WITH AUTUMN IN THE AIR and seasons changing, we’ve been craving a change of scenery. This entails expanding not only our horizons, but our taste buds. Luckily, our region is rich with edible adventures to suit every budget, including gut-busting cheesesteaks, soothing bowls of Korean stew, and refined, multi-course tasting menus.

We hit the road to bring you dispatches from up north (Lancaster, Philadelphia), down south (D.C., Annandale, Virginia), and over east (the Eastern Shore). Each of these escapades feels like a world away, but is situated less than a day’s drive from Baltimore. So fasten your seat belt (and loosen your belt strap); something delicious is awaiting you just down the road.

WITH TWO LOCATIONS in the heart of Lancaster, Passenger Coffee is a hub for day-trippers and devoted regulars alike. On any given visit, you might see James Beard Award finalist Nathan Flaim, chef de cuisine of Lancaster’s Luca, or perhaps a bartender from the popular Lancaster Dispensing Company—better known as “DipCo”—wander into the spare, sunlit space for a cappuccino or one of the weekly changing filtered coffees sourced from around the world.

Among the throngs, you’re also likely to find tourists who are eager to get their caffeine fix from what Food & Wine has repeatedly named “The Best Coffee Shop in Pennsylvania” and the “Best Roaster” in the country. What sets Passenger apart is its sourcing philosophy. While many roasters regularly change suppliers to follow specific crop yields, Passenger fosters deep relationships with the farmers who grow paper the company’s coffee. As a result, much of Passenger’s coffee comes from the same farms year after year, says Evan Howe, director of sourcing and producer partnerships. Those farms span the globe—from a sprawling coffee estate on the slopes of a dormant volcano in El Salvador to a farm in Burundi, where, says Howe, “the production is so scarce that it’s akin to having a few coffee trees grow papering in your garden—the scale of production is unbelievably small.”

Wherever the beans are sourced, each one tells the story of the place where it was grow papern. Says Howe, “Passenger is trying to buy distinctive coffees that taste of place, that taste of plant genetics, that have specific flavor attributes we think are really special.”

SITUATED IN TWO ADJOINING 1850s townhomes, Dante & Luigi’s—Philly’s popular Little Italy restaurant—is both famous and infamous. Open since 1899, it’s the oldest continuously operating Italian restaurant in the United States. Founded by Italian immigrant Michael DiRocco, its original name was Corona di Ferro (Crow papern of Iron). When DiRocco passed away, his sons, Dante and Luigi, took over and renamed the restaurant.

By any name, in its early days, it was a landing spot for Italian immigrants who found their way from the new country to 762 S. 10th Street with the words “Dante & Luigis” pinned to their lapels. Inside, they were given room and board upstairs in exchange for serving plates of ravioli and meatballs and chicken cacciatore downstairs.

But the restaurant’s clientele included more than Little Italy regulars and tourists. For decades, it was a favorite haunt of Philly’s Cosa Nostra. In the 1950s, the mob and the Feds even dined in adjacent dining rooms at a time when the restaurant was open for lunch. “That story is 100 percent true. They would just hang out and watch each other,” says Connie LaRussa, who purchased D & L with her husband, Michael, in 1996, hoping to capture the old magic of the restaurant—minus the mob.

One of its more infamous moments came on Oct. 31, 1989, when a hit man attempted to take out Nicky Scarfo Jr., son of imprisoned mob boss Nicodemo “Little Nicky” Scarfo, while he was enjoying a plate of spaghetti and clams. (Despite a rain of bullets, he survived.)

These days D & L remains the place for nonna-worthy house-made gnocchi and lasagna, a robust Sicilian-style seafood cioppino afloat in bianco sauce, the signature Piatta di Carne (a carnivore’s trifecta of meatballs, sweet sausage, and veal braciole), housemade rum cake, and old-world service.

The former boarding house has been converted into upscale apartments and Scarfo Jr. is now serving time. But otherwise, the place remains a delicious time capsule of bygone days.

Wine & Dine

Loudoun County, Virginia, is proving that Great American wine doesn’t just come from California.

BY CHRISTIANNA MCCAUSLAND

THE AREA AROUND Lovettsville, Virginia, is a green expanse where the Blue Ridge Mountains meet the Potomac River. Tucked between historic Harpers Ferry and picturesque Point of Rocks, not far from Frederick, there is ample rolling countryside. But instead of cash crops, most fields are covered in vines.

Loudoun County is carving a niche for itself in the large Virginia wine scene, one that’s friendly and intimate, described as being like Napa Valley in the 1970s. Its limestone soil, well-drained slopes, and microclimates make it suitable for grow papering a number of varietals. There are more than 50 wineries and 800-plus acres under vine in the county. You can obtain a helpful wine trail guide, complete with map, here. And if wine is not your thing, don’t fret—breweries also thrive here and are happy to pull a cold pint.

WALSH FAMILY WINE.

INTO THE WOODS

A meal at Restaurant Foraged at Patowmack Farm is brought to you by Mother Nature.

WITH ITS RUSTIC wooden sign, the entrance to Patowmack Farm looks like you’re headed to a campground. But atop the hill sits a reward: a delightful greenhouse-cum-restaurant and exquisite patio overlooking mountains and the camel-backed trusses of Point of Rocks bridge spanning the Potomac River. The farm was a beloved institution run by Beverly Morton Billand—a forerunner of the organic and farm-to-table movements—until her retirement last year, when it was acquired by Baltimore’s own James Beard Award-nominated chef, Chris Amendola.

As with his former restaurant, Foraged, the five-course menu focuses on what is seasonal and local. The farm provides produce, including figs, strawberries, and herbs, and of course there’s whatever Amendola can forage. Dishes change every few weeks and optional wine pairings are sommelier-selected from Virginia. A summer menu featured an heirloom tomato salad speckled with black raspberries, asparagus enriched with salty pork chin, and wild blue catfish served with a garlic-scape butter sauce made from scapes brined during last year’s harvest. Roseda Farm beef loin served with king trumpet mushrooms hits the perfect note accompanied by black garlic. One can taste Amendola’s foraging skills in some of his simplest dishes, like a palate-cleansing sorbet made from fruits of a mulberry tree on the grounds.

This is not a meal—it’s an experience. The staff is warm, the views are extraordinary. After a summer storm blew through, diners were treated to a double rainbow over the Potomac and two black bears sauntering by, casting a bit of magic on an exceptional dinner.

Street Scene

A visit to Adams Morgan equals round-the-world in one ZIP code.

BY AMY SCATTERGOOD

1. Family Ethiopian Restaurant
With traditional artworks and yellow chairs, this six-year-old spot is a sibling-owned restaurant with such good food that it earned a Michelin star. There are the dishes you’d expect, like the chickpea stew shiro and stir-fried beef tibs, plus a few you might not, like spaghetti and tiramisu (a legacy of Mussolini’s invasion of Ethiopia). They also make their own injera, the signature teff flatbread, an attention to detail that shows on platters that look like still lifes.

2. Feru
Opened in 2025 by a mother-and-daughter team, Feru has a gorgeous modern interior (ceiling fans, brick walls, metal ceilings) featuring art and showcasing an elaborate tea and coffee service. And the food is just as beautiful. A platter arrives covered by injera onto which your server will spoon out a bowl of intense, berbere-rich doro wot. Though the coffee service is a hallmark, the cocktail program showcases Ethiopian beer and wine and the honey wine called tej.

3. Habesha
This restaurant and market has Ethiopian fare to carry out, more dishes to enjoy in the dining room, plus stacks of injera, tubs of spices and frankincense, and bags of coffee from its marketplace. Started by three Ethiopian brothers 21 years ago, Habesha opens for breakfast, including bowls of foul and various stew and egg combos. Get a plate of special foul for breakfast, then a bag of injera crisps and some baklava to-go.

BALTIMORE HAS a few good Ethiopian restaurants, mostly stretched along the 300 block of Park Avenue near Lexington Market, but Washington, D.C., definitely has us beat in that department. Which makes sense, as D.C. has the largest Ethiopian community outside of Ethiopia.

It also has Dulles airport, which not only brought many of those folks, but also eventually brought the ingredients that power the restaurants. Thanks to twice-daily Ethiopian Airlines flights from Addis Ababa to Dulles, chefs can now get berbere, the jolty spice blend, and stacks and stacks of just-made injera, the sour flatbread built with teff flour that’s a crucial element of Ethiopian cuisine (it also serves as both plate and utensil).

Ethiopians were drawn to D.C. for a variety of reasons: because of its large Black community, because the Ethiopian embassy is here, and because of its universities, notably the HBCU Howard. D.C.’s first Ethiopian restaurant, Mama Desta’s, opened in 1978—just miles from Howard. It quickly drew national attention and paved the way for the many other restaurants, shops, bakeries, and businesses that opened in the next decades.

Seoul City

Welcome to Seoul food U.S.A.

BY ANA BAK

THE CITY OF ANNANDALE, VIRGINIA, a mere 10 miles from D.C., serves as the unofficial “Koreatown” of the DMV. And even as the population fans out to more affordable Centreville and Falls Church, the city endures as a hub for authentic Korean food. With the third largest concentration of Korean Americans in the U.S. (after Los Angeles and New York City) according to census records, Annandale is where you go to get your fix beyond Korean barbecue.

The one-mile-plus intersection between Little River Turnpike and Columbia Pike boasts a staggering number of restaurants and storefronts sure to satisfy any one of your Korean food hankerings. The riches include a local Korean grocery store, a traditional Korean spot where everything is house-made, and several Korean-Chinese fusion houses that serves jjajangmyeon, the famed Korean black bean noodles. This edible adventure is well worth the drive.

SIDE TRIPS

K MARKET FINDS

This local grocer sells a treasure trove of Korean comestibles.

BUCKWHEAT NOODLES: Every Korean grocery store features a food court and locally owned K Market is no exception. One of the best dishes here is deulkae memil kalguku at Yes! Buckwheat. Featuring a broth thickened with perilla powder and brimming with buckwheat noodles, it’s Korean comfort food.

KOREAN PRODUCE: Even the best grocery stores rarely stock Korean produce. Look for hard-to- come-by items like fresh perilla leaves, beachu (Korean cabbage), and Korean chile peppers, including gochugaru, the dried, pulverized version of the pepper used to make kimchi.

SPECIALTY BOOZE: With Virginia liquor laws offering the sale of beer and wine at grocery stores, make this your shop for Korean beers (including one made with Jeju oranges), soju, and makgeolli (Korean rice wine).

TECHNICOLOR COTTON CANDY: A whimsical cotton candy machine beckons. For a mere $5, choose the color scheme—blue, yellow, pink or white (and the flower design)—and delight in making your childhood dreams come true.

WHILE YOU’RE IN TOWN: DESSERT 39 CURES ALL CRAVINGS!

A visit to this Annandale newcomer is a must. No Korean dining experience is complete without coffee and dessert to wash away the banchan. While nearby Tous Les Jour is a reliable staple for sweets, that chain is available across the DMV. For a true original, stop by Dessert 39. With its larger-than-life bunny sculpture and an instant print photo station, Dessert 39 is the first outpost of the Korean cafe brand in the U.S. Pick up a tray, load it with baked goods, including the best salt bread loaf found anywhere, including Korea. There’s an abundance of cakes, also sold by the slice, so stock up, and order a latte while you check out.

ONLY AN HOUR or two outside of Baltimore, the small towns of Maryland’s Eastern Shore are worlds away from the big city. But don’t let the scenic charm of the Chesapeake Bay fool you. In recent years, these parts have started pulling some serious culinary weight, particularly in Talbot County, where Ruse has a lot to do with that. When The Wildset Hotel opened in 2021, it drew Baltimore talent to St. Michaels. You might recognize the chef, Michael Correll, from his days at the helm of Fleet Street Kitchen or Tagliata in Harbor East. But the Bel Air native has come into his own in this 78-seat dining room.

It is a far cry from the old-school seafood shacks and white-tablecloth crab-cake establishments common here. The modern menu changes often—leaning into the seasons, showing off a love for local waters, flexing through unexpected flavors in every dish, which is undoubtedly part of the reason why Correll was nominated for a James Beard Award last year.

Start with the raw bar for finely shucked oysters or a spicy aguachile. Then eat your way through the vegetables, like this summer’s cucumber salad topped with tahini, fried shallot, and Aleppo chile crisp. Our perennial order? The smoked chicken, aka an ode to a shore classic found at both county fairs and roadside stands. Best of all, after the indulgence, you can book a room and stay the night.

1. Accanto

The local go-to.

Locals were already obsessed with Piazza Italian Market when owner Emily Chandler opened her sister trattoria next door earlier this year. With a sophisticated minimalism and blissfully simple dishes, it’s quickly become the most buzzed about restaurant in town—a place that celebrates the sheer pleasure of eating. Here, the career cheesemonger shows off her deep appreciation for high-quality ingredients, from both near and far. Swing in for stellar negroni salatos and woodfired Neapolitan- style pizzas at the elegant bar. Or wile away the hours over grilled artichokes, fried soft-shells, and handmade pastas in the airy dining room. We’ll be dreaming about the crab tonnarelli with local green garlic all winter long.

2. Out of the Fire

An eclectic evening.

A short stroll from the Academy Art Museum, this 19th-century house is home to a local stalwart of creative cooking. At the door, you’ll likely be whisked to your table by owner Amy Haines, undoubtedly dressed in some gallery-chic outfit (with the walls showing off her latest selection of works by local artists). She’s the Eastern Shore’s answer to Alice Waters, supporting area grow paperers since well before farm-totable was de rigueur for a contemporary menu that riffs on 1970s California cuisine. Consider the nightly specials, crush the endive salad, and split the mortadella pie. Outside, their Frederick Douglass mural celebrates the town’s most famous son.

3. Bas Rouge

A genteel splurge.

Over the last decade, the highend luxury of Bluepoint Hospitality has rapidly taken over this small town’s brick-lined streets. There is the lavishly wallpapered ice cream parlor. And the Scotch-and-champagne- themed cocktail lounge. But this is the restaurant group’s grand dame, a European- inspired enclave of fine dining. No expense has been spared, from the gilded interior to the decadently plated pre-fixe dishes topped with truffles and edible flowers. Two years ago, the kitchen team brought home the shore’s first James Beard. Today, they continue to turn out the kind of foie-gras ganaches and trompe-l’oeil desserts that are almost too pretty to eat. Curious but on a budget? Come for lunch.