations scattered everywhere from Canton to Catonsville is spotlighting its soups throughout the entire month of January, with running specials including Chili Fridays and Noodle Tuesdays. The month-long promotion will also donate 10 percent of all quarts sold to Paul’s Place, a local organization that works to provide wellness services and support programs for residents of Southwest Baltimore. To close out the month, all Atwater’s locations will offer a free cup of soup to all dine-in customers on Tuesday, January 23. Multiple locations including 3601 Boston St., 667-309-7146
NEWS
Bmore Licks: Though we happen to think that it’s never too cold for ice cream, this new Highlandtown hangout is closing up shop for the season. After a stellar first summer, management has decided to take the next few months to oversee interior renovations and test new flavors. The corner spot, which specializes in soft-serve, snowballs, and its famous ice cream nachos, is expected to reopen its doors in March. 2437 Eastern Ave.
Peter’s Inn: This cozy Fells Point dining destination suffered a tragic fire last week. The Baltimore Fire Department concluded that the blaze was ignited by a small trash fire. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but the restaurant’s interior was severely damaged. Husband-and-wife owners Karin and Bud Tiffany, who bought the space in 1995, tell us that they are in talks with their insurance company and hope for a speedy remodel in the coming weeks. 504 S. Ann St.
Chef Kiran Patnam Competing on Beat Bobby Flay: It’s always nice when the Food Network gives love to one of our own. Next week, chef Kiran Patnam of Apropoe’s inside the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront hotel will throw his hat into the ring on an episode of Beat Bobby Flay. The tournament-style competition will pit Patnam against fellow contestant Jonathan Wu to see which chef will eventually go head-to-head with Bobby Flay. Tune in on Thursday, January 11 at 10 p.m. to see if Patnam—a Culinary Academy of India grad who specializes in Indian, French, and American cuisine—can hold his own against the show’s namesake celebrity chef.