Food & Drink
There’s no one factor that tips the scales when choosing who should land on our annual Best Restaurants list. From the taste and presentation of the food to the ambiance of the dining room, everything is weighed equally. This year, however, we wanted to highlight the establishments that embody one element we’ve come to especially appreciate—the art of hospitality.
During the pandemic years, we let service slide. After all, some restaurants were only doing carryout, while others were just managing to stay afloat with skeleton staffs. But that’s all in the rearview mirror now, and with prices soaring at area restaurants, good service should be the rule, not the exception.
First-rate service is all in the details. When done well, it happens almost invisibly—even if you don’t see it, you can feel it. A napkin gets folded when you leave the table in the middle of your meal. The manager reads the notes section of the reservation book and sees there’s a birthday at the table. A bartender knows you like your martini with Hendrick’s and a twist and starts making it as you walk through the door. It’s these seemingly small and surprising moments of grace that make a meal memorable.
In this year’s issue of Best Restaurants, we give a special shout-out to spots that set the standard for service. (We were inspired by a recent reading of Unreasonable Hospitality, written by Will Guidara—who famously presided over New York City’s Michelin-starred dining room Eleven Madison Park—as well as Richie, a character in FX’s Emmy-winning series The Bear, who takes the book to heart.) These places are best restaurants in every way, but their service goes what we’re calling “Above and Beyond.” Eating out is about giving diners a sense of belonging. You might not remember what you ate, but you will always remember how you were treated.
Maître d’hôtel Peter Keck, of Charleston in Harbor East, sums up the art of service like this: “Hospitality starts with exceeding expectations,” he says. “There’s no script. It’s a ton of perception and listening. Our starting point is a flawless dinner. We take it as far as we can and make it even better than flawless.” And just as good service is in the details, there are other details that make a spot sing, from the art on the walls to the wine pairings.
To that end, below, we highlight “A Few of Our Favorite Things” at various restaurants. As always, this is a snapshot of the scene from last March to this April. As restaurants close, new spots arrive in their stead, and stalwarts stay strong—the one constant remains the pure pleasure and privilege of being fed and feeling sated.
Above: Row 1, from left: Preparing pasta and a negroni at Love, Pomelo; server at Dylan’s. Row 2: Preparing for service at Ammoora; the ravioli at Costiera; menu at Love, Pomelo. Row 3: Dinner is served at Rooted Rotisserie; décor at Costiera; flounder at Dylan’s.
Alma Cocina Latina
Station North
When you visit Alma Cocina Latina, expect to learn about the foods and folkways of Latin America. Chef Héctor Romero ran a famed cooking school in Venezuela and now gives diners a lesson on the tastes of his homeland—largely tropical ingredients bursting with bold flavors, sensuous spices, and hits of heat. The menu shifts with the seasons, but on any given week, you’ll find palate-pleasing dishes with ingredients chosen not just for their deliciousness but for their cultural importance. Think: chile peppers, pumpkin, cacao, yuca, maize.
If there’s any kind of seafood listed on the menu, order it, especially if it’s the Brazilian cod and shrimp stew, bathed in coconut milk, tinted with red palm oil, and scented with garlic and cilantro. We promise, you’ll be counting the days until you can order it again. Desserts are ethereal—don’t miss the sweet and savory guava sorbet infused with goat cheese that floats in a pool of port wine sauce and looks like a beautiful planet. Which is hardly surprising—the whole place is heavenly.
ANANDA
Fulton
As pleasing to the eye as it is to the palate, this Indian restaurant remains one of the hottest destinations in Howard County. You’re transported from the second you walk past the fire pit on the patio outside into a stylish yet not stuffy space that features eight (!) fireplaces. Brothers Keir and Binda Singh grew up in a small town in the Punjab region of India, and they’ve brought many of their favorite flavors to life here. Samosas have a light shell and are packed with roasted lamb and seasonal vegetables like squash, peas, leeks, chickpeas, and spinach. Chicken dishes, like murgh khumari—boneless breast with cream sauce, apricots, and almonds—stand out for their complexity and tenderness. There’s also a large offering of vegetarian options, many of which feature produce from the family’s own farm less than a mile away. There, chickens and ducks are raised for their eggs, which are sold by the dozen at the restaurant.
AMMOORA
Federal Hill
Now two years old, Ammoora has settled into its digs inside Federal Hill’s Ritz- Carlton Residences. And unsurprisingly, it’s a luxurious space, with a lobby bar, open kitchen, and expansive dining room, all showcasing the Syrian cuisine that consulting chef Dima Al-Chaar and owner Jay Salkini grew up eating. This is white-tablecloth dining featuring excellent service and phenomenal food. We’re not the only ones taking note—The New York Times named it one of America’s Best Restaurants in 2024.
A Few of Our Favorite Things
The coffee service: The intense, cardamom-infused Arabic coffee is made in a beautiful metal pot, which is heated in a bed of hot sand. The coffee comes to the table in an individual-sized, longhandled pot called a dallah, then poured into pretty china cups with their own mosaicdecorated wooden stands.
Darna mezze: This is a collection of small bowls of housemade spreads presented on a silver tray, including things like hummus, baba ghanoush, and beet mutabal, as well as the marvelous muhammara, a classic Levantine dish of roasted red peppers, walnuts, and pomegranate molasses that’s topped with tahini. All the dishes arrive on a large silver tray with warm disks of pita bread, also made inhouse.
Kebbeh: This national dish of Syria is a standard menu item in Middle Eastern restaurants. What’s not standard is Ammoora’s kebbeh Orfaliyeh, a finely ground paste of raw beef and bulghur, torqued with chile paste, walnuts, and olive oil. The design: Ammoora is gorgeously designed to highlight Syrian furniture imported from Damascus, featuring mother-of-pearl inlay in geometric patterns inspired by Islamic art. Intricate mosaic tile also accents key areas, like the open-kitchen corridor leading from bar to dining room.
BUNNY’S BUCKETS & BUBBLES
Fells Point
It was only a matter of time before Jesse Sandlin—Top Chef alumna and owner of a tiny empire of Charm City restaurants—opened a fried chicken place. Baltimoreans love this stuff, and Sandlin’s version is magnificent. Twice dredged in rice flour before being fried, it comes to the table in an actual bucket, accompanied with scrumptious biscuits and as many sauces (miso hot honey, gochujang barbecue, etc.) as you can handle. To pair with that bird, there is bubbly. The high-low combo of fried chicken and champagne is on-point, as the acid tempers the fat from the frying. Sandlin adds to this feast with exceptionally executed comfort food like pimento cheese dip, cornmeal fried oysters, and waffle-fry poutine, as well as white-tablecloth luxuries, including caviar service. The Fells Point rowhouse has patio seating, a brunch menu, and fried chicken cassoulet.
CECE’S OF ROLAND PARK
Roland Park
Located in the Village of Cross Keys, which recently underwent a multimillion- dollar glow-up, this newcomer to the city scene is a pricey but oh-so-worth-it just-found friend. Head here for Italian-leaning classics and a fancy night out on the town—though if you want to keep it casual, shareable pizzas and salads are also an option, best enjoyed on the lush and leafy patio. Michelin-starred chef Nick Sharpe has mastered the art of artisanal pasta-making.
Choose from among an array of seasonal offerings, including hand-rolled gnocchi with peas, pecorino, and truffle butter, or agnolotti stuffed with short rib and soaked in a rich red wine sauce. The golden-hued porcelain plates and ruffled bowls add a dash of glitz to every dish. In fact, Cece’s entire tablescape—adorned with starched white tablecloths, Chilewich placemats, and sexy mood lighting—lands it on our best-dressed list.
COSTIERA
Little Italy
This new dining darling, which opened last January, is the passion project of former Salt owner Brian Lavin and his friend Sam White, who studied together in Italy. The Boot Country (and Mediterranean coastal cooking) left an indelible impression, but Lavin is also inspired by his current setting, relying on the bounty of the seasons for a menu that’s rife with seafood and local vegetables. With its warmth of service and technically terrific comfort fare, this is exactly what you want in a neighborhood restaurant, whether you’re lucky enough to live near Little Italy or driving to dine there.
A Few of Our Favorite Things
The pasta: Lavin plays with pasta. Whatever the shape or filling—from goat-cheesestuffed agnolotti tumbled with chanterelles in hazelnut brown butter to rigatoni tossed in arugula-mint pesto—the results never fail to electrify the tastebuds.
The cocktails: Sipping on one of Sam White’s spritzes gets us in the Mediterranean mindset. It’s not good to drink on an empty stomach, so order the crispy Castelvetrano olives, stuffed with salami then fried, and accompanied by lemon-parsley aioli.
The décor: Assistant manager Gilles Mascarell’s abstract canvases (all of which are for sale), plus still lifes by Susan Lavin (the chef’s mom), grace the exposed brick walls and add an artsy, Soho-loft feel to the former Clark Burger space. Gorgeous greenery also contributes to the casual, comfortable vibe. The prices: At a time when the cost of every restaurant entrée approaches the mid-double digits, Costiera has plenty of well-priced plates. Everything is meant to be shared and portions are substantial—and today, that’s really worth something.
The plates: Given that the first taste is with the eyes, handmade plates and bowls by Nashville’s RVPottery arrive at the table in a multitude of shapes and colors, enhancing the excitement of the meal.
CHARLESTON
Harbor East
This white tablecloth restaurant is in a league all its own with chef Cindy Wolf (oft-nominated for a James Beard Award) at the helm. With its sensational seasonal prix-fixe menu, sterling service, and attention to every last detail (they even have readers if you forget yours), Charleston offers a master class in fine-dining.
ABOVE & BEYOND
Case Study: Charleston
Off-Menu Items on the Fly
“Years ago, there was a group of six people who lived out of our time zone, if not out of the country, and who had dined with us 10 or so years earlier. They remembered the chocolate soufflé, which chef [Cindy Wolf] will do only on occasion, because she’s a perfectionist and it’s very hard to make. But it’s not on the menu and she wasn’t there that night. Still, the guests asked if there was any way we could do the chocolate soufflé.
“I asked Everado, our chef de cuisine, if he would make it, but I didn’t think he would. I don’t think he’d ever made a chocolate soufflé, but 10 minutes later, he said, ‘Peter, I think I might give it a try.’ He whipped up some batter and said, ‘So, what do you think?’ I said, ‘I think it’s fantastic.’ In the middle of dinner service, he produced this item that takes 30-minute’s notice to make, and all the courses had to be timed just so. He made it on the fly—and he was a hero that night. The guests absolutely loved it.”
—Peter Keck, maître d’hôtel
THE CHOPTANK
Annapolis
With its waterfront location, eating at this second location of the Atlas Restaurant Group’s upscale Maryland seafood house can feel like you’re on vacation. Thus, you should start with one of the excellent cocktails, like the Kingfisher, a quenching combo of mezcal, apricot, lime, and tamarind. There are endless combinations of raw and steamed shellfish to choose from, but if you like your bivalves on the dressy side, try the crab- and chile-crusted oysters. And while it may be difficult to order a salad on a menu rife with lobster rolls, steaks, and fresh-caught fish that can be blackened or broiled, the Eastern Shore Cobb is anything but ordinary. With sugar-cured ham, plentiful crab meat, fried oysters, steamed shrimp, and the requisite avocado, corn, bleu cheese, and egg, it might not be the healthiest salad in the world, but it’s worth the calories. Don’t fret—you’re (kind of) on vacation.
CLAVEL
Remington
About a half an hour before this Remington taqueria opens, it’s common to see folks lined up outside, patiently waiting for Lane Harlan and Carlos Raba’s doors to open. Although it’s easier to get a seat now than it was when the place opened almost a decade ago, Baltimore’s love for Clavel has only deepened with the addition of both a mezcaleria and a nixtamaleria. The former honors the many Mexican distilleries that have made mezcal a beloved spirit, while the latter produces house masa from heirloom Mexican corn. (And speaking of honors, the spot has become a bit of a James Beard darling with numerous nominations for both food and drink.)
The cocktails are spectacular, as is anything made with that masa, including the tamales and the many tacos on the menu (barbacoa, cochinita pibil, huitlacoche, and more). The aquachiles and ceviches are also superb, as are the lesser-known huaraches. But no matter how much you order, always leave room for the queso fundido. Its charred bits of cheese lining the bottom of the cast-iron skillet happen to be the very best bite.
CINGHIALE
Harbor East
Walk through the doors of Cinghiale, and you’ll feel like you’ve entered La Dolce Vita. Well-heeled patrons swirl (glasses of Italian red) and twirl (squid ink spaghetti laden with lobster) in two different dining rooms—one formal, another with more of a casual vibe that includes a 40-foot bar made from Italian marble. At the center of it all, a salumeria station acts as an altar for a fantastic selection of charcuterie and imported cheeses. Tangy La Tur from Piedmonte is our favorite.
Wherever you sit, executive chef Ryan Shaffner’s cooking is rustic, refined, and focused on Rome and the surrounding regions. If risotto is on the menu—on a recent visit, ours was tinged with tomato sauce and melt-in-yourmouth short rib—it’s a must, as are at least one of the featured housemade pastas. Seafood dishes are also deftly done and everything from the cellar is stellar; insiders flock to half-price wine night on Tuesdays. Also of note: There’s a generosity of spirit in service here that encapsulates the true meaning of Italian hospitality.
COOKHOUSE
Bolton Hill
George Dailey’s 19th-century rowhouse restaurant may be the most beautiful eatery in Baltimore, a tiny art-filled dining room appointed with mirrors, woodwork, and banquettes packed into the galley-like space, plus a fashionable bar helmed by firstclass bartender Gabe Valladares. And the food and drink are just as pretty: plates of oxtail ragu, herb-crusted lamb chops, and foie-gras-topped croquettes on artfully mismatched china, paired with Valladares’ gorgeous, edible-flower-decorated cocktails. There are unexpected additions to the New American fare, like the excellent gambas al ajillo and a comforting rendition of queso fundido, as Dailey’s Venezuelan childhood makes its mark on his menu. The place can get loud and crowded—it does not take reservations—but thankfully there always seems to be a seat at the bar.
DIMSUM PALACE
Catonsville
Located in the back of a shopping mall off the Baltimore National Pike, Dimsum Palace is exactly what it says it is: a stately fortress devoted to the service of dumplings. Opened in the summer of 2023 by a Floridabased Hong Kong owner, the dining room features cozy banquettes and the large, round banquet tables that are the best way to enjoy traditional dim sum service. This means bringing a hungry group and flagging down the loaded metal carts that servers move between tables, offloading dumplings, baos, and other treats.
There’s an impressive menu as well, listing dishes from frogs’ legs to Peking duck. And there are noodles, oodles of them: hard-to-find rice noodle rolls, homemade noodles doused with XO sauce, lo mein, and chow fun. Don’t ignore a bowl of homey congee, and under no circumstances forget the egg tarts, famous in Hong Kong tea houses, which here come in both the Cantonese and Portuguese versions. (Yes, you can take them to-go.)
THE DARA
Fells Point
Located in a Fells Point rowhouse that’s long been a neighborhood tavern (and, years ago, a brothel), The Dara transformed into a cozy yet sophisticated Thai restaurant in 2023. Partner-chef Putthipat “Jeff” Wannapithipat makes classic dishes from his native Bangkok, as well as those tailored to Marylanders, all served in a gorgeous space featuring exposed brick and wood-beam rafters. Pro tip: In cool weather, try to snag a seat by the woodstove.
A Few of Our Favorite Things
The curries: The menu’s three curries—green, massaman, and panang—are each made from scratch and with differing flavor profiles, using ingredients like fingerroot and makrut lime leaves. The bowls come deftly garnished, with a chiffonade of lime leaves or swirls of coconut milk.
Butterfly pea flower powder: Blue butterfly pea flowers are native to Thailand and used both fresh and dried in dishes there. A tea made from the powdered flowers infuses rice and turns it a gorgeous cornflower blue, as it does to some drinks.
The cocktails: These are beautifully made and wildly creative, featuring many of the best flavors on the menu: Thai basil, lime juice, mango foam, and syrups made from lychee, jasmine, tamarind, and passion fruit.
Khao soi: This Northern Thai dish—a thick, rich, yellow curry coconut noodle soup with pickled mustard greens, crispy shallots, lime slices, roasted chile oil, and massive chicken drumsticks—is not on many American Thai menus. Finding it, especially this good, is like stumbling upon hidden treasure.
The heat index: Because Thai dishes can—and should—run quite spicy, the menu includes a handy heat range at the bottom of the menu. Ranging from 0 (naked) to 5 (mindblown), it’s an index that your server can help you through, and one that actually translates into both subtle and not-so-subtle changes in the dishes.
DYLAN’S OYSTER CELLAR
Hampden
This neighborhood spot features riffs on seafood-shack classics, terrific oysters, and classic coddies—a salty cod potato cake that’s deep fried and served with a smear of Dijon mustard sauce with a side of saltines—plus the best soft-shell crab sandwich in the city. It’s basically an intimate oyster bar, but one with phenomenal food that goes way beyond the namesake shellfish. Still, hailing from coast to coast and with every flavor profile represented (briny and bright, crisp and clean, sweet and salty), they’re a mandatory starter.
Entree-wise, first-timers should always order a plate of the signature rainbow trout: It’s butterflied, deboned, and swimming in brown butter, though the whole flounder with miso-butter is a recent seasonal star. Dessert, whatever it is, should also be ordered. And weekday happy hour, from 4 to 6 p.m., is exemplary, as owner Dylan Salmon shucks at the J-shaped bar and other local foodies/chefs gather round for a round or two.
FORAGED
Station North
Chef Chris Amendola’s imagination is seemingly limitless, a fact that is proven every time we visit his charming Station North restaurant. The menu changes with the seasons, but Amendola’s dedication to fresh local ingredients is steadfast. In the winter, he featured an entire selection of pig parts: ears, belly, chin, snout, tongue, cheek, jowl, kidney hand pie (a play on the traditional English dish, the menu explained). The liver mousse, served with pickled beets and garleek (a new garlic-leek hybrid) is spectacular.
Indeed, most things here are, including house-made pasta, fresh Maryland seafood that often includes oysters and blue catfish, duck breast, lamb neck, and, of course, mushroom-based dishes, which are the inspiration behind the name and Amendola’s personal passion. And don’t sleep on the cocktails; Foraged’s beverage program always features something we haven’t sipped elsewhere. Add some chocolates to-go. Then make your reservation for a return visit—who knows what you’ll find when you come back.
GERTRUDE’S CHESAPEAKE KITCHEN
Hopkins-Homewood
Set inside the Baltimore Museum of Art, Gertrude’s is chef John Shields' ode to the treasures of Chesapeake cuisine and the foods of his beloved Baltimore. When the weather is warm, sit under the tent facing the Zen-like sculpture garden and order a slew of Shields’ greatest hits: Grandma Gertie’s signature crab cake, cornmeal-encrusted oysters, rockfish with crab imperial, and smoked blue catfish coddies.
ABOVE & BEYOND
Case Study: Gertrude’s Chesapeake Kitchen
Going the Extra Mile
“This older woman lived in lower Charles Village and she just loved Gertrude’s. It was really a social thing for her. Years ago, we had ‘Tuesday nights with Gertie.’ It was more affordable on that night, and she would come every week until the Daylight Savings time change. One night, she was talking to some people at the table and almost crying, saying, ‘I really miss it in the winter because it’s so dark and so lonely and I just can’t walk safely by myself.’ I heard about it and told her, ‘Just call me when you want to come and I’ll just pick you up and take you home.’ And when I wasn’t around, some of the other people here would do it, too.
“Her reaction at the time was, ‘John, I can’t have you do that,’ and I said, ‘It’s around the corner and I love doing it.’ She just had her 90th birthday and we had a big party for her here at the restaurant. It has been at least 10 years and we still drive her back and forth.”
—John Shields, chef-owner
GUNTHER & CO.
Brewers Hill
Gunther hits all the high notes of what we look for in a night out: a festive, soaring space (in this case, a Romanesque Revival industrial dining room that harks back to its days as a brewery), ample portions at reasonable prices, stellar service, and even two types of proprietary gin that get liberally mixed into well-crafted cocktails. And then there’s the food coming out of the open kitchen. Owner-chef Jerry Trice’s menu, “Modern American, globally influenced, locally spun,” as the website reads, is eclectic yet cohesive, and flows with the seasons. Signature dishes such as the Thai seafood hot pot and wood-oven roasted oysters cement Gunther’s reputation as a place with dependably delicious fare.
On a recent visit, we loved the zingy halibut ceviche with roasted pineapple-habanero sauce and an entree of scallops bolstered by carrot-ginger purée, local mushrooms, and spinach. Trice never fails to add a special touch to boost flavor, like toasted hazelnuts and crispy rosemary on a smoky mushroom flatbread. Whether you sit upstairs for a view of the dramatic plant wall or enjoy an alfresco meal on the prettiest patio in town, every visit feels fresh and new.
THE HELMAND
Mount Vernon
Not much has changed at this Mount Vernon institution in the more than 30 years that it has anchored the Baltimore dining scene—the white-tablecloth tables, the traditional Afghan dresses on the walls, the seamless service, or the mainstay menu, centered around classic Afghan dishes. Even after longtime owner Qayum Karzai passed away last summer, The Helmand continued its mission of bringing Baltimoreans plates of lamb, apricots, and turnips; beef-topped ravioli; and kaddow borwani, the pumpkin in yogurt sauce that’s long been a must-order. Though the patriach’s presence is missed, few things are better than sharing a meal here with a table full of friends and family, then finishing the evening with a double shot of Turkish coffee and a plate of the house-made baklava. Here’s hoping that his widow, Pat, and her staff will continue for years to come.
LA CUCHARA
Hampden-Woodberry
The centerpiece of this Basque Country bastion is a flame-licked asador from which many of chef Ben Lefenfeld’s boldly seasoned and best bites emerge, be it wood-grilled tuna with charred corn or a strip steak blanketed with black-garlic butter. With its seasonal rotation of dishes, you never know what you’ll find, which is why a visit here is always an exciting endeavor. Sample every season and you’ll understand what all the fuss is about. Halfprice wine night falls on Sundays, if you’re into that sort of thing.
ABOVE & BEYOND
Case Study: La Cuchara
Made With Love in Small Batches
“Since we closed the marketplace that we created for a year-and-a-half during COVID, we still get requests for items we carried. These requests are typically made in small batches, though some of what is requested might get incorporated into a family meal for staff. We have a guest who still orders the coffee from Woodbridge Coffee Roasters weekly. I’ve made special orders of chile oil, peanut noodles, pesto, and ‘make-at-home’ paella kits. There are wild mushrooms that one of our neighbors has become fond of cooking with. One guest has requested our pumpkin cheesecake during the Thanksgiving holiday for the past couple of years. And another guest has ordered the meatloaf several times.
“I find it strange and touching how a traumatic situation can create memories that people strive to recreate, maybe to cope or maybe because things slowed down a bit and they were smelling the roses.”
—Ben Lefenfeld, chef and co-owner
LE COMPTOIR DU VIN
Station North
The oversized chalkboard is set down next to your table. On it is scribbled the day’s menu in a no-frills scrawl. While that simplicity is characteristic of the ingredients used in dishes that emerge from chef Will Mester’s closet-sized kitchen, the ultimate result is excellence. The restaurant’s name, translated as “the wine counter,” is a nod to a place that Mester and his business partner, Rosemary Liss, loved in the French countryside. While the coziness of the upstairs bottle shop-cum-dining room reminds us of a bistro français, the menu is just as likely to include rustic dishes inspired from the rest of the continent.
One night in January, thin slices of Scottish steelhead sea trout were served with rice crackers and tangy tzatziki, making for a wonderfully international combination. Peposo, a Tuscan beef stew with chickpeas and kale, was also hearty and flavorful. Some in our party were reluctant to try the terrine, aka a pâté of pork shoulder, chicken liver, and apricot. Unsurprisingly, it was delicious—chalk it up to Le Comptoir’s brilliance.
LOVE, POMELO
Canton
True to its name, we can really feel the love at this sterling new gem in Canton Square, situated just two doors down from its sister spot, the phenomenal Café Dear Leon bakery. The vibe is old-fashioned, but the menu, including house-made pasta and other Italian-inflected fare, is thoroughly modern, as is the digestif hour with cut-rate glasses of vino and aperitifs. “We’re not the star, you are,” says co-owner Min Kim. “Everything we do matters.” Based on our visits, that comes through loud and clear.
A Few of Our Favorite Things
The granny chic vibe: It’s hard not to love the throwback décor with an old-timey breakfront, Federal-style mirrors, and a loveseat at the entrance to rest while you wait for your table, plus an art wall with a collection of vintage finds, from a framed cameo to an oil painting and a music score.
The service: Whether you sit at the bar or a table, the service is warm and welcoming. Hosts, servers, and bartenders are knowledgeable, nice, and accommodating. Pomelo doesn’t take reservations, but when we called to ask ahead if there were any tables, the hostess added our name to the wait list. By the time we arrived, our table was ready.
The negronis: There’s a lineup of cocktails to choose from, but sitting at the bar and sipping the classic interpretation of the boozy, bitter, Florentine-inspired cocktail—here made with Fords gin, Campari, Barolo Chinato, and Cocchi Vermouth di Torino—is a core moment.
The menu: Maybe it’s because we never want to see another QR code again that we so appreciate Pomelo’s adorable paper menus with little doodles of various vegetables and fruit, including the namesake pomelo—all printed on heavy stock paper. (Okay, we are print nerds.)
The pasta: From long ribbons of spaghetti tangled with clams to tube-shaped rigatoni with Bolognese, the toothsome tendrils of housemade pasta are a menu must. Bring along a few friends and order them all, especially if it’s a Wednesday when the pastas are a bargain $20.
LINWOODS RESTAURANT
Owings Mills
This decades-old institution is a bit of a chameleon in the county. It can be whatever you want—a spot to sit at the bar and grill line and get a gourmet burger or upscale flatbread or a place to celebrate a special occasion at a white-tablecloth table over French onion soup, beef tenderloin with potato gratin, and one of the very best pecan pies in town.
ABOVE & BEYOND
Case Study: Linwoods Restaurant
Room Service For Two
“Years ago, there was a gentleman who used to come here from Richmond. He was head of Pinkerton Tobacco and my mom was his personal secretary. He wasn’t a regular but would come to Linwoods to eat from time to time. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and getting an operation at Johns Hopkins Hospital. The night before, he was staying at the Admiral Fell Inn and he was concerned that the room service menu would not adhere to his dietary restrictions of eating simple, unseasoned food.
“When I heard that he had fallen onto tough times, I thought, all I know how to do is cook, so I offered to make a meal for him and his wife. I brought my china, a propane burner, and a cooler filled with food, and I cooked for them in their hotel room. I prepared a simple salmon and pasta with vegetables the night before his surgery. He was so grateful.”
—Tom Devine, owner-chef
LITTLE DONNA’S
Fells Point
With its lace curtains, stained glass, and duct-tape-patched barstools, this Fells Point haunt is the personification of a neighborhood hangout. There’s zero pretension as chef Robbie Tutlewski wanders through the dining room, sometimes with his baby in his arms (the family does, after all, live one flight upstairs). His straight-from-the-heart style is an homage to his Yugoslavian grandmother, the restaurant’s namesake, who taught him to cook many of the items you’ll find on the menu, including pierogies (with delicious seasonal fillings like lobster come summertime), palacinke (Serbian pancakes topped with local crab), and kielbasa-stuffed schnitzel (an age-old family recipe).
Not long after it opened in 2022, Little Donna’s became a media darling of The New York Times, which named it one of America’s 50 Best Restaurants, and then one of its best pizza places the following year. Tutlewski remains unfazed by the accolades. “I’m always shocked that people show up at all,” he says humbly. But it’s no surprise to us. When you cook with this much heart and talent, the food speaks for itself.
MAGDALENA
Mount Vernon
On the bottom floor of the ultra-fancy, uber-mysterious Ivy Hotel is a restaurant that would behoove us all to know about. For a decade now, Magdalena has navigated chef changes to consistently turn out some of the city’s most sophisticated dishes. And to this day, thoughtfulness runs throughout. The jazz that plays in the elegant dining room is just the right volume. Service is attentive and informed but not overbearing.
A fascinating cocktail list includes the Nuc Mam-tini, a gin-based martini with pickled daikon and carrots and seasoned fish sauce. We’ve never tasted a drink like it. The flavors meld marvelously in the ravioli filled with goat cheese, squash, cauliflower, and candied nuts. Unlike most risottos, a curry-spiced sweet potato and pickled mushroom iteration is not too heavy, and the ingredients blend subtly, creating a dish that’s full of flavor. For dessert, the banoffee cake, composed of warm banana cake, caramelized bananas, toffee ice cream, and an espresso crumble, is like a dream. Here’s to another 10 years of excellence.
MARTA
Butchers Hill
The menu at this bustling Patterson Park bistro is so filled with temptations, it’s easy to overlook the seemingly simplistic bread and butter course. But be sure to order it—the small loaf, crunchy on the outside, with a warm and pillowy inside, comes from Stone Mill Bakery in Lutherville, while the butter is made in-house. It’s infused with basil oil, a process that takes several days and transforms it into a one-of-a-kind treat. That level of sophistication is found everywhere, from the drink program, which features first-rate cocktails and four different negronis, to the expertly made pastas that emerge from Matthew Oetting’s kitchen.
On a cold December night, agnolotti dal plin—spiced squash and apple-filled pasta topped with sage brown butter and candied pepitas—was just what was needed to warm us up, while the ziti alla Bolognese was Italian comfort food at its finest. Oetting is talented enough to bring new life to dishes like veal chops and lamb shanks as well. Leave room for dessert—the doughnut- like bambaloni are delicious, making a great cap to an all-around mouthwatering meal.
THE MILTON INN
Sparks
A trip to The Milton Inn, set inside a 238-year-old fieldstone house, is always enchanting. Depending on your mood, there are several rooms to choose from—there’s a sultry, velvet-curtained space upstairs, which seems ideal for a romantic repast, and an area just off the beautiful bar that invokes a hunting lodge with its massive fireplace, and stone walls. Wherever you settle, chef-owner Chris Scanga’s always-original seasonal standards—inspired by France and the Languedoc region—are a total treat.
Everything here is made with care and consideration. On one visit, that might mean a luscious appetizer of steak tartare plus a piece of miso-marinated halibut in lemongrass beurre blanc; another trip might bring blissful Burgundy snails in garlic-herb butter, or a marvelous mushroom puff pastry that oozes goat cheese fondue once the delicate pastry crust has been pierced. As plates are set down, patrons follow a predictable path. Their eyes light up, followed by audible oohs and ahhs, then neckcraning ensues at nearby tables. In other words, magic happens here every night.
NIHAO
Canton
We’ve come a long way since the days when diehard fans of Sichuan food trailed chef Peter Chang through a series of Chinese restaurant kitchens up and down the Mid-Atlantic. These days, Chang owns a small empire of restaurants around the DMV, and NiHao—his Baltimore flagship—plasters his James Beard accolades across its Canton rowhouse walls. Lucky us. Since opening in 2020, it offers up a superb rendition of Peking duck, featuring a bronzed bird accompanied by little bao buns and hoisin sauce, which has become a dish so popular that it’s never off the menu. Other classic dishes include two versions of water-boiled fish (one, a chile-spiked crimson; the other, laced with Sichuan peppercorns and cabbage), plus an equally fiery mapo tofu and a bowl of crispy popcorn chicken.
Unsurprisingly, the dim sum is also the best in town: pork-belly buns, duck spring rolls, and bamboo baskets of steamed xiaolongbao, aka soup dumplings. And for dessert, there are black-sesame egg-yolk bao, with gorgeous pitch-black buns that you’ll be thinking about for days.
THE OREGON GRILLE
Hunt Valley
If you’re feeling flush and want to go back to the days of The Great Gatsby, you won’t find a more extravagant spot than The Oregon Grille, fittingly located in Baltimore County’s verdant Hunt Country and brought to life by designer Patrick Sutton, who did a gut renovation for the Atlas Restaurant Group when the longtime institution sold back in 2022. On the food side, you’ll find piles of shrimp, oysters, King crab, and crudo laid across ice on towering silver trays. Or gilded caviar service with the finest Russian imports. Or appetizers like roasted oysters stuffed with crab and studded with lobster. Just-off-the-fire steaks and chops—seared to crusty splendor, sprinkled with salt and pepper, then liberally glossed with butter—anchor the menu, though classic continental fare, from Dover sole to duck breast, also offers razzle-dazzle. And if you want to go full Roaring ’20s, there’s a terrific selection of whiskey, gin, and Champagne to boot.
PEERCE’S
Phoenix
On the back of the large menu at Peerce’s, there’s a list of the 11 farms that co-owners Binda and Keir Singh partner with, which tells you a lot about the priorities of both the menu and kitchen. They even own and operate one of those farms themselves—Ananda Farm is near the brothers’ other restaurant in Fulton, and both establishments highlight the Punjabi cuisine of their childhoods. While superb Northern Indian dishes—fish curry, garam masala goat, lamb biryani— come to your table, be sure to take in the equally gorgeous surroundings, notably the stained glass and roaring fireplaces, as well as the outdoor courtyard that’s kept cozy even through winter. In addition to classic Indian fare, there are also nods to local traditions, in the form of soft shells, crab soup, and a terrific crab Malabar, a synthesis of traditional curry and local seafood.
PETER’S INN
Fells Point
It doesn’t get more Bawlmer than this rowhouse restaurant owned by Karin and Bud Tiffany, who turned the onetime boisterous biker bar into a true dining destination, though it retains its rebel roots. The martini service (including a filled-to-the-brim sidecar and selection of garnishes) is the best in Baltimore. Thick slices of garlic bread drenched in butter are a delectable throwback. And rotating dishes—various riffs on surf-and-turf—are boldly seasoned and made with care but without the fuss you’ll find at stuffier spots in the city. Oh, and the pot de crème is almost as famous as Peter’s numberone fan, filmmaker John Waters. Peter’s takes limited reservations, so come early to score a spot on a barstool or grab a table and keep company with the neon, knickknacks, and taxidermy.
PETIT LOUIS BISTRO
Roland Park
Restaurants come and go—and then there’s the timeless Petit Louis. This classic French bistro feels like it’s been a little piece of Paris in Roland Park forever, though in truth, it’s only been 24 years (still a lifetime in the restaurant biz). We love that Louis always delivers a reliably great meal with equally steadfast service. We could wax poetic about the exquisite execution of the duck-fat-lacquered roasted chicken, the cheese cart that could inspire a Shakespearean sonnet, and the most outstanding crème brûlée we’ve ever eaten, but at the end of the day, Louis is an experience—and in all of Baltimore, there’s nothing quite like it. Sitting in the dining room beneath etched-glass globe lights transports you to La Belle Époque, when time was immaterial and there was nothing to do but commune with friends, eat Époisses, and drink reds from the Rhône Valley. In these polarizing times, this is an oasis of civility.
PRESERVE
Annapolis
Tucked into a pretty space along Annapolis’ busy Main Street, Preserve is one of those hidden gems that takes you by surprise. Jeremy and Michelle Hoffman’s menu has as much depth as the pickled vegetables that pop up throughout their inventive dishes and justify the restaurant’s name. Rockfish crudo with fermented kohlrabi and fish peppers, Gruyère-stuffed pierogies with pickled creminis, and duck breast with fruit butter and pickled fennel are among the stellar items that showcase local ingredients and regionally inspired recipes. Though the proteins are cooked with pomp and precision, the kitchen truly excels with produce. A recent dish of roasted and smashed sunchokes with braised sauerkraut came with a tangy preserved lemon aioli and magenta disks of watermelon radish—a remarkable fusion of flavors that would warm even a carnivore’s stomach and heart.
THE PRIME RIB
Mount Vernon
If good meals transport us, what can we say about the meals at this decadent, 60-year-old, Art Deco steakhouse in Mount Vernon? Let’s just say the experience is something akin to time travel. This winter, we snagged an early-bird reservation before an Agatha Christie play at Everyman Theatre, and our server, Jimbo, set the evening’s stage with every bit of old-world hospitality he could muster (the only thing missing was a transatlantic accent). Martinis extra dirty? “We call those filthy,” he quipped, “I’ll bring the broom.” There’s no wrong order at this crème-de-la-crème institution, including one exceptional cheeseburger. On this night, we paired the live piano jazz with rich oysters Rockefeller, ice-cold wedge salad, and that namesake prime rib steak, charred to medium-rare perfection. We had to dash before dessert but took the last of our blissful potato skins with horseradish cream to-go. On our doggie bag, Jimbo, remembering the name of our play, scrawled in cursive And Then There Were None. We were halfway across town before that was true of the leftovers, too.
PUERTO 511
Downtown
This Peruvian gem may be physically hidden on a small side street downtown, but savvy diners have known it to be one of the city’s best restaurants during its decade-long run. Chef Jose Victorio Alarcon’s prix-fixe-only dinners cover all the bases, with delicious ceviche, fresh fish, and flavorful beef usually on the menu. In winter, we devoured grilled skewers of veal heart marinated in aji panka, garlic, and cumin that sparked both conversation and praise. Portions are perfectly sized and patiently paced, making for a leisurely meal in the snug dining room. Dessert is a treat, as are the pisco sours mixed in the kitchen. Puerto 511 is BYOB, so show up with your own bottle of pisco—or whatever you’d like to drink.
ROOTED ROTISSERIE
Hollins Market
Few restaurants in recent memory have burst onto the local dining scene with the vigor of Rooted Rotisserie. Husband-and-wife team Joseph and Amanda Burton’s French-inspired bistro in the Hollins Market neighborhood has been wildly popular since opening in 2023, but it was launched into a new stratosphere a few months later when star TikTok reviewer Keith Lee sang its praises. Three words of advice: Make a reservation.
A Few of Our Favorite Things
The chicken: On a menu packed with delicious dishes, the juicy whole or half bird brushed with house-made herb oil is not to be missed. Order plenty of the four dipping sauces—extras are only 50 cents each.
The wall of family photos: Pictures of relatives from both sides of the owner’s family line an “ancestry wall” in the main dining room. “It was important to have them watching over us,” Amanda says.
Sides: The rich, creamy mac-and-cheese gets much of the Instagram love, but each of the sides—particularly the vegan crispy confit potatoes and smoky braised collard greens—are outstanding.
Service: There’s nothing stuffy about eating at the bar or one of the tables at this buzzy BYOB restaurant, and the friendly, casual-yet-attentive service only adds to the positive vibes.
The Burtons’ backstory: The couple met in the Hotel Restaurant Management program at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, then went to Paris for their honeymoon in 2021. There, they discovered a rotisserie chicken stand in an open-air market. One bite changed their lives—and ours.
THE RUXTON
Harbor East
If you’re looking for a splashy spot, perhaps a place to propose or celebrate, look no further than The Ruxton, with one of the dressiest dining rooms and most expensive menus in Charm City. Where else can you get an appetizer like caviar and tater tots, in which lowly spuds get elevated with a healthy heap of caviar and a dollop of crème fraîche? Or a wedge salad dotted with roasted tomatoes, candied bacon, burnt onions, and walnuts scattered across the surface invoking a gorgeous garden? And then there’s the main event, a supreme selection of butcher’s-cut steaks (including a 34-ounce chateaubriand), courtesy of Meat By Linz, one of the largest independent purveyors in the world. Everything about this place is extra (in the best possible way), from the onyx columns that emit a glamorous glow to the Arte Moderna-inspired glass ribbons that swing from the light fixtures like pieces of jewelry.
THAMES STREET OYSTER HOUSE
Fells Point
For the ultimate seafood experience, wander off the cobblestone streets of Fells Point into this cozy New England-meets-Mid-Atlantic eatery featuring glug jugs, picturesque views, and iconic framed photos taken by tidewater titan A. Aubrey Bodine. Come here for attentive service, high-quality ingredients, and sizable portions at a reasonable price, especially given the high cost of fresh seafood.
On a recent visit, a 60-something diner ate his first oyster and owner Candace Beattie rejoiced, as did we at a neighboring table. Always get something from the impeccable raw bar, and the lobster and clam rolls are legend, but don’t overlook more creative dishes to understand the full range of chef Eric Houseknecht’s talents. Exhibit A: a scallop ceviche bathed in coconut, lime, and hot pepper paste. Exhibit B: the saffron-tinged bouillabaisse, loaded to the gills with mussels, clams, fish, and shrimp.
TRUE CHESAPEAKE OYSTER CO.
Hampden
Located in the circa-1798 Whitehall Mill, True Chesapeake is a beacon along the Jones Falls. With its shiplap walls, recycled oyster-shell bar, and Jay Fleming’s nautical photographs, it offers an homage to our nation’s largest estuary. The menu’s stars are, as advertised, the magnificent mollusks, which come in a variety of forms—raw, roasted, on salads, in stews—and are sourced from the restaurant’s own farm in southern Maryland. But even if you’re not oyster- inclined, there are plenty of hits for the having on chef Zack Mills menu, like the winebraised beef cheeks with mint and parsley sauce, or a beautiful tart with mushrooms and tarragon crème fraîche. If you partake, the beverage program is also part of the draw. Tropical Tuesdays, half-priced-wine Wednesdays, and weekly happy-hour (for $2 oysters and one of the best Old-Fashioneds in the city) make it a destination, whatever the occasion.
WOODBERRY TAVERN
Hampden-Woodberry
Reinvention can spell the end of many a restaurant, especially an iconic one that boasts one of the only chefs in the state to win a James Beard Award. (That’s Spike Gjerde, of course). So, when Woodberry Kitchen transformed into Woodberry Tavern in 2023 and the main dining room morphed into an event space, we’ll confess we had our doubts. Turns out, Woodberry 2.0 has charms all its own.
The menu remains a showcase of the seasons, with its peerless, pioneering devotion to local purveyors. Spring means ramps. Fall means mushrooms and squash. Winter brings oysters three ways: roasted, raw, and fried. And the dishes, including what is in the running for best crab cake in the state—a terrific iteration with crabmeat sourced from Taylor’s Island and capped with a crispy slice of local spelt—are rustic, refined, and deeply restorative. The smaller, intimate space feels almost holy. Picture cathedral-height ceilings, flickering candlelight, and seats that look like church pews. In other words, a visit here is still very much destination dining for faithful believers in farm-to-fork cuisine.
