OPEN

Cazbar Columbia: Howard County diners can now experience the same authentic Turkish cuisine—and weekend belly-dancing shows—that Charm City locals have enjoyed in Mt. Vernon for years. The North Charles Street staple has expanded with a second location in Columbia, which officially opened its doors late last month. Decorated with textured wallpaper, comfy lounge chairs, and glowing lanterns, the spinoff highlights Cazbar’s signature mezzes and kebabs. Standout entrees include Turkish beef dumplings with garlic butter, eggplant stuffed with caramelized onions and pine nuts, and flaky baklava topped with toasted pistachios.

Love at First Bite Cafe: The Locust Point shop that was formerly Hoof Cafe on Fort Avenue is now home to this all-day kitchen from husband-and-wife duo Antonio and JosLynn Jones. The owners, who previously operated a soul food restaurant in Northeast Baltimore, specialize in comfort foods like crab pretzels, shrimp and broccoli pasta, and smothered pulled turkey over rice. The cafe is also a go-to for sweet tooth lovers, who can indulge in loaded ice cream sundaes topped with everything from Oreo crumbles to a whole Nutty Buddy ice cream cone.

COMING SOON

Bambao: Come October, diners will be able to sip bubble tea while learning origami in Harbor East. The long-vacant home of Manchurian Rice Co. on the corner of Aliceanna Street and Central Avenue will soon be transformed into this Asian-fusion concept that aims to offer diners a “sense and taste of zen.” Highlights at Bambao will include an array of bubble teas, rice and buddha bowls, and steamed bun sandwiches. In keeping with the wellness mantra, the spot will also feature family-friendly origami classes and collaborate with local yoga studios to host community events.

Char’d City: A grand opening date for this long-awaited addition to the Hamilton dining scene is set for this Friday, September 6. Husband-and-wife owners Yassine Rmadhnia and Sindee Gibson have turned the former home of Clementine on Harford Road into a cozy BYOB spot featuring warm woods, rustic decor, and a custom wood-fired oven that churns out the duo’s take on a classic Neapolitan pizzas. Char’d City will also serve colorful salads, vegan entrees, and seafood dishes that make use of Maryland crab. The menu is meant to fuse Southern Italian recipes with North African flavors inspired by Rhamdhnia’s roots in Tunisia.

EPICUREAN EVENTS

Sept. 18, 20, 23, 26: Ekiben’s End of Summer BBQ Pop-Up Series
The summer temperatures might be starting to drop, but things are definitely heating up in the Ekiben kitchen. On the heels of launching a recurring Taiwanese noodle bar pop-up, owners Steve Chu and Ephrem Abebe are collaborating with a group of stellar chefs to host four can’t-miss lunch pop-ups at their Fells Point restaurant throughout September. The end of summer barbecue-themed series will kick off with visiting chef Johnny Spero of Reverie in Washington, D.C. on September 18, and continue with the team from farmers’ market favorite Blacksauce Kitchen on September 20, James Beard Award nominee Jerome Grant of Sweet Home Cafe inside the National Museum of African American History and Culture on September 23, and our own Carlos Raba of Clavel on September 26. Menu details haven’t been released as of yet, but judging by Ekiben’s track record of creative collaborations, we can only anticipate that the dishes will be epic.

SHUT

The Dizz: Remington locals were heartbroken to hear that this decades-old neighborhood fixture had suddenly closed its doors earlier this week. “We would like to thank all our wonderful customers for your support over the years,” co-owner Thomas L. Basta Jr. wrote in a Facebook message announcing the closure Wednesday. Last fall, the Basta family put their restaurant on the market, but ultimately decided against selling. “This place has been here forever,” longtime general manager Elaine Stevens told us in May. “I think [the owners] were ready to just get out of the business, but then they saw how much it means to everybody and that made them say, ‘You know what, we’re not giving up. We’re going to hang in there.’” Unfortunately, the owners have once again decided it’s time to move on. Throughout the years, the 85-year-old staple gained a reputation for its famous burgers, crab soup, and one of the best BLTs in the city.

Six years after opening Turkish spot Cazbar in Mt. Vernon, local restaurateur Haluk Kantar was ready to start a new venture.

“I was getting antsy,” Kantar says. “I had developed enough staff that I didn’t need to put so much effort into Cazbar anymore—I figured I would do another project.”

The project became Homeslyce—a neighborhood pizza joint that debuted in Federal Hill back in 2012 and has since grown to include locations in Mt. Vernon, Canton, and Columbia. In the coming months, the chain’s footprint will continue to expand with an eatery opening in the former PJ’s Pub space in Charles Village, and multiple locations planned for Washington, D.C. in 2018.

Homeslyce puts a unique spin on a traditional slice. Instead of the typical triangle, Kantar’s signature “slices” are boat-shaped, inspired by classic Turkish pizza, known as pides.

“We had been doing it that way for years at Cazbar,” says Kantar. “It’s different from a traditional flatbread or a regular slice. It’s our own little twist.”

For years, Kantar had been looking to bring his pizzas to North Baltimore, and jumped at the opportunity to take over the former PJ’s property after the longtime Johns Hopkins hangout closed its doors last month, when owner Jerry Smith announced his retirement.

“I don’t think we can do what Jerry did,” Kantar says. “He’s been around for 30 years. If you went to a lacrosse game, Jerry was there. Nobody can fill his shoes, but we’re going to do whatever we can to fit in with Hopkins’ master plan for the community.”

Construction to add windows and outdoor seating to the subterranean property began last week, and is expected to wrap up by December—just in time for the beginning of Hopkins’ spring semester. Kantar says that the revamped interior will mimic Homeslyce’s Columbia location, which boasts chalkboard walls and industrial accents.

The brand’s first D.C. location, slated to open in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood by the end of October, will debut ahead of the Charles Village opening.

As the business continues to evolve, Kantar says that finding new ways to connect with customers remains a top priority. He recently joined pizza delivery app Slice—a New York-based technology that operates in more than 1,900 cities nationwide, and launched in Charm City last week. 

Unlike other on-demand services like Grubhub and Uber Eats, Slice focuses exclusively on independent pizzerias, eliminating big-name behemoths like Pizza Hut and Papa John’s. Among the local spots listed on the app are Michaelangelo’s in Mt. Vernon, Mikie’s Pizza in Riverside, and Bella Roma Pizza in Pigtown.

“We’re focused on loyalty,” says Slice’s senior regional manager Jim Ashley. “Instead of being a discovery platform, we want you to be able to go back to your favorite local pizzeria every single time.”

As the local pie scene continues to flourish (new spot Charm City Pizza is expected to replace the old Joe Squared location in Power Plant Live later this month), Kantar is focused on adapting with the times.

“I never expected it to expand this quickly,” he says. “It started out as a hobby that I thought would just be a small local pizza bar. But we’re learning as we grow.”