Though the pandemic unfortunately cast a pall over Baltimore Restaurant Week last summer—only allowing outdoor dining, carryout, and delivery due to the mayor’s restrictions—the 10-day promotion is back in full swing for 2021. As capacity limits have been lifted, more than 50 spots across the city are crafting special prix-fixe menus available for both indoor and outdoor service.
This year, make your reservations to enjoy lunch and brunch menus for $10, $15, or $20, as well as dinner deals for $25, $35, or $45 from July 23 through August 1. With options ranging from bar fare and comfort food to global eats to plant-based meals, weighing all of the choices can be overwhelming, so we’ve broken down a few suggestions to get you started:
Brunch: Alexander’s Tavern
Those hoping to kick off Restaurant Week in style with a boozy brunch should look no further than this Fells Point go-to. For $19, enjoy a two-course brunch featuring eats like an everything bagel breakfast salad, Fruity Pebble pancakes, and a vegan sausage panini. The tavern’s promotion also includes a $19, two-course lunch and a $27, three-course dinner.
Lunch: Limoncello
Take a trip to the sunny Almafi coast (by way of Locust Point) with the $20, two-course lunch at this Italian restaurant and wine bar. With dishes such as fresh Italian bread, mozzarella, prosciutto, and squid ink pasta, it’s going to be hard to choose just one dish for each course. If you make your way back for dinner this week, a three-course meal will be offered for $45.
Outdoor Dining: Cindy Lou’s Fish House
Celebrating its first-ever Summer Restaurant Week, this Foreman Wolf spot at Harbor Point offers stunning views of the waterfront. Snag a seat on the expansive patio to indulge in the restaurant’s three-course dinner menu for $40. Seasonal dishes to look for include a summer squash soup, fried green tomato stack, pork chop with grilled peaches, and a classic fried chicken with braised greens and a buttermilk biscuit.
New Spot: Liora
This plant-based restaurant by renowned chef Matthew Kenney recently made its debut on the ground floor of the 414 Light Street building downtown. Specializing in locally sourced, seasonally crafted vegan cuisine, the restaurant is offering a three-course dinner for $45. Sample the Baltimore-inspired “crab” cake with remoulade and Old Bay, as well as cacio e pepe with kelp noodles and a smoky maitake mushroom with cheesy grits.
Community-Focused Cuisine: Dovecote Cafe
Dovecote is defined as a shelter for pigeons and doves—and that sense of community is exactly what this Reservoir Hill cafe is all about evoking. Restaurant Week will be no exception. Throughout the week, the Dovecote team will be hosting events like a live performance brunch with Bobbi Rush & Friends on July 25 (tickets include an entree, pastry, and drinks), a special Taco Tuesday on July 27, and a three-course supper with Chef Catina Smith on July 28. Smith’s mouthwatering menu will highlight chana with cucumber salad and chutneys, as well as black rice congee with white fish and garlic chips.
Mediterranean Meal: Cafe Fili
This bright Mt. Vernon cafe is prepared to transport your taste buds to the Mediterranean region with options like fattoush, lamb shawarma, gyros, and baba ghanouj. Satisfy your hankering with a two-course lunch for $15.
Sicilian Supper: Cosima
Head to this historic mill-turned-restaurant in Hampden for a delizioso meal. Pair a nice glass of vino with a $45, three-course Sicilian supper—with choices like risotto di verdua and caponata. Don’t forget dessert for the third course, with rich tiramisu, Italian custard, and summer fruit sorbetto.
Comfort Food: Next Phaze Cafe
Looking for food to soothe your soul? Check out Next Phaze Cafe, which has been a local favorite since it opened on Lexington Street in 2017. Order food to-go, get it delivered with DoorDash, GrubHub, or Uber Eats, or settle in the lounge with a New Orleans-style catfish platter, heavenly bayou pasta, or crispy fried shrimp.
Chesapeake Fare: Gertrude’s Chesapeake Kitchen
After spending the day at the Baltimore Museum of Art, fuel up with locally sourced Chesapeake cuisine at Gertrude’s. For Restaurant Week, the menu includes Maryland pan-fried chicken, crab cakes, gulf shrimp, and a Baltimore peach upside-down cake. The three-course dinner starts at $30.
Browse the full list of participating restaurants, here.