OPEN
Bar Dalí: This neighborhood tapas bar from chef Spike Gjerde has made its official debut in the former Mount Vernon Stable & Saloon on North Charles Street. The concept channels the communal spirit of the subterranean space with Spanish-inspired plates meant for sharing. Incorporating Gjerde’s commitment to local sourcing, menu highlights include pan con tomate, salt cod and potato croquetas, grilled glazed spare ribs, and eggs diablo—a play on deviled eggs with Spanish pickled vegetables and pimentón. At the bar, a deep Spanish wine list leans organic and biodynamic, Mahou Cinco Estrellas are on draft next to Natty Boh, and gin and tonics are made with Maryland’s own McClintock Forager gin.
The Barn & Lodge at The Rotunda: After more than two years of permitting delays, Blackwall Barn & Lodge has made it to Baltimore City. Anne Arundel County’s Titan Hospitality Group debuted their latest location at the Rotunda in Hampden on March 24, bringing the concept’s rustic-chic vibe to an 11,000-square-foot space in the mixed-use development. The steak and seafood-focused spot also features a “Gathering Hour” Monday through Friday from 3–6 p.m. with half-priced pizzas and $9 cocktails.
Ms. Elderberry Cafe: Kéllei Burrus—a familiar face at farmers markets and in the local wellness world since 2019—now has a home base to peddle her scratch-made syrups. She started handcrafting elderberry syrup as an affordable alternative to commercial brands, using pure ingredients like organic elderberries, local raw wildflower honey, spring water, and key limes. Now, you can find them for sale at Burrus’ new cafe in Old Goucher, which also features plant-forward products like house tea blends, pastries, and rotating soups.
Seppia: In case you missed it, the family behind La Cuchara is launching dinner service at their new Italian-inspired restaurant on the Avenue in Hampden tonight. The redesigned G.C. Murphy Five and Dime building is now a spot for diners to enjoy chef Ben Lefenfeld’s dishes inspired by his travels—from the Ligurian shore to Bologna to the Amalfi coast.
Aside from hand-pulled pastas, look out for offerings likes crispy artichoke lasagna, mafaldine with squid ink, and tuna crudo with fermented chiles and tangerines. For more on the new spot—and an update on La Cuchara, which has been closed since it suffered a fire in January—read our interview, here.
Tribe Social Cafe: With input from local artists, owner Leron Levi—a recipient of the city’s BOOST program, which provides grant funding and support to Black-owned businesses downtown—has transformed the space at 235 E. Redwood St. to be equal parts café and cultural hub. Food, coffee, and art share the spotlight, with local works lining the walls and a menu that runs morning to evening.
Breakfast includes a crab croissant with house sauce, a grilled salmon wrap with egg and avocado, and a blueberry chia granola bowl. Evenings bring coco lamb on coco bread, sea bites with cod and crab, and a Caribbean club sandwich.
Wanna Smash Bar & Grill: After rescheduling its ribbon-cutting earlier this year, this Los Angeles-based smash burger concept—known for its innuendo-heavy menu with items like The Quickie, The Cowgirl, and The Hot & Heavy—has finally opened on O’Donnell Street in Canton. From franchise owner Melvin Daniels, who is also behind Mug Shots in Federal Hill, expect extra thin Wagyu patties topped with everything from American cheese and pickles to onion rings and a signature Yum Yum sauce.
CH CH CHANGES
The Essen Room: Pikesville’s nine-year-old Jewish deli—known for its overstuffed sandwiches, matzo ball soup, and serve-yourself pickle bar—is now under new ownership. Harley and Aaron Magden, the brothers behind Mikey & Mel’s deli in Fulton and Washington, D.C., quietly took over a few weeks ago.
For now, nothing has changed with regard to the menu and staff (“If you walked in today, you wouldn’t even be able to tell that ownership has changed,” Harley says), but the brothers plan to implement expanded hours, breakfast service, and third-party delivery. A more official rebrand—with Mikey and Mel’s signature celebrity-named sandwiches and a pickle bar double the size—will come this summer, when the space expands into the 900-square-foot storefront next door.
EPICUREAN EVENTS
4/2: We Love You Baltimore Day at Mera Kitchen Collective
Worker-cooperative restaurant Mera Kitchen Collective—which started as a series of community pop-ups in 2018—is celebrating four years in its Mt. Vernon home and nearly a decade of feeding Baltimore with an all-day customer appreciation celebration. Stop in for food specials, music by DJ Atlas from 6–7 p.m., a flower pop-up, and gift card giveaways on the hour.
4/4-4/5: Asia in a Bite Fest
Sample bites and beverages from more than 40 vendors at this returning Baltimore Peninsula fest—which will highlight Asian street food including boba, skewers, and noodles, as well as live music and performances.
4/17: The Great Baltimore Seafood Feast at Boordy Vineyards
Join The Local Oyster chef Nick Schauman for an all-out feast with wine pairings at Boordy Vineyards, featuring oysters, shrimp, clams, mussels, and all the fixins’. Tickets are limited and cost $95 per person.
4/23: The Food Market Spring Wine Dinner
Speaking of wine pairings, mark your calendar for this special prix-fixe prepared by The Food Market chef Chad Gauss and guest chef Nick Pasco. The seven-course menu will accompany seasonal pours with dishes such as seared scallops with lime caviar, lobster Wellington, soft shell crab-stuffed squash blossoms, Irodori Wagyu steak with bone marrow and bleu cheese ravioli, and a “Not Dubai Chocolate” panna cotta with manuka honey. Tickets are $175 and RSVPs are required .