Although it’s alliterative, Baltimore and barbecue haven’t historically been known to go together. (Save for pit beef, of course, but even that has been labeled by some as not being “real barbecue.”) We’re obviously a city better known for our seafood, but, as senior contributor Mike Unger explored in this archived story, Charm City’s barbecue scene has made serious strides.

As the summer heat comes through to slow cook you, you might find yourself craving some fingerlickin’ fare, and there are all kinds of stellar spots in the area with a solution or two.

George Marsh, owner of Heritage Smokehouse* on York Road in Govans, says that Baltimore’s separation from barbecue country grants chefs in the area more creative liberty.

“Maryland’s kind of an interesting state because everybody’s been to different places, and since we don’t have our own style, I think people’s expectations for what they’re gonna get are a bit more open when they come to a barbecue place, which helps us,” Marsh explains. “That way we don’t have people coming in angry because we’re not we’re not following the rules for the region. If I was in Texas, and I was trying to do some outside-of-the normal Texas barbecue, I might be run out of town. Here, I kind of have the freedom to do whatever I want.”

Marsh isn’t the only chef in town helping our smokin’ scene to thrive. We put together a list of some of the best local joints to satisfy your ‘cue cravings:

Andy Nelson’s: You can’t miss the fiberglass pig that sits atop this pit palace overlooking York Road. Owned by its namesake, former Baltimore Colts player Andy Nelson (who can still be found taste-testing the hickory smoked barbecue from time to time), the spot offers a mix of Memphis-style dishes and family recipes passed down by Nelson’s father, Guy Nelson, a barbecuer from Alabama. The eatery features meats including wet or dry Memphis-style ribs, pulled pork, chicken, turkey, and beef of all kinds. Don’t forget some Southern sides like cole slaw, collard greens, and cornbread to round out the meal. 11007 York Rd., Cockeysville

Big Bad Wolf’s House of Barbecue: Inside this little yellow brick house, no little piggies are safe. But if we’re getting into semantics, neither are cows, chickens, or catfish. While pork ribs might be the first thing on the menu, there’s also beef ribs, barbecue chicken, and tons of sandwiches. The restaurant’s signature dish, the “Big Bad Wolf,” is two parts piggy (pulled pork and hickory smoked bacon) and one part beef brisket. Give it a try to see if it huffs, puffs, and blows your taste buds away. 5713 Harford Rd.

Blacksauce Kitchen: It only takes one bite of the mouthwatering biscuit sandwiches—often overflowing with shredded smoked meats—from this fan-favorite purveyor to get you hooked. On Thursdays and Saturdays, chef Damian Mosley and his team serve their rotating menu of smoked specialties (think: beef back ribs with peach-mustard barbecue sauce, skirt steak with chimichurri, and seven-spice wings) from Blacksauce’s Remington storefront, as well as at the Waverly Farmers Market on Saturdays. 401 W. 29th St. 

Blue Pit BBQ & Whiskey Bar: Husband and wife team David Newman and Cara Bruce named their Hampden hangout after their blue pitbull, Sakai, who sadly passed away earlier this summer. They pay homage to its doggy origins with a Fido-friendly back patio (good-dogs only!), where pups celebrating a birthday can enjoy a sausage and make an appearance on the dog selfie board. But, of course, the real focus is on feeding the humans. Blue Pit offers unique preparations like its Zeke’s coffee-rubbed brisket, bourbon-glazed St. Louis pork ribs, “Pimento Piggle” sandwich, and pulled jackfruit with vegan-friendly slaw. You can wash it all down with a top-notch cocktail from the lauded bar. 1601 Union Ave.

Chap’s Pit Beef: Though it now has three locations, this local chain came from humble beginnings with lots of family history. Owner Bob Creager opened Chap’s in 1987 after his father-in-law, Gus Glava, invested in the restaurant to help Creager jump ship from a steel mill job. Creager named the spot after Glava’s Southwest-style nightclub called Chap’s. The eatery is known far and wide for its pit beef sandwiches (be sure to top them with the signature Tiger Sauce—a mixture of horseradish and mayo), as well as turkey, pork, and ribs. Multiple locations including 720 Mapleton Ave.

Charcoal Grill: This 30-year-old fixture serves up its beloved pit beef. But they offer a lot more, too. The Grill also highlights smoked ham, smoked turkey, slow-cooked pulled chicken, and ribs. 8535 Old Harford Road, Parkville.

Heritage Smokehouse: If you haven’t yet slapped on a bib at chef George Marsh’s charmingly quirky pit palace in Govans, all we can say is run, don’t walk. The spot, open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday, is known for hits like snappy sausages, beef brisket, shaved pork loin, pork spare ribs, and smoked chicken. (Hungry carnivores can also go for the “Ron Swanson” special—a nod to the meat-hungry character on Parks & Recreation which is essentially a huge plate of all the meats on offer.) Marsh also offers more chef-driven plates (think: pork jowl terrine with pickled beets and cornishons) and an array of sides. (Trust us: order the baked mac and cheese.) Be sure to get a tiki cocktail for good measure, too. 5800 York Road. 

Jake’s Grill: Jake Davis has been running this Cockeysville restaurant since taking over from his father around 2008. The so-called “Best-Kept BBQ Secret in Baltimore,” (oops) prides itself on its tight-knit, familial atmosphere. Jake’s hits all the cornerstones with customer favorites like ribs, pit beef, pork sandwiches, and sausages. Do yourself a favor and order a few of the traditional sides, like mac and cheese and coleslaw, too. 11950 Falls Rd., Cockeysville.

Mission BBQ: Bill Kraus and Steve “Newt” Newton started this local chain on Sept 11, 2011 on the 10-year anniversary of 9/11. The debut was a fitting start to their patriotic mission of serving first-responders of all kinds, including soldiers, firefighters, and police. Mission BBQ’s many fast-casual locations, everywhere from Canton to Owings Mills, offer all of the essentials including brisket, pulled pork, turkey, chicken, sausage, and ribs. You might even have spotted their huge barbecue army trucks catering events around town. Multiple locations including 3710 Boston St. 

Soul Smoked BBQ: Headquartered at the Bmore Made with Pride commercial kitchen on Harford Road, this roving smokehouse—founded by siblings Samara Greene-Scott and Christopher Heaggans in 2021—routinely pops up everywhere from the Baltimore and Fells Point farmers markets to the B&O Railroad Museum. Pitmaster Greene-Scott—a hospitality veteran who runs the business with her wife, Brandi—has been known to serve up favorites such as thick ribs, smoked barbecue chicken, brisket sandwiches, mac and cheese, and yellow rice. Creative specials on the eatery’s evolving menu have included nachos topped with collard greens and baked beans, sticky burnt ends, blackened salmon cakes, and quesadillas stuffed with smoky meats and mac and cheese. 6617 Harford Road.

Wieland’s Barbecue: Mark Wieland, a backyard barbecue cook-turned-pro, works out of a custom trailer with a huge rotisserie smoker that’s located by Tastee Zone and Oakland Liquors in Catonsville. Wieland offers two menus–a preorder lineup of barbecued meats like brisket and pulled pork, as well as a walk-up menu that has signature sandwiches dripping with sweet sauces. Some Saturdays, you can enjoy your barbecue while grooving to live music at Wieland’s Summer Concerts. 1715 Edmondson Ave., Catonsville. 

MD State BBQ Bash: We’d be remiss without mentioning this fan-favorite fundraiser. The Bel Air Downtown Alliance is back with its biggest event of the year Oct. 9-10. In this barbecue festival, 50 teams cook up their best batches in the Maryland State BBQ Championship for a chance to win cash and a spot in the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue in Tennessee, as well as The American Royal in Missouri. Also, the festival’s Tailgate Challenge will feature more than 40 ametuer teams going head-to-head for the best ribs and chicken to win cash and prizes. With live music and the East Coast’s best barbecue, it’s an epicurean event you won’t want to miss (and did we mention admission is free?). Oct. 9-10, 2 S. Bond St. Downtown Bel Air.

*Editor’s Note May 2026: Heritage Smokehouse owners George and Jenn Marsh recently announced that this will be their last summer in Govans. Though they will not renew their lease and plan to close in August, they are looking into other locations and opportunities for Heritage to live on.

10/29: Port to Fort 6K
Run into Fort McHenry for one of the only races with access to this historic landmark. The Believe in Tomorrow Children’s Foundation is hosting the race for the 26th year, and proceeds will help them provide hospital and re- spite housing to critically ill children and their families. The event also includes a DJ, trick or treating, pumpkin painting, and a flower giveaway for the runners. $15-30, 1215 E. Fort Ave., Baltimore

10/3: 10th Annual Men’s College Basketball Tip-Off
At this event, baseball meets basketball in a big way. After lunch, guests can listen in on a panel discussion moderated by ESPN basketball analyst Jay Bilas. And Maryland sports fans rejoice, because the panel features Cal Ripken Jr. and University of Maryland head coach Kevin Willard. Proceeds from the fundraiser support the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation’s efforts to serve at-risk youth and communities. Price TBD, 700 Aliceanna St., Baltimore

10/8: Toys for Tots Charity Car & Bike Show
Drive down to the Pikesville Armory grounds in your best ride, and donate some toys, because the Pikesville Armory’s Toys for Tots program is hosting a car show for a good cause. Place your car in one of the many categories to be judged and have your chance at a trophy. Choose to list your wheels under hot rod, 1930, stock, race car, custom, truck, racing bike, chopper, and many more. $5 with a toy, $10 without, 610 Reisterstown Road, Pikesville

10/8: Sunset Stroll by the Sea with CLP
Take a walk by the beach at Sandy Point State Park with the Chesapeake Language Project (CLP). Guests will journey with a park ranger as they explore the park’s paths and finish the day with a sunset on the beach. Proceeds from the event will help CLP expand educational opportunities to Maryland’s immigrant students. Free, 1100 E. College Parkway, Annapolis

10/22: Rock ‘N’ Roll Bash
If you ever wanted to help people through head-banging, this could be your chance. Join the Casey Cares Foundation at Rams Head Live. Proceeds will help the foundation arrange fun and uplifting programs for critically ill children and their families. The legendary lineup features the AC/DC tribute band, High Voltage, as well as the genre-defying 19th Street Band and returning guest Christine Ohlman from the Saturday Night Live Band. Price TBD, 20 Market Place.

10/22: Walk to End Alzheimer’s
Walk with a purpose at the Hunt Valley Towne Centre with the Alzheimer’s Association, an organization that fundraises for Alzheimer’s care, support, and research. Participants can carry one of their signature pinwheel flowers to show support for those struggling with the dis- ease. Don’t just walk, but fundraise too, because participants who raise $100 through the End Alzheimer’s mobile app can win a T-shirt. Free, 118 Shawan Road, Hunt Valley

10/29: Night at the Grove
Celebrate with the 29th Street Community Center at the Peabody Heights Brewery as part of its annual fundraiser. 29th Street Youth Performers will entertain with visual and dance performances, and you can perform yourself with some karaoke. The event also features a live and silent auction, so bid blissfully knowing that the proceeds will help fund the center’s community building efforts. $50, 401 E. 30th St., Baltimore

11/12: Le Diner Bleu
For this black-tie (optional) event everyone must wear something ‘bleu.’ Shhh…It’s in a secret location. But don’t let the mystery fool you, the winter gala is for a good cause. The Tinina Q. Cade Foundation is hosting this fundraiser to help families overcome infertility. Enjoy your dinner with a DJ, dancing, and silent auction. And attendees, fear not. You will learn of its location six hours before it starts. $100-210, Secret Location, Baltimore

11/18: Taste of SUCCESS
Come bash with The SUCCESS Project, Inc. for its annual banquet. As an organization that’s dedicated to helping low-to-moderate income families achieve independence through free resources, all proceeds from the dinner will benefit their programs. Dance to the DJ and dine on food from local vendors. Bid on the silent auction or place your bets in the Thrill of Possibility Casino Room. $75-700, 501 E. Churchville Road, Bel Air

POSTPONED: Hebda Foundation Gala
A night of food, music and more awaits you at the Zachary Hebda Foundation’s Gala at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Enjoy some hors d’oeuvres while you bid on live and silent auctions or try your luck in the raffle. The proceeds will go to support pediatric cancer research at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and Camp Sunrise, a summer camp for children with cancer. $100, 550 Taylor Ave., Annapolis

Aiming to mimic the night markets that are well known in East Asia—where their families are originally from—organizers of the Asia Collective Night Market will offer an array of food, performances, and activities when the event comes to the Howard County Fairgrounds this Saturday, August 20.

The all-out celebration of Asian food and culture, running from 2-11 p.m., will host more than 50 restaurants from around the DMV, including local favorites Blowfish Poke, Water Song Yunnan Kitchen, NiHao, Mayuree Thai Tavern, Charming Elephant, Ejji, and Ekiben. But the market will also present an opportunity to sample new bites from Baltimore neighbors, such as Washington, D.C.’s 1914 by Kolben or Donutchew out of Fairfax, Virginia.

Co-founder Sophie Shi—who works in social media, marketing, and contract management—says the goal of the event is to create an immersive experience that will help familiarize attendees with AAPI food, arts, and culture. Shi specifically hopes that families can share the experience together and connect one-on-one with vendors.

“I think food is one of the things, probably one of the easiest things, to connect communities,” says Yumin Gao, another co-founder who is managing the artists, performers, and merch vendors. “People are interested in learning about Asian culture and celebrating Asian heritage, so this is a great event for them to get together, maybe step out of their comfort zone a little bit, and try different things.”

Ben Wang, who deals with outreach and logistics for food vendors and sponsors, says that the team was first inspired to start their own night market after visiting D.C.’s Redeye Market in November 2021. There, tens of thousands of customers flocked to sample bites from just under 50 purveyors. The overcrowded event caused a large social media backlash, according to Washington City Paper, after it sent many attendees into other overflowing D.C. restaurants.

“By seven o’clock, everybody was running out of food,” Wang recalls. “Everywhere was crowded, and people were waiting one hour in line just to get food from one vendor.”

The group believed they could turn the tide and improve the experience for customers and vendors alike. So in December, they began searching for venues and consulted with organizers from Baltimore’s Charm City Night Market—which hosted events honoring the city’s historic Chinatown in 2018 and 2019—for advice. Since January, they’ve been recruiting vendors and securing sponsorships.

“It’s a small team, so we’ve really tried to contribute as much as we can to push things forward,” Gao says.

Wang says that the $10 price of admission will allow organizers to finance management, location, staffing, and parking, fostering an overall great experience for attendees.

Adds Gao: “We really want every single vendor to succeed and sell out—that’s our hope.”

For restaurants, the pandemic necessitated new and alternative business models like ghost kitchens and pop-ups. Wang points out that large-scale events are especially accommodating to those formats.

“The Asian community has a good amount of presence and impact in the small business scene,” Wang says, “and our event can definitely help bring more traffic and awareness to those small businesses.”

While visitors enjoy their food, they can also catch performances including Filipino martial arts from the Filipino Kali Academy and Cambodian dance from Khmer Performing Arts and Culture. There will also be a live music lineup kicked off by guitarist Steve Hung and closed by singer-songwriter Jae Jin.

Attendees looking for more hands-on programming can explore Chinese painting workshops, Japanese tea tasting, Persian calligraphy demos, Korean paper fan making, and 15 nonprofit stands—most of which will have free services focused on promoting their respective cultures.

Generally, the West Coast and New York are better known for their night markets, and aside from the Charm City Night Market and Redeye, there’s been a vacancy around the DMV, so the organizers want to provide locals with the market they’ve been missing.

“My parents are from China, but I grew up in America and I lived in the Midwest and experienced racism, but here, I feel like there’s a much larger AAPI community, and culture and heritage is much more celebrated,” Shi shares. “I’m really excited for us to celebrate our culture, celebrate the vendors, and just really get together as a community. Hopefully it will make people more aware of the AAPI community.”

Though planning the inaugural event hasn’t come without its challenges, the organizers hope to make the night market an annual occurrence.

“It’s been an overwhelming journey, but in the end, we’re all very excited to present what we have,” Wang says. “We hope it will be a great experience for everybody.”

I cast my fishing line along some sunken tree trunks near a small island at the Loch Raven Reservoir. If you’re traveling southwest across the Dulaney Valley Bridge, you can spot it on the right, poking out near the shore. As I reeled in my spinnerbait, I felt a brief tug and figured the hook had caught a submerged branch. On my second cast, something huge attacked my bait with an explosive bite. I reeled it in closer, staring in disbelief at the fish’s peculiar head as it breached the surface. 

“Get the net!” I yelled to my brother, Skeet, who was fly-fishing behind me. “I’ve got a snakehead!”

I cheered as he scooped up the ferocious fish and brought it to the shore, never expecting to catch one so far northwest. As I worked the hook from its toothy mouth with a pair of pliers, a realization struck me: If there is a snakehead this big and this far into Loch Raven, they must be all over the reservoir. And, if they are becoming more invasive, should we be eating them?

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) says yes. 

This year marks two decades since the first snakehead was discovered in Maryland at a pond in Crofton. Since then, they’ve become increasingly easier to catch, having settled into major waterways connected to the Bay, including the Potomac, Patuxent, and Susquehanna rivers, among others, according to the DNR. They originate from Asia and Africa, and while there are a few species that have made a home in the U.S., Maryland’s only genre is the Northern Snakehead—which has patterned skin that resembles a python, eyes near the front and top of the head, and long dorsal and anal fins.

Although there are various opinions on snakeheads, the DNR, experts, and many anglers share common concerns regarding how they might impact our ecosystem. As a top predator with a big appetite, the main worry is that snakeheads could outcompete, displace, and over-consume native fish. Female snakeheads can reproduce several times a year, rearing 40,000 to 100,000 eggs at a time. They even use a special organ to breathe air, allowing them to live in water with low oxygen content and survive on land for several days, as long as they stay damp.

“Snakeheads are just fish that don’t belong in North America,” says Joseph Love, a DNR program manager with freshwater fisheries who works with snakeheads. “Are there impacts? Of course. They’re a top predator. Are they going to eat away all of the species in the Chesapeake Bay? No. Are they causing extinctions? No. But they’re an invasive fish that we’re trying to manage in the Bay.”

In attempts to mitigate the fish’s prolific spread, the DNR has promoted its reporting, capture, and harvest—even recently starting a program where anglers can win money for catching tagged snakeheads, which could help the DNR track their populations, according to The Washington Post. Advertising snakeheads as something to eat has been at the core of the DNR’s efforts, and they’ve even published videos to guide people through targeting and fileting the fish.

The star of one of those videos is watermen Caz Kenny, perhaps the state’s most prominent advocate for fishing snakeheads and the co-founder of Blackwater’s Edge—a local group dedicated to educating people about snakeheads that has its own Facebook page and podcast. (The group also hosts frequent snakehead fishing tournaments, the most recent being one that was held in Annapolis on July 30.) Kenny remembers catching his first three snakeheads in Dorchester County near the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in 2009. Since then, he says he has noticed a major decline in certain native populations at his home on the Eastern Shore.

“You couldn’t stand on my pier at night 10 years ago and hear us talk to one another,” Kenny says. “Today, you walk out there and you’re lucky to hear four or five frogs chirping in the whole branch.”

A 2019 study from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service and the DNR found that out of 21 species of fish in the Blackwater River watershed, 17 species saw population declines ranging from 30-97 percent when compared to a 2006-2007 survey that was conducted before snakeheads were introduced there. 

For that reason, as the DNR suggests, one of the best ways to curb the snakehead’s impact on other Chesapeake Bay wildlife is to eat it. 

“The nice thing about invasive species is they’re like the one protein you should be cooking,” says chef Zack Mills of True Chesapeake Oyster Co. in Hampden, specifically mentioning snakehead and blue catfish. “[It’s like] if you’re eating farm-raised oysters—you’re recycling the shells and you’re actually restoring the environment and doing good. It’s the same with cooking invasive species. The more of these bad boys we pull out of the water, the better the water’s going to do.”

Snakeheads bear a pink and white meat that can be cooked in any number of ways. Mills describes the taste as having a mild flavor with a texture that is not as firm as rockfish, but not as lean as halibut. Chad Wells, executive chef at Walker’s Tap and Table in Howard County, describes the meat as much less oily than rockfish, and agrees its consistency is much more lean and loose. Younger and smaller snakeheads actually tend to have leaner flesh, yield a higher percentage of meat, and often taste better, compared to full grown ones, Wells adds.

Mills has had a snakehead dish on the menu at his Hampden restaurant since opening in 2019. He typically chicken-fries the fish, soaking it in buttermilk and battering it in flour before frying. He purposefully uses the familiar recipe to make the otherwise unfamiliar fish more approachable to diners looking to expand their horizons. 

“It sells really well,” says Mills, an Anne Arundel County native known for his expertise in regional cuisine. “If we keep it on the menu through the fall and availability gets spotty, we’ll actually sell out on some days.” 

As the DNR suggests, one of the best ways to curb the snakehead’s impact on other Chesapeake Bay wildlife is to eat it. 

Though Wells doesn’t currently serve snakehead at Walker’s Tap and Table, he says he was the first person in the country to legally serve it in 2012. His snakehead recipes—which he offered when he previously helmed the kitchen at Alewife before it closed downtown in 2018—were even featured on TV shows including Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives and Bizarre Foods. Much like Mills, Wells has been known to serve snakeheads through approachable recipes that are tailored to his cooking style. He’s used snakehead in fish tacos, fried it to make fish and chips, and also created a Southwest-style snakehead cake (similar to a crab cake or coddie) served over a corn and bacon salad with an avocado and dill puree, according to WYPR. 

“I was like, well, if they’re a problem and they’re expanding, why aren’t we eating them?” Wells says. 

Besides cooking snakeheads, he is also an avid fisherman who enjoys catching them himself: “I don’t believe in killing a living thing just for the sake of killing it,” he says. “I believe in taking what you’re given as an ingredient with purpose. I believe in responsible harvest with all living things.”

Kenny of Blackwater’s Edge, who sells whole snakehead at his seafood restaurant The Crab Stand in Parkton, says he personally eats the fish three to four times per week. Among his favorite recipes is fried snakehead. To make it, he cuts his filets into strips or nuggets and batters them in a mixture of House Audrey seafood seasoning, stone ground white flour, a teaspoon of chicken seasoning, and half of a teaspoon of Old Bay. 

Kenny also follows his crab cake recipe to make snakehead cakes. He broils whole, skin-on filets, then breaks up the meat by hand before combining it with crushed up saltines and Ritz crackers. After that, he forms the mixture into cakes and pan-fries them in olive oil. 

“If you like jumbo lump crab meat, then you’ll love snakehead,” Kenny says. “That’s my trademark line. If I can get you to try it one time, you’ll eat it for the rest of your life.”

Also of note: Eddie Bramble, who co-founded Blackwater’s Edge with Kenny and fellow angler Gary Smith, sells a “Cheese-Snake” sub at his post-hunt hangout Woolford Store in Dorchester County. 

“If I can get you to try it one time, you’ll eat it for the rest of your life,” says Kenny.

So what if you’re not an angler, but want to prepare them at home? Stephanie Pazzaglia, a business development manager at Maryland’s own seafood wholesaler and distributor J.J. McDonnell & Co., says that snakeheads are usually only available fresh in the spring and summer, though J.J. McDonnell freezes and refreshes them for the winter months.

But it’s not the easiest product to push. Pazzaglia says the media and the public have given snakeheads a negative reputation over the years by describing them as “Frankenfish.” Many curious customers get turned off by the fish’s name, which is why, in the past, J.J. McDonnell called on the FDA to allow them to refer to the fish as “Chesapeake Channa,” a play on its scientific name. 

“If there weren’t people wary about it, I think that it would actually be more expensive,” Pazzaglia says, “because it is a very good tasting fish.”

If people can get past the unattractive exterior, the overall hope is that it can lead to a more sustainable future. 

“I think that snakehead is kind of the sexy poster child for invasive species,” Wells says. “To a lot of people, it’s their Bigfoot.”

Snowballs are traditionally made from a simple recipe: crushed ice, flavored syrup, and maybe a dollop of marshmallow fluff. (Either on top or in the center—we don’t judge.) No matter your preference, one might think there aren’t many ways to alter a snowball, save for adding a few more, or a few less, squirts of syrup.

But this summer, local stands are offering some wild takes on the classic treat.

Take longtime favorite Opie’s in Catonsville, for example. The roadside shack recently took Baltimore’s favorite snowball, the classic egg custard with marshmallow, and topped it with a sprinkle of Baltimore’s favorite spice, Old Bay.

Opie’s manager Chloe Corbitt—daughter of owner John Corbitt, more fondly known as the namesake Opie—says that she is testing the flavor out for the first time this summer. “I actually saw an idea on Facebook about it,” she says, “so then I tried it, and I enjoyed it. I thought it was delicious, and it just tasted like Maryland.”

The neighborhood spot is also known for its “Snowcream,” a four-layered alternating stack of crushed ice and soft-serve ice cream. Corbitt says customers order tons of wacky combinations, but one of the most popular is sour apple ice with vanilla ice cream and caramel topping. 

“It’s just cool that everybody around here knows what a snowball is,” Corbitt says. “It’s just a Baltimore thing.”

Opie’s isn’t the only one innovating the glacial treat. Although it might make some purists cringe, we’ve rounded up some other stands that are mixing up the ice in their own, outside-of-the-box way this season:

The Bus Stop: While this neighborhood place on the grounds of Spring Meadow Farms in Upperco is perhaps best known for its extreme milkshakes, owners Brooke and Jeff Schnorr go all out on their snowballs, too. If you feel like going big for a snowball that bites back, you might be interested in the signature “Shark Week” snowball. Served in a fishbowl with a skylight or blueberry ice base—and a few pumps of shark attack syrup (a fruity red flavor, similar to Tiger’s Blood)—the treat is topped with gummy sharks and only available during Shark Week, which kicks off July 24 this year. They also have some special snowball flavors for Christmas in July, including eggnogg and butter beer. 15513 Hanover Pike, Upperco.

Emmorton Snowballs & Ice Cream: This Bel Air stalwart offers a frozen take on the classic candy bar with its Snickers snowball. Manager Jamie Covington says the treat has a chocolate crushed ice base topped with peanut butter sauce and caramel. They also have a special drink called a “Snowshake”—a mix of snowball and ice cream that apparently ends up tasting somewhere between a milkshake and a smoothie. One of the most popular flavors is the Butterbeer Snowshake. 101 E. Wheel Rd., Bel Air.

Ice Queens: Melanie Kabia, the self-described “mom-ager” of this snowball shop in Locust Point, says its most popular snowball is the strawberry shortcake. It’s a strawberry and strawberry cheesecake-flavored snowball mixed with hand dipped vanilla ice cream. The base gets topped with fresh cut strawberries, a New Orleans- style condensed sweet cream drizzle, whipped cream, graham cracker crumbles, and vanilla wafers. If that’s not enough to entice you, they also offer mocktail snowballs, including “Margarita Tea,” “Pina Colada Supreme,” and “Strawberry Daiquiri Royale.” 1648 E. Fort Ave.

Icy-Sno: Kay Austin—the owner, operator, and founder of this snowball stand on Belair Road, better known to regulars as “Aunt Kay”—has some custom mixes that are meant to be edible odes to your favorite pop culture figures. The fan-favorite Bob Marley snowball blends strawberry, lime, and mango to mimic the Jamaican flag.  And the Winnie the Pooh snowball mixes strawberry, vanilla, and sometimes marshmallow to taste just as soft and cuddly as the classic cartoon looks. 7542 Belair Rd., Nottingham.

One Sweet Moment: This Hamilton mainstay recently added a new, rare item to its repertoire. Technically it’s not a snowball, but it’s inspired by one. Noticing the high demand for egg custard—a best seller, according to part-owner Lindsey Carlo—OSM decided to create its own egg custard soft-serve. It’s a relatively thicker ice cream due to its high fat content, and it’s churned in house since it couldn’t be found anywhere else. You could even try it on top of an egg custard snowball to double the creamy flavor while blending the textures. 2914 Hamilton Ave.

Quality Snowballs: The spot to savor some of the wildest snowballs around is this shipping container-turned-snowball stand on the Avenue in Hampden. “If it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing,” says owner Chad Gauss, also the chef behind The Food Market across the street. One of Quality’s most popular selections is the “Half Baked Blondie,” a butterscotch snowball with real half-baked blondie trimmings from its sister-restaurant topped with toasted marshmallow, caramel, and chocolate. Another favorite is the fried ice cream snowball, which tops vanilla ice with a scoop of actual fried ice cream. Pro tip: try your best to order off of the secret menu, which offers hidden inventions made by employees. 1014 W. 36th St.

Snoasis: When the temperatures rise up into the eighties or above, customers go mad for Snoasis’ wine cooler and strawberry daiquiri-flavored snowballs, according to owner Tom Hays. (To clarify, these typically tipsy treats are non-alcoholic at the family-friendly Cockeysville stand.) Snoasis also offers two kinds of soft-serve and snowball mixtures. First is the “Snowstorm,” a snowball of any flavor sandwiched between vanilla soft-serve ice cream on the top and bottom. The other is the  “Mudslide,” which is essentially the same, but with chocolate ice cream instead of vanilla. 35-79 Parks Ave. Cockeysville.

Need more inspo? Visit our Ultimate Snowball Guide for a comprehensive list of snowball stands in the area.