COMING SOON
Marta al Mare Sets Grand Opening Date: This Italian seafood spot from James Beard Award-nominated chef Matthew Oetting (who you can read more about in our December issue) has set a grand opening date. The sister concept to Marta in Butcher’s Hill, Marta al Mare will officially launch at Harbor Point on Thursday, Nov. 19.
“I bought [the Butcher’s Hill] property because it reminded me of the neighborhoods of Brooklyn, New York, where I was used to living,” says Oetting, who cut his teeth in New York kitchens including Michelin-starred The Modern at the Museum of Modern Art. “This almost feels like I went from that Brooklyn restaurant and then crossed the Manhattan Bridge, and now I’m in the Financial District in Manhattan.”
At Marta al Mare, expect Italian and Italian-American seafood rather than Chesapeake standards. (You won’t find a crab cake or steamed crabs here. “There’s plenty of other places if that’s what you want,” Oetting says.) Offering brunch and dinner service Tuesday through Sunday, the 78-seat spot will carry over Marta’s familiar menu structure—crudo, antipasti, pasta, entrées—with an expansion on the mains.
You can either go for individual plates (oven roasted black cod in Moscato miso sauce, scallop piccata, grilled branzino in an herb gremolata sauce) or order something shareable (stuffed dover sole, king salmon alla Florentina) from the “fish market” page.
Aside from welcoming Marta regulars and diners looking for a new brunch or dinner experience, Oetting says he’s excited to be a go-to for the 1,200 T. Rowe Price employees upstairs for business meals. Another potential highlight: he’s bought a cart with the hopes of offering caviar and martini service.
OPEN
Mighty Quinn’s BBQ: New to Columbia’s Merriweather District is this New York-based barbecue chain. Pop in while visiting the district’s ice rink and holiday festivities this year to sample staples like spare ribs, brisket sandwiches, mac and cheese fritters, burnt-end-smothered Dirty Fries with chili-lime sauce, and cinnamon-bun bread pudding.
Oohhs & Aahhs: This Washington, D.C. soul food joint has brought a Baltimore location to Broadway in Fells Point. Open for all-day brunch and dinner, Oohhs & Aahhs serves up plates of chicken and waffles, crab and shrimp fitters, catfish nuggets, turkey wings, fire-grilled shrimp, and short ribs. Of course, the local outpost offers options like honey Old Bay wings and a crab cake sandwich, which comes with sides like whipped yams, collard greens, or cornbread.
OPP Baltimore: Soon after debuting all-day spot Sunday Social with Miskiri Hospitality Group in South Baltimore, Chopped champion chef Sammy Davis Jr. has rolled out a solo venture, OPP, a few blocks over. Situated next to Riverside Taphouse on Light Street, the name of the speakeasy-style restaurant is a double entendre.
OPP stands for Oysters, Pizza & Pasta—the backbone of the menu—and Other People’s Paintings, a nod to the artful decor. (If you’re a ’90s hip-hop fan, the name also likely signals the catchy Naughty by Nature song.) Expect oysters raw and grilled, fired pies for the table, and rich seafood pastas. Presiding over the dining room is a portrait of Anthony Bourdain, a hero of Davis’s and part of the inspiration behind the place.
Pressed: Think you can’t open a restaurant in 30 days? Chef Anthony Lanasa begs to differ. He quickly got his new sandwich spot up and running in the former home of Maillard Patisserie on Chestnut Avenue in Hampden. Swing by Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for sandos including a shredded chicken panini with Old Bay honey glaze, a classic hot Italian, and turkey with cranberry pesto. Stay tuned as the team eases into breakfast and dinner service.
POP-UP POSTS
Baltibakery at Our House Baltimore: From content creator and photographer Khaliq Greathouse comes this pop-up bakeshop inside Our House, the play space and community hub for families that opened earlier this year on Greenmount Avenue in Barclay. This month, visitors can pair coffee drinks (sourced by Remington’s Sophomore Coffee) with Greathouse’s chocolate chip cookies, brownies, and banana pudding, all available Tuesday through Saturday starting at 9 a.m.
Sistah Sweets: Speaking of treats, this St. Paul Street sweet shop run by sisters Erica and Lena Bowman (you might also know them from their black-and-pink cupcake truck) has secured a Baltimore County residency at the Hilton Garden Inn near Mill Station in Owings Mills through Dec. 12. Kick off sweet season with the sisters’ signature extravagant cupcakes, cookies of the week, and iced matcha lattes. If you’re in the mood for something savory, try the crab dip biscuit. Hours for the pop-up are Thursday through Sunday from 12-6 p.m.
SHUT
Terra Cafe: Since 2009, this lime green corner cafe in Barclay/Old Goucher has been a haven for food, live music, art, and community. Despite a recent GoFundMe campaign and fundraiser to help with mounting BGE bills, last week, owner Terence Dickson announced that he has closed the cafe for good. He shared with local news outlets that vandalism of the storefront was the final straw in his attempts to keep the business going. He owns the building, so he is now shifting efforts to finding someone to take over the cafe space.
“Thank you to this awesome community,” Dickson wrote on Instagram. “To every customer, every staff member, every artist, everyone who has ever shared energy and space with us, we give thanks.”
Silver Queen Cafe: Citing rising costs, husband-and-wife team Jason Daniloski and Nicole Evanshaw have made the tough decision to shutter their Hamilton restaurant Silver Queen Cafe on Nov. 25—coinciding with the spot’s 11-year anniversary. In a recent email newsletter, the couple shared that they will now focus on running their new business, The Market at Hamilton, which opened across the street in September.
“All things must end, and it’s time for us to move on,” they wrote. “Rising costs, not just for us, but for all of us, have forced us into this very, very hard decision. We do hope you join us before we close the doors, and have one last drink, one last bite, with us.”