COMING SOON

Union Collective: Locals have been patiently awaiting the arrival of Union Craft Brewing’s communal makerspace since it was announced last spring. The 138,000-square-foot Medfield warehouse will not only be home to eight small businesses including The Charmery and The Baltimore Whiskey Company, but it will also house Union’s brand new taproom, event space, and production facility. Though brewing isn’t expected to begin until the spring of 2018, earlier this week Union released renderings that give locals a sneak peek at what the space is going to look like. The plans by Ziger/Snead Architects depict a spacious taproom complete with interior greenery and glass windows overlooking the brewery. Also of note is the outdoor beer garden, which boasts a performance space for live music and strung lights overhead. 1700 W. 41st St.

Gordon Ramsay Steak: Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is preparing to debut this new steakhouse inside Horseshoe Casino next Wednesday, November 29. The restaurant, which will take over the space that formerly housed Jack Binion’s on the first floor, will mark Ramsay’s first East Coast concept and feature an array of dry-aged beef and seafood dishes that serve as nods to his British roots. The chef joins other television personalities Guy Fieri and Giada De Laurentiis, who are also tied to the casino’s dining scene. 1525 Russell St., 443-931-4386

CH-CH CHANGES

Lee’s Pint & Shell: At a grand opening party last week, this rebranded Canton hangout (formerly Saute) debuted a state-of-the-art second story. Opening just in time for peak football season, the new space is equipped with 13 big screens, glass garage-style doors, a 38-foot bar with individual charging ports, and its own raw bar and oyster station. 2844 Hudson St., 410-327-2883

Riptide by the Bay: This Fells Point seafood stalwart is headed to auction next month. Husband-and-wife owners Roger and Meredith Rippel recently told The Sun that they are selling their 10-year-old restaurant to focus on raising their children. The duo hopes that the new owners will keep their current staff, and say that they are open to sharing some of Riptide’s signature recipes. The on-site auction will occur on December 14 at 11 a.m., with a starting bid of $750,000. 1718 Thames St., 410-732-3474

EPICUREAN EVENTS

11/29: Traditional Basque Cider Dinner
Inspired by a recent trip to the Sagardotegis region of Basque Country, the team behind La Cuchara in Clipper Mill is recreating a traditional dinner with special cider pairings. The menu will highlight dishes including wood-grilled wild mushrooms, whole grilled rockfish with a burnt garlic vinaigrette, bone-in ribeye, and cider-poached pears. La Cuchara, 3600 Clipper Mill Road, Ste. 125, 6-8:30 p.m., $79, 443-708-3838.

12/10: St. Jude’s Benefit Dinner with Chef Chad Gauss

Chef Chad Gauss of The Food Market in Hampden—who recently released his own cookbook—is teaming up with Pottery Barn at Towson Town Center for this fundraising feast. Diners will enjoy pre-dinner shopping and cocktails, followed by a three-course meal prepared by Gauss. Fifty percent of all the event’s proceeds will be donated to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Pottery Barn, 825 Dulaney Valley Road, Towson, 7-10 p.m., $150.

SHUT

Center Cut Doughnuts: The revolving donut door at 3528 Chestnut Avenue in Hampden has spun around yet again. Sugar fiends probably remember farmers’ market-favorite Center Cut Doughnuts taking over the shop from B. Doughnut last year. And now, Center Cut owner Josh Kowitz is passing the torch to local baker Courtney Fix, who will open her donut shop Full Circle in the space next month. “We have decided to move on to other opportunities that will be better for our family,” Kowitz posted to Facebook earlier this week. “These words cannot convey the amount of appreciation we have for every single customer we’ve ever served.” Center Cut’s last day of service will be Sunday, November 26. The shop was best known for its fun flavors (favorites included brown butter, s’mores, and the pink-glazed “Homer” with rainbow sprinkles) and walls boasting local art. 3528 Chestnut Ave., 667-303-3604. 

Two years ago, former credit analyst Josh Kowitz decided to transform his big ideas for peddling colorful confections into a full-fledged business.

“I honestly thought that I was going to be jockeying the desk for the rest of my life,” he says. “It had some great points to it—don’t get me wrong. But being your own boss is awesome.”

Kowitz’s brainchild Center Cut Doughnuts started small, as a pop-up that caught on quickly with local foodies and frequented the Hampden Farmers’ Market for two seasons. All the while, Kowitz had been searching for a brick and mortar, but it wasn’t until earlier this year that he found the perfect home.

In what Kowitz describes as a “right place, right time” kind of transition, Center Cut opened its doors at 3528 Chestnut Avenue in Hampden in January 2017. The space formerly housed boutique bakery B. Doughnut—whose owners decided to close their Baltimore location last fall in order to focus solely on their shop in Leesburg, Virginia.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better entry,” Kowitz says. “I just bought all of the equipment from them, signed the lease, and we were good to go.”

Though Hampden locals were already familiar with the space being a doughnut shop, Kowitz felt that it was important to put his own whimsical spin on B. Doughnut’s previously modern aesthetic.

He commissioned local artist John de Campos (more fondly known as Ghost Bat) to paint a free-hand mural of the Center Cut logo on an interior wall, positioned a wooden bench and metal doughnut sculpture outside, and even had the front steps painted to resemble dripping icing.

“I’m a goofball,” Kowitz says with a laugh. “I love bright colors, and I felt like the space should really be a reflection of the owner.”

He adds that one of the biggest perks of the brick and mortar is having the ability to experiment with new recipes. In addition to his signature sweets, he now serves savory eats including “dognuts” (donut-wrapped hotdogs), breakfast sandwiches, and a variety of knishes—a handpie-shaped delicacy linked to Kowitz’s Jewish heritage.

“I’ve found that if you aren’t either Jewish or from New York, you have no idea what a knish is,” he says. “It’s great to be able to educate people with new things.”

 Despite all of the new offerings, the focus of Center Cut’s menu remains its scratch-made doughnuts, which come in flavors ranging from apple streusel and cannoli to key lime cheesecake and peanut butter chocolate pretzel. Kowitz says that the inspiration for his outside-of-the-box creations comes from everyday food experiences.

“If you really sit back and think about it, there isn’t much that can’t be transformed into a doughnut,” he says. “If I’m eating a cheesesteak, I think about how I can break it down into doughnut form. If you’re going to shoot for the moon and do something crazy, you might as well really go for it.”

There will certainly be plenty of creative flavors to enjoy this weekend, as Center Cut hosts a two-day celebration in honor of National Doughnut Day. Aside from offering diners a free Prosecco-glazed doughnut hole Friday, the shop has also partnered with local flower delivery service Urbanstems to feature a deal on a bouquet of roses and four-pack of doughnuts.  

As a die-hard Orioles fan, Kowitz (who named the business after a “cutter” fastball) has also devised a baseball-themed menu for a day-after Doughnut Day bash on Saturday, June 3. Specialty flavors to look out for will include strawberry lemonade, cotton candy, cracker-jack caramel topped with vanilla glaze and popcorn, and a special lemon curd-stuffed donut iced with a glaze made from Union Craft Brewing’s Steady Eddy IPA. 

Looking ahead, Kowitz is excited to continue to collaborate with other local eateries, expand his wholesale business, and even begin doughnut delivery. 

“I could have never imagined that I would have grown from two tables and a tent to where I am now,” he says. “One of the better pieces of advice I ever got in my life was: ‘Make food that you enjoy eating.’ And that’s what I’m doing.”

Five things to eat, drink, see, hear, and do with your Charm City weekend.

EAT

April 8: Center Cut Doughnuts

3528 Chestnut Ave. 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Free.

After the closure of B. Doughnut in Hampden last fall, we feared for the future of our Saturday morning sugary fix. Luckily, Center Cut Doughtnuts swooped in to save the day, and this weekend, they open their new digs on Chesnut Avenue, featuring pillowy pockets filled with delicious and unexpected flavors. Think Brown Butter, Cannoli, Peanut Butter Chocolate Pretzel, and, our favorite: The Orioles Magic, complete with Grand Marnier and orange juice icing. The opening party will include giveaways, prizes, and new menu selections. But don’t be late; the first person in line will win a dozen free doughnuts, while the next four people will receive a half-dozen fritters.

DRINK

Crossbar der Biergarten

18 E. Cross St.

After four years of work, the Crossbar der Biergarten has finally made its debut in Federal Hill. As soon as it opened, lines formed down Cross Street as rambunctious residents were eager to down the giant German beer hall’s overflowing steins and Bavarian soft pretzels. This weekend, grab a seat at the communal tables, soak up the sun from the glass ceiling, admire the bar’s living ficus tree, and cheers “prost” with half liter and full liter draughts, as well as ambitious two-liter boots, filled with both German and local beers.

SEE

April 7: Out of Order

218 W. Saratoga St. 7-10 p.m. $40-45.

One of the most anticipated art events of the year, Out of Order is back in Bromo this weekend for the 20th year. The annual spring benefit exhibition and silent auction will feature the works from more than 250 emerging, student, and professional artists from around the region. Event-goers have the chance to acquire unique contemporary art, enjoy an open wine-and-beer bar, try specialty cocktails from Baltimore Cocktail Week, and snack on light bites, with proceeds directly benefitting the programs, exhibits, and artists of Maryland Art Place.

HEAR

April 7-10: Future Islands

Ottobar, 2549 N. Howard St. 8 p.m. Sold out.

This weekend will be a night—er, four nights—of epic proportions. In the midst of their new tour, Future Islands will be swinging into town for a long weekend of shows for their hometown crowd. From Friday through Monday, the local synth-pop band will perform its new album, The Far Field, at the city’s quintessential rock venue with your favorite old songs, some kickass new ones, and, in true F.I. fashion, special local guests each night, like funk group Soul Cannon, 83 Cutlass, and soulful singer-songwriter Joy Postell. Despite skyrocketing to indie stardom after their 2014 album, Singles, the trio remains exceedingly proud of its Baltimore roots, and we couldn’t be more honored to call them our own. For four nights, see Sam Herring sashay across the stage and let their dreamy dance music pull at your heartstrings until last call.

DO

April 8: Opening Day for Trails

Cylburn Arboretum, 4915 Greenspring Ave. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free.

As we pray for an end to April showers, celebrate the full bloom of spring on some of Baltimore’s best outdoor trails. This Saturday, the Baltimore Greenway Trails Coalition hosts the opening day for trails with guided walks, bike rides, and hikes along the Jones Falls, Gwynn Falls and Herring Run trails. To commemorate the fifth year of this green gaiety, the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy will be on site with giveaways from Fuji Bikes and Performance Bicycle. Grab your sneakers, some sunglasses (the clouds will finally part!), and get outside.