Like all hospitality professionals, veteran restaurateurs Tony Foreman and Chef Cindy Wolf are grappling with the aftermath of the closing of their beloved restaurants during the pandemic.

While it’s been challenging, they have been making the best of the situation from their respective Roland Park homes. Foreman is reimagining the wine menu at Charleston and spending time with his family. Wolf is cooking up a storm in her state-of-the-art kitchen and doing ad-hoc cooking videos for her legions of fans.

Both are eagerly awaiting the day they can reopen Charleston, Cinghiale, and Bar Vasquez in Harbor East, as well as Petit Louis and Johnny’s in Roland Park.

“I believe that there will be restaurants that go out of business, and I feel sad about that,” says Wolf. “I have to do what I do, so somehow, some way, we will reopen. I don’t know if that’s pie in the sky, but I will not allow this to not happen—it has to happen.”

How are you?
Tony Foreman: There’s plenty of existential threat on the business and our livelihood as a family, but the sudden big chunk of family time and the chance to just prepare food for the people who are in my house and to just worry about homework, learning to ride the bike, do nature walks in a really wonderful neighborhood, and do stuff that we don’t ordinarily have time for has been really wonderful.

Cindy Wolf: I’m used to being alone, I’m just not used to being home alone for this many hours a day. I’m used to being at the restaurant 12 hours a day, so my home time is maybe an hour and then sleeping and going to work the next day. But thank goodness I have a beautiful home to live in and no one on our staff has gotten sick.

On the last night of service before the shutdown it just didn’t feel right. It was hushed—the laughter, the joy, the excitement, all of the good things about being in a restaurant were all sucked out of the room. —Cindy Wolf

What was that final night of service at the restaurants like?
TF: We had the very strong feeling the governor was going to shut us down. When he did, I was of two minds. The first thought was, ‘Let’s do something to generate income and at least keep some people working.’ We formulated a plan and immediately responded by having takeout for our guests on Monday and Tuesday.

I had a long conversation with [Petit Louis executive chef] Chris Scanga the day before. He was concerned about being the guy who would go to work and take the virus home to his family—that hit home with me. I slept on it and thought, ‘In good conscience, can I ask these people to come to work when this thing is still ramping up?’ We don’t know what it is or how bad it’s going to be. Are we contributing to it just by doing a to-go business in the name of keeping people employed? I called Cindy and she agreed.

What was the last night of service at Charleston like specifically?
CW: When I saw my waiters in the dining room wearing gloves and my runners wearing gloves and [maître d’] Peter [Keck] walking around—he wasn’t doing anything but sanitizing doorknobs—I was like, ‘This is just not right. This is a restaurant.’ Of course, it should be sanitary, but this is heartbreaking for me to see my waiters walking around with gloves and being scared to walk to tables. I was like, ‘What are we doing? Why are we open? This is not how you operate a restaurant.’ From my kitchen, I can see into the dining room and it just didn’t feel right. It was hushed—the laughter, the joy, the excitement, all of the good things about being in a restaurant were all sucked out of the room.

My ability to fry things in whatever cast iron is lying around has been rehomed from my great grandmother Annie Ross’s kitchen—she was Miss North Carolina 1910. —Tony Foreman

What kinds of things have you been cooking at home?
TF: [My 6-year-old daughter], Del, loves fish and so does my wife, Katie. Two nights a week we have some kind of fish. We got really beautiful yellowfin tuna through work and a nice Scottish salmon. When asparagus are around it’s easy—it’s salmon and asparagus. I also made a fried chicken sandwich for Del. It was super tasty with sprouts and crunchy veggies piled on it. My ability to fry things in whatever cast iron is lying around has been rehomed from my great grandmother Annie Ross’s kitchen—she was Miss North Carolina 1910.

Chef Wolf, from the looks of Instagram, it seems like you’re making a lot of great meals at home.
CW: I love food, even if I’m just cooking for myself. If I have leftovers, I give them to someone who works for me. It makes me happy. When we had a sense that something bad was about to happen, I bought chicken and we broke it down and put it on our freezer in small packages at Charleston. I went to the grocery store and, for the first time in my life, I bought frozen vegetables.

What I have dictates what I cook. My farm in Ohio is just starting out. The salesperson sent me an email saying, ‘We want to send you a box as a gift.’ It was filled with radishes, potatoes, microgreens, and baby parsnips. That really improved my home cooking. In the beginning of this, I ate a lot of chicken. I had some Brabander, it’s an incredible piece of cheese. I brought home a duck breast from Charleston and made magret and ate that for three days. I also got a delivery from Eddie’s. I told them I wanted rack of lamb but didn’t want them to French [cut] it. The meat between the bones on the rack, when left on and roasted properly, is the best part of the rack meat. Between the bones can be so tender and has so much fat surrounding it.

You’ve been posting lots of cooking videos. Why did you decide to make them?
CW: I want to share. I want to teach. I teach every day at work. I’ve always wanted to have my own cooking show.

Any cooking tips for those of us staring blankly into our pantry wondering what’s for dinner?
CW: Reach into the past. All cultures have peasant cooking—all of these old rice and bean dishes. Make things with flour like empanadas—which are made with flour, fat, and water—or pasta. Learn how to make pasta if you can get your hands on flour. Get an inexpensive hand-rolling pasta machine on Amazon. Or boil a potato, mash it, and add ground beef and any spices you like—saffron, chili powder, cayenne, salt, pepper—and add an egg. It’s as good cold as it is hot. Look for old world recipes from French cooking, Mexican cooking, American food, Spanish, and Middle Eastern. Many of those dishes slow cook on the back of stove all day long and make the house smell great.

What will be on the menu at Charleston when you return?
CW: Every day I write things down for the menu, but it’s so seasonal. I have almost an entire notebook filled with either a piece of an idea or something that inspired me. I’ve been hanging out a lot with chef [Paul] Bocuse, I have a lot of his cookbooks, and Anne Willan. I just keep writing, but I don’t know when we are opening. It makes me happy to be with the cookbooks and at least have the ideas. One or two days before we open, when I bring food product in is when we will make the final decisions. I also know people will want the lobster soup and fried oysters—it won’t be a 100-percent new menu because I am here to make people happy.

Will you make changes to any of the other menus?
TF: We are working on a very different presentation and interpretation of the wine list in the cellar at Charleston—now is a chance to do it. We’re going to think about the different restaurants—each one has a pretty pure truth that it’s chasing. I want to make sure that we are as true to those things as we can be. We have the percolation time and I’m going to use it.

What do you miss about being in the restaurants?
TF: The way that our guests rely on the solidity and the care of our team from back door to front door—whether they know that or not. I like that, not just being dependable but being a dependably good piece of people’s lives in a complicated and stressful world. To know that you can go somewhere and you’re going to feel cared for.

Smaller very hand-crafted, curated, and cultivated experiences will be less and less and the attraction to creating those things is going to be less and less—there’s just too much risk. —Tony Foreman

Will restaurants survive?
TF: They are going to be changed. Things will continue to tilt in favor of chains and larger scale places. Smaller very hand-crafted, curated, and cultivated experiences will be less and less and the attraction to creating those things is going to be less and less—there’s just too much risk.

What are you looking forward to when you reopen?
TF: I’m looking forward to that first family meal with our staff. I’ve already told them I will make them a nice supper before we open and I will bring them wine from my cellar, and we will have a nice time.

I walk into that empty restaurant and it’s hard. I miss my guys. [Daytime prep cook] Hubaldo has worked for me since we’ve had Savannah—that’s 23 years. I will not walk into Charleston again until I can start to operate that restaurant again. It’s my life. —Cindy Wolf

Chef Wolf, I’ve seen from Instagram that you’ve been back to Charleston a few times.
CW: In the beginning, I went a few times. I did a bit of repair work—someone who works for us had an opportunity to make a little bit of money, so I went down there. Prior to that, I went in a few times in the first few weeks because I wanted to make sure everything was okay. Also, in those first few weeks, we still had some food left. I went four or five times when we were distributing the food. We did a huge distribution to staff the day we closed.

After being in the restaurant just yesterday, my question was, ‘When do we move forward and how do we move forward?’ It’s killing me. I will not walk into Charleston ever again until I can start to operate that restaurant again. It’s my life. I’ve wanted to do this since I was a kid. All I do is think about food. I’m at work many hours a day. When I’m not there, I’m thinking about food. When I go on vacation, I go to eat food. I eat in some of the best restaurants in France and have a glass or two of Champagne at lunch. A walk at lunch and then back to dinner—I live for that. Getting to immerse myself is so inspiring to me.

I walk into that empty restaurant and it’s hard, and I miss my guys. Hubaldo has worked for me since we’ve had Savannah—that’s 23 years. He’s my daytime prep cook. I am thankful every single day for what I do. I look at him and say, ‘Can you believe what we do?’

Why do we need restaurants?
CW: We need restaurants like Petit Louis and all the little neighborhood restaurants. We need places like Charleston so we can dress up and celebrate our anniversary, even if people need to save their coins to go to those restaurants once in a lifetime. I’m certain that whenever we reopen, our waiters will have to wear masks and gloves, which I can’t stand, but if that’s what it takes to open so be it. We can’t live without restaurants.

If there’s ever a time to really flex your baking skills and resist the urge to buy pre-made cookie dough, it’s the holiday season.

It’s tough to beat a spicy gingerbread or a classic chocolate chip this time of year, but if you’re looking to add something different to the dessert spread at your holiday celebration—or impress friends and co-workers at your annual cookie exchange—these recipes from local pastry chefs are great alternatives.

Before rolling up your sleeves, make sure all ingredients are pre-measured, advises LaTosha Williams, the former owner of Dessert Fantasies in Locust Point. Another pro tip? “Parchment paper is your friend,” Williams says. “It keeps cookies from over-spreading and makes clean up easy.”

After letting your fresh-baked beauties cool, Williams suggests storing them in an air-tight container at room temperature. If you’re baking in advance of a party, consider sugar, butter, and gingerbread cookies—which she estimates typically keep for about three weeks.

Now crank up the Christmas tunes, roll up your sleeves, and get baking with these festive favorites.

The Corner Pantry’s Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

If the thought of baking treats from scratch seems daunting, this recipe from The Corner Pantry in Mt. Washington is great for getting your feet wet.

“It’s pretty full proof, even for a novice baker,” says The Corner Pantry’s pastry manager Lisa Hillring. “The added powdered sugar gives a nice finished touch without having to refine any skills or invest in any unique tools or ingredients. Plus, they melt in your mouth so win, win.”

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 oz. butter
4 oz. chocolate
1.5 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
granulated and powdered sugar, for rolling

Instructions:
1. Combine dry ingredients in large mixing bowl.
2. Melt butter, remove from heat and add chocolate. Return to low heat if it does not melt all of the way, stir continuously until melted. Set aside to cool.
3. In mixing bowl with whisk attachment combine brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and mix on medium speed for one minute.
4. With mixer running slowly, add melted chocolate.
5. Carefully fold wet and dry ingredients together.
6. Scoop dough to desired size, roll in granulated sugar, then powdered sugar.
7. Bake at 325 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

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Crust by Mack’s Almond Raspberry Shortbread Wreath Cookies

When it comes to holiday baking, local pastry chef Amanda Mack has one motto: “Go big or go home.” Mack says that her Almond Raspberry Shortbread Wreaths are perfect for swaps and gifting. “They’re beautiful, buttery, and over the top with holiday cheer,” she adds.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup (170 grams) Irish butter, salted and softened
1/2 cup (60 grams) confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) vanilla extract
1 ½ cups + 2 tbsp (214 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) almond extract
2 tablespoons (24 grams) granulated sugar
1 egg white lightly beaten
2 oz. sliced almonds
1/2 cup of frozen raspberries
sparkling sugar for decoration

Instructions:
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla at medium speed until creamy, three to four minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl.
2. Sift flour in a medium bowl. Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating until combined. Divide dough in half, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for two hours up to overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a three-inch fluted round cutter, cut dough into 12 cookies, rerolling scraps only once. Repeat with remaining dough.
5. Using a one-inch fluted round cutter, cut centers from cookies. Place cookies one-inch apart on prepared pans.
6. Using a pastry brush, lightly spread egg wash on cookies to decorate. Place sliced almonds and raspberries on cookies to simulate a wreath. Sprinkle generously with sparkling sugar.
7. Place baking sheets in the freezer to chill 10 minutes. This allows the butter and decorations to set and prevents over-spreading.
8. Bake 12 to 14 minutes until just lightly golden. Let cool completely on pans. Serve or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.

Flavor Tip: Sprinkle dried rosemary over cookies after decorating (before baking) for a beautiful flavor and scent. Yields one dozen.

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Johnny’s Ginger Molasses Cookies

Roland Park mainstay Johnny’s typically transforms its cafe bar into a full-blown winter wonderland for the holiday season. Among the themed sweets that diners can look forward to in the decked-out space are the restaurant’s famous Ginger Molasses cookies.

“They have a wonderful holiday flavor, thanks to the ginger and a touch of pepper, but it’s really the texture that takes these to the next level,” says pastry chef Clara Wesson. “They are unbelievably chewy and the cinnamon-sugar we roll them in is the finishing touch.”

Ingredients:
8 oz. soft butter (two sticks)
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon black pepper (optional)

Instructions:
1. Cream the butter sugar and molasses together until light and fluffy.
2. Add eggs and vanilla until fully incorporated. Scrape down bowl after.
3. Add in dry ingredients in two additions.
4. Scrape down bowl again and mix until fully incorporated.
5. Scoop onto tray and roll in cinnamon sugar before baking.

Yields two to three dozen.

Mother’s Day is more than just cleaning the house and buying flowers (though we’re sure she won’t object to it). It’s a way to celebrate the love moms give us, and to give that love right back. “Mother’s Day is a day of nurturing,” says Lashauna Jones, who runs The Sporty Dog along with her daughter, Daejonne Bennett. For Jones and her family, it’s fitting the holiday has always revolved around food. “People nurture their children through different things,” she said. “For me, it’s always been through food.”

This year, Jones and Bennett will be at the Baltimore Farmers’ Market on Mother’s Day offering Sporty Dog’s savory roasted tomato dog with basil. Here are some other Baltimore favorites that are serving up delicious morning deals for mom.

B&O American Brasserie: Head to this eatery inside the Hotel Monaco to treat mom to a buffet spread with a raw bar, carving station, customizable omelets, and a DIY crab cake slider bar with tons of toppings. Bottomless dishes will include turkey sausage, breakfast potatoes, Belgian waffles, and yogurt with house granola. 2 N. Charles St. $15-50

Blue Hill Tavern: This upscale Brewers Hill spot is offering beet-cured salmon, chicken saltimbocca, and blood orange sorbet as part of its Mother’s Day brunch menu. 938 S. Conkling St., $29.99, 443-388-9363

Cinghiale: This trendy Harbor East eatery is serving Italian-inspired items during their holiday brunch, including poached eggs on toasted brioche, pan-roasted orata, and strawberry semifreddo. 822 Lancaster St., $10-29, 410-547-8282

Citron: With its beautiful view of Quarry Lake and subtle sophistication, brunch at Citron will definitely be one for mom to remember, especially with sweet and savory dishes like caramelized banana and pecan French toast, Baltimore chicken and waffles, and pan-seared Norwegian salmon with spaghetti squash. 2605 Quarry Lake Dr., $6-46, 410-363-0900

Cosima: This swanky restaurant is offering tasty Italian eats like grilled asparagus with duck, Sicilian doughnuts, and a variety of pizzas made in a wood-fired oven for a unique and filling mid-morning meal. 3000 Falls Rd., $5-26, 443-708-7352

Emma’s Tea Spot: For the entire holiday weekend, the charming Emma’s Tea Spot in Hamilton is hosting a Mother’s Day High Tea. Take mom for a “proper British experience” close to home (no passport required) where she’ll be served delicious teas and chooses from three tiers of delicacies like boiled quail eggs, sweet and savory scones, chicken and mushroom vol-au-vents, and homemade truffles. 5500 Harford Rd., $38-42.50, 410-444-1718

Flamant: Head down to this intimate Annapolis spot for fresh takes on brunch classics like banana French toast terrine with blueberry salad, tarragon fried chicken, and omelettes with spring mushrooms and scallion tempura. 17 Annapolis St., Annapolis, $9-25, 410-267-0274

Gunther & Co.: This Brewers Hill favorite is offering fried Chesapeake oyster lettuce wraps, Gulf shrimp and cheddar grits, glazed citrus pound cake with passionfruit cream, and dishes with eggs from their family farm. 3650 Toone St., $28, 443-869-6874

Johnny’s: For the Maryland-loving mom, this Roland Park restaurant will feature a buffet of mini crab cakes, shrimp cocktail, and a customizable omelette station. 4800 Roland Ave., $19-33, 410-773-0777

La Cuchara: Take mom on a three-course, Basque-influenced journey at this Woodberry restaurant that will be serving dishes like grilled corn talos, patatas bravas, house-smoked salmon, and berry shortcake. 3600 Clipper Mill Rd., $39, 443-708-3838

Minnow: For a more savory start to your day, take the family down to Minnow for a three-course brunch featuring items like avocado toast with tomato vinaigrette and grilled zucchini, fried duck egg with chorizo and corn polenta, and spinach omelettes with piperade and raclette. 2 E. Wells St., $38, 443-759-6537

Orto: This Station North newbie is launching its first-ever Sunday brunch service on Mother’s Day. Start things off with a house Bloody Mary or bellini before digging in to dishes like charred sourdough avocado toast, grilled flatbread with prosciutto, and an Italian meat-and-cheese breakfast plate. 1709 N. Charles St. 443-759-7200

Red Star: In addition to their tasty s’mores pancakes, house made chilaquiles, and feta omelettes, this Charles Village hangout is hosting an exclusive champagne brunch featuring bottomless mimosas, Bloody Marys, and screwdrivers (and a whole lot of bubbles). 3224 St. Paul St., $1.50-18, 443-948-5539

Rusty Scupper: Take advantage of this deal and the views of this Inner Harbor staple for an all-you-can-eat brunch with items like ham with rum raisin glaze, blackened chicken Florentine with lump crab meat, an assortment of desserts, and complimentary champagne and mimosas. 402 Key Hwy., $28.95-56.95, 410-727-3678

The Turn House: This golf course go-to is hosting an entire family-friendly weekend with half-price dinner entrées for mom on Friday and Saturday nights and a buffet brunch on Sunday. The morning menu will consist of a granola and yogurt bar, a ham and tenderloin carving station, and (the best part) complimentary mimosas. 11130 Willow Bottom Dr., Columbia, Free-$50, 410-740-2096

Nearly 100 dining destinations scattered across the city are perfecting their menus for Baltimore City Winter Restaurant Week, which returns in its 13th year January 12-21. With featured spots offering everything from burgers to bronzini—plus more vegan and vegetarian options than ever before—the annual prix-fixe promotion certainly boasts plenty to choose from.

“I thought originally that it was only for fancy places,” says Annabel Lee Tavern owner Kurt X. Bragunier, who is participating in Restaurant Week for the first time this season. “But I’ve learned over time that little places like mine are good candidates, too. So I figured I’d give it a shot.”

Bragunier’s ode to Edgar Allan Poe on the corner of South Clinton Street closed briefly last summer due to financial struggles. Luckily, two local investors swooped in to save the bar soon after. Now that the tavern is back on its feet, Bragunier says that he’s looking forward to really showing the community what it has to offer.

“We wanted to gear the menu toward people who haven’t been here,” he says, mentioning the restaurant’s “tried and true” dishes including its crab cakes, crispy Brussels sprouts, and duck-fat fries. “I feel really strongly about our food—it’s just all about getting people in here to try it.”

Annabel Lee is among many of the must-try spots that are participating in the 10-day deal, which offers fixed menus priced between $12-25 for a two-course lunch, and $20-35 for a three-course dinner. In an effort to help break down all of the options, we’ve put together list of recommendations for the best spots to visit—whether you’re interested in a luxurious lunch, vegetarian dishes, beer pairings, or dining near a cozy fireplace.

Best bargain: The Prime Rib
With its white linen tablecloths, leather chairs, and famous leopard-print carpet, this Midtown supper club is bursting with old-school charm. And while its entrees could typically set you back anywhere from $26-69, the swanky steakhouse is offering a three-course prix-fixe menu including all of the classics for $35 during Restaurant Week. Choose from a house salad or warm bowl of tomato soup to start, followed by main courses like filet mignon, chopped sirloin, a center-cut pork chop, imperial crab, or the namesake special cut of prime rib. End the evening on a sweet note with traditional crème brûlee, key lime pie, or chocolate mousse. 1101 N. Calvert St., $35, 410-539-1804

Beer pairings: Heavy Seas Alehouse
There are plenty of spots to sip worldly wines, but if you’re more of a beer person, Heavy Seas Alehouse has got you covered. Each of the menu’s three courses will be accompanied by 10-oz. pours of Heavy Seas favorites including the Vienna-style Cutlass lager, Peg Leg imperial stout, and the brand new Americannon pale ale. Fittingly, the menu also features beer-infused specials including beer-battered crab dip, an alehouse burger marinated in Heavy Seas’ Powder Monkey pale ale, Golden Ale mousse, and a Tropicannon bread pudding with beer-infused cream sauce. 1300 Bank St., $35, 410-522-0850

Brunch spot: Minnow
This South Baltimore spot, which has been generating buzz with its smoked cocktails and trendy black-bun burgers, is going all out for Restaurant Week. In addition to the prix-fixe dinner menu (think dishes like crispy tofu, braised beef short ribs, and a chocolate-almond tart), the spot is also offering a three-course brunch. Dig in to dishes like French toast with spiced apple compote, crispy fried chicken on a blue corn waffle, sautéed shrimp omelets, and a Snow White cake with a  vanilla-swiss buttercream. 2 E. Wells St., $22-35, 443-759-6537

Luxurious lunch: Johnny’s
Ditch the sad desk lunch and head to this Roland Park favorite for a three-course meal that starts off with either butternut squash soup with sage brown butter, or a classic Caesar salad. Then choose from options like a beer-braised short rib sandwich, chicken BLT hoagie, or a grilled shrimp kale salad with beets, goat cheese, and Marcona almonds. You can’t go wrong with ginger molasses, mocha chocolate chip, or gluten-free peanut butter cookies for dessert. 4800 Roland Ave., $20-35, 410-773-0777

Newbie: Rye Street Tavern
If you have been meaning to swing by chef Andrew Carmellini’s new tavern next to the Sagamore Spirit Distillery campus in Port Covington, Restaurant Week is an ideal opportunity. Take in the waterfront views while indulging in options like black bean soup with lime crema, cornmeal-crusted catfish with Carolina gold rice, the chef’s famous fried chicken with buttermilk biscuits and whiskey pickles, and banana pudding for dessert. 225 E. Cromwell St., $20-35, 443-662-8000, weekends excluded.

Most romantic: Annabel Lee Tavern
Nothing says amour like the melancholic-romantic style of Edgar Allan Poe. This beloved corner destination devoted to the master of macabre is an ideal date-night spot, with its dim lighting, merlot-colored walls, sculpted ravens, and vintage paintings. Glance over the handwritten menu to find dishes like chicken tortilla soup, a charred romaine and tomato salad, and comfort-food entrees like meatloaf with Applewood-bacon gravy and a mango vegetable curry served over couscous. Plus, you can make it a cheap date, since the prix-fixe menu only costs $28. 601 S. Clinton St., $28, 410-522-2929, weekends excluded.

Vegetarian offerings: Myth & Moonshine
Sip Moonshine cocktails out of a Mason jar while enjoying the farmers’ market-inspired fare at this Canton hangout. Chef Kevin Cauthorne’s three-course dinner menu features many meatless options including French onion soup, a fried goat cheese medallion in a crimson tomato sauce, and white wine-marinated eggplant fried in Cajun flour with a side of sautéed spinach and zucchini. The dessert menu also bolsters the ultra-local focus, featuring Dangerously Delicious Berger cookie pie and cheesecake from Sasscer’s Bakery in Canton. 2300 Boston St., $25-35, 410-777-5502

Best fireplace: Regi’s Bistro
Retreat from the frigid temperatures by snagging a table near the antique marble fireplace at this Federal Hill mainstay. The seasonal specialties on Regi’s Restaurant Week menu only add to the cozy vibe—with lunch options like a Bangkok chicken noodle bowl or steak quesadilla, or dinner dishes including Chilean sea bass, veal osso bucco, New York strip steak, and flourless chocolate cake. 1002 Light St., $15-34, 410-539-7344

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

 EAT

June 23-25: Johnny’s Ice Cream Cart

Roland Park Shopping Center, 4800 Roland Ave., 11 a.m.-8 p.m., $2

We all remember the excitement of spotting a pop-up lemonade stand during the dog days of summer, and Johnny’s is mimicking that feeling with its roadside ice cream cart in Roland Park. Stationed in front of the Roland Park Shopping Center daily, the cart peddles scoops of house-churned flavors including pistachio, birthday cake, blueberry cobbler, and coconut-passionfruit sorbet. Make sure to have your phone handy this weekend, as the restaurant is offering a buy-one, get-one deal for anyone who tags Johnny’s on social media. With temperatures creeping up near the 90s this weekend, we can’t think of a better way to cool down. 

 DRINK

June 25: Spirits of Maryland

Baltimore Museum of Industry, 1415 Key Highway, 12-3 p.m., $15-50

In case you haven’t already heard, Maryland is killing the distilling game. (Just a few weeks back, our own Baltimore Whiskey Company’s Shot Tower gin was awarded top honors at the prestigious World Spirits Competition in San Francisco.) At this Sunday afternoon showcase, gather beneath the harbor-side pavilion at the Baltimore Museum of Industry to feel the warm breezes while mingling with some of the most innovative distillers in the state. Line your stomach with light bites before sampling spirits from 15 members of the Maryland Distillers Guild hailing everywhere from Charm City to St. Mary’s County. Be on the lookout for favorites like Old Line Spirits’ malt whiskey, Lyon Distilling’s 90-proof rum, Lost Ark’s spiced rum, and Blackwater Distilling’s beloved Sloop Betty vodka. Ticketholders will also be granted full access to the museum. Sunday Funday, indeed.

 SEE

June 24: Pics in the Park: Ghostbusters

Center Plaza, 100 N. Charles St., 8-11 p.m., Free

Downtown Partnership is starting the summer off right with its annual outdoor movie screenings on the lawn at Center Plaza downtown, which continue this weekend with a special showing of the new Ghostbusters reboot. Okay, okay. So it isn’t the original version, but we happen to think Kate McKinnon, Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Jones, and Kristen Wiig did the 1984 classic plenty of justice. Bring popcorn and your favorite movie candy when you gather around the giant inflatable screen to laugh aloud and partake in what we’re sure will be an epic “Who you gonna call?” chant.

 HEAR

June 23: Bleachers

Rams Head Live, 24 Market Place, 7 p.m., $24

You might remember Jack Antonoff as the lead guitarist of indie-pop trio Fun, which dominated in 2012 with chart-toppers like “We are Young” and “Some Nights.” Since then, the New Yorker has spearheaded this bold solo project fusing an alternative sound with diverse spoken-word samples and catchy, ’80s-influenced beats. All of which are evident in energetic anthems like “Rollercoaster” and Bleachers’ debut single “I Want to Get Better.” (We bet you’d know it if you heard it.) This Friday night, pack into Ram’s Head Live to hear the shout-along hits in person, plus new tracks off of the recently released album Gone Now. The show kicks off with an opening set from female synth-pop superstars MUNA—who hit the road with former One Direction heartthrob Harry Styles later this summer.

 DO

June 24: Manor Hill Farm Fest

Manor Hill Farm, 4411 Manor Lane, Ellicott City, 1-5 p.m., $15-25

Back in 2011, Victoria Gastro Pub owners Randy and Mary Marriner purchased a 54-acre working farm in Ellicott City. And, while it wasn’t originally their intention, it didn’t take long for the couple to realize that the grounds were ideal for farm brewing. This weekend, celebrate the beautiful evolution of Manor Hill Brewing at this festival featuring tours of the facility and hop-harvesting tutorials from the staff. Outside, crack open a cold one and get down to the live sounds of local blues group Dirty Secret and funk jam band Soul Island Rebels. There will also be tons of on-site food vendors, including sister-spots Victoria Gastro Pub and Manor Hill Tavern offering duck-fat fries, corn on the cob, pulled chicken sandwiches, and chips with fruit salsa. The bash will double as a release party for the brand-new Malt Shop Imperial IPA and Dust Up Pale Ale.