Charm City is home to a colorful combination of cuisines, and this summer is the perfect time to expand your culinary palette. Baltimore Restaurant Week is back July 27-August 5, with more than 100 places bringing the best to your plate.

In its 13th year, the summer food frenzy is the longest running promotion in the region to offer delicious discounts. Participating restaurants will have special selections on fixed brunch, lunch, or dinner menus for the week, fueled by the collaborative support of the Downtown Partnership and Visit Baltimore.

For brunch and lunch, restaurants offer choices for two courses that range from a total of $12-20, and for dinner diners will have choices for three courses ranging from $20-$35. Reservations can be made online or through the mobile app Opentable, which is also partnering to sponsor the event.

New this year, nearby parking garages sponsored by LAZ Parking will have a $5 weeknight rate and a $10 all-day weekend rate, according to Jessie Krebs, Visit Baltimore’s public relations manager. While in years past the biggest obstacle might have been getting a parking spot downtown, Visit Baltimore wanted to make that easier.

“We realized that over time there has been perception that parking downtown can be a hassle for customers,” said Visit Baltimore president and CEO Al Hutchinson. “This year we wanted to show that that perception isn’t a reality. We’re hoping that that will be something special for this restaurant week.”

This summer, more than 100 restaurants are participating in Baltimore Restaurant Week, so we wanted to narrow it down to some of the highlights.

Unbeatable Brunch: Wicked Sisters
The brunch bites at this Hampden site are looking wicked good. We like french toast. We like muffins. We’re ready to try the French toast muffin. This first course menu option starts with a cinnamon sugar muffin, and is stacked with maple syrup bits, whipped cream, and Nutella powder. You just can’t make this stuff up. 3845 Falls Rd., $15-33, (410) 878-0884

Unrivaled Lunch: Tio Pepe
Stopping in for lunch at Restaurant Tio Pepe’s brings you straight to Spain. This year, the homemade Spanish cooking comes in several options for two midday courses at $15. Take time to try authentic dishes like gazpacho a la andaluza to start, and finish it off with tortilla Espanola Don Quijote or filete Tio Pepe. 10 E. Franklin St., $15-35, (410) 539-4675

Most Creative Menu: The Food Market
Does the idea of worms in dirt make you salivate? If your first thought is dark chocolate pudding with oreo crumbs, then you have the right instinct about dirt cups. The Food Market is making Restaurant Week extra fun with funky desserts and dishes like loaded nachos, duck confit potato skins, lobster-salted fries, and more. 1017 W. 36th St, $35, (410) 366-0606

Vegetarian-Friendly Place: Encantada
Last summer, this enchanting New American menu was our favorite sustainable option of Charm City’s restaurant week. And this year, not much has changed as Encantada still brings us back to basics of fresh eating, from vegan to vegetarian to virtually any diet. Through brunch, lunch, and dinner, the menus are almost entirely meatless, including choices like tofu tacos and cauliflower steak. Take your time atop the American Visionary Art Museum, and enjoy $15 bottomless mimosas, Bloody Marys, Evolution Craft Brewing drafts & sangria at brunch and lunch. 800 Key Highway, $20-35, (410) 752-1000

The Newcomer: Chez Hugo Bistro
The latest French bistro has had our hearts since its opening this past Valentine’s Day. Its spacious dining room is best for big parties and its semi-casual ambience is ideal for families, friends, and food. For restaurant week features, you’ll find French classics like soup à l’oignon, Croque Monsieur, and steak frites for lunch or dinner. 206 E. Redwood St, $20-35, (443) 438-3002

Outdoor Option: Cafe Fili
Fill up at Cafe Fili with mediterranean mezze meals that will make you want to come back for more. From paninis, hot dips, cold dips, and a baklava selection, the adventurous eats are ideal when paired with fresh air while dining al fresco out front. The cute corner cafe is modest and quaint, making for a casual outing in Mt. Vernon. Another bonus: its lunch and dinner menus have many vegetarian options. 816 Cathedral St., $12-20, (410) 244-1600

Sweet Spot: Kora Lee’s
Even the most savory items are prepared with a sweet spin at this gourmet dessert cafe, which is perfect for our indulging our inner sweet tooth. For a $15 lunch, options include ricotta heirloom tomato tart, blueberry feta salad and pineapple Thai chicken. But bring your appetite for brunch if you want a really tasty treat, like the Nutty Buddy banana pudding French toast. Yum. 602 N. Howard Street, $15, (443) 602-0167

Neighborhood Spot: Annabel Lee Tavern
While restaurant week is the best time to try something new, it’s also great to get deals at your local favorites. And Annabel Lee is a classic we can’t get enough of. The traditional American tavern is offering a $28 three-course dinner. Start with Old Bay gazpacho, an ode to Maryland heritage, and find other fan favorites like the crab cake platter or petit filet mignon. 601 S Clinton St., $28, 410-522-2929

Biggest Bargain: The Black Olive
The authentic Greek fish tavern in Fells Point offers an array of elegance and fine dining. Their menu is still in the works, but you’ll feel especially fancy with their upscale seafood options, for no more than $35 at dinner. 814 S. Bond St., Price TBD, (410) 276-7141

Best Beverages: Petit Louis
Last but not least, Petit Louis completes our week with French food and fabulous wine—oh la la! Imagine you’re sharing a tartelette aux peches or mousse au chocolat blanc. You’ll need a perfect wine to complement your dessert, and Petit Louis’ selection of pairings is set at $19. 4800 Roland Avenue, $35, (410) 366-9393

Nearly 100 dining destinations scattered across the city are perfecting their menus for Baltimore City Winter Restaurant Week, which returns in its 13th year January 12-21. With featured spots offering everything from burgers to bronzini—plus more vegan and vegetarian options than ever before—the annual prix-fixe promotion certainly boasts plenty to choose from.

“I thought originally that it was only for fancy places,” says Annabel Lee Tavern owner Kurt X. Bragunier, who is participating in Restaurant Week for the first time this season. “But I’ve learned over time that little places like mine are good candidates, too. So I figured I’d give it a shot.”

Bragunier’s ode to Edgar Allan Poe on the corner of South Clinton Street closed briefly last summer due to financial struggles. Luckily, two local investors swooped in to save the bar soon after. Now that the tavern is back on its feet, Bragunier says that he’s looking forward to really showing the community what it has to offer.

“We wanted to gear the menu toward people who haven’t been here,” he says, mentioning the restaurant’s “tried and true” dishes including its crab cakes, crispy Brussels sprouts, and duck-fat fries. “I feel really strongly about our food—it’s just all about getting people in here to try it.”

Annabel Lee is among many of the must-try spots that are participating in the 10-day deal, which offers fixed menus priced between $12-25 for a two-course lunch, and $20-35 for a three-course dinner. In an effort to help break down all of the options, we’ve put together list of recommendations for the best spots to visit—whether you’re interested in a luxurious lunch, vegetarian dishes, beer pairings, or dining near a cozy fireplace.

Best bargain: The Prime Rib
With its white linen tablecloths, leather chairs, and famous leopard-print carpet, this Midtown supper club is bursting with old-school charm. And while its entrees could typically set you back anywhere from $26-69, the swanky steakhouse is offering a three-course prix-fixe menu including all of the classics for $35 during Restaurant Week. Choose from a house salad or warm bowl of tomato soup to start, followed by main courses like filet mignon, chopped sirloin, a center-cut pork chop, imperial crab, or the namesake special cut of prime rib. End the evening on a sweet note with traditional crème brûlee, key lime pie, or chocolate mousse. 1101 N. Calvert St., $35, 410-539-1804

Beer pairings: Heavy Seas Alehouse
There are plenty of spots to sip worldly wines, but if you’re more of a beer person, Heavy Seas Alehouse has got you covered. Each of the menu’s three courses will be accompanied by 10-oz. pours of Heavy Seas favorites including the Vienna-style Cutlass lager, Peg Leg imperial stout, and the brand new Americannon pale ale. Fittingly, the menu also features beer-infused specials including beer-battered crab dip, an alehouse burger marinated in Heavy Seas’ Powder Monkey pale ale, Golden Ale mousse, and a Tropicannon bread pudding with beer-infused cream sauce. 1300 Bank St., $35, 410-522-0850

Brunch spot: Minnow
This South Baltimore spot, which has been generating buzz with its smoked cocktails and trendy black-bun burgers, is going all out for Restaurant Week. In addition to the prix-fixe dinner menu (think dishes like crispy tofu, braised beef short ribs, and a chocolate-almond tart), the spot is also offering a three-course brunch. Dig in to dishes like French toast with spiced apple compote, crispy fried chicken on a blue corn waffle, sautéed shrimp omelets, and a Snow White cake with a  vanilla-swiss buttercream. 2 E. Wells St., $22-35, 443-759-6537

Luxurious lunch: Johnny’s
Ditch the sad desk lunch and head to this Roland Park favorite for a three-course meal that starts off with either butternut squash soup with sage brown butter, or a classic Caesar salad. Then choose from options like a beer-braised short rib sandwich, chicken BLT hoagie, or a grilled shrimp kale salad with beets, goat cheese, and Marcona almonds. You can’t go wrong with ginger molasses, mocha chocolate chip, or gluten-free peanut butter cookies for dessert. 4800 Roland Ave., $20-35, 410-773-0777

Newbie: Rye Street Tavern
If you have been meaning to swing by chef Andrew Carmellini’s new tavern next to the Sagamore Spirit Distillery campus in Port Covington, Restaurant Week is an ideal opportunity. Take in the waterfront views while indulging in options like black bean soup with lime crema, cornmeal-crusted catfish with Carolina gold rice, the chef’s famous fried chicken with buttermilk biscuits and whiskey pickles, and banana pudding for dessert. 225 E. Cromwell St., $20-35, 443-662-8000, weekends excluded.

Most romantic: Annabel Lee Tavern
Nothing says amour like the melancholic-romantic style of Edgar Allan Poe. This beloved corner destination devoted to the master of macabre is an ideal date-night spot, with its dim lighting, merlot-colored walls, sculpted ravens, and vintage paintings. Glance over the handwritten menu to find dishes like chicken tortilla soup, a charred romaine and tomato salad, and comfort-food entrees like meatloaf with Applewood-bacon gravy and a mango vegetable curry served over couscous. Plus, you can make it a cheap date, since the prix-fixe menu only costs $28. 601 S. Clinton St., $28, 410-522-2929, weekends excluded.

Vegetarian offerings: Myth & Moonshine
Sip Moonshine cocktails out of a Mason jar while enjoying the farmers’ market-inspired fare at this Canton hangout. Chef Kevin Cauthorne’s three-course dinner menu features many meatless options including French onion soup, a fried goat cheese medallion in a crimson tomato sauce, and white wine-marinated eggplant fried in Cajun flour with a side of sautéed spinach and zucchini. The dessert menu also bolsters the ultra-local focus, featuring Dangerously Delicious Berger cookie pie and cheesecake from Sasscer’s Bakery in Canton. 2300 Boston St., $25-35, 410-777-5502

Best fireplace: Regi’s Bistro
Retreat from the frigid temperatures by snagging a table near the antique marble fireplace at this Federal Hill mainstay. The seasonal specialties on Regi’s Restaurant Week menu only add to the cozy vibe—with lunch options like a Bangkok chicken noodle bowl or steak quesadilla, or dinner dishes including Chilean sea bass, veal osso bucco, New York strip steak, and flourless chocolate cake. 1002 Light St., $15-34, 410-539-7344

Last month, crowds flocked to Annabel Lee Tavern for one last basket of duck-fat fries after owner Kurt X. Bragunier announced that he would be closing the corner bar due to ongoing financial struggles. But now, foodies can breathe a sigh of relief.

This morning, Bragunier confirmed to Baltimore that the beloved tribute to Edgar Allan Poe—with its signature gothic décor and merlot walls sprawled with lines of poetry—will be staying open after all. Two regulars from the Highlandtown area have agreed to invest in the bar, which Bragunier says will remain “exactly the same” conceptually. 

Although the business had technically been on the market for weeks before the announcement of the closure, Bragunier opted not to solicit the sale publicly. Instead, he figured that, if the bar was to be sold, it would happen organically.

Luckily, that’s just how the situation unfolded. Bragunier says that he was approached by the two investors within days after announcing the closure on social media.

“They wanted to make sure that I still had the passion for it,” he says of the initial meeting. “But they could see from my commitment that I still believe in this place. I believe in Poe, the food, and everything we do here with all my heart.”

The restaurant will reopen sometime within the next month (an official date will be announced by the end of this week) with a debut of its annual summer menu. Bragunier says that the grand reopening celebration will be an ideal time to thank the community for the overwhelming outpouring of support.

“The business falling down wasn’t because people didn’t love us,” he says. “They just assumed we were always busy. I think that will change.”

[Update 6/12/17: Owner Kurt X. Bragunier has confirmed that Annabel Lee will be staying open after all. Read more here.]

With its dim lighting, gothic décor, and hand-painted walls sprawled with lines of poetry, Annabel Lee Tavern has fully embraced the melancholic style of Edgar Allan Poe for the past decade. But the macabre feeling became even more real for fans of the restaurant last night, when owner Kurt X. Bragunier announced that he would be closing the doors of his South Clinton Street spot for good.

“My business over the last couple years has just decreased to a point where I can’t even sustain my built-in costs,” Bragunier tells us, confirming that Annabel Lee’s last day of operation will be Sunday, May 28. “I’ve lost hundreds of thousands of dollars over the last couple of years in revenue.”

Braguiner opened the restaurant in 2007, during a time when the area was primarily comprised of dive bars. He remembers opening among old favorites like Clinton Hill Tavern, which is now Pig and Rooster Smokehouse; Crossroads Bar, which currently operates as The Chasseur; and The Irish Pub, which was transformed into sausage-and-beer destination Snake Hill in 2015.  But now, he says that the neighborhood’s constantly-evolving dining scene has cost him significant business.

“Now it’s like there’s cute place after cute place opening,” he says. “All is takes is one four-top a night to go to each of those new places. That’s enough of a difference for me to feel it.”

The quaint corner bar—known for its classic crab cakes, Raven-themed cocktails, and handwritten menus of evening specials—was met with open arms when it debuted in the neighborhood 10 years ago, and has become a beloved special occasion spot ever since. Bragunier made it a point to express his gratitude for all of the people who have celebrated milestones in the space.

“That was my mission in opening Annabel Lee,” he says of the restaurant, which is aptly named after the macabre master’s beloved maiden. “The poem is bitter and tragic, but romantic. And to have all of these stories of first dates and engagements is why I did what I did. It means everything to me that people have a place in their hearts for it.”

Bragunier is also pleased with how city has embraced the restaurant as a memorial of Poe’s life: “I wanted it to be a Baltimore landmark,” he says. “I always see people driving past who pull over to stop and take a picture. To this day, that still blows me away.”

Looking back on the restaurant’s run, one of Bragunier’s favorite memories is of a D.C. couple that came in for dinner before a concert six years ago, and have made it a destination ever since.

“They got engaged at the Poe table, and now they’re married and have a 9-month-old baby,” he says. “They came in last week and I told them ‘In a nutshell, you two encapsulate the reason why I did this.’”

Though no official plans are in the works yet, Bragunier—who served as the general manager of The Brewer’s Art for seven years before opening Annabel Lee—says that he intends to remain a part of the Charm City dining scene.

Above all, he is thankful for the regulars who made the the restaurant’s run so memorable.

“I’m the type of person who practically wants to hug everyone who comes through the door,” Bragunier says. “If you ask my wife, she would tell you most people would have thrown in the towel a year ago, but I’m an eternal optimist. The support means everything.”

Annabel Lee Tavern

601 S. Clinton St., 410-522-2929.

There
is something about this Edgar Allan Poe-inspired tavern that makes us
want to curl up next to the fire and sip a decadent cocktail—and they
have plenty to choose from.

Editor’s choice: The Isadore with High Grounds coffee, Fireball whiskey, Baileys Irish Cream, vanilla extract, and a whipped-cream topper.

B&O American Brasserie

2 N. Charles St., 410-692-6172.

This
hotel bar has been producing creatively crafted mixed drinks for
several years now, and its current menu—with sparkling punch bowls and
barrel-aged cocktails—is no exception.

Editor’s choice: The B&O Manhattan with Angels Envy bourbon, Port, angostura bitters, and (the kicker) maple syrup for a bit of sweetness.

Heavy Seas Alehouse

1300 Bank St, 410-522-0850.

This
Little Italy brewpub uses Heavy Seas beer in its cocktails in creative
ways, from Peg Leg liqueur in its Manhattan to Gold Ale in its shandy.

Editor’s choice: Root-beer float with two scoops of vanilla or chocolate ice cream in a pint glass and covered with Peg Leg Imperial Stout.

RYE

807 S. Broadway, 443-438-3296.

The cocktail bar features plenty of after-dinner cocktails, like the creamy Toro Blanco and rich Black & Tan.

Editor’s choice:
Though it’s off-menu, we recommend ordering the Little King (which is
served as a shot) with Crown Royal, cold-brewed coffee, and maple syrup.

The Abbey Burger Bistro

1041 Marshall St., 443-453-9698.

Besides
the build-your-own burgers, what impresses us most about Abbey Burger
is the list of spiked milkshakes—with flavors like Berger Cookies and
PB&J.

Editor’s choice: The Incredible Hulk with pistachio ice cream, Grand Marnier, and brownie chunks.

Liqueurs & Alcohol

Baileys Irish Cream: 17% alcohol

Grand Marnier: 40% alcohol

23: Percentage more alcohol by volume in Grand Marnier versus Baileys Irish Cream.