OPEN
Rocco’s Old School Italian & Wine Bar: A new sit-down spot has entered a radius of mostly fast-casual eateries off of Joppa Road in Towson. The massive menu at the dimly lit bistro leans heavy into American-Italian classics, with loaded pastas including Lasagna Mama Mia, fettuccine Bolognese, stuffed shells, and linguine in clam sauce. There’s also an entire section dedicated to parms in the form of chicken, veal, eggplant, or shrimp. Lunch specials and a generous happy hour from 3-6 p.m. (boasting $4-off cocktails, $3-off wine, and half-priced apps) make this a place to try for professionals working in the area, too.
Ekiben: Frederick, this is not a drill. Today marks the opening of Ekiben’s first non-Baltimore City location at 500 N. Market Street in Downtown Frederick, bringing the total tally for the beloved Asian-fusion eatery to four brick-and-mortars. Doors will open at 4:30 p.m., and to celebrate—in their classic community-appreciation style—the team is offering one free menu item per person to diners who show up for opening day.
Founded in 2014 as a hot dog cart at the Fells Point Farmers Market, Ekiben—known for its signature steamed buns, rice bowls, and fan-favorite tempura broccoli— has grown into one of the city’s most nationally recognized restaurants. It landed on Yelp’s Top 100 U.S. Restaurants list three years running and nabbed a James Beard semifinalist nom for chef/co-owner Steve Chu in 2023.
EPICUREAN EVENTS
4/30: The Avenue Kitchen & Bar Benefit for Owner Patrick Dahlgren
If your calendar is clear tonight, head to The Avenue Kitchen & Bar in Hampden to support a great cause. Two, in fact, with donations aiding Avenue Kitchen owner Patrick Dahlgren in his ongoing battle with colorectal cancer and research efforts at Johns Hopkins’ Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center. For a $40 donation, sip beer, wine, and specialty cocktails while enjoying appetizers, music, and raffles from 3-7 p.m. Can’t make it? A GoFundMe is live for those who are able to contribute.
5/7-5/31: The Wine Village in Baltimore
A surefire sign of spring, the Wine Village is making its return to the Inner Harbor for the majority of May. Pick a day to wander around the grounds sipping an array of European options, Maryland-made blends, bubbly, and seasonal spritzes. New this year, look for an expanded food and drink lineup with additions such as a gourmet cheese booth, churros, truffle fries, smoked turkey legs, chocolate-covered strawberries, and soft-serve. For the non-vino drinker, look for two Baltimore-made seltzers, new slushie flavors, and an exclusive beer from M8 Brewing. There’s also a new outdoor movie lineup planned on Thursdays. Hours are Wednesday and Thursday from 3 to 9 p.m., as well as Friday through Sunday from 1 to 9 p.m.
5/9: Asia North Kamayan Feast
As part of the annual Asia North festival—which honors Station North’s AAPI history and ever-evolving identities as a Koreatown and creative community—the annual Kamayan Feast is a traditional communal meal where those gathered around the table eat with their hands. (Kamay means “hand” in Tagalog.) Snag a spot at one of the long banquet tables lined with banana leaves to enjoy traditional Filipino dishes from Frisco Baltimore and Barkada Breads. Eats on deck include pork barbecue skewers, lumpia, pancit, pickled atchara, roasted lechon baboy, ube flan, and more. Tickets for the feast at the SNF Parkway Theatre are $65.
SHUT (SOON)
Greyhound Tavern: After six years, Mary and David Spelce’s Fleet Street standby will be closing in Fells Point by the end of May. “The building we rent in has been for sale for a while and our landlord feels it will be easier to finally sell without us in it,” reads a GoFundMe page set up to support the owners as they pay off their remaining small business loan and navigate their next chapter. “We were worried about this happening when we were first notified that the building was for sale, but kept rolling with the punches and tried to remain optimistic. Our liquor license is tied into our lease with the location, so we are unable to move locations and reopen without acquiring another—which we cannot afford at this time.”
While their future is still up in the air, the owners are encouraging neighbors to visit (a dance party this weekend will feature beats spun by neighbor Jack Moore of El Suprimo Records) before they’re officially out at the end of the month. Throughout its run, the bar—named after the owners’ late rescued racing greyhound Mister Macaroni—was best known for its thrifted knick-knacks, original art, receipt doodles, and a bathroom stall buried in bumper stickers.
Molina Pizza: One of R. House’s OGs is set to shutter on May 26. The brick-oven pizza stall has been a staple at the Remington food hall since 2017, but changed hands almost three years ago. Current owner Andrew Fechko took to social media recently to announce “with great sadness” that the team will serve its final slices this month, with discounted pizza specials during its final week. Stay tuned for more details on what will fill the void in the coming weeks.