COMING SOON
John Brown General and Butchery: Good news for Harford County. This Cockeysville favorite known for its prime cuts of meat—as well as its coffees, pastries, sandwiches, and a must-try cheeseburger—is opening a new location on Main Street in Bel Air this summer. The store will take over the 3,000-square-foot former home of Boyd & Fulford Drugs, which operated for 127 years until closing in 2019.
“Growing up in Harford County, Main Street was always part of my life,” owner Robert Voss recently wrote on Instagram. “When we started looking for a space for a new butchery, Boyd and Fulford was my first choice, but felt like a reach. Getting to know the Streett family [the longtime owners of Boyd & Fulford] has been an honor and we couldn’t be more excited to get to work. This is exactly the kind of community we look to operate in and we can’t wait to earn your trust.”
Similar to the Falls Road flagship, John Brown in Bel Air will offer whole-animal butchery of grass-fed beef, as well as pasture-raised pork, lamb, and poultry. City dwellers may be familiar with the butchery from its meat shop/pizza concept JGBG’s, which operated in Remington for a few years in the space now inhabited by La Maison by Cafe Dear Leon.
H3irloom Food Group’s Afukaiseki Pop-Up: A new monthly tasting menu rooted in the seasonal discipline of Japanese kaiseki (a traditional multi-course dinner) and fused with the culinary legacy of the African diaspora is coming this spring from chef couple David and Tonya Thomas—the founders of H3irloom Food Group who have long been known for their culinary experiences that tell ancestral stories. For their new service, named Afukaiseki, the duo hopes to gather no more than 15 people in a “Michelin star type of experience with visuals and aesthetics.” The intimate dinners will be offered monthly, featuring 10 courses starting with small bites that progress to larger plates. Keep an eye on the H3irloom social pages for menu details and ticket links in the coming weeks.
Tipsy Scoop: As part of a big expansion to cities across the U.S., this Brooklyn-born boozy ice cream chain is opening a location on Key Highway in Federal Hill this year. Known for its fun flavors (everything from Cake Batter Vodka Martini to Chocolate Whiskey Salted Caramel), the franchise will embrace the city with locally inspired offerings like the “Orange Crush-sicle,” which uses Sagamore rye. The ice cream has ABV content, so it’s strictly for adults only.
Wanna Smash Burger: A grand opening for this burger bar from Los Angeles, known for its innuendo-heavy branding, was previously postponed. But it’s expected to cut the ribbon in Canton—taking over the former home of Shipyard Pub on the corner of O’Donnell and Baylis streets—later this month. Wanna Smash began as a hibachi concept in the San Fernando Valley before pivoting after one item—the “Happy Ending” burger—went viral, helping reframe the business around smashed patties topped with house-made sauces with cheeky names (think: The Quickie, The Cowgirl, and The Hot & Heavy). Wanna Smash follows another new Canton burger option, NYC-born 7th Street Burger, which landed on Boston Street last year.
OPEN
L&L Hawaiian: The arrival of this fast-casual Hawaiian chain—founded on O’ahu in 1952—brings a little luau to Towson. The new spot on Chesapeake Avenue showcases a popular Hawaiian plate lunch, which comes with your choice of meat (like chicken katsu, beef short ribs, Loco Moco, or Kalua pork with cabbage) paired with scoops of rice and macaroni salad. In keeping with the city’s growing love for SPAM, L&L is also now a great local option for when Spam Musubi cravings hit.
NEWS
The Temperance Flight at Burnt Hill: Last year, the siblings behind Old Westminster Winery in Carroll County debuted Burnt Hill, a regenerative farm, farm-to-table restaurant, and visionary organic winery located on their 100-plus acres in Clarksburg, about an hour outside of Baltimore. Aside from offering reservation-only curated wine experiences against the beautiful backdrop of the Appalachian Mountains, the team recently launched The Temperance Flight, which is catered to those who don’t imbibe.
Featuring a water kefir similar to kombucha in its use of SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast), a vinegar-based house shrub sweetened with honey from the farm’s apiary, and a rotating fresh-pressed grape juice, the NA flight is now available in lieu of or in addition to the Estate Wine Tasting pairings that are already on offer.
“I think of these beverages as parallels to wine. They reflect the same commitment to stewardship, care, and sense of place that defines everything we do at Burnt Hill,” wrote co-owner Drew Baker in a recent online journal entry announcing the program. “The Temperance Flight simply opens that experience to more people, in more ways, without asking anyone to compromise how they show up at the table…If Burnt Hill is truly a place of exploration, then every guest should be able to engage fully with it without sacrificing any part of the experience.”
EPICUREAN EVENTS
2/6: Carnevale at Cinghiale
If you need last-minute weekend plans (or are feeling the masquerade ball vibes after watching the new episodes of Bridgerton), this black-tie soiree in Harbor East will feature cocktails, passed bites, and bubbly before moving into a four-course Venetian feast with intimate live music performances (the BSO, led by concertmaster Jonathan Carney, will be on hand to perform Vivaldi’s Four Seasons) in between each dish.
2/9: The Smoking Swine at Woodberry Kitchen All Stars
Aptly dubbed Woodberry Kitchen All Stars, Woodberry Tavern’s new rotating pop-up series shines a spotlight on the side projects of its own staff. The second installment will feature Linton Fionn Pumphrey, son of the late Smoking Swine chef L. Drew Pumphrey, who sadly passed away one year ago. Fionn, who has been with Woodberry for about 10 months, is paying tribute to his dad’s beloved recipes with brisket, pork shoulder, chicken sandwiches, burnt end ragout, and mushroom patty melts, as well as an Old Fashioned drink collaboration with Baltimore Spirits Company. If you can’t make it to The Smoking Swine revival on Monday, WKAL pop-ups on deck include Cominda de Guerrero on Feb. 16 and and La Tias Locas Salvadorian cuisine on Feb. 23. No reservations needed.
2/20: The Long Table Supper Club with Stem & Vine
If you’re itching to taste David and Tonya Thomas’ food before their aforementioned kaiseki service drops this spring, snag tickets for their Long Table Supper Club—a new monthly pop-up series at downtown greenery and wine shop Stem & Vine. This month’s theme is Blackwater, an exploration of the waterways that were essential in Black history. The family-style meal will feature lots of seafood, as well as Maryland-grown Silver Queen corn. Tickets are $175 excluding taxes.
SHUT
The Brewer’s Art: Headlines and Reddit threads were shared far and wide Monday, when news broke that 30-year-old brewpub The Brewer’s Art had suddenly shuttered. As confirmed by The Baltimore Banner, “owner Volker Stewart informed employees by text message Monday that he was closing effective immediately due to financial problems.” “The financial strain of the last few months has worsened in recent weeks and made it impossible to continue,” he wrote in the text. “We have run out of money. I cannot pay you, please do not come in.”
In the days since, regulars have taken to social media to mourn the loss (“First Catherine O’Hara, now this sad news!!!,” one patron wrote) of the Mt. Vernon mainstay, an early pioneer in the local brewery scene that became a fast favorite for its beers (Resurrection and Beazly), burger, and cavernous basement bar. But beyond that, the community has shown and outpouring of support for staff, who were laid off without notice and without a final paycheck. Crowdfunding campaigns have been set up to support staff, and the Baltimore Bartenders Guild has offered to help workers find new homes in the local hospitality scene.