We’re almost one month into 2020 and it already feels lighter and brighter. Of course, we all still have our rainy days, but it seems the collective energy is elevated. It helps that there seems to be a spotlight on bringing “wellness” to all areas of life, including our homes, work, workouts, and our plates. Locally, shops and restaurants are starting the year out strong by tapping into these philosophies. Here, we break down four food and drink trends to look out for in 2020 and where to make the most of them around town.

Eco-Friendly Foods

As more information becomes available, restauranteurs and consumers alike are looking for more environmentally-friendly ways to enjoy their favorite things.

“We want people to feel curious about how to eat more sustainably, not intimidated,” says Helena del Pesco, owner of eco-conscious eatery Larder in Old Goucher. “It can feel hard to change habits, even when we know it’s the right thing to do.”

Recently, Baltimore City has made efforts by banning styrofoam and plastic-bags at retail locations, but the team at Larder is taking it a step further by working with the collectors at Compost Cab to keep their operation almost completely compostable. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, if food waste were a country, it would be the third-largest greenhouse gas emitter, generating the emissions of more than 37 million passenger vehicles.

Larder’s kitchen scraps, to-go containers, napkins, and utensils are composted at Real Food Farm and processed into soil that can be used to fertilize community gardens and parks.

“Yes it’s an added expense, but ultimately it benefits all of us as opposed to creating a burden for future generations,” Del Pesco says. “I grew up learning the three r’s: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Recycling has proven to be problematic…but composting, if done right, can actually turn our waste into a resource.”

Climate conscious locations across the area are also including more local, seasonal ingredients to cut down on the carbon emissions that come with food transport. Cunningham’s in Towson (whose restaurant is currently under renovation, but downstairs cafe is open for business), cuts out the middle man by sourcing most of its produce and meats from its own farm, located just minutes down the road in Cockeysville. With traditional, sustainable farming methods and organic feed, Cunningham’s farmers work to cultivate items that lessen the restaurant’s carbon footprint.

Seafood fans also know sister spots True Chesapeake Oyster Co. and The Local Oyster as other examples of regional sourcing. The True Chesapeake oyster farm, located in St. Jerome Creek in Southern Maryland, provides not only delicious, meaty mollusks, but a critical habitat for the surrounding ecosystem. Plus, they help clean up the Bay. According to the National Aquarium, a single oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water in one day.

Mighty Mocktails

We noted the rise of non-alcoholic cocktails last year, and 2020 is proving to be even more accessible to the sober-curious: “We have certainly seen an increase in guest requests for interesting mocktails,” says Rye Street Tavern beverage manager Scott Kollig. “We have a growing collection of recipes behind the bar that our team has created in the moment.”

With mocktails, diners can enjoy all the things that come with social outings without the added baggage. This includes wellness effects across the board—from immediate issues like weight gain, loss of sleep, and hangover pains to long-term health problems like risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and alcoholism. Hotel Revival just launched a “Zero Proof and Zero Judgement” menu to create a safe, fun space where guests can enjoy themselves, regardless of their drinking preference. A study published in 2018 shared modest health benefits that a group of adults experienced when they stopped drinking, even for just one month.

And it’s not just your traditional Shirley Temples and fancy lemonades. Bartenders are stepping up their game, creating decadent, inspired creations. La Food Marketa has more than eight slushies and mocktails that incorporate ingredients such as blood orange, acai, dulce creama, and muddled basil. Woodbery Kitchen uses watermelon honey, lemon balm verjus, hibiscus tea, and egg whites.

“We have a few ‘pocket’ mocktails that we utilize as good go-to drinks, but we often simply ask guests what flavors they enjoy or don’t enjoy and will build something bespoke for them,” Kollig adds. “We have various syrups that are non-alcoholic that we can use to elevate the typical citrus flavors, but by far the biggest advantage we have is using Fee Brothers Bitters. Most bitters are alcohol-based, but Fee Brothers are glycerol-based in flavors like plum, cherry, black walnut, and even celery.” Check out a few of our favorite recent mocktails here.

Functional Beverages

After the passage of the farm bill that legalized hemp across the country, we’ve seen CBD start popping up everywhere. CBD, short for cannabidiol, is a non-psychoactive compound extracted from hemp plants. It provides relaxing and sedative effects and it is commonly used to address a variety of symptoms including anxiety, insomnia, inflammation, chronic pain, and depression.

According to the World Health Organization, CBD exhibits “no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential.” In Hampden, Artifact Coffee and Vent Coffee Roasters have CBD on their menus as an add-on for hot and cold beverages.

Although you may be hearing more about CBD, it’s not the only drink infusion making a splash on Baltimore menus. At Plantbar’s locations in Brewer’s Hill and Towson, they’ve added collagen to their lengthy list of wellness add-ons that also includes chlorella, oregano oil, turmeric, and spirulina.

“Collagen is a major building block of skin, bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments,” says Plantbar owner Daniela Troia. “We use it in our upgraded coffees—basically a kicked up bulletproof coffee—and it can be added to smoothies.”

A recent report shows that collagen supplements can increase skin elasticity and hydration. It can also help support joint and bone health, protect lean muscle, and build healthier hair and nails.

If you need an energy boost, Baltimore-based brewery Wild Kombucha has expanded on their offerings to include Icaro Yerba Maté blends. While kombucha has been adding natural probiotics to diets in recent years, the yerba maté extract blended into these new organic green tea beverages is a popular caffeine pick-me-up traditionally used in South America.

Plants, Plants, and More Plants

Plant-based items were also a top highlight in 2019 and continue with increased intensity. Vegetarian and vegan options are flooding the city and new blends are helping flexitarians take steps toward more plants, without making the full switch.

With this in mind, many Baltimore locations are expanding their veggie options, but keeping some of the meatier flavors and textures. At the newly opened Annoula’s Kitchen inside Cross Street Market, diners can grab an open-faced Chickpea Melt on sourdough. North Avenue Market provides meat-like flavors without meat in their rotating specials, like the current Broccoli over Mushroom Duxelle. At Snake Hill in Canton, you can taste a variety of homemade sausages, including three non-meat options like the Smoked Apple Sage made with golden potatoes, as well as an Italian made with eggplant and fennel.

Baltimore is on-trend with leading chefs across the country who are looking to add healthier, planet-friendly options like these. The James Beard Foundation has even created The Blended Burger Project, a movement that encourages chefs to blend at least 25 percent mushrooms into burgers. Tying back to sustainability, this switch could reduce agricultural production-related greenhouse gas emissions and irrigation water demand. Plus, it could reduce global agricultural land demand by more than 14,000 square miles, an area larger than our state of Maryland.

Bulgogi Bánh mì, al pastor tacos, or Baltimore’s biggest jaw breaker? Can’t make up your mind? We’re here to guide you through all the decisions that need to be made at the newly revitalized Cross Street Market. You’re up next, Lexington.

What’s the history of Cross Street Market?
Thanks to the growing population of Federal Hill in 1838, residents petitioned for a new market. At the time, the closest market was the now-defunct Hanover Market. In 1846, a long open-air shed was built between Charles and Patapsco Streets, where vendors sold meat and poultry, seafood, and vegetables. By 1871, the market was rebuilt as a two-story Revival-style building, with the market space on the first floor and a meeting hall (with a basketball court!) on the second floor. After a fire in 1951, the structure was rebuilt as the 31,800-square-foot structure that still stands today.

What’s the story behind the sign outside?
The cool, retro neon sign outside of the market on Charles Street is a modern riff on the original neon signage that was part of the market after it was rebuilt in the 1950s.

Who’s the oldest tenant?
There are three tenants who have occupied the space for decades, including The Sweet Shoppe and Steve’s Lunch, but Fenwick’s Choice Meats, founded in 1952, has been there the longest.

Where should I go if I’m a vegetarian?
Cross Street Market has numerous vendors with vegetarian-and vegan-friendly fare, including Annoula’s Kitchen and Sobeachy Haitian cuisine. For diehards, Gangster Vegan features an exclusively vegan, organic, soy-free, gluten-free menu, including juices and smoothies, as well as salads and bowls. (Try the beet burger.) There’s also Annoula’s Kitchen with its artisan salads and sandwiches. What’s the difference between a food court and a food hall? A food court consists of chain restaurants and is often located in a mall. A food hall is typically a more upscale version of a food court, with artisan restaurants and other food-related vendors under one roof.

If I want something to-go, what do you suggest?

Most food is eaten better on-site, not so The Cross Street Grinder at Annoula’s Kitchen. Stuffed with ham, pepperoni, chicken, greens, hot peppers, and roasted garlic mayo, the sub roll improves with age and is best consumed an hour or so later, after all the fix-ins have had time to saturate the roll.

Is there alcohol for sale?

Yes! Cans Filling Station will, well, fill all of your imbibing needs. There’s a large selection of craft beers, wines, on-trend hard seltzers, kombuchas, and ciders. Drink it there or get it to-go in a reusable can (with a $2 per can refill credit). The market boasts many other spirits-serving vendors, too. Highlandtown’s Old Line Spirits recently debuted its satellite cocktail bar, where you can sip local beer and wine, as well as classic cocktails using the distillery’s acclaimed whiskeys and rums.

Where can I go if I just want to hang out on my laptop?

Ceremony Coffee Roasters has two other locations in the city, but this locale has tons of sofa seating, and you can always pick up something from the food hall if you plan on parking yourself there all day.

Noticeable changes have taken shape since Caves Valley Partners began its revitalization of the 173-year-old Cross Street Market in Federal Hill last year. Most recently, retro signage that harkens back to the market’s original rebuild—after a fire destroyed it in 1951—went up around the exterior.

While the neon logos are a reminder of its storied history, the renovated interior will bring the market into the present with a diverse lineup that reflects the breadth of Baltimore’s current dining landscape.

“As a team, it was important for us to keep it Baltimore-centric,” says Nick Alevrogiannis of Cana Development, which handles leasing for Cross Street Market. “We wanted authentic and artisan, and we’re seeing a pretty big swing of that growing here.”

By keeping an eye out for unique concepts at local pop-ups and farmers’ markets, the firm was able to bring on vendors that span multiple different cultures and cuisines, many of which are minority and female-owned and operated.

According to the Project for Public Spaces, a national nonprofit dedicated to helping communities sustain public properties, public markets are a great entryway for chefs and restaurateurs—especially minorities, immigrants, and women—to grow their businesses.

“A lot of small businesses want to be able to grow, but the capital required and the vetting process from landlords to get your own brick-and-mortar is typically really expensive, and the liability is huge,” Alevrogiannis says. “But with a market, capital requirement is significantly less to get in, which promotes small businesses from the beginning.”

When it reopens this spring, a number of veterans that operated in the market pre-construction (think Fenwick’s Choice Meats, Steve’s Lunch, and The Sweet Shoppe) will be joined by a new class of budding businesses. There will be Baltimore spinoffs including Burger Bar from the team at Southside Diner in Riverside, Annoula’s Kitchen from the owners of Sobo Cafe across the street, Cans Filling Station from the operator of Taps Filling Station at Mount Vernon Marketplace, and a new Ceremony Coffee location.

But diners will also be able to expand their knowledge of global cuisine with Hawaiian grinds from Ono Poké, Mexican eats from Taco Love Grill, Southeast Asian dishes from Rice Crook, Vietnamese fare from Phubs, and authentic Haitian cuisine from Sobeachy—a JFX farmers’ market favorite founded by husband-and-wife duo Chanel and Leo Fleurimond.

“It’s really important to have all of those different flavors,” Chanel says. “When people think of Caribbean food, they automatically think of Jamaican food. So for us, it’s great that we now have an opportunity to be there alongside every other diverse, ethnic option and bring a different Caribbean island to Baltimore.”

The owners are looking forward to introducing diners to their eclectic blend of African and French flavors, which is showcased in stewed meats, chicken wings, stuffed plantain cups, “Cod Yatti” sandwiches (deep-fried cod on a cocoa bread bun with mango sauce), and “Pati Kode,” a veggie or meat-filled turnover similar to a fried empanada. Sobeachy will also be able to serve its fresh juices and alcoholic Island drinks in its new stall.

Other new vendors are excited about the move, even if they’ve been around for a while. Take brothers Chuong and Paul Nguyen, who established their Vietnamese soup and sub shop Phubs in Hanover five years ago, but are enthusiastic about the benefits of joining a communal market.

“Vietnamese food in general is getting more popular, but it’s still not super mainstream,” says Chuong. “With the market being so diverse, it requires people to come in with an open mind. Those are the type of customers we want.”

Phubs will continue to offer its signature banh-mi sandwiches and pho with all the fixins, but the owners are adding a few new twists that cater to the market’s clientele. Specifically, the eatery will offer its bone broth in coffee-sized cups for diners in need of a hangover cure or quick energy boost.

“We simmer the bones for 24 hours because that’s how our parents did it growing up,” says Chuong, a Columbia native. “We ate pho weekly, and always felt great the next day. But it’s really all about the broth and making it the right way. We didn’t want to get away from that.”

In addition to providing that authenticity, vendors agree that the market environment fosters a more personal relationship between makers and customers. In the future, organizers hope to strengthen the community focus by activating the space with more startups (a new wave will join the scene summer 2019) and launching an outdoor farmers’ market in April.

“To me, what sets a market apart from a food court is that it’s interactive and engaged,” Alevrogiannis says. “You have to tell that story. Just having good food and good service isn’t working anymore.”