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.

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

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.)

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

Ananda

FULTON

Open the doors to Ananda and you’ll immediately forget you’re in a Fulton development. A gowned hostess will usher you through a gorgeous restaurant filled with book-lined shelves, stained glass, and roaring fireplaces. Brothers Binda and Keir Singh have created a terrific menu of both traditional Punjabi dishes and more modern creations, from garam masala goat and chicken biryani to burrata salad with gremolata and roasted cauliflower, corn, and crab soup. Ananda has its own nearby farm, so it’s no surprise that some of the finest dishes are created from seasonal produce, each perfectly spiced, with heat calibrated to taste. Among the best on our visit: palak chaat, a bowl of impossibly crispy spinach with pomegranate seeds, tamarind chutney, and housemade yogurt; and roasted broccoli, doused with spices, house-made cheese, garlic, and more tamarind. The Singhs raise chickens and ducks for their eggs and source meats locally, with that attention to quality and detail evident on the plate. Order as many dishes as you can.

Antrim 1844 and The Smokehouse Restaurant

TANEYTOWN

Dining at this restaurant on a 19th-century estate-turned-quaint-hotel feels like being on vacation. The first part is getting there, which, unless you live in northern Carroll County, isn’t easy. But the journey is worth it. Dinner begins with hors d’oeuvres and cocktails in the cozy bar or one of several seating areas before you’re escorted to your table. A piano player often fills the multiple dining rooms with music, adding to the ambiance. On our last visit, we were handed a menu with our name printed on it, along with that of executive chef Inti Villalobos-Coady, whose six-course tasting menu offers a panoply of French-inspired cooking.

There are options for each course, and we started with grilled octopus with couscous, fava beans, sweet corn, and shishito peppers, which added a nice element of heat. Our main dish, an excellent pan-seared halibut, was presented in a mushroom and dashi broth with cipollini onions and foraged mushrooms. Preparing a classic fish like this is a risk, but Villalobos-Coady is more than up to the task—the dish is a marvel. Meals here are not to be rushed, and many couples linger over bites of crème brûlée or a rich cheese plate for dessert. An after-dinner cappuccino—or better yet a cognac—is a perfect cap to a meal that feels like an escape from the monotony of everyday life. Perhaps next time we’ll get a room and stay the night.

Ash Bar

MT. VERNON

From the dimly lit, red-hued dining room to the snake-themed dishware and naughty-but-nice café society vibe, Ash Bar is a true Baltimore original (the same can be said of the Ulysses hotel in which the restaurant resides). But style only goes so far without substance. Here, the menu—overseen by Lauren Sandler, formerly of Woodberry Kitchen—features mostly elevated bistro fare, including a delicate pan-roasted salmon with celery root velouté, a comforting rigatoni Bolognese, and a classic roast chicken with tomatoes. Some offerings do shift with the seasons, but there are signature staples like the 24-hour pressed potatoes with sour cream and trout roe (think blinis) that you should order no matter how often you go. The preparations are solid and at a price point that won’t break the bank. If you want to extend that festive feeling, begin (or end) your night at the Bloom’s bar just down the hallway, which looks like something straight out of a David Lynch film, or stroll around the corner of the hotel to grab a potent craft cocktail from The Coral Wig, the latest creation from Clavel’s Lane Harlan.

Azumi

HARBOR EAST

There are few things as much fun as eating sushi on the Baltimore waterfront, chopsticking up perfectly cut hirame, ikura, and toro as the sun sets behind the Domino Sugars sign. This experience is brought to you by Azumi, located on the ground floor of the Four Seasons Hotel, featuring an omakase menu and fish flown in daily from Tokyo’s famed Toyosu Market. In addition to a stellar list of seafood for that sushi, which includes specialties like truffle uni and A5 Miyazaki Wagyu beef with foie gras, there are also various showy rolls, tempura, and barbecue-style robata, as well as bigger dishes, of which the miso black cod is particularly good. It’s worth noting that the nigiri is divine but smaller than average. (The upside is that this delivers the full flavor in one bite.) If you’re feeling flush, splurge on the Emperor’s Sushi Feast, consisting of 40 pieces of fresh fish for $240. And then maybe order another Serenity sake cocktail with the bill to ease the sticker shock.

Charleston

HARBOR EAST

While perfection is nearly impossible to achieve in any pursuit (let alone the restaurant business), this paragon of white-tablecloth dining comes close. After 26 years, co-owners Tony Foreman and Cindy Wolf still hit it out of the park night after night, sustaining a level of attention to detail that’s worthy of the highest gastronomic honors. There’s a reason why Wolf has been nominated for James Beard Best Chef Mid-Atlantic many times over. (Though we’re baffled by the Beard folks who never actually bestow her with the medal.) Inspired by her frequent culinary travels to Michelin-starred spots in France, the chef works tirelessly to tantalize our tastebuds—and all her plates are an archetype of artistry. A single sea scallop sautéed in lemon brown butter sits on a throne of cauliflower purée ringed by tiny capers on one iteration of the menu; pan-roasted magret of duck is partnered with a sunset-colored strawberry-rhubarb compote on another.

The front of the house is flawless, too; oenophile Foreman, along with genial maître d’hotel Peter Keck, keep things running with military precision, and not a fork is out of place. The positively splendid dining rooms—a series of three spaces, plus the bar, are exquisitely tasteful, each with its own personality, which means that no two visits are ever the same. Need a second opinion? While the ever-evolving tasting menu offers a three-to-six course option, last summer, one patron ordered a whopping 11 dishes, and that’s not even the restaurant record of 13. (Basically, one of everything.) Can’t say we blame them.

The Choptank

ANNAPOLIS

It would be hard to find a more apropos setting in which to slurp oysters, crack crabs, or indulge in the other bounties of the Chesapeake Bay than this second location of the Atlas Restaurant Group’s upscale Maryland seafood house concept. But setting alone—though it’s hard to beat this one, which overlooks the capital city’s famed Ego Alley—does not produce a top-notch restaurant. The food here speaks for itself. Rockfish ceviche features thick pieces of fish, thin slices of cucumber, and chopped tomatoes, onions, and jalapeños. The freshness of each component is evident. Steaks, strips, and sandwiches are available, but you come here for the cornucopia of fish and shellfish that can be seared, broiled, or blackened. On a recent visit, we opted for scallops with a side of amazingly rich ponzu-shiitake brown butter. In the warmer months, it can be a struggle to get a reservation, so plan accordingly. Once you’re here, you’ll see—and taste—why.

Cinghiale

HARBOR EAST

Seldom does a restaurant do so many things so well. At Cinghiale, Tony Foreman and Cindy Wolf’s beautiful Harbor East enoteca and osteria, dinner starts with a worldclass selection of imported cheeses and meats. Antipasti include foie gras, roasted pumpkin soup, and a terrific bluefin tuna crudo with avocados, cucumber, capers, and chile oil. Be sure to order at least one of the outstanding house-made pastas, which come in every conceivable shape and size. (They’re available in full and half portions.) The mushroom lasagna, with roasted eggplant and garlic fonduta, is delightfully rich. Our server heard us mention that we planned to share it and thoughtfully split the order on two plates.

Mains include meats like roasted venison, which is lean and tasty, with sweet potatoes and mustard greens. Veal, duck, chicken, and fish are all complemented rather than overshadowed by the methods in which they’re prepared. (The grilled swordfish, in a hazelnut-anchovy brown-butter sauce, is the perfect example of this synchronicity.) With an impressive multipage wine list—and a sommelier on hand for advice—Cinghiale has every angle covered.

Dok Khao Thai Eatery

COLUMBIA

Don’t let the outdoor mall near the Merriweather Post Pavilion discourage you—Porntipa Pattanamekar’s Columbia restaurant is a bustling gem of a place. There’s a salmon-colored chaise lounge in the foyer for those waiting for a table (no reservations) and a working fountain in the center of the large, inevitably crowded dining room. Plants and birdcages decorate the restaurant—even the chandeliers are enclosed by birdcages—and the whole place evokes a dream-like garden shop.

The large menu is loaded with Thai favorites: The curries are excellent, with spice adjusted to taste, and there are exemplary versions of expected dishes (pad Thai, tom yum soup, drunken noodles) plus specialties like lychee duck curry, lamb massaman curry, and “cry baby noodles,” an addictive sweet-and-sour concoction. Especially on the weekend, Dok Khao can get very busy, but don’t be put off by those large crowds—the service is spectacular, with attentive waiters and dishes appearing as if by magic. There’s also a surprisingly large dessert menu that includes mouth-watering mango parfaits and a Thai tea crème brûlée.

Duck Duck Goose

FELLS POINT

The name might conjure memories of a children’s game, but the fare at Ashish Alfred’s outstanding French restaurant is geared toward the most mature of palates. That said, despite the elevated food, Alfred knows his restaurant sits in a neighborhood known more for partying than pâté, so it’s unpretentious and approachable. Start with a Duck L’Orange cocktail, which he swirls with duckfat-washed Sagamore Rye and gooseberries, cardamom bitters, star anise, and cinnamon. It’s a wonderful drink that sets the stage for the food. Classic Parisian appetizers like escargot and duck liver pâté are excellent, as is the roasted cauliflower, which is brilliantly paired with a date purée. As one might expect, the namesake duck is represented heavily among the entrees (the roasted duck breast is rich and tender), but much else shines as well. If there’s a better place to get coq au vin in the city, we’ve yet to find it. Dessert is not to be overlooked here, and the croissant bread pudding, topped with caramel, is lighter than most but no less delectable. It’s fun and French—a combination Duck Duck Goose has nailed.

Foraged

STATION NORTH

Stew in summer? It’s not the first dish that comes to mind in that season, but Chris Amendola has never been satisfied with the status quo. His menu is ever-changing—sometimes even daily, as a dish might be served with a different kind of pasta or variety of tomato on any given night. But the chef always stays true to his ideals: using the freshest, most local ingredients possible (including, as the name would suggest, some that he forages himself) in creative ways. Take that stew, for example, which is a signature menu item on most visits. It is mushroom-based, and includes ricotta, herbs, pine nuts, and a poached egg. The result is a burst of umami that hits the spot any time of year.

On one recent visit, the seasonal offering of lightly fried squash blossoms stuffed with cheese reminded us of elevated jalapeño poppers; on another, a clever Maryland-style mushroom “crab cake” mimicked our state seafood. And while vegetables really shine here, the kitchen treats meat with similar respect. Take, for example, another offering—a leg of lamb topped with zesty chimichurri served over eggplant purée with roasted tomato and broccoli. As with so many of the dishes here, it was a perfect melding of ingredients and offers an apt demonstration of why Amendola was named a James Beard Award semifinalist in the Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic category last year.

Gertrude’s Chesapeake Kitchen

HOPKINS-HOMEWOOD

Renowned chef-owner John Shields opened this quintessential Bay-to-table restaurant inside the Baltimore Museum of Art in 1998 and, a quarter-century later, it hasn’t deviated from its mission. The menu still highlights the bounty of the Chesapeake in dishes like Chincoteague fried oysters, smoked blue catfish catties, and rockfish imperial accompanied by creamy garlic mashed potatoes that makes a wonderfully rich dish combining the best of land and sea. Shields also excels with less traditional dishes like pleasingly spicy udon noodles tossed in a soy sauce, chile oil, orange zest, and toasted sesame seeds, while lamb meatballs with figs and yogurt sauce are worthy of their menu moniker “Greektown.” Gertrude’s wouldn’t have thrived for 25 years if its chef-owner had rested on his laurels. Thankfully, he hasn’t. And bonus points to Shields for being one of the most congenial chefs in town.

The Helmand

MT. VERNON

There’s little need to change much of anything at a restaurant like The Helmand. For more than three decades, gracious owners Pat and Qayum Karzai have quietly led the fine-dining scene in the city. The kitchen of this Baltimore culinary linchpin has produced a kaleidoscope of flavors that wows both newcomers and customers who have been coming since day one. Everyone knows that The Helmand’s renowned kaddo borwani—pan-fried and baked baby pumpkin seasoned with sugar and served on yogurt garlic sauce—is a must-order. But the menu, exotic yet approachable, is filled with other items to tempt you, like the zardalu challow—chunks of lamb simmered with sun-dried apricots, prunes, tomatoes, garlic, turmeric, and chile peppers—or the mourgh challow: chicken sautéed in yellow split peas and tomatoes. Every time we return, which is often, we’re thrilled that it’s just as we remembered.

Hersh’s

RIVERSIDE

Drive to the southernmost end of Light Street in South Baltimore and you’ll find one of the city’s best pizzerias in a big brick building on the corner that once housed a barbecue joint. Owned and operated by the Hershkovitz siblings, Stephanie and Josh, Hersh’s is strung with Edison bulbs and seems to be guided by the heat and principle of the 5,000-pound, Italian-made, wood-burning pizza oven that the pair forklifted into the space. The Neapolitan-style pies that emerge from this behemoth are spectacular: a margherita with house-made mozzarella, a version of Frank Pepe’s classic New Haven clam pie, and a white pizza with pistachios and kale that keeps regulars coming back. The pasta, also made in-house, is excellent as well: a short list of cavatelli or tagliolini, each perfectly tricked out. In short, Hersh’s has everything a pizzeria should have—great pies—plus everything most pizzerias do not, including rustic entrees (a satisfying swordfish over couscous) and deft appetizers (wood-fired octopus) that you’d expect to find at a white-tablecloth spot.

La Scala Ristorante Italiano

LITTLE ITALY

Little Italy’s La Scala is as old-school as they come. The servers are dressed like steam-train conductors, the pepper grinders are brandished like wands, and the pasta—made in-house—is worthy of all those ancient ladies making orecchiette on Pasta Grannies. Chef-owner Nino Germano has been running the place for over a quarter-century, and it manages to be both traditional and idiosyncratic: There’s a bocce ball court near the front door, and instead of a chandelier, there’s a wooden octopus hanging from the ceiling. Whatever makes Germano happy is fine with us. There are splendid iterations of gnocchi and risotto and antipasta on offer, as there should be. The calamari fritti and veal scallopini are outstanding, as has been every plate of pasta we’ve ever ordered, particularly the Bolognese, puttanesca, and ethereal gamberi fra diavolo. Finish off with a demitasse of espresso and at least one order of tiramisu.

Le Comptoir Du Vin

STATION NORTH

Hidden away in a sliver of a rowhouse on a ramshackle Station North street, walking into Le Comptoir is like stumbling upon a sudden portal to Aix-en-Provence. Rosemary Liss and Will Mester have created a French-ish bistro and wine bar that feels at once upscale and familial, as if your Gallic grandparents had been secretly trained in the classics. Bottles of wine line the walls, the menu is chalked on a blackboard, and the dishes—ever-changing rustic takes on countryside food that are both unconventional and unexpected—come on mismatched china.

One night, there might be a cassoulet or a stew of lentils with goose liver. Another might yield tomato tarts or soup au pistou. An appetizer of rolled pig’s head, green sauce, and grilled bread is spectacular, as is the restaurant’s famous mussel toast with saffron aioli. If there aren’t enough of the tiny dinner tables, there’s a basement dining room that feels like a forgotten wine cellar and which turns into a patio during the warmer months. The bread is made in-house, the natural wine list is long, and the desserts (lemon posset!) are sublime.

Limoncello

LOCUST POINT

The menu at this contemporary Italian restaurant is attractive for many reasons. Let’s start with the food: Antipasti like the torta di melenzane, aka baby eggplant in tomato sauce topped with fresh mozzarella, are excellent, as is the bruschetta with fig jam, Gorgonzola, and 24-month aged prosciutto. Pasta dishes, like orecchiette with crumbled fennel sausage and roasted-garlic broccoli rabe, harken to Italy’s Campania region, where the owners have their roots. And entrees, like a plate of grilled shrimp, swordfish, calamari, and octopus with fingerling potatoes and an arugula-tomato salad, are caringly prepared.

Chef-co-owner Gennaro DiBenedetto allows the seafood to speak for itself while ensuring that its flavors are accented by the right level of char from the grill. But we also love the menu itself—literally. Its colors and fonts are festive, capturing how it feels to dine here. Located on the first floor of shiny Anthem House in Locust Point, the sprawling space is bright and lively, and the large bar has some of the most comfortable stools in town. Reservations fill up on the weekends, so plan ahead or risk disappointment.

Linwoods

OWINGS MILLS

Don’t come to this 36-year-old Owings Mills stalwart if you’re looking for newfangled trends or to fill your social media feed with images of salmon with edible gold leaf or chopped sandwiches—yes, those are both a thing. This white-linen spot—long the ad-hoc fine-dining room for Baltimore County—is all about quality and consistency, resulting in the kind of cooking you’ll want to enjoy with friends or family for a special occasion, or any reason at all. Whether you grab a seat at the bar to sip a pineapple martini and snack on shrimp scampi flatbread; choose to perch at the grill line, with its view of the open kitchen and garde mangers stacking salads in ring molds; or sit at a table for that piece of simply prepared fish that’s been on the menu since the beginning, all roads lead to perfection. The eponymous Linwood Dame, who last year sold the business to his longtime executive chef, Tom Devine, and Erena Vedensky, Linwoods’ chief financial officer, is no longer a nightly presence, but other familiar faces, like veteran staffer-turned-general-manager Stacey Taylor, prevail to table touch and make you feel oh so cared for.

Magdalena, A Maryland Bistro

MT. VERNON

If you want to impress out-of-towners or just want to get glitzed up for a night on the town, head to this epitome of elegance inside The Ivy Hotel. The posh dining rooms and Eden-like patio exude a quiet luxury, but after a post-pandemic relaunch, the bistro-style menu is a bit more approachable. The menu draws from the area’s best fishermen and farmers and leans into the seasons, while always paying its respect to the Mid-Atlantic. Each dish is executed with consistency and care, from a crispy sea bass with chanterelles, Sungold tomatoes, and turmeric oil in summer to a golden Amish chicken with pickled okra in the fall.The whiskey selection, the cocktails, and Wine Spectator-awarded bottle list make for ideal accompaniments.

We suggest going with a few friends for maximum sharing opportunities. Our own perfect Magdalena order includes a basket of house-made bread with ever-changing butters, the artisan cheese plate, and the heavenly dessert board including pastry chef Cassidy Lueck’s phenomenal ricotta doughnuts served with a scoop of seasonal ice cream. For the ultimate experience, splurge for a room upstairs (breakfast from the restaurant is included).

The Milton Inn

SPARKS

Ever since its 2021 opening under the auspices of the Foreman Wolf Restaurant Group and chef-partner Chris Scanga (formerly of Petit Louis Bistro in Roland Park), this bucolic country haven, whose former claim to fame is that it was John Wilkes Booth’s one-time schoolhouse, only gets better and better. Over time, the menu has become more approachable, with less focus on game and more emphasis on the greatest hits from the Louis menu—the iconic crispy squash blossoms with saffron aioli, the Left Bank-leaning quiche Lorraine, the croque monsieur, and the best onion soup this side of the Seine. But there are plenty of items that are unique to the Inn, too, further highlighting Scanga’s mastery of French foundational cooking. The pan-roasted Scottish salmon in sorrel sauce is exemplary, as is a simple New York strip boosted by Béarnaise and the divine steak tartare complete with caviar and a quail egg.

There’s no such thing as a bad seat here—some rooms are bright and airy; others are dark and moody. The patio, replete with a fireplace, is perfect even when the air has a slight chill. Whatever the backdrop, the execution is on-point, the flavors are fantastic, and the hospitality is warm and sincere. Go on Wednesdays when wine is half price. And always visit the dog-themed bathroom near the bar, even if only for the selfie.

Nihao

CANTON

After briefly closing for a reboot last year, NiHao reopened with a new menu that put the Canton rowhouse restaurant more in line with chef-owner Peter Chang’s small empire of Mid-Atlantic restaurants highlighting traditional regional Chinese cuisine. NiHao’s kitchen now sends out plates of its superb signature Peking duck (a holdover from the previous iteration, as regulars would have revolted otherwise), plus huge bowls of flounder spiked with hot chiles or Sichuan peppercorns and cabbage, both takes on the classic water-boiled fish, as well as crispy popcorn chicken laced with bright red chiles—not to mention an impressive list of dim sum. NiHao also features more than a dozen baijiu cocktails, made with the national spirit of China, traditionally distilled from sorghum, which makes for a great addition to the local mixology scene. Be sure to order the xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) steamed in bamboo trays, or the crispy, doughy balloon of bubble pancake that is another of Chang’s signatures. It’s a great, showy start to what is a banquet of a meal.

Peerce’s

PHOENIX

This jewel box of an Indian restaurant, nestled along Dulaney Valley Road, is a beacon from a dark stretch of country road. As you step onto the patio, you’ll find yourself in a verdant Eden overflowing with greenery and a trellis entangled with vines. The interior of the restaurant—think dramatic, curry-scented dining rooms that flicker with candlelight—is equally elegant. Co-owner brothers Binda and Keir Singh of Howard County’s Ananda explore their roots in Punjabi cooking with traditional yet modern interpretations of always well-seasoned dishes like tandoori chicken, fish curry, garam masala goat, and lamb vindaloo. And their vegetable-based offerings, from spiced okra with onions to eggplant curry, crush the concept that vegetarian fare is boring.

The expansive menu also bends with the seasons and nods to Maryland, as evidenced by the crab khumbi with sweet meat tucked into a portobello mushroom capped with coconut chutney. And as anyone who has ever been to Peerce’s knows, no visit is complete without at least a passing conversation with the sartorially suited Keir, who sets the tone with his genuine warmth and is always on hand to make a recommendation. (Ask him about the off-menu butter chicken if you like a lot of heat.)

Peter’s Inn

FELLS POINT

Whenever we have new guests in town, there’s always one place we take them for the most culinarily quintessential introduction to Charm City. Somehow both gritty and quietly cosmopolitan, eccentric yet accessible, this former Ann Street biker bar manages to capture all the wonderful contradictions of our underdog town. Only owners Karin and Bud Tiffany could combine a sidecar-ed martini served on a silver platter with a stereo cranking out The Clash. Or a just-right New York strip steak with a giant taxidermied marlin above the bar. Or Prince Edward Island oysters (with a “bump” of caviar, no less) and the best Texas toast-style garlic bread you’ve ever had.

Hand-written menus mingle with antique oil paintings and the oohs and aahs of both longtime loyal patrons and wide-eyed come-latelys. That’s because Peter’s is the inimitable blend of no-fuss and plenty of frills, with each dish having its own magic touch. On a recent visit, our pasta al limone arrived with an unexpected punch of buttery sautéed shrimp, smashed pistachios, and smoky chile flakes. It’s a sin to skip the surprisingly lovely house salad, decadent smoked trout pâté, or divine pot de crème dessert. And those relatively new French fries rival McDonald’s, which we mean as the highest possible praise.

Preserve

ANNAPOLIS

Occasionally we find ourselves in Annapolis in search of supper, and more often than not, that means we’ll make our way up Main Street to this now-mainstay on the state capital’s most bustling strip. Amidst the throngs of white-hatted Navy plebes and across from the bright lights of Chick & Ruth’s Delly, Preserve is easy to miss, though once you’ve had a bite inside, you won’t soon forget it. Since 2015, husband-and-wife team Jeremy and Michelle Hoffman—formerly of Thomas Keller’s Per Se and Danny Meyer’s Union Square Café, respectively—have been turning out some of the most ambitious food in Anne Arundel County.

Much is in the name here, with the chef’s Pennsylvania Dutch heritage melding with the ingredients of the Chesapeake and pickled and preserved elements dotting the boundary-pushing menu. Fried duck tongues with rice vinegar aioli and chile crisp were an appetizer we never knew we needed, while the pork terrine is a perennial star, especially the version with fennelpeach kraut and Dijonnaise on offer last summer. Always indulge in the daily specials, inspired by provisions from the restaurant’s roster of local farmers, and on that note, consider a bottle from Old Westminster Winery, made just up the road.

Puerto 511

DOWNTOWN

Open since 2014 and reworked in 2019 with a prix-fixe-only menu, Puerto 511 is a hidden gem tucked away off a side street in the heart of downtown. Open the door to what feels like a secret gateway to Lima, and you’ll find Peruvian chef-owner Jose Victorio Alarcon’s minimalist dining room, with 10 small tables next to a tiny open kitchen. There’s lovely artwork on the walls and a steep staircase down to a beautiful dining room for larger parties, with a fireplace to boot. With five courses on weekdays and seven during weekends, Alarcon’s menu is a perfectly orchestrated series of dishes—all sized and paced just right—like shrimp in sweet chile sauce atop a corn tamal; grilled veal skewers over Peruvian corn and potatoes with pepper sauce; and a stunning dish of fish ceviche with sweet potatoes in tiger’s milk, a regional marinade of yellow peppers and lime. Puerto 511 is BYOB, which allows for personalization, but they also offer pisco sours, the traditional Peruvian cocktail—and a stellar accompaniment to Alarcon’s glorious food.

Restaurante Tio Pepe

MT. VERNON

This subterranean Spanish stalwart on the quiet edge of Franklin Street isn’t the hot spot it used to be. In fact, on a recent Tuesday night, we were the only table in the place, but before long, that felt like being in on one of Baltimore’s best-kept secrets. Two servers swept through with glasses of potent house-made sangria and the sort of old-world service that M.F.K. Fisher would praise. By the time other locals trickled into the cavernous dining room—dimly lit, decked in white tablecloths, dripping with oil paintings, and the occasional lipstick-red carnation—we were too busy swooning over the luscious garlic soup off the special’s menu (which hasn’t changed in a decade) to pay them any mind.

With minute steaks and stringbean almondines, the menu is stuck in 1968, the year that Tio Pepe opened, but that makes it kinda cool again. Start with the hollandaise artichokes and Serrano ham with melon. Then, while it might sound sacrilege, forgo the famous paella for near-perfection soft-shell crabs with lemon and butter and, always, the masterpiece suckling pig with pan jus, smoky black beans, and cinnamon-scented apple sauce that you’ll be dreaming about for days. But before you head back out into the modern-day night, find room for a café Americano and slice of the delightful pine nut roll for dessert. Turns out, they kind of knew how to live 56 years ago.

Tagliata

HARBOR EAST

This Italian Harbor East hot spot is the juggernaut of the Atlas Restaurant Group, which has 25 area restaurants (and counting). The vibe is swank—from the oversized card-stock menu (good riddance, QR codes!) to the sophisticated dining room to a lineup of deeply delectable dishes, thanks to co-owner-chef Julian Marucci, who coaxes big flavors from simple ingredients. All the offerings are excellent here, but be sure to order at least one of the house-made pastas stuffed or coated with all sorts of scrumptious items from rabbit to crab with uni cream.

The rest of the menu is a hit parade, too—some signatures with timeless preparations, like the beef tenderloin with spicy black garlic mostarda, others seasonal, like the smoked carrots with ricotta and truffle honey or risotto with roasted corn and crab. Pair it all with a pick from the seemingly limitless selection of award-winning wines, from Piedmont to Puglia. At the end of the meal, lounge on the patio or in the piano lounge over an espresso martini while taking in the spectacle of decked-out patrons passing by. La dolce vita, indeed.

Tapas Teatro

STATION NORTH

Like a classic film, this beloved Spanish restaurant is as relevant today as it was when it debuted 23 years ago in Station North. Adjacent to the Charles Theatre, it still draws moviegoers who down pitchers of the signature sangria (which can be brought inside the cinema). Everyone else seems to love it as well. The bar, dining room, and streetside tables are packed, but the staff remains friendly and unflappable. On a recent visit, we heeded our server’s advice and started with a handful of small plates. All were excellent, but the huevos de cordoniz y chorizo—strips of sausage topped with a rich quail egg on toasted crostini—stood out. After four, we wanted more. Along with the description for gambas al ajillo—shrimp sautéed in olive oil with garlic and parsley—comes a parenthetical: “Add capers or/and chiles for a kick.” To which we say, do both—it takes an already outstanding dish and turns it into a masterpiece. Like most movies, many restaurants fade over time. Only the greats endure.

Thames Street Oyster House

FELLS POINT

It seems like every hip restaurant has a raw bar these days, but well before freshly shucked seafood found itself in the Roaring Twenties-esque revival, there was Thames Street on its cobblestone namesake in Fells Point. For over a decade, owner Candace Beattie and executive chef-partner Eric Houseknecht have helped remind our city about oysters, the shellfish which once reigned supreme along the nearby waterfront long before crab was ever king. And here, in this Chesapeake-meets-New England eatery, those half-shells are served as impeccably as they come.

This is the place for even the least bold to try their first oyster. Your server will guide you from the accessible to the challenging. But the rest of the menu shouldn’t be missed either. The buttery whole-belly clam roll—with fat fried bits of bliss tumbling over the edge of a griddled split-top bun so good we’d eat it solo—would make our last meal. For sharing, a splurge for the five-pound lobster—stuffed with blue crab, shrimp, and scallops—is worth it, though the claw-knuckle-and-tail-packed polenta with English peas, mushrooms, and spring onions makes an ideal and still indulgent substitute. Funnily enough, we get especially jazzed about the seasonal sides, which on one late summer visit included the loveliest brown sugar baked lima beans we’ve ever seen.

The Tilted Row

BOLTON HILL

Executive chef Amy Hessel and owner Ziad Maalouf have created a destination-worthy restaurant on the ground floor of a modernist Bolton Hill apartment complex, with a menu of Middle Eastern dishes with a Maryland twist. Sit at the counter and watch the crew making plates of falafel-encrusted salmon, charred octopus with black-garlic aioli, or lamb kofta with hummus and preserved lemons. There is an excellent Sunday brunch (massive cinnamon rolls! crab Benedict!) and Blue-Plate specials like the fried chicken and biscuits that draws locals on Thursdays with dedicated regularity. Close to Maryland Institute College of Art, there’s a deceptive casualness to The Tilted Row that makes diners feel comfortable, yet the exceptional service, beautifully run open kitchen, and pretty plating elevate the place to fine-dining status. Be sure to order the za’atar focaccia, or the desserts—one regular often just orders the brown-butter toffee cake—as Hessel was also trained in pastry.

Verde

CANTON

Long before gourmet pizza (including gluten-free and vegan) became a thing on menus across Maryland, there were blistered Neapolitan wonder wheels at this convivial hangout with Edison bulbs, marble accents, house-made fior di latte mozzarella, and a wood-fire pizza oven that turns out pizzas with pizzazz. You’d be hard-pressed to find pizza with more personality—Verde’s feature pairings such as prosciutto and fig, smoked mozzarella and lemon, and mushrooms with truffle cream. (And whichever one you pick, make a mental note to come back and try a different one next time.) But the toppings are only part of the equation. We also love the thin crust with its perfectly charred cornicione (outer edge), slight chewiness, and tangy topping of cheese. The menu is rounded out with excellent offerings from the bar (here’s looking at you, negronis!) and an array of outstanding antipasti—we constantly crave the puttanesca-style shrimp—that make this so much more than a neighborhood pizza joint.

Woodberry Tavern

HAMPDEN-WOODBERRY

We’ll admit that it took us some time to adjust when the restaurant once known as Woodberry Kitchen reopened as a tavern after the pandemic. But now that the place has found its footing, we can see that, though James Beard Award-winning chef Spike Gjerde’s original iteration was inarguably ambitious, the tavern is a more understated expression that’s no less charming. With its Windsor chairs, Persian carpets, and nostalgic desserts, the restaurant’s farm-to-fork DNA is still very much in place, with a focus on regional specialties that are at once familiar and novel.

As ever, almost all ingredients are sourced locally and dishes change with the seasons, but the experience is now more intimate. Executive chef Steven Kenny (a veteran staffer who worked at Easton’s famed Bartlett Pear Inn) is laser-focused on what’s available on any given day, but devises dishes that are as pioneering as ever. In early fall, that might mean “crab service” (a trio of dishes including crab salad, a crab pot, and crab fritters) or tortellini with chanterelles and sweet corn. In the colder months, you might find a pretzel-crusted pork loin with miso-buttered cabbage. When the mercury dips, oysters three ways emerges, including fried, roasted, and raw. The pretty-as-a-picture baked Alaska is iconic. Turns out, you can go home again, especially after a total reinvention.

Azumi

HARBOR EAST

Given its location on the ground floor of the posh Four Seasons Hotel, it’s not surprising that this Japanese restaurant is among the swankiest in the city. Nor is it particularly shocking that its sushi, some of which arrives daily from Tokyo’s Toyosu fish market, is quite good as well. (The tuna toro and spider roll filled with soft-shell crab are excellent examples.) But what we always appreciate when taking a seat at the dimly lit yet lively dining room—or outside on the patio—is the expert preparation and quality of the cooked dishes that emerge from the kitchen. Grilled Spanish bronzino is served with spinach, mushrooms, and an excellent chimichurri sauce. The miso black cod is always a winner, as is the Wagyu fried rice, which is sticky, spicy, and chock-full of juicy pieces of that special beef. If you go with a crowd, consider booking a teppanyaki table for dinner and a show, as the chef sets the food on fire in front of you.

The Bygone

HARBOR EAST

Finally, the food at this high-end spot on the top floor of the Four Seasons Hotel matches the setting. It was perfectly acceptable before, relying on top-notch ingredients, refined preparations, and pretty plating, but the dishes didn’t elicit the “wow” factor you want from a place that requires an elevator ride to a luxe 29th-floor dining room with stunning views of the harbor (and equally sky-high prices). Alejandro Reiley worked his way up from sous chef to executive chef, and we are smitten with his creativity. On a recent visit, our opening dish was a hamachi filet that arrived under a glass dome. Once uncovered, pleasantly scented oak smoke puffs into the atmosphere to reveal delicate slices of fish with an ethereal buttermilk sauce studded with pink peppercorns and mint oil. A farm salad with roasted beets, pistachios, and salmon roe was also a beautiful revelation. A 36-hour short rib was meltingly tender, but we were particularly impressed with the “chicken three ways,” showcasing a fried drumstick, grilled thigh, and roasted breast with a celery-root purée. A chocolate delice layered with vanilla dacquoise and chocolate mousse capped an impressive meal. Go for the view—stay to be wowed.

Charleston

HARBOR EAST

When you enter through the etched-glass doors at this fine-dining delight, the whole world fades away. The dining rooms take on an air of holiness, amidst flawless table settings, flickering candlelight, and the quiet din of diners rendered speechless as French porcelain plates glide onto perfectly pressed white table linens. From the curry-tinged lobster bisque to the opulent foie gras-filled tortellini to the fantastic fried oysters, every dish from James Beard Award-nominated chef Cindy Wolf is a master class in sourcing, technique, timing, plating, and presentation. Equally impressive is the unerring army of waitstaff, the epic wine list, and the absolute care and concern of the entire team, including longtime maître d’hôtel Peter Keck, who makes it his business to remember special occasions, and co-owner-wine director Tony Foreman, who is always on hand to recommend a proper pairing or seasonal selection. Also of note, while Charleston remains a special-occasion spot, what was once the most expensive meal in town has now moved toward the reasonable range of fine dining. Here, for $89, you’ll get three exquisite courses, plus dessert (not to mention an amuse bouche, heaps of house-made bread, a few parting morsels of mini macarons or pâte de fruits)—and a meal that is simply priceless.

CINGHIALE

HARBOR EAST

For a restaurant with a 13-page wine list and a menu featuring foie gras, venison, and air-dried Wagyu beef loin, Cindy Wolf and Tony Foreman’s flawless Italian restaurant is utterly unintimidating. The welcoming spirit starts when you walk into the stunning waterfront space, which is divided between the casual enoteca and the more formal osteria. Whether you sit at the bar or a table, the service—and executive chef James Lewandowski’s food—is outstanding. Start with a selection of imported cheeses and meats, like the bresaola, made with Wagyu and sliced razor-thin yet filled with flavor. The menu includes first plates, pasta dishes, and entrees—and we recommend ordering one from each. The grilled calamari is topped with crispy carrots, which provide a pleasing textural contrast. The pastas, available in half and full portions, are all excellent, but the casunsei, a pork sausage-filled pasta in a rich brown butter and sage sauce, is a standout. Bottles of wine are half price on Tuesdays. We once asked Foreman if any of the wines on offer were “filler.” He bristled at the mere suggestion, assuring us he approved of every bottle on the list. When we went one chilly fall night, we passed on the $3,200 Barolo Reserva in favor of a $31 Valpolicella—and can confirm it was delicious. Sipping it between bites of the tender venison osso buco made us feel right at home.

CLAVEL

Remington

In the beginning, Lane Harlan and Carlos Raba’s downhome taqueria in rundown Remington was Baltimore’s best-kept secret—a reasonably priced little hole in the wall with some of the best Mexican street food this side of Sinaloa. Eight years later, everyone knows about it—the place has been twice-nominated for James Beard Awards for its bar program, which includes the greatest collection of agave spirits in the city; Raba was nominated Best Chef in the Mid-Atlantic; while Harlan was dubbed “the most interesting woman in the restaurant business” by industry bible Saveur. Though the place continues to expand with additional outdoor seating and a second dining room, it’s never enough—there’s always a wait and an electric excitement that precedes a seat at the table. First-timers should order the signature lengua (beef tongue)tacos, the queso fundido, and at least one of the ceviches (if you only order one, make it the aguachile—that’s shrimp cured in lime with spicy cilantro pesto), but there are new hits on the menu, too, including the pescado Culichi, a mahi mahi dish in cream sauce with roasted poblano peppers.

COOKHOUSE

Bolton Hill

With its blue velvet banquettes, cloud-like chandeliers, and stunning bar, this Bolton Hill treasure inside a 19th-century brownstone is astonishingly pretty. Luckily, the neighborhood bistro (helmed by owner-chef George Dailey) is all about style and substance. And when it comes to substance, there’s something for everyone. There’s a juicy-beyond-belief burger painted with bacon jam and layered with cheddar and frizzled onions, but if you want to get fancy, there’s also a superior dry-aged steak frites in bordelaise sauce (go on a Wednesday when it’s $27 instead of $38 and bottles of wine are 50 percent off). If you’re a vegetarian—and even if you’re not—the plant-based option is always an excellent idea. Even night owls are covered here: On Saturday evenings, bartender Gabe Valladares hosts a convivial after-hours cocktail party. His drinks, garnished with flowers, fruit, and served in teacups, could win a beauty contest.

Cosima

WOODBERRY

Situated along the waters of the Jones Falls, Cosima is about as breathtaking as a restaurant gets. The interior space—a historic mill building with exposed stone and brick walls and parts of the old boiler room still visible in the dining room from when the space was a sailcloth factory—is equally enchanting. And the entire place is an homage of sorts. Chef Donna Crivello’s menu tilts toward Sicily, the birthplace of her beloved grandmother, the restaurant’s namesake, Cosima. Throughout the menu, you’ll find dishes that are brightened by citrus, combining sweet (raisins) and savory (fennel), and salted with sardines and squid ink. Delectable pastas, which Crivello learned to prepare from her nonna, are all hand-made, and the petite wood-fired pizzas are terrific, too. The signature dish is a whole grilled bronzino—and rightfully so. It manages to be both light and wonderfully rich and is served with grilled lemon and delicate arugula salad. Dessert, all too often the downfall of a kitchen, is a winning proposition here. Don’t miss the scrumptious sfinci, aka Sicilian doughnuts, served warm, dusted with powdered sugar, and accompanied by a bowl of chocolate dipping sauce.

DOK KHAO THAI EATERY

Columbia

The second location of Porntipa Pattanamekar’s ode to her native Thailand (the first is in Woodbridge, VA) is a wonderful embodiment of what makes the country’s cuisine so special. Bold flavors—sweet, spicy, savory, and the unfamiliar—shine through in almost every dish. Housed on the ground floor of a new building near Merriweather Post Pavilion, the attractive plant-filled dining room is bustling most nights. The extensive drink menu includes everything from cocktails (the Siam Mule, with vodka, ginger, lemonade, and mint, is excellent) to coffee, fruit teas, and mocktails. Duck rolls, sweet and packed with meat, stand out among the appetizers (make sure to dip them in mustard). While many of the entrees may sound familiar to fans of Thai food, Pattanamekar’s take on them is unique. Her house pad Thai features a homemade spicy sweet soy sauce that makes the dish. In a red curry dish, the addictive sauce soaks the salmon until every inch of the fish is packed with flavor. The sautéed spicy basil, Thai chile, garlic, and pepper in an order of chicken pad ka pow, like the best Thai food, positively lights up our taste buds.

DUCK DUCK GOOSE

Fells Point

Embedded along Fells’ busy harbor-and-bar scene, chef Ashish Alfred’s French brasserie feels almost like a secret, a door to an unexpected, downright arrondissement-esque menu where you’ll get terrific renditions of escargot bathed in garlic butter and presented in a little skillet with proper gear (tongs, a tiny fork) and a grilled half lemon; a soothing bowl of French onion soup, with the option of duck confit (the name of the place isn’t accidental); a duck confit entree that would please even Alfred’s hero Paul Bocuse paired with a crisp rectangle of potato cake and a pool of thick duck jus, then topped with a nicely acidic thatch of bright herbs. There are other Francophile favorites, too, like cheese and charcuterie boards, ratatouille and steak au poivre, beef tartare, and a croque madame. Unsurprisingly, foie gras is also on the offing—it’s tantalizingly placed on a burger, it’s an element in the short rib Bourgogne, and it’s a possible add-on with much of the rest of the menu. After all that, even if you’ve over-indulged, ignore the dessert at your peril: In late November, the featured sweet was a passion fruit pavlova, built to be cracked like an egg, that was light (as all the previous dishes were not) and spectacular.

DYLAN’S OYSTER CELLAR

Hampden

Curiously, Dylan’s is not in a cellar—it’s above ground at the head of Hampden’s restaurant row on 36th Street—but it does have a stellar oyster raw bar. And yes, if you simply want to belly up to the bar and indulge in some half-shells, cocktails, and beers, it’s well worth the trip. But this place is bigger than that: It’s an airy, relaxed bistro where you could sit for hours, lingering over the kind of elevated seafood-shack fare that deserves much more than a quick happy hour stop. There are the first-rate coddies and anchovy toast, a deliciously messy smashburger, and noteworthy fried oyster sandwiches. But don’t ignore the large plates, which are a mash-up of highend dishes (pan-seared scallops, whole black bass with Espelette pepper) and comfort food (potato-leek soup with drop biscuits, red beans and rice). And if it’s on the menu, order the fish pie topped with a puff pastry carapace. It’s a wondrous version of an old-school pub classic. Creamy, well-seasoned, and deeply consoling, it’s large enough to share without resentment, and demands yet a few more pints.

THE FOOD MARKET

Hampden

Some restaurants take their food too seriously. The Food Market—which celebrated its 10th birthday in Hampden last year (with a second location in Columbia)—is not one of them. Like the neighborhood it’s in—the setting for John Waters’ Pink Flamingos and the annual HonFest—this restaurant, helmed by chef-owner Chad Gauss, is quirky, playful, and downright fun with its art-filled walls, a bustling bar area, and over-the-top offerings. Whether you order a bunch of “little,” “small,” or “big plates,” or mix and match, you’ll find one-of-a-kind riffs on familiar foods, including cheesesteak steamed buns with cherry pepper mayo and Cheez Whiz (in this clever case, the so-called steak is melt-in-your-mouth short rib), plus “Corn off the Cob” beignets with Cajun powdered sugar, and the signature spaghetti and crab meatballs. Even the gratis popcorn sprinkled with truffle-basil Parmesan and the “Boring Caesar Salad” are anything but ordinary. The whole experience just screams “Welcome to Bawlmer, Hon!”

FORAGED

Station North

The “crab cake” at Chris Amendola’s hyper-seasonal eatery encapsulates the spirit of the restaurant, with its wall of edible herbs and wooden mushrooms gracing every table. Using lion’s mane mushrooms, it doesn’t try to mimic Maryland’s iconic dish, but channels it to create something unique. Its texture and appearance resemble a crab cake, and its earthy flavor is enhanced by a remoulade that includes local beets. Similarly, an al dente risotto with mushrooms, parsnip, and Parmesan provides everything we love about the Italian classic. Of course, as Amendola is a master forager himself, fungi and fresh vegetables dot the menu, but there’s plenty for meat-eaters, too. A piece of monkfish sits atop a roasted mushroom ragu, loaded with bacon. Deviled eggs are topped with rich smoked trout. The menu changes frequently, but Amendola’s whimsical creativity is on display year-round. The James Beard committee agrees, too. He’s now a semifinalist for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic.

GERTRUDE’S CHESAPEAKE KITCHEN

Hopkins-Homewood

The Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries may be miles from landlocked Gertrude’s, but you can count on the restaurant to deliver the best the estuary has to offer. That’s been chef-owner John Shields’ mission since he opened its doors in 1998. Gertie’s lump crab cakes, named after Shields’ grandmother, are still the flavorful, golden patties they’ve been since the beginning. The beloved Maryland crustacean also stars in several other dishes, including a luscious cream of crab soup laced with sherry and a custardy crab quiche boosted by oozy Swiss cheese. If you’re looking for a vegan alternative, try the zuchettes, a clever impersonator featuring shredded zucchini tossed with crab seasoning. Fried oysters are another temptation. They’re lightly encrusted in cornmeal, making the nuggets perfect for dipping in remoulade. While we always like a down-and-dirty crab shack, we really appreciate Gertrude’s serene setting—white tablecloths, flowers on the table, romantic lighting—inside the Baltimore Museum of Art. You don’t need a body of water nearby to bask in its treasures.

GUNTHER & CO.

Brewers Hill

Gunther & Co. may look like a rehabbed loft crossed with a brew pub—it’s housed in the Gunther Brewing Co.’s old boiler room—but the restaurant is hardly a suds-friendly roadhouse. For one thing, it’s gorgeous: The vaulted ceilings and Brewers Hill location give the place a fashionable feel, as does the elaborate menu, laced with eclectic ingredients and dishes, like a tahini-zapped take on a Caesar salad, za’atar flatbread with greengarbanzo hummus, Sichuan-spicy dumplings, and the justly popular Thai hot pot, jammed with fish, seafood, curry, fresh herbs, and spices. It’s an extraordinary bowl of intense flavors, and not to be missed. There’s a lot to order here, including fancier items like tea-smoked duck, a bone-in Berkshire pork chop, sous-vide short ribs, and a gochujang-spiked faro risotto, as well as a lengthy, pastry-cheffed dessert menu that includes not only a panna cotta and chocolate pavé, but a well-curated cheese plate. Go with a group so you can taste as much as possible. After almost seven years, and still going strong, Gunther remains exciting as ever.

THE HELMAND

Mt. Vernon

As Baltimore’s iconic Afghan restaurant marches into its 33rd year, it doesn’t miss a step. The menu celebrates the unique culinary heritage of the Karzai family’s native Afghanistan and its flavors—turmeric, ginger, mint, apricot, prune, and pepper. The food here is just delightful, a perfect balance of comfort and adventure. On one recent visit we brought out-of-town guests who were completely unfamiliar with Afghan fare. Hours later, they were cooing over every dish and raving about every aspect of the meal. It’s worth noting the influence of the restaurant’s namesake, Helmand Karzai, son of owners Pat and Qayum Karzai (the brother of Hamid Karzai, the former president of Afghanistan). His passion for small wineries and family producers translates to a wine list that pairs flawlessly with the menu.

HERSH’S

Riverside

This cozy pizzeria, co-owned by siblings Stephanie and Josh Hershkovitz, is, well, a lot more than a cozy pizzeria. Josh has degrees in philosophy and sculpture from the University of Chicago, no less, and logged years in the kitchens of chef Cindy Wolf’s restaurants. That dexterity and intelligence shows in the restaurant’s menu, which ranges from a short list of stellar house-made pasta dishes to rustic entrees, from pan-seared duck breast with parsleycaper sauce and couscous to short rib with Brussels sprouts and polenta. Order at least one of the Neapolitan-style pies—made in the 5,000-pound, Italian-made, wood-burning pizza oven—which come in red, white, and a vegan option (Josh is a vegan), plus a marvelous take on Frank Pepe’s classic New Haven clam pie. The antipasti are pretty great, too—the meatballs with house-made ricotta are de rigueur—and the few desserts are as remarkable as the rest of the menu. If there’s a strawberry-pistachio cake in evidence, get that, too. And the service? It’s on-point as well: deft and comfortable, like you stopped for dinner at some relaxed ristorante run by long-lost friends.

LA CUCHARA

Hampden-Woodberry

There’s a heat that’s palpable at this superb Basque restaurant from the moment you pass through the front door. Flames from the wood-fired asador dance in the heart of the open kitchen, just past the oversized bar that’s the ideal spot for enjoying sublime cocktails, pintxos (bite-sized snacks), raciones (Spanish olives, Cantabrian anchovies), tinned seafood, meats, cheeses, and inspired entrees of this cavernous mainstay. If that sounds a bit overwhelming, don’t worry. Everything that emerges from co-owner-chef Ben Lefenfeld’s kitchen is terrific, starting with chorizo, Manchego, and shishito peppers layered on a slice of baguette. The small beef empanadas are among the best we’ve had in the city, their shells sturdy but not tough, the meat shredded and moist. Warm tetilla, a cow’s milk cheese, comes with piquillo peppers so delicate that we cut them with a spoon. The menu shifts with the seasons, but on a recent visit, a hefty filet of trout served atop a bed of sautéed spinach with butternut squash purée was a delight. There’s an excitement at La Cuchara that makes the restaurant, even almost eight years after its opening, well, hot.

LA SCALA RISTORANTE ITALIANO

Little Italy

Your first clue that La Scala is someplace special is the valet stand outside, a time warp moment on an otherwise quiet Little Italy street. Walk inside chef-owner Nino Germano’s restaurant, extant for over a quarter-century, and you’ll get more of those flashbacks: The uniformed staff seem from another era, which technically they are. You’ll find pepper grinders the length of lacrosse sticks, excellent housemade pasta, and a dish—gamberi fra diavolo—that a Baltimore City-born-and-bred friend had recommended (at a Ravens game no less) as his regular order. After tasting it, we can see why. The calamari fritti are disconcertingly good: tender rounds and deep purple tentacles of deftly fried squid, paired with a vast dish of marinara sauce. And then there’s the tiramisu, the Platonic ideal of the Italian dessert—light and airy and creamy and cakey and dusted with cocoa and, best of all, barely sweet. Order an espresso, the other litmus test of Boot Country joints, and maybe get an extra shot—and more dessert, and a spoon—for the ride home.

LE COMPTOIR DU VIN

Station North

Just a few days into the pandemic, and a few months after landing on Bon Appétit’s coveted 2019 list as one of the country’s best new restaurants, this snug Station North bistro transformed itself into a bottle shop. Through the darkest days of COVID, co-owners Rosemary Liss and Will Mester kept us fueled on carryout with some of the best sandwiches in the city. But we longed for the days when we could sit on the cafe chairs again inside this charming rowhome. Since February 2022, much to our delight, the restaurant has been back in bloom with dinner service—and, as evidenced by the crowds that form before the doors even open at 5:30 p.m., it has maintained its near cult status for true foodies. Natural wines are still sold to go, but Comptoir also now boasts a new seasonal back bar, which turns out well-balanced craft cocktails, plus a patio area for alfresco seating. The food is right where the duo left off—basically a chalkboard menu of mostly small, rustic plates with no particular rhyme nor reason beyond the seasons and only based on whatever inspires Mester (mostly western and central European countryside cooking). One day you might find flavorful gigante beans with stewed tomatoes and peppers or a delectable mussel toast with saffron aioli; another visit might mean scallops with snail butter or a lamb shoulder with buttered beans. Go with your friends and get one of everything, including—make that especially—the off-the-charts house-made desserts. Absence really does make the heart grow fonder.

LIORA

Inner Harbor

A first trip to Liora, the vegan fine-dining restaurant from restaurateur Matthew Kenney, might seem like a genre-specific excursion or a favor to your vegan friend. But once you start in on the dishes, you’ll quickly forget that it’s vegan and will simply appreciate the remarkable flavors, textures, and tastes, not to mention the technical skills, that are showcased in your dinner. Open since 2021 with executive chef Natalie Carter (formerly of Great Sage in Clarksville) helming the kitchen, Liora has a relatively small but wildly inventive menu, with geographically diverse dishes like bibimbap, udon noodles, tacos, fondue, and risotto all agreeably sharing space. So-called barbacoa tacos are built from beetroot, the “crab cake” is jackfruit, and the fondue is fashioned from nuts. But what elevates the dishes isn’t so much their provenance as their marvelous flavor, relying on spices, herbs, acidity, and seasoning rather than the more traditional (and perhaps easier) combo of butter, animal protein, and salt. Striking cocktails come from a bar shared with the Kenney-owned pizzeria next door, which you can see through the pass like a promise of even more food. “It’s not every day you get a plant yolk,” said our server, a vegan for eight years, remarking on the bibimbap's customary “egg,” whose yolk is a blend of tahini, turmeric, and lemon. It really is part dinner, part magic trick.

MAGDALENA

Mt. Vernon

While head chef Scott Bacon’s farm-to-fork menu is at the mercy of the growing calendar, Magdalena shimmers in all seasons. The concise menu buzzes with new ideas, such as a lovely pepper-crusted venison loin with seared mushrooms and mushroom aioli entrée or the mulled wine-poached pear with spiced pecans and bitter greens appetizer. The options change regularly, but it’s hard to go wrong. While true fine-dining dens are more of a unicorn these days, Magdalena, whose name is an homage to owner Eddie Brown’s beloved grandmother, rises to the occasion. The restaurant is housed inside the extravagant Ivy Hotel and it shows—you’ll find luxury ingredients (foie gras, truffles, caviar), gracious service (if you can, ask for longtime server Dottie), a deep wine list for the serious oenophile at the table, and a ritzy vibe. The cream- and gold-accented room with the bank vault—which once belonged to banker and industrialist John Gilman, who built the mansion—is particularly stunning. If you really want to splurge, reserve a room; the restaurant is open for breakfast to hotel guests every morning.

MARTA

Butchers Hill

Maybe it’s a Pavlovian response to binge-watching Stanley Tucci galivanting around the Mediterranean on Searching for Italy that makes us crave the old country’s cuisine. Or maybe it’s the simple notion that in a sea of new-fangled restaurants, we’re always looking for one that has an identity all its own. Whatever the reason, chef Matthew Oetting’s Marta (which took over the former Salt Tavern space) is a neighborhood spot that’s fast on its way to becoming destination dining. With Marta, Oetting honors the classics but adds a modern spin with dishes such as scallop piccata and lobster cacciatore. Our first suggestion as you move through the menu, even if you settle on a more substantial entree: Order as many of the house-made pastas as you can. Oetting, who learned the magic of mixing flour and water at New York City’s famed Scarpetta, raises pasta-making to an art form, whether he’s making his version of a carbonara sauce with miso egg yolk and blue crab served over strands of spaghetti or an envelope-pushing ravioli filled with duck and foie gras. Round out the meal with a nice bottle of old-school Italian wine, then conclude with a glass of amaro. Eat your heart out, Tucci.

THE MILTON INN

Sparks-Glencoe

Set inside a 281-year-old fieldstone farmhouse, The Milton Inn keeps one foot in the past while standing firmly in the present. The original elegant staircase, the unhurried throwback service, and the vintage framed menu on the wall featuring Terrapin alla Maryland from the restaurant’s first incarnation invoke another era altogether. But co-owner (along with Cindy Wolf and Tony Foreman) and executive chef Chris Scanga, who draws on classical French cuisine, doesn’t only pull from the past to keep this place going. Yes, you’ll find timeless preparations here that are largely rooted in the Languedoc region of France—escargots in garlic-herb butter, onion soup gratinée, roasted guinea fowl. But Scanga, who sources from the finest Mid-Atlantic farms, also devises dishes that appeal to a more modern palate. Coquilles Saint-Jacques rôties, a classic scallop dish, is paired with shishito peppers and local sweet corn soubise, when in season, while the restaurant’s rotating vegetarian offering, a throwaway dish in many places, is treated with reverence here. (On our last visit it was gratin de courgettes—zucchini and Yukon gold potato gratin, baby carrots, haricots verts, almond pistou.) A pan-roasted duck breast is coupled with grilled gem lettuce, baby carrots, and duck bacon and topped with local blueberry compote. Even the burger, in this case made of venison, gets a contemporary twist with duck bacon and a duck fat brioche. With such divine dishes and an ambiance to match, we’ve seen the future at The Milton Inn—and it’s bright.

MONARQUE

Harbor East

Dinner at this tucked away restaurant in the back of Harbor East’s Atlas Quarter entertainment district is much more than a meal. But let’s forget for a moment the jazz and blues bands that grace the performance area on weeknights, and the circus, sideshow, and burlesque performers who entertain on Friday and Saturday nights. This restaurant would thrive even if its stage went dark forever. Executive chef Martin Gonzalez’s French-inspired menu is heavy on steaks and seafood, but his own touch is evident throughout. Duck confit and savory crepes pair nicely with tart grapes and jalapeños, creating a sweet and spicy sensation in every bite. After passing a display case packed with rib-eyes and strips, it’s tough to not order one. They’re pricey (at $46, the six-ounce filet is the cheapest), but the nine-ounce American Wagyu bavette ($50) is an uncommon cut that’s juicy and tender. Seafood also stars here, and along with the shellfish tower that’s almost required at a restaurant like this, the wild skate is a solid choice. Monarque is not an everyday restaurant (although it does have an impressive and affordable happy-hour menu), but for a special night out, there’s nothing quite like it in Charm City.

OUZO BAY

HARBOR EAST

The location of your table just might foretell your destiny at Ouzo Bay. On a recent visit, we were seated across from the seafood display featuring fresh-caught fish from around the world and felt compelled to order a beautiful Aegean branzino from the Mediterranean. It’s grilled in the kitchen and arrives at the table whole but deboned and drizzled with Greek olive oil, offering chunks of mild, sweet meat. But before getting to the main event, we indulged in a wedge of spanakopita, thick with spinach, leeks, and feta, and perched atop a delicious slurry of harissa yogurt. Charred calamari, dotted with feta and floating in a puddle of citrus vinaigrette, was another successful starter. In addition to the fish, we turned to the land section of the Greek-inspired menu for a chargrilled chicken upgraded with harissa honey. And while lima beans may seem ordinary, these imported white beans soared with tomato sauce and feta. A cinnamon-perfumed baklava pulled it all together at the end. The popular waterfront restaurant may have a reputation for glitz and glamour, but the well-prepared food sticks to its earnest Aegean roots.

PEERCE’S

Phoenix

Every time we visit this Indian fine-dining den, Keir Singh has been on hand to greet diners. His warmth and sincerity create a welcoming introduction to the 2019 establishment he co-owns with his brother, Binda, along with Ananda. During a recent dinner, Keir, looking resplendent in a royal-blue jacket, held court in the ornate dining room. You sense nothing is going to go wrong on his watch. On warmer days, garage doors are rolled up to expand the setting into a splendid outdoor area with fountains, greenery, and, in the cooler months, heaters. As is true at the Singhs’ other restaurants, both indoors and out complement the accessible Indian fare interspersed with New American offerings. We lean toward the former, relying on starters like gobinda, a sweet-tangy roasted cauliflower dish, and samosa chaat with chickpeas and potatoes. A fish curry with black cod and lamb saag in creamed spinach are impressive mains. We like to finish with rice pudding, uplifted with cardamom and pistachios. This isn’t your grandmother’s dessert, to its credit. And we suspect she never served it in an atmosphere this glamorous.

PERENNIAL

Towson

What do you get when you combine a verdant oasis designed by Patrick Sutton with a farm-to-table-forward menu designed by Chopped champion executive chef Jay Rohlfing? A huge hit, as evidenced by the cool-kids crowd that comes dressed to the nines at Perennial. From the get-go, the two-year-old restaurant opened to great fanfare—after all, finding big-city sophistication in the ’burbs can be a challenge. Perennial’s gorgeous interior and lush, greenery-filled patio are great places to unwind. Plants play a central role on the menu, too. Rohlfing cooks with the seasons, whether that means heirloom tomato salad with mozzarella, sunflower pesto, prosciutto, and basil blossoms in late summer or melted Brie with apple butter and flash-fried blueberries in late fall. There’s also a lineup of terrific signature standards that never moves off the menu. Among them, the inspired Utz-crusted halibut with root slaw, the fried lobster tail with honey butter and lavender salt, and a fat filet mignon topped with crab Oscar. Nightly live music adds to the vibe—and every meal here feels like a garden party.

PETIT LOUIS BISTRO

Roland Park

“Petit” may mean small in French, but Petit Louis is little in name only. After 23 years, this French brasserie has an outsized following, and rightfully so. “Louis,” as it’s affectionately known, strikes the perfect balance between upscale neighborhood casual (especially for the Roland Park crowd who get the $52 whole roasted chicken to-go) and outright special occasion spot. In many ways, it functions like a dinner club that needs no membership, though reservations are recommended. While regulars have been known to get an oh-so- French double cheek kiss from maître d’hôtel (and actual Frenchman) Patrick Del Valle, he makes everyone feel at home with a hearty “bon soir!” or “bonjour!” upon arrival. Here, over plates of trout amandine, magret of duck, and steak frites, business deals go down, lovers get engaged, friends reunite, and children blow out birthday candles planted in profiteroles.

PRESERVE

Annapolis

On a recent spontaneous visit to Preserve, we were worried. Reservations can be hard to come by, and so is parking, but somehow we easily snagged street parking and were seated immediately in the intimate, brick-walled space with an open kitchen. You may not always be quite as lucky, but trust us, it’s worth the effort. There’s a reason the place is packed—it’s one of the few Annapolis restaurants offering innovative fare, and chef Jeremy Hoffman (who worked in Thomas Keller’s famed Per Se in NYC), and his co-owner wife, Michelle (who was a maître d’ at Danny Meyer’s Union Square Café in NYC), do it with cool gusto. The kitchen’s reliance on pickling, preserving, and fermenting is evident throughout the Chesapeake watershed-inspired meal. If you only order one starter, focus on the crispy kale, a palate-pleasing mix of crunchy greens tossed with a zingy pepper jelly, a scattering of red onions, and dollops of cumin yogurt. If you’re up for more, the Parmesan-encrusted pierogies stuffed with creamed spinach and tangy pepperoncini are worthy of your attention. The burger with Roseda Farm beef, cheddar, and pickles satisfies any cravings for comfort food. And a lightly battered catfish with thick-cut fries pleases with a malt vinegar aioli. Finish with a cast-iron cobbler with stewed apples and cream cheese frosting and begin planning your next visit.

THE PRIME RIB

Mt. Vernon

When The Prime Rib founder Peter “Buzz” Beler passed away in 2019, we feared it would spell the end of this 58-year-old Baltimore institution. Thankfully, that didn’t happen, as he left it in the capable hands of his relatives Rebecca and Brenda Dolan. For a while, there was a long-held rumor that the venerable Calvert Street steakhouse might be moving to more modern digs in Cross Keys, which would mean no more Sinatra-era styling. But Rebecca confirms that the restaurant is staying put. Instead of worrying about all this, on a recent Saturday night, we settled into a black leather banquette and relaxed as the jazz trio kicked into high gear and our flawless gin martinis (chilled and filled to the brim) were placed on a gold charger by our suited server. The vibe is decidedly retro, which is just how we like it. Don’t look for kale, cauliflower, beets, or any newfangled preparations here. At The Prime Rib, there are no Vs or gluten-frees on the menu. Instead, you’ll find prime, aged beef served with fresh shaved horseradish, shrimp cocktail, clams casino, and those famous potato skins. In other words, it’s always 1965 at The Prime Rib—now and (hopefully) forever.

PUERTO 511

Downtown

Chef Jose Victorio Alarcon continues to flourish after Puerto 511’s near-death experience during COVID lockdown and the rollercoaster of dining rules that ensued in the months that followed. And we thank the food gods for that. We will forever appreciate the spare-but-cozy main dining area, where tables are close enough to foster a lively atmosphere without being on top of one another, and chef Alarcon always impresses us with his sophisticated dishes and clear-toned flavors of Peru. We adore his seasonally rotating prix-fixe menu, which changes even more regularly based on what ingredients are available, but you can almost always count on dishes with vibrant citrus and tropical flare. Peru is the birthplace of ceviche, so there’s usually some sort of fantastic version of it here. We are also grateful that Puerto 511 remains BYOB, one of the few such establishments in the city. Hit your favorite wine shop beforehand and splurge on something special, because the food here definitely deserves it. If you can swing it, bring two bottles of wine—an unoaked white and a medium-bodied red—so you’ve got fish and meat courses covered. After all, this is the kind of place to sit and stay a while.

RESTAURANTE TÍO PEPE

Mt. Vernon

When you peruse the menu inside one of the dimly lit, cavern-like, stone-walled dining rooms at Tio Pepe, you’ll find a long list of Spanish specialties. But this place is so old school that it also has a secret, word-of- mouth menu for savvy regulars. If you’re a newcomer, go with a veteran—aka a Baltimore lifer—who can rattle off the off-menu items that make our server smile as we order them: the 303 (lobster, crab, shrimp in Champagne sauce—one of 26 house-made sauces), the 202 (grouper, salmon, rockfish, depending on the night), and the whole stuffed lobster floating in whiskey-kissed cream. If you stick to the menu, the suckling pig, the paella, the bottomless pitcher of sangria (of which some 150 are consumed each week), the Spanish coffee (more brandy than caffeine), and the baked Alaska are all famous, as are the Depression- era prices and the Brobdingnagian portions that could easily feed two, three—or even four. Chef-owner Emiliano Sanz, who started his career in a Madrid kitchen at age 12, has presided at Tio’s for 52 of its 55 years. And Oscar, the often-requested server in his signature red coat, isn’t far behind. In other words, they’re doing something—make that everything—right.

ROYAL TAJ

Columbia

Some of the best Indian cuisine in the region can be found in Columbia at Royal Taj. Prepare to be positively wrapped in generosity upon arrival, as everyone on the floor has a greeting for you. And what a floor it is. Opulent chandeliers, lavishly upholstered chairs, and an enormous marble bar imbue the dining experience with a sense of old-world luxury inflected with images of Indian lore. The menu boasts traditional classics like tikka masala and roganjosh (lamb curry in creamy tomato sauce), a range of tandoor favorites, as well as vegetarian and vegan options. The fare is more lustily spiced than the bland take-out versions you may be used to, but not so much as to have you chugging lassi to save your tongue. If you’re a fan, be sure to check out their whiskey carts, loaded up with decadent offerings from around the world.

TAGLIATA

Harbor East

On a late fall day, no sooner had we sat down with a menu on the pretty patio than our server swooped in to pluck the paper out of our hands, as it was smeared with red sauce. It may seem like a small gesture, but it’s that kind of attention to detail that makes this swanky spot one of the jewels of fine dining in Charm City. Thankfully, there’s similar care in the kitchen. Chef-partner Julian Marucci excels in all Boot Country fare, whether it’s a seasonal special such as a roasted beet-stuffed mezzaluna in late summer or pumpkin agnolotti with balsamic brown butter and hazelnut granola in the fall. There are plenty of innovative dishes (the squid ink campanelle with blue crab and uni cream is an umami dreamscape), but the signature standards—from eggplant Parm to a superior version of rigatoni a la vodka—are celebrations of the genre, too. Add in a deep wine list, clever cocktails, live music, and a dressy but never stuffy vibe, and it’s always a good time. Reservations go fast, so plan accordingly.

TAPAS TEATRO

Station North

Long before the culinary renaissance got started in Station North, this tapas restaurant, owned and operated by the Karzai family, was serving delicious small plates of potato croquetas, gambas al ajillo (that’s shrimp in garlic olive oil), and grilled octopus—all of which have been on offer since the early days. Not much has changed in the 20-plus years since Tapas Teatro opened, but why mess with a good thing? With its century-old exposed brick and convivial vibe, the restaurant, which adjoins The Charles Theatre, is infused with energy as moviegoers cycle in and out every hour or so (and the kitchen serves up to 10 p.m.). But if you’re not adhering to any schedule, it’s also a great place to stick around, especially in the warmer months if you were lucky enough to score a sidewalk table. Whenever you visit, order the obligatory sangria—it’s packed with enough fresh fruit to make a meal and is all too thirst-quenching. (And if you do decide to see a movie, it can travel with you, too.)

THACHER & RYE

Frederick

There’s a more minimalist feel in the bar and dining rooms of this converted brownstone that houses Bryan Voltaggio’s latest fine-dining concept than there was at Volt, the previous restaurant that occupied the same space and turned the chef into a celebrity, thanks to his star turn on Top Chef. Thankfully, the food and service at Thacher & Rye, named for Voltaggio’s son and the primary grain used to make Maryland whiskey, are as spectacular as ever, making it the premiere dining destination in Frederick. As you move down the menu, the offerings are divided into small plates and entrees. But however you decide to mix and match, you’re in for a treat. A bowl of tuna tartare, served with incredible tahini toast with bread from the nearby Twin Bears Bakery, features dollops of egg yolk pudding that add a richness to the natural flavors of the fish. The lasagna, ethereal sheets of noodles layered with pepperoni Bolognese, is like none you’ve ever had. And short ribs that are smoked, then prepared sous vide for a total of 48 hours before being grilled, are served topped with crispy beef tendon puffs. Every bite of the dish reveals Voltaggio’s maximum brilliance in the kitchen.

THAMES STREET OYSTER HOUSE

Fells Point

Open for a dozen years in an old converted rowhouse along Fells Point’s waterfront, this two-story seafood stalwart has a fantastic raw bar and drink menu befitting its location. Start with the little paper checklist at your seat or on your table, the kind you get at sushi bars, that reads like a fishmonger’s cheat sheet and includes the name, home state, price, and detailed description of raw offering delicacies such as Jonah crab claws, tins of Portuguese sardines with a grilled baguette, Dutch pickled herring with caperberries, and, yes, raw oysters, clams, and quahog clams. Order as many as you can, with the caveat that you’ll need to save room for the obligatory, award-winning lobster roll and anything longtime executive chef-partner Eric Houseknecht has on the menu. The place is as narrow and crowded as rowhouses can get, so consider going for lunch, when there are specials—bouillabaisse on Friday, whole fish on Saturdays, Eastern Shore oyster stew on Sundays. Not only is the Marseillais stew excellent, but it comes over house pappardelle, of all things, creating a creamy, saffrony glory that might make it difficult to think of dessert. Try, as they’re awfully good, too: Nor’easter eggnog, passion fruit pies. You won’t find them anywhere else.

TRUE CHESAPEAKE OYSTER CO.

Hampden-Woodberry

Once a pioneer occupant at Whitehall Mill, True Chesapeake is now surrounded by other great tenants, which in turn lends a warmer and more welcoming feel to the entire restaurant. A friendly staff certainly helps, and we love the airy, lofty feel of this converted industrial space with crushed oyster shells embedded in the bar. TCOC farms their own oysters on St. Jerome Creek in southern Maryland, so it’s no surprise that the menu is a veritable oyster celebration. We suggest going straight for The Chef, The Shucker, The Farmer—a riot of oysters Rockefeller, Old Bay roasted oysters, steamed mussels, clams, and Gulf shrimp. It serves as an appetizer for four or a meal for two and showcases just how well TCOC does seafood. Anyone in your party not interested in bivalves will still come away impressed by chef Zack Mills’ riff on fried chicken with butternut squash broth or his truly decadent burger slathered with bacon mayo and stacked with fried pickles. (And if you’re a pasta fan, his middleneck clams and spaghetti small plate is the stuff of legends.) The beer list is impressive, the wine list features a section dedicated to Maryland, and the cocktails are on point, too. Bring your out-of-town friends here if you want to show your Chesapeake pride.

VELLEGGIA’S

Federal Hill

Cut through the crowd and the party atmosphere at Cross Street Market, then head straight to this 46-seat haven with its green velvet curtains and checkered floor. Velleggia’s opened its doors last November, though it’s the second iteration of the same-named Little Italy legend that debuted back in 1937 (before closing in 2008). Owner Brendon Hudson (whose great-grandfather was none other than Enrico Velleggia), along with his partner in both business and life, David Monteagudo, are focused on house-made pastas, veal, and seafood. The duo, who also own Allora, put a modern spin on the classics, such as an oysters casino with tomato sauce and prosciutto. First-timers should focus on the house-made pasta. The lobster fra diavalo, with its al dente spaghetti, gobs of lobster, and spicy marinara, is a must, as is the vegetarian pasta e fagioli. This version features tubular paccheri pasta coated in a sauce consisting of creamy beans and hearty greens. There’s also an impressive pasta and seafood dish that’s basically the entire ocean—shrimp, lobster, clams—over a pile of linguini. Given the restaurant’s provenance, it’s no surprise that it’s off to such a great start.

XENIA GREEK KOUZINA

Columbia

You can’t help but feel immersed in the serenity of the sea at Xenia. The main color scheme is azure, the seating has gentle curves, and the dining room’s main light fixture looks like a wave. The soothing ambiance suits the delicious Greek fare, including whole fish, which are grilled and deboned in the kitchen before being served with a delicate lemon sauce. If you want excitement, start your meal with the flaming cheese saganaki, a fine choice that will draw all eyes to your table as a server sets the dish on fire. Or you can dig into an excellent Greek salad or avgolemono, a chicken-lemon soup bolstered by tiny orzo. The spanakopita appetizer is large enough for a main meal. We also liked the satisfying pastitsio, a savory macaroni-andbeef dish draped with creamy béchamel. Between the food and setting, Xenia is a dreamy refuge.