COMING SOON

818 Market: This Catonsville grocery store is shaping up to be one of the neighborhood’s most anticipated openings of 2019. The hybrid concept on Frederick Road will not only feature locally sourced coffee, cheese, flowers, deli meats, and produce in its retail store, but it will also operate its own restaurant upstairs with dishes by executive chef Matt Milani—who previously owned The Rumor Mill in Ellicott City. The opening is still a few months away, but, in the meantime, 818 owners Patrick Baldwin and Dan Zakai are continuing to offer various catering and pop-up services to engage with the community. 818 Frederick Rd., Catonsville

Conrad’s Seafood Expanding to Abingdon: Harford County locals will no longer need to make the drive to Perry Hall to crack crabs at this seafood staple. Brothers Chris and Anthony Conrad have announced plans to expand the family business north with a new location in Abingdon. Expected to debut this spring, the restaurant will take over the former home of OC Brewing Co. in the Boulevard at Box Hill Shopping Center. Diners can expect Conrad’s signature Eastern Shore favorites (everything from crab cakes to oysters to steamed gulf shrimp) alongside West Coast-inspired burgers and sushi—a nod to Chris’ time spent in California. 3414 Merchant Blvd., Abingdon

OPEN

Indigma: Nearly two years after an electrical fire forced Indigma to close, the Indian staple has finally reopened its doors in Mt. Vernon. Now operating in the former home of Tavern on the Hill on Cathedral Street, the new iteration features a bistro feel with a slightly smaller menu and full bar highlighting beer, wine, and exotic martinis. Husband-and-wife owners Tony and Ann Chemmanoor are looking forward to serving old favorites, including the acorn squash curry, alongside modernized dishes like grilled bison and crab-stuffed naan breadsticks. The restaurant is now open for dinner service—but the owners are open to reintroducing Indigma’s fan-favorite lunch buffet in the coming weeks. “To me, it feels like a homecoming,” Tony tells us. “The whole dining room sitting, laughing, drinking, and having a good time, you can’t replace that feeling with anything else.” 900 Cathedral St. 443-449-6483

CH-CH CHANGES

Grind House Juice Bar: Locals looking to kick off the New Year with refreshing juices and smoothies at Grind House in Charles Village will have to look elsewhere for the time being. The healthful spot recently closed temporarily for renovations. “After six-and-a-half years, it’s time for a reboot,” the shop’s owners recently posted to Instagram. “We’ll return in the spring refreshed and revitalized to better serve our community.” The post goes on to thank regulars for all of their support. Come spring, Grind House will be back up and running featuring its vegan eats, fresh-pressed juices, and smoothies in varieties including “Berry Blast” and “Mean Green” with spinach and mango. 2431 St. Paul St. 410-366-2441

NEWS

Sagamore Pendry Debuts Champagne Vending Machine: To ring in the new year with proper bougie style, the Sagamore Pendry Hotel will debut its very own Möet & Chandon champagne vending machine on December 31—one of only 12 in the country. The brut and rosé dispenser includes 320 Champagne minis and will be located in the Pendry’s open-air courtyard. The machine only accepts golden tokens, which are available for purchase at the hotel for $25. To celebrate its arrival, the Pendry has also added three golden bottles that are redeemable for special amenities at the hotel. 1715 Thames St.

SHUT

Brew House No. 16: The days are officially numbered for this Mt. Vernon brewpub. After being on the market for more than a year, the spot will close its doors for good on December 30. “It’s a long story with a story ending: we’re closing,” the owners recently told the Baltimore Business Journal. The restaurant and small-batch brewery debuted inside the historic fire house on the corner of Calvert and Read Streets in 2014, and quickly became known for its burgers and beers. To celebrate its run, Brew House will be offering $4 drafts to all patrons throughout the end of the year. 831 N. Calvert St.

Greetings & Readings: Next month will be the last for shoppers to sample the Maryland-themed treats, candies, and gourmet chocolates at this 49-year-old mainstay in the Hunt Valley Towne Centre. The family-owned gift and bookstore, which was founded in Loch Raven by matriarch Phyllis Baum, is offering 25-50 percent off all merchandise throughout its official closing on Sunday, January 20.

The owners recently announced that, after exploring many avenues, they came to the realization their shop is no longer sustainable in the current retail environment. “We have worked with brokers to secure a possible buyer or merger, but that did not yield any interest,” president Steven Baum said in a statement. “Our family has continued to put personal money into this business—but there comes a point where you need to make the hard, but inevitable, decision to close the doors.”

A message posted to the store’s Facebook page reiterates how much the owners appreciate the community’s support throughout the years. “We are most grateful for the opportunity to serve you with the important events in your lives,” the post reads. “We will miss the thousands of friends and employees who have made this dream possible.” 118-AA Shawan Rd., Cockeysville. 410-771-3022

The stately red brick building at the corner of Calvert and Read streets pays homage to its former incarnation. Constructed between 1904 and 1908, the old firehouse that’s now Brew House No. 16 was reimagined by co-owner Harry Hummel, an architect by trade. He spared no expense in meticulously renovating the space, which was a working station until 1989, after which it was used as an office building.

Take time to appreciate it when you enter. Hummel and his son, Ian, the brewmaster, spent two years honing their vision, and the nuances and craftsmanship of the work are striking. The original red wooden bay doors, ornate tile work, high ceilings (which unfortunately contribute to the space’s amped-up volume), and iconic brass sliding poles preserve the legacy of the people who once worked—and undoubtedly ate—in the handsome structure.

It’s a safe bet that the firefighters weren’t washing down butternut squash baklava or pulled duck poutine with espresso porters. Those are among the offerings at Brew House No. 16, which, while it nods to its past, is very much rooted in the present. It is not a small endeavor in either scope or ambition.

We first visited on an unseasonably pleasant mid-November Wednesday evening, about a month after the Mt. Vernon restaurant opened to much anticipation. A sculpture of a bee (Hummel means “bumblebee” in German) and a cheerful, helpful hostess greeted us at the entrance. Every table in the dining room, which seats 80, was filled, so she took our cell number and texted us when our table was ready. (The Hummels hope to add outdoor seating for about 30 in the spring, and have long-term plans to convert the upstairs to a German-style beer garden with entertainment.)

Executive chef Adam Snyder, formerly of Cunningham’s in Towson, has designed a menu that leans toward heartiness. We found the most satisfying of his dishes in the starters, shared plates, and pub fare sections. Bacon and oyster pie, which would be a shrewd choice for a cold night, includes parsnips and potatoes in a soupy cream broth. The crab mac and cheese with bacon, made with cheddar, Gruyère, pecorino, and sourdough crumbs, features large chunks of crabmeat, and was baked to bubbly perfection. In a city where the dish too often translates to a watery yellow soup sprinkled with imitation crabmeat, this version is among the best we’ve had. A baby kale salad, mixed with black walnuts, apples, and goat cheese, was crisp and refreshing, as were pickled vegetables that included cauliflower and beets (though their smell isn’t for the faint of heart).

Our entrees were less even. A crab cake, served atop a bed of root vegetables, was moist and tangy but difficult to eat; it disintegrated when we tried to spear it. It sounds odd, but it needed more binder, and probably would be better served with less pungent veggies (save for the excellent charred lemon garlic rapini). The Tilghman Island striped bass, while a nice piece of fish, was undercooked. Smoked pork tacos ached for more kick. (As did the rum- and whiskey-based cocktails we tried, both of which pleased the palate but tasted alcohol-free.)

Snyder aims to pickle, cure, bake, and make everything he can in-house. On another visit, we saddled up to the tall marble bar in the back, which is sandwiched between the partially open kitchen and stainless steel beer tanks. We devoured a Roseda Farms Angus beef burger topped with crispy Tasso, roasted garlic aioli, and red onion jam, all of which melded perfectly. With it, we munched doughy and salty breadstick-like pretzels, made from scratch by the restaurant’s baker, Josh Feldman-Saunders. Paired with a smooth, but not-too-sweet, Belgian wit, it made for a terrific, casual meal.

Ian Hummel received a brewmaster diploma from the VLB Berlin, a research and teaching institute in Germany. The beers we sampled were properly bodied and eminently drinkable. The amber ale, which checks in at 6.5 percent ABV, is refreshing and a great choice by itself or with food. On multiple visits, however, Brew House’s brown ale wasn’t available, a disappointing development we’ll chalk up to growing pains.

Therein lies one of Brew House No. 16’s biggest challenges. The Hummels, who have designed a beautiful restaurant for which they have grandiose plans, have succeeded in certain areas, but have some work to do in others. If the restaurant/brewery’s components continue to develop and mesh—which we suspect they will, considering the passionate people running the front of the house, the kitchen, and the brewing operation—the buzz surrounding Brew House No. 16 will continue to spread like, well, wildfire.