OPEN

Urban Plates: After a successful debut at Tysons Corner earlier this summer, California chain Urban Plates is opening its second East Coast location at the Mall in Columbia on Monday, August 27. The restaurant’s rustic-meets-modern vibe features interior greenery, hanging lights, and dark woods throughout. And although the eatery focuses on cafeteria-style service, don’t expect the same options that were served at your college dining hall. Chefs stand behind the counter to prepare scratch-made meals ranging from a Nicoise salad with grilled ahi to a plate of barbecue ribs in a habanero-mango sauce. Diners can mix-and-match entrees with sides (think roasted Old Bay potatoes and beet salad with walnuts) and desserts including chocolate pudding and a mango tart. 10300 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, 443-741-8787.

Baltimore Built Bistro: For many local barflies, there’s still a wave of nostalgia that hits when walking past the old Bad Decisions space on Fleet Street in Fells Point. But now, a new dining concept is breathing life into the vacant space. Baltimore Built Bistro (B3) will officially cut the ribbon on Friday, August 24 at 3 p.m. Featuring a menu of specialty cocktails, soups, sandwiches, appetizers, and other lite fare, the bistro will be open for lunch and dinner on weekdays and serve brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. Stop by during opening weekend to sample dishes such as a poached pear salad, grilled chicken sandwich with cranberry pesto, or house burger topped with raw onion on a toasted bun. 1928 Fleet St. 443-438-9564

Charles Village Pub: The wait is finally over, Charles Village. Since the community’s beloved watering hole suffered a grease fire and was forced to shut down back in May, locals have been waiting (some more patiently than others) to return for burgers, wings, discounted drinks, and some quality time with friends and neighbors. And now, the reopening has officially been set for Thursday, August 23. Belly up to the bar this weekend to toast CVP’s return and long future ahead. 3107 St. Paul St. 410-243-1611

COMING SOON

Atlas Restaurant Group Expands to Washington, D.C.: The homegrown restaurant group that birthed Harbor East hotspots Ouzo Bay, Azumi, Loch Bar, Tagliata, The Elk Room, and Italian Disco is expanding its footprint even further in 2019. Aside from opening additional spinoffs in Boca Raton, Florida and Houston, Texas later this year, Atlas recently announced plans to debut two new restaurants at the Moxy Hotel in downtown Washington, D.C. Slated to open in spring 2019, the first of the to-be-determined concepts will take over two floors of the historic Victorian building adjacent to the hotel, which dates back to 1875. The second will be a rooftop restaurant on the top floor of the Moxy. 1011 K. St NW, Washington, D.C.

Avenue Kitchen Launching Late-Night Taco Spot: Riding on the success of Garden Party, the freestanding wine-and-charcuterie shop stationed at the center of the Rotunda shopping center in Hampden, the owners of Avenue Kitchen & Bar are opening yet another kiosk on the property—this time focusing on tacos. Partners Patrick Dahlgren and Bill Irvin have taken to Facebook to poll patrons on the name of the late-night taco spot, which will either be called The Red Eye (a nod to the late flight from the West to the East Coast) or LIT, which stands for “little interesting tacos.” Night owls will be happy to hear that the shop, expected to open in late September, plans to serve its tacos, burritos, and other Mexican staples from lunchtime until 3 a.m. 711 W. 40th St.

Himalayan Yak: The Canton dining scene will soon welcome this Nepalese spot from Mohan Thapa, the owner of Masala Kitchen in Charles Village and Kumari Restaurant and Bar in Mt. Vernon. Taking over the former home of Cask & Grain—which shuttered its doors back in June—on O’Donnell Square, the spot will highlight authentic Nepalese and Indian dishes such as paneer chili, chicken vindaloo, lamb kabobs, and vegetable samosas. Himalayan Yak will open with dine-in and carry-out service, and plans to start delivery in the area in the coming weeks. 2823 O’Donnell St. 410-522-7678

Streets Market & Cafe: Earlier this week, Streets Market & Cafe—the independent grocery chain that has a store downtown on North Charles Street—announced plans to open a second Baltimore location at Yard 56, the forthcoming office-and-retail development in Greektown. Expected to open next year, the 23,000-square-foot market will offer its fresh produce, meat, seafood, baked goods, and organic household products to the Southeast Baltimore community. “Streets Markets adds an important shopping element to this development,” said David Bramble of property manager MCB Real Estate, in a press release. “Our intent is to create a project that becomes a regular part of the lives and routines of the local community.” 5601 Eastern Avenue.

EPICUREAN EVENTS

8/23: Scalawags Pit Meat Pop-Up at Gnocco
Scalawags Pit Meat, the smokin’ side project spearheaded by Gnocco general manager Sam White, is hosting a pop-up at the Highlandtown hangout tonight from 6-9 p.m. White will be mixing up whiskey cocktails—made with spirits from Republic Restoratives Distillery in Washington, D.C.—with guest bartender Alex Higdon. Aside from taking advantage of the all-night happy hour deals, be sure to sample all of the mouthwatering beef, turkey, and ribs that Scalawags pit master Kevin James will be serving up from his beloved barrel smoker. 3734 Fleet St. 6 p.m. Free. 443-449-6540.

8/30: Summer in Provence Dinner
If you haven’t had the chance to check out Ludlow Market, the new concept in the former Wine Market Bistro space in Locust Point, Chef Christopher Audia is flexing his skills with a special wine pairings dinner highlighting the Provence region of France. The three-course menu features dishes such as roasted tomato soup, mussels, and rockfish in a saffron broth; braised short rib in a red wine jus; and cream-stuffed brioche in orange blossom water. 921 E. Fort Ave. 6:30 p.m. $69. 410-244-6166

OPEN

South Point: Take full advantage of the end of the summer at this new outdoor hangout that officially debuted in Port Covington last week. The recreation space offers waterfront wellness classes, group games like jumbo Jenga and Connect Four, old-school arcade games in a mobile shipping containter, and, of course, a lineup of drinks and eats crafted by former Bluegrass Tavern chef Patrick Morrow. Focusing on South American barbecue cuisine, the menu lists dishes such as fire-roasted jerk chicken wings, smoked mozzarella on crispy bread, hot smoked salmon in a salsa-verde vinaigrette, and roasted mushrooms and cauliflower with cashews. The weekend pop-up will be open on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, from 5-11 p.m. through October. 101 W. Cromwell St.

Dahlak: Longtime Upper Fells Point locals most likely remember Arcos, the well-known Mexican restaurant that shuttered its doors at 129 S. Broadway back in 2014. Now, the space has shed its tacos and tequila in favor of Eritrean fare—a close cousin of Ethiopian cuisine. New owners Solomon and Yonathan Weldekirstos opened Dahlak earlier this summer, serving up authentic Eritrean dishes such as awaze tibs (tender lamb with tomato, jalapeno, and garlic sauce) and doro wot, a traditional chicken stew in a red pepper sauce served with boiled eggs. The spot also offers vegetarian platters, pasta dishes, sandwiches, a full bar, and weekly community events ranging from movie nights to live music performances. 129 S. Broadway. 301-512-6217

COMING SOON

Stupid Delicious Desserts: Come September, travelers will be able to grab a treat from this Parkville-based sweets shop while passing BWI Airport. Owner Tanya Davis expects to unveil a new Stupid Delicious kiosk near the food court on Concourse A on September 17. Davis—who can often be spotted pedaling her dessert cart at various farmers’ markets around town—will sell the bakeshop’s signature toffee, non-dairy chocolate chip, and vegan and gluten-free oatmeal cookies at the new spot. While she is looking forward to adding another local option to the dining destinations at the airport, Davis is also excited to introduce the brand to out-of-towners. “We can ship the cookies anywhere,” she says. “So we’re loving the idea of expanding our awareness beyond the Baltimore region.” 7812 Harford Rd, Parkville. 410-215-6564

Pie Time: Farmers’ market fiends have been visiting local baker Max Reim for years—whether he’s peddling his handcrafted pies on Saturdays in Waverly or Sundays under the JFX. In the coming months, diners will be able to indulge in Reim’s sweet and savory treats any day of the week, as he is planning to open a brick-and-mortar shop on East Baltimore Street in Patterson Park. Reim recently told the Baltimore Business Journal that the menu at the 20-seat cafe will be similar to the pop-up with a few additional sides and salads thrown into the mix. Construction on the shop won’t begin until the fall, but, until then, there will be plenty of peach-blueberry, old-fashioned apple, and savory slow-roasted tomato pies at local farmers’ markets to hold you over. 3101 E. Baltimore St.

CookHouse: It’s been nearly a year since B. Bistro shuttered its doors in Bolton Hill. And now, husband-and-wife team George and Jessica Dailey—who also own On The Hill Cafe in the neighborhood—are planning to breathe new life into the space. Liquor board documents indicate that the new restaurant, which is expected to open by winter, will offer all-day service with dishes such as Belgian waffles, sandwiches, soups, salads, and heartier dinner entrees. Stay tuned for more details. 1501 Bolton St.

NEWS

Charles Village Pub: Get ready, Charles Village. This neighborhood watering hole is on the road to recovery after a tragic grease fire shut it down in May. A sign posted to the front door (which prompted this heartwarming note from regulars) indicates that it won’t be long before locals are invited back in for affordable drafts and daily deals on pub grub. “We’d like to thank Charles Village for holding tight while we’re in the final stages of the rebuild,” reads a recent post to Facebook. “We’ll see you in a few weeks.” The spot is expected to reopen by the end of the month. 3107 St. Paul St. 410-243-1611

EPICUREAN EVENTS

8/17-26: Vegan Restaurant Week
On the heels of this summer’s Baltimore Restaurant Week festivities comes this dairy-free dining promotion that is being embraced by more than 20 eateries throughout the city. Returning for the third time, Vegan Restaurant Week encourages local restaurants to offer meatless menus in order to increase awareness about the accessibility of a plant-based diet. Spots everywhere from Riverside to Hampden will be offering special menus throughout the week, which will close out with the 5th annual Vegan Soulfest at Clifton park on August 25. Multiple locations.

8/19: BarkHappy Baltimore Paws on the Patio

Walk your pooch over to McHenry Row in Locust Point for this afternoon happy hour with drafts provided by World of Beer. Sample local and international brews while mingling with other owners and getting to know some of the dog-friendly services around town. The benefit for the Baltimore Humane Society will feature tons of free swag including chew toys, puppy bandanas and sunglasses, a $50 gift card from Dogtopia in Canton, and free dog massages from Luckie Dog Wellness. 1724 Whetstone Way. 2-4 p.m. $12.

8/24: The Local Oyster Stout Documentary Low Budget Screening Party
In one of the most epic collaborations that Charm City has ever seen, Waverly Brewing Company, The Local Oyster, and True Chesapeake Oyster Co. teamed up to create the Local Oyster Stout—a roasty, dark stout dosed with the shells and meat of real Maryland oysters. The project was such a game-changer, in fact, that filmmakers Jena Richardson and Mark Burchick decided to make a documentary about industrial process of producing the beer. Next Friday, head to Waverly’s taproom to catch a screening of the film (which just so happens to feature a cameo by Baltimore digital editor Jess Mayhugh) while slurping ‘sters and sipping the namesake farm-to-glass beer. Check out the trailer for the film here. Waverly Brewing Company, 1625 Union Ave. 7-10 p.m. Free. 443-438-5765