Chaps Pit Beef: This stalwart smoke shack opened a larger spinoff in Aberdeen late last month. Situated in the former home of Gino’s Burgers & Chicken, the new location features a spacious floor plan, outdoor seating, and the brand’s signature red-and-black color scheme. “The last thing we want anyone to do is say, ‘That still looks like Gino’s,” owner Bob Creager told us about the redesign. Though the new location has a revamped look, the restaurant’s claim-to-fame barbecue recipes remain intact. Menu highlights include smoked sausages, burgers, hand-cut fries, and, of course, pit beef sandwiches topped with Chaps’s signature Tiger sauce. 1013 Beards Hill Road, Aberdeen, 410-483-2379

Pop Tacos: Former Cross Street Market vendor Pop Tacos recently opened its first brick-and-mortar eatery around the corner in the space adjacent to The Local Fry. Influenced by Mexican and Korean flavors, the taco bar’s menu features its classic burritos and quesadillas alongside new offerings like sushi and Korean rice bowls. The restaurant is the latest example in the every-expanding south side of Cross Street, which also boasts Bookmakers and Boiler Room.17 E. Cross St., 443-835-2489

COMING SOON:

Lotsa: On the heels of unveiling its first Maryland location in Towson, this fast-casual pizza palace recently announced that it’s already expanding its footprint with another shop inside Westfield Annapolis Mall later this summer. Lotsa serves 11-inch, wood-fired pizzas, which diners can either customize themselves or order from a menu that lists flavor combinations like barbecue chicken, Hawaiian, and shrimp Old Bay. 2002 Annapolis Mall Road, Annapolis, 410-266-5432

Juniper Culinary Apothecary: Chef Sarah Acconcia—who previously headed up kitchens at Le Garage and Bookmakers before opening her own event planning business, Wild Thyme Event Studio—is joining the pack at Mt. Vernon Marketplace next month. Slated to open August 6, Acconcia’s latest project, Juniper Culinary Apothecary, will be a small specialty food store offering an array of health-conscious comestibles including bulk tea, herbs, spices, and rare superfoods. 520 Park Ave., 888-897-8859

The Starlite Diner: Although the corner property at 510 E. Belvedere Avenue has been a revolving door for restaurant concepts over the past few years, local restaurateur Leonard Clarke is confident that he has come up with an idea that will stick. Clarke will open family-friendly Starlite Diner in the space later this summer, featuring a menu full of upscale comfort foods and healthy options for kids. Clarke previously owned Red Maple in Mt. Vernon, which was recently sold to Ryan Perlberg, who plans to transform it into a cocktail bar called Sangria. 510 E. Belvedere Ave.

CH-CHANGES:

Bel-Loc Diner: Though no plans are set in stone, Charm City locals have taken to social media to express their dismay about the potential closure of this 52-year-old Towson landmark. In a message posted to Facebook last week, a spokesperson for the diner revealed that owner Bill Doxanas is currently negotiating a deal to sell the old-school space to Starbucks Corporation, which plans to demolish the building to make way for a new coffee shop with a drive-thru attached. Local nonprofit Preservation Maryland has already launched a petition to save the structure. Bel-Loc—whose name was inspired by the Baltimore beltway and its location in Loch Raven—has long been a favorite for locals looking to sip fresh coffee, listen to jukebox oldies, and chow down on classic burgers and breakfast fare. The diner will remain open for breakfast and lunch until the sale is official. 1700 E. Joppa Rd., 410-668-2525

The Milton Inn: Owner Brian Boston is giving this fine-dining den a more modern makeover in hopes of appealing to a younger demographic. Situated inside an 18th-century fieldstone building in Sparks, the 70-year-old restaurant will undergo interior changes (like new furniture, lighting, and artwork) as well as outdoor upgrades like a revamped patio with a new pergola. Renovations are expected to be complete by the end of August. 14833 York Rd., Sparks, 410-771-4366

One-Eyed Mike’s: At an auction held outside of this Fells Point institution last week, owner Mike Maraziti sold the 13-year-old staple for $1.25 million. Though neighborhood locals were filled with bittersweet emotions about the sale, new owners Akbar Vaiya and his mother, Susan Hormozi, assured the community that they plan to keep the original One-Eyed Mike’s concept alive. Vaiya, a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef from Towson, will shadow Maraziti in the coming weeks, and locals will be happy to hear that he will continue the bar’s signature Grand Marnier club, which has eclipsed 2,600 members. 708 S. Bond St., 410-327-0445

Victoria Restaurant Group: Ellicott City sports bar Diamondback Tavern was recently sold to Randy and Mary Marriner, the couple behind Victoria Gastro Pub and Manor Hill Brewing Company in Howard County.The Marriners plan to convert the space into Manor Hill Tavern, which will showcase their craft brews alongside a menu of upscale pub grub when it debuts in September. Food Plenty, a third concept from the family that is slated to open this winter in Clarksville, is also in the works. Former Alewife chef Chad Wells has been hired as Victoria Restaurant Group’s new executive chef. 3733 Old Columbia Pike, Ellicott City, 410-313-8530

SHUT:

Alchemy: Husband and wife owners Michael and Debi Matassa recently decided to close this New American restaurant on the Avenue in Hampden in order to focus their energy on their Bel Air spinoff Alchemy Elements. The second location boasts the same culinary flair with added amenities like a full bar and al fresco seating.

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Raichlen, 63, who graduated from Milford Mill High School in 1971, is the author of five cookbooks and the host of Project Smoke on PBS—a cooking show that explores the art of smoking (low and slow) versus grilling (quickly cooking meat over high heat).

“Project Smoke was formed by the realization that all barbecue is smoked, but not all smoked foods are barbecue,” Raichlen explains, mentioning cold-smoking salmon and cheese or warm-smoking bacon or beef jerky. “Smoking isn’t a one-size-fits-all technique.”

His newest book of the same name hit shelves on May 10 and sheds light on a similar concept—including stories and outside-of-the-box recipes (think everything from smoked cocktails to smoked desserts) inspired by his travels.

Raichlen planned the itinerary for our tour, choosing to visit Chaps Pit Beef and Parts & Labor, noting a common thread between the two.

“Live fire,” he said. “I grew up in Baltimore, and to me, it was always a boiling and steaming culture. I grew up with the four C’s: crab, coddies, corned beef, and chocolate top. It was not live fire by any stretch.”

Our crawl started at Chaps, the 29-year-old Eastside stalwart stationed on Pulaski Highway. While browsing the lengthy menu, we were greeted by the owner, Bob Creager, who offered to show us around the kitchen.

Chaps’s cozy kitchen is comprised of a cafeteria-style counter full of side dishes, an old-school hand slicer, and a charcoal grill where its claim-to-fame bottom round flat pit beef is cooked for 90 minutes to two hours.

Per Creager’s recommendation, we ordered medium-rare pit beef sandwiches, and topped them with extra horseradish, pickles, and a few dollops of the restaurant’s Tiger Sauce—a mixture of horseradish and mayo. (According to Creager, the “too much of a good thing” theory doesn’t apply when it comes to the signature spread.)

Snagging a seat at a communal picnic table in the center of the eatery, we chowed down, discussing Creager’s favorite restaurants (he enjoys Alma Cocina Latina, The Food Market, and Woodberry Kitchen), Chaps’s upcoming second location in Aberdeen, and the evolution of pit beef in Baltimore.

“Pit beef was like a poor people’s party way back when,” Creager said. “Its roots are Eastern European but, as far back as we can see, it was popular for things like bull and oyster roasts. And more or less it was only in East Baltimore. You didn’t see it in Towson, Owings Mills, or on the Eastern Shore. It was just a Baltimore thing.”

After packing up leftovers, we headed to Spike Gjerde’s Remington hotspot Parts & Labor, which showcases the restaurateur’s signature farm-to-fork style and passion for whole-animal butchery.

Settling in at a table overlooking the hearth oven, Raichlen quickly perused the menu before suggesting that we find out what comes off of the grill first, and build our meal around that.

After meeting chef de cuisine Gerald Addison, we opted for a smattering of tasting dishes including smoked trout spread on a sourdough baguette, a Vietnam-inspired pigtail glazed in a sauce made of fermented soft-shell crabs and topped with peanuts, smoked Austrian Kasekrainer sausage filled with Appalachian cow’s milk cheese, roasted local cauliflower, and maple syrup-marinated rib cap with pickled kimchi.

Our meal at Parts & Labor made it even more evident that Raichlen has a deep passion for fired cuisine and a natural affinity for detecting smoke within the first bite.

“I like to call smoke the umami of barbecue,” he said. “It has a way of making food taste more like itself. It’s almost like you’re shining a different light on familiar foods and seeing them from a different angle.”

A highlight was touring the restaurant’s curing room, including its house-cured dry-aged pork loin, lamb coppa, n’duja sausages, and variety of salamis.

We returned to our table where—in what Raichlen called “an exquisite twist of irony”—a pair of vegan diners had just been seated nearby. (“This is my favorite restaurant in the city,” one shared. “The vegetables are phenomenal.”)

Added Addison: “I really like vegetables and its super important to me that this be a place where vegetarians can eat. People think it’s such a meat-centric restaurant, but I actually get way more excited about produce than I do about meats.”

Over a hefty scoop of brown-butter ice cream swimming in espresso, Raichlen reflected on the evolution of Charm City’s food scene.

“It’s funky and unpretentious, and it’s on its way to becoming the Portland of the East Coast,” he says. “Baltimore always had good food, but now it has sophisticated food.”

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Grano Pasta Bar: This Hampden eatery, known for its DIY pastas and vegetarian varieties, opened a long-awaited spinoff in Federal Hill last week. The restaurant, which was recently featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives (DDD), allows diners to mix and match their favorite noodles with sauces like classic vodka, pomodoro, and pesto with pecorino and walnuts. The new location, previously a Gyro Express, features both bar and window seating. 1043 S. Charles St., 443-869-3429

COMING SOON:

Between 2 Buns: Chef Andrew Cole of Hampden’s Corner Charcuterie Bar has already gained a loyal following with Cultured, his meat and cheese concept located in the center of Mt. Vernon Marketplace. Next month, Cole is expanding his presence in the market with the debut of this new artisanal burger stall. Between 2 Buns will focus on burgers made with local beef and gluten-free buns, house-made sausages, boozy milkshakes, and worldly takes on poutine—a traditional Canadian dish topping French fries with gravy and cheese curds. The new stall, which will sit behind Edible Favors and Fresh Mondays in the communal market, is slated to open by the end of April. 520 Park Ave., 443-804-3933

Chaps Pit Beef: Back in July, we told you about how this Pulaski Highway pit palace (another DDD alum) had high hopes of branching out. Now, those plans are finally coming to fruition as owners Bob and Donna Creager announced last week that they signed a lease to open a new location in Aberdeen. The new eatery, formerly Gino’s Burgers & Chicken, will serve Chaps’ signature charcoal-smoked pit beef sandwiches along with other barbecue bites like ribs, chicken, burgers, and hot dogs. Slated to open in May, the owners hope that the new location will pave the way for franchising opportunities in the future. 1013 Beards Hill Road, Aberdeen, 410-273-7777

DiPasquale’s: This
Highlandtown staple has been around for more than 100 years, serving up
hearty Italian eats like brick-oven pizzas, house-made pastas, and
overstuffed sandwiches. Earlier this week, owner Joe DiPasquale
announced plans to open a new location on the first floor of the
HarborView condominium complex in Federal Hill. Although the
2,000-square-foot space is a bit smaller than the flagship, diners can
still look forward to Dipasquale’s signature Old World dishes and
gourmet grub to go when the new digs debut in June.
100 Harborview Drive.

Harbor Market: Waterfront Partnership’s recess for grownups-inspired pop-up market is returning to McKeldin Square for the season on April 4. Every Friday through September from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., professionals working in the Inner Harbor area are invited to spend their lunch breaks chowing down on food truck fare and challenging co-workers to pick-up games of corn hole or ladder golf. Throughout the season, diners can look forward to featured eats from the likes of Brick N’ Fire Pizza, Gypsy Queen Cafe, Lunchbox Lady, Greek on the Street, and Neopol Smokery. Opening day highlights will include steamed buns from Dooby’s, pulled pork from The Smoking Swine, and Cream Cruiser’s signature ice cream sandwiches. 101 E. Pratt St.

Home Maid: This
Towson brunch spot shuttered its doors in November, but will soon
re-open in a new home in Federal Hill. Owned by brothers Derrick and
Justin Falcoun, the rustic restaurant features biscuit sandwiches, crab
cake benedicts, chicken and waffles, and signature juices like
cucumber-watermelon lemonade. The 50-seat space will feature both
communal and
al fresco seating, and is slated to debut in June. 1400 Key Highway

MOM’S Organic Market: A
grand opening date for a Hampden location of this Rockville-based
grocery chain has been set for April 1. The 17,000-square-foot store
will debut in The Rotunda, offering organic produce, local meats, and
gourmet cheeses. Shoppers are invited to partake in a grand opening
celebration April 1-3, featuring tastings, free giveaways, and treats
like organic cotton candy. The new store marks the brand’s third in the
area, with locations already in Jessup and Timonium.
711 W. 40th St.

Pop Tacos: This Mexican and Korean-style taco bar, currently stationed inside Cross Street Market, will soon relocate to a brick-and-mortar space around the corner. With a bigger kitchen, owners hope to add new offerings to the menu—like ramen and DIY rice bowls. The new spot, which is adjacent to The Local Fry, is slated to open in June. 17 E. Cross St.

Ruby 8 Noodles and Sushi: Fusing flavors from China, Vietnam, and Korea, this international dining destination will soon join the likes of Samos Greek Island Grill, World of Beer, and Piaza Fresh in the mixed-use McHenry Row development in Locust Point. Ruby 8, which currently operates inside Horseshoe Casino Baltimore, will open its second location in the 130-seat space that previously housed Umi Sake in May. The restaurant highlights a wide array of sushi and ramen, as well as larger entrees like roast duck and crispy salt and pepper shrimp. 1702 Whetstone Way

CH-CH CHANGES:

Cunningham’s: The Bagby Restaurant Group recently welcomed chef Jay Rohlfing, who has been hired as executive chef at this Towson farm-to-table spot. A graduate of the Pennsylvania Institute of Culinary Arts, Rohlfing climbed the ranks at various hotels and resorts along the East Coast, and most recently worked under acclaimed chef Linwood Dame at Linwoods in Owings Mills. Cunninghams’ former executive chef Jason Lear will remain with the company, overseeing operations of its Bagby Pizza locations. 1 Olympic Place, Towson, 410-339-7730

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Chaps is known for its raw bottom-round beef seasoned and cooked over hardwood charcoal and its home-style sides.

But the 25-seat restaurant off Pulaski Highway can only get so many people through its doors.

Bob Creager, who co-owns Chaps with his wife, Donna, says he’s planning to expand the brand and the gospel of pit beef with his franchises. “I need a new challenge in my life,” he says. “After 28 years here, we’ve grown this business probably about as far as we’re going to.”

Chaps has been featured on several Food Network shows, including Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. (“I didn’t think pit beef could get any better,” Guy Fieri said after trying the Bull Dog sub, comprised of pit beef, sausage, and cheese, several years back.)

Creager’s goal is to open the first franchise within the next six months.

“We’ll go anywhere anybody wants us,” says Creager, who has his sights set on Catonsville for the first franchise, though the location has not yet been finalized.

In the next few years, Creager hopes his franchises will take off and spread nationally. “I’m looking forward to making some of my idols my rivals,” he says.

Wherever this new venture takes him, Creager will remain true to his Baltimore roots. “I’m loyal to Baltimore,” he says. “I’m a die-hard Ravens fan and a season ticket holder.” Even the walls of the restaurant are clad in Ravens’ purple.

Creager assures us that no matter how big the franchise becomes, he will stay true to his original ideals. “This place is not going to change,” says Creager, “I’ll make sure of that.”

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