Until recently, Rob and Angela Wainwright and their five children were a military family. But after Rob retired from the Air Force, and the kids were grown and gone, the couple, who moved to Maryland in 2016, felt like it was time for their second act.

Angela had spent much of her career working in hospitality for large corporations (Red Lobster, Starbucks), mostly because of the flexibility it afforded as the couple moved from state to state; Rob always enjoyed cooking and had a creative side. So, when it was time to figure out that next chapter, the duo decided to open Bodega & Vino, an all-in one convenience store/breakfast spot/wine bar/hangout space in Locust Point.

“This is our empty nest phase,” says Angela, whose family is from Puerto Rico. “We’ve always wanted to do some sort of business. And this was something that spoke to us, since I’m from New York with all its bodegas.”

What they missed most was having a sense of community. “Even after several years of living here, we didn’t feel connected like you do when you enter a bodega in New York,” says Rob. “Having a wine bar allows us to entertain all the time without it being at our house.”

How would you define a bodega for anyone out there who doesn’t know?
Angela: A bodega is all things morning, all things afternoon. You can get a pastry or smoothie for breakfast or get a salad or sandwich for lunch. And we have a happy hour menu for the evening. We also have a grocery side with fruit and veggies and Taharka Brothers ice cream. A bodega is all the things that you need without having to go to the grocery store.

Tell me about the menu.
Rob: We went with simple fare like empanadas, tostones, and mojo potatoes. We also have something we call Brazilian beef sliders topped with plantains—they’re a play on what Anthony Bourdain showed in one of his videos when he was in Brazil. Also, since we had a double-deck pizza oven, folks kept telling us we needed to make pizza, so we created flatbreads and we call them Spanish-style flatbreads.

Angela, tell me more about how the space is reflective of your heritage.
Puerto Ricans are very welcoming and loving. I love being able to share my Puerto Rican culture. When you’re young, you don’t think about it—your culture is just the way you were raised. Now I’m sharing how I grew up with other people. People say they love the arroz con gandules (Puerto Rican-style yellow rice). I grew up eating it, so I didn’t think much of it until now, but the fact that my daughter is making it for the bodega makes it special.

What else do you want people to know?
Rob: We have the large Under Armour parking lot next to us. When you look at the folks in the parking lot, they are very digitally focused, as they beeline to the ferry. We wish we could grab their attention to say, “Take a break Baltimore Water Taxi comes every 15 minutes. Miss the ferry, come down—you don’t even have to buy anything. Don’t start your morning in a rush.” We want the bodega to be the living room for the neighborhood where you can hang out.

Walk into La Cosette, a pastry shop in a Locust Point corner rowhouse—which recently reopened after taking a brief hiatus—and you’ll get a view of a conventional French-style bakery: a case loaded with pretty desserts and pastries fronting a tiny kitchen filled with coffee paraphernalia, a tidy oven, and jars of cookies.

But look a bit further and you’ll find what makes La Cosette truly special, in the form of the small woman at the stove flipping crepes and brewing Turkish coffee in a beautiful metal pot.

Ahlem Kechrid and her family, who own and operate La Cosette, opened the shop in November of 2023, after Ahlem’s son Rafik, to hear him tell it, got tired of eating pastries that weren’t as good as his mother’s.

“Do you know where I go to get a fruit tart? D.C.,” Rafik told his mother, the central argument for convincing his parents to open a bakery in Baltimore.

The Kechrid family is from Tunisia, where Ahlem ran a catering business before they all immigrated to Maryland in 2005. Rafik went to UMBC and now runs Next Level Soccer, a nonprofit soccer academy in Baltimore; Rafik’s father, Faouzi, is a retired veterinarian; Ahlem taught French and biology before also retiring.

Her retirement didn’t last long, as she now gets up at 4 a.m. to make pistachio croissants, individual chocolate hazelnut cakes, and, yes, fruit tarts. (Rafik and Faouzi help manage the front of the house.)

Those little fruit tarts are classic pastries built of pâte sucrée, silky custard, and glazed fresh berries. Filling the shelves next to them is a lovely library of lemon tarts, individual quiches, almond croissants, tiny cappuccino chocolate cakes, and more, including biscotti, cookies, muffins, and sandwiches.

While the genre is decidedly French—though Tunisia gained independence in 1956, it was colonized by France and thus has a long history of excellent French patisserie—Ahlem excels when she uses fruit and nuts, particularly pistachios.

Do not leave without ordering her pistachio fondant, a little cake filled with a marzipan-like pistachio paste. It’s quite rich, yet not cloying or overly sweet, and it is best enjoyed with a cup of Turkish coffee, which Ahlem makes to order in a traditional metal pot, called a zazwa in Tunisia.

And what she’ll add to the pot, along with the very finely ground coffee that’s the hallmark of the drink, is a small pour from a big jug of orange-flower water, which she also makes herself and which, says her son, perfumes her kitchen for days. That coffee does some excellent perfuming as well and makes La Cosette a truly lovely place to stop for breakfast.

It doesn’t hurt that across the street from the pastry shop is a branch of Ekiben, whose devotees often stop by for dessert. A Neighborhood Bird and one of Ahlem’s lemon tarts may just be the perfect Baltimore meal.

LA COSETTE: 745 Fort Ave., Locust Point, 202-780-7577. HOURS: Thurs.-Fri. 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat. 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Sun. 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. PRICES: Pastries and desserts: $6.90-17.25; crepes and sandwiches: $9-15.

At Copper Shark, the new occupant of the former Wine Market Bistro space in the Foundry on Fort Avenue, story matters. Starting with the copper pot on display by the host stand near the main entrance, the restaurant goes to great lengths to impart its narrative to those walking through its doors.

Presumably the pot is similar to one that might have belonged to the (unnamed) Baltimore family who, according to the restaurant’s website, “made a living producing copper pots to make candy. Early on, they shrewdly realized their metalsmith studio was perfect for bootlegging whiskey.” As the tale goes, one member married a gangster who vowed to keep the city’s drinks flowing during Prohibition.

The restaurant is the latest offering from Mid-Atlantic Eateries, which has several locations of the Eggspectation franchise, including one in Ellicott City. If its attempt to push the copper concept seems a bit contrived, well, during our two visits in early fall its patrons didn’t seem to care. They—like us—were content sipping well-crafted cocktails, enjoying thoughtfully curated charcuterie plates, and partaking in much of executive chef Matthew Audette’s well-executed menu.

We pulled into the parking lot for our inaugural visit three months after the restaurant’s June opening. After being greeted warmly by the host, we were escorted past the bar and a glass case filled with hunks of marbled meats and cheeses to the crowded and lively dining room. From the moment we sat down, our server was cheerful, attentive, and informative.

We started with an American Treasure, the restaurant’s signature Old-Fashioned. Its bourbon, simple syrup, and bitters are standards; what makes it unique is the theatrical manner in which it’s presented. Tableside, our server opened a small treasure chest to reveal the drink amid a cloud of smoke. It was a fun little show, although the smoke barely impacted the cocktail’s taste. Still, it was a solid Old-Fashioned—nothing more, nothing less.

Appetizers tend toward the sophisticated. Seared foie gras, fried burrata, charred octopus, and sugar pumpkin velouté are among the alluring offerings. We opted for the stupendous braised duck Bolognaise. Topped with a dollop of boursin cheese, the thin black pepper tagliatelle blended with the duck to create a dynamic, rich flavor. The al dente texture of the noodles was flawless, and the generous portion could make for a small entree. We’ll be ordering it again.

Still, we made room for the main course. The nine entrees include pan-seared scallops, grilled swordfish, and a duo of Muscovy duck, all of which sounded promising. On this night, we opted for the herb-crusted halibut and an eight-ounce flat iron steak. Both were excellent. The lemon-dill nana sauce gave the fish a pleasing acidity, and the accompanying sauteed asparagus and baby carrots were a nice complement. The steak, plated pre-sliced, was perfectly hot but tender and red in the middle.

On our way out that night, the bar was packed with people. The more casual menu, lower price point, and covivial vibe at the bar intrigued us, so when we returned a few weeks later we joined the throngs. To kick off the night, we started with a Porch Pounder, which certainly does pack a punch. Bourbon, peach, dry orange Curaçao, honey, lemon, and ginger beer combine to make a refreshing, but strong, concoction.

After a plate of middling crunchy cheesy arancini balls (which were not particularly crunchy or cheesy), we ordered a charcuterie board, which was nicely composed and fun to eat. In addition to the fat pieces of black pepper and maple duck ham, ’nduja spreadable salami, and Italian cow’s milk cheese, jam, olives, and pickled cauliflower rounded out the plate.

Duck confit tacos and an Italian sub highlight the bar menu (and are available on the pared-down lunch menu, as well), but the burger—an eight-ounce patty topped with sharp cheddar, crispy onions, and horseradish aioli—ultimately called out to us. It turned out to a be a quality, respectable version—it was juicy but not too massive or messy to handle. We also split the pan-roasted organic chicken. Excellent seasoning on the skin and a sweet tomato vinaigrette elevated the dish from humdrum to exciting.

Six months into its life, much of Copper Shark’s story remains to be written. We’re excited to see what comes next.

COPPER SHARK: 921 E. Fort Ave., 410-202-2268. HOURS: Tue.-Fri., 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sat., 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sun., 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m. PRICES: Appetizers: $11-18; entrees: $22-65; bar menu: $10-18. AMBIANCE: A speakeasy in plain sight.

From pepperoni pizza to garlic bread and chicken Parm, most of what we consider iconic Italian food in the United States is more of a construct created for Americans than something you’d actually find in Italy. In fact, Italian cuisine has become so popular and ubiquitous in the U.S., it’s almost as American as apple pie. Rare is the restaurant that actually feels like it holds an Italian passport.

Enter Limoncello, located on the first floor of Anthem House in Locust Point, with a sister spot in St. Michael’s. This southern Italian restaurant focuses on the cuisine from the Campania region, where its three owners have their roots. And the general manager (and chef’s first cousin) Vincenzo Schiano, who also hails from the region, likes to joke that, having recently moved to America, he “just got off the boat and still has salt on his skin.”

But while the restaurant itself arrived only a few months back, thanks to polished service and perfectly executed plates, it feels incredibly established. Of course, it helps that this is chef-owner Gennaro DiBenedetto’s 10th restaurant (others include Bacco Italian+Wine Bar in Abingdon and Rockfish Grille in Chestertown). “I want this to be the best, my legacy,” says DiBenedetto.

To that end, Limoncello is all about insistence on authenticity and a celebration of an agriculturally rich region whose waiters teem with an astounding array of fish and shellfish. “No corners are cut,” explains Schiano. “If we can’t make it, we import it from Italy.”

This means that delicious aged mozzarella di buffala, known as “white gold,” is air-shipped daily from Campania. Ditto the prosciutto di Parma for the paninis and mortadella ground into the meatballs. Even the boxed Barilla pasta, while available locally, is shipped from Italy, because it’s better than what you can buy stateside and, with its higher starch content, ensures the sauce sticks to the noodles. The authenticity also means that the namesake liqueur is made with whole-grain alcohol (not vodka as it is with the Americanized version), which allows the citrus to shine.

Full disclosure: As a critic, I waiver between ordering what I want and what I think I should get. But with a menu focused on two of my favorite foods—fresh seafood and pasta—I can, quite happily, do both at the same time here.

On my first visit, a busy Saturday night in November, my dining companion and I ordered a lineup of terrific appetizers from Italy’s version of comfort food, thin slices of fried baby eggplant in ragù with mozzarella, as well as an order of the marvelous meatballs made with kobe beef, mortadella, and ground pistachios. My favorite dish of the night was a luscious pesce al brodetto (fish stew), chock full of clams, calamari, head-on shrimp, scallops, and fish swimming in a soupy saffron bisque that offered great fishy flavor.

Similarly, the head-on branzino, dressed with salt, pepper, and a splash of oil, was a paragon of the less-is-more style of Italian cooking. It was served with lovely fingerling potatoes, a tomato, and escarole salad. A pungent olive oil, lemon, and garlic sauce for drizzling was served on the side. With both dishes, though not for the squeamish, I was impressed that the fish and shrimp were served with the head on—and, yes, that was me chowing down on a shrimp head. That’s really where you find the flavor.

The meatball appetizer.

A craft cocktail.

A second visit was similarly successful, though there were minor missteps. The bread, made in-house daily, was somewhat stale, and the Sicilian-inspired arugula salad with fennel and blood orange accidentally arrived undressed and a bit wilted. That said, when we asked for “more” dressing, our server delivered it promptly.

Despite the slow start, we took our server’s advice and ordered her favorite dish, the pappardelle zafferano, fat ribbons of house-made pasta bathed in a golden yellow saffron cream sauce and topped with a tangle of shrimp, scallops, and lump crabmeat. It did not disappoint. The addition of saffron lent a floral note and accentuated the sweetness of the shellfish.

We also enjoyed the grigliata di mare, grilled seafood including whole calamari, head-on shrimp, chargrilled octopus, and swordfish, with the same olive oil, garlic and lemon sauce served on the side that was paired with the branzino. Again, the simple preparation of of this dish and its high-quality ingredients made for a perfect example of letting the seafood stand on its own.

Beyond the food, the yellow and blue décor, echoing sun and cerulean sky, a lemon tree, lettered lights spelling out “Ciao,” and driftwood mounted to the wall are an attempt to invoke Italy’s coastal region. Okay, so the Patapsco isn’t exactly the Mediterranean, but once you eat that first tender tentacle of charred octopus, you could be convinced. “Our goal,” says Schiano, is “to express ourselves through our food.”

Mission accomplished.

LIMONCELLO 900 East Fort Ave., 443-708-1540. HOURS: Lunch and weekend brunch 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; dinner: Mon.-Thur. 4-10 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 4-11 p.m., Sun. 4-10 p.m. PRICES: Appetizers: $12-22; entrees: $10-39. AMBIANCE: Italian coastal.

You probably haven’t seen a selection of vino quite like the one at Serenity Wine Bar and Café (1121 Hull St., 443-708-0392.) Sixteen featured varietals are not printed on a menu—instead, the bottles are displayed in a pour-your-own tap system that’s the embodiment of instant gratification.

“Chip goes on the bottom facing to the right,” my server, Tiara, cheerfully told me when she handed me a digital card I loaded with $10. Grabbing a glass and approaching the machine, I felt like a kid whose mom had set them loose in a 7-Eleven with a green light to sample as many Slurpees as possible. Red? White? Sweet? Dry? There’s no reason to choose just one. One-,three-and six-ounce pours are offered for each bottle, most (but not all) of which have detailed tasting notes posted above them. (The machine displays the price for each size pour of each wine.) Trying more than one is one of the best parts of Serenity’s set-up, so I started with a ripasso, a red from the Veneto region of Italy I’d never had.

“Finding anything you like?” asked owner Nneka Bilal, who came across the concept on YouTube. Serenity is the first self-serve wine establishment in the city, although others, notably the ingeniously named WINO (Wine Institute New Orleans), are popular elsewhere.

Serenity’s vibe is much more café than bar. Housed in a wide Locust Point rowhome, there are several long communal tables with a few high tops, smaller tables, and armchairs thrown in the mix. (In fact, there is no actual bar.) Paintings by local artists line the walls and a chalkboard that hangs over a mantle, on which board games like chess and Connect 4 sit, displays available beers. In keeping with its neighborhood feel, beer and wine also are available to-go.

Bilal worked at a pizza restaurant for 23 years, so pies are a centerpiece of a menu that also includes sandwiches, pasta, and staples such as wings. After pouring myself a Spanish red from a winery called Zaleo, I pulled out my phone and typed, “what goes well with tempranillo?” Google answered, “dishes with corn as a major ingredient,” so I ordered fajita nachos, which came with plenty of tortilla chips topped with chicken and chunky vegetables.

Craving an after-appetizer drink, I inserted my card into the slot, then pressed the button for a red blend. The machine belches out a burst of air when a pour is completed, the suddenness of which can be jarring. Still, it’s preferable to being cut off by a bartender.

If there’s one thing that husband-and-wife duo Todd and Nikki Marks both feel they need in their respective careers as a developer and chef—it’s more workspace.

Todd, the founder and CEO of Mindgrub Technologies, says the mobile app, web, and and marketing company has outgrown its 20,000 square-foot offices inside the Banner Building in Locust Point. And Nikki, co-owner of Share Kitchen in the same building, has given up her own area in the commissary kitchen to meet the demand of other food startups interested in leasing space.

“We’ve got people practically sitting on laps at Mindgrub,” Todd says. “We’ve just run out of room. And Nikki is a chef without a home right now. There’s just so much demand for kitchen space.”

A lightbulb went off when Todd came across the former home of Rachel New American Cuisine, a three-story building zoned for many different uses, just down Fort Avenue in Riverside. Though the former restaurant has sat vacant for more than a year, he envisioned the top two floors as Mindgrub offices, and the kitchen as a place for Nikki to continue her cooking classes, prep for catering gigs, and host other chefs in need of commercial equipment. Keeping all of this in mind, the couple recently purchased the property as a home for a new collaborative concept, which they’re calling, “Mindpub.”

“There are a lot of options that we want to try out by having this space,” Todd says. “It’s kind of a food-tech playground to see how food, technology, kitchens, and office space get to play together.”

Eventually, the couple can see the first floor transforming into a cafe that is open to the public full time. But the short-term plan is for it to be a hangout for Mindgrub employees and an events space for the company’s many meetings and speaker series.

Other than the remediation work that inevitably comes with reviving a vacant building, the owners say the quick turnaround—Todd expects workers to begin using the space mid-December—will involve building a rooftop deck and adding fresh coats of paint. The offices will be able to accommodate 30-40 people, while the kitchen will have room for 10-15 chefs working in the kitchen at any given time.

Todd says that Mindpub is a stepping stone for a much larger “work-live-play” environment that he envisions for the company when its lease at the Banner Building is up in five years.

“When I look at my younger employees—it’s all about the experience,” he says. “The office of the future should be kind of like Google or Silicon Valley. They have things like tetherball, dry cleaning, and daycare. This is a foray into that.”

For now, he is excited to activate the 4,000-square-foot corner spot, which historically hasn’t survived as a restaurant, as something that will have many different uses within the community.

“Over the past ten years I think four or five restaurants came in and out of that space,” he says. “The other places were trying to do two-floor restaurants, and they couldn’t get enough people in there because of parking, cost, or [a lack of diners coming in from other neighborhoods]. So the fact that we can have office space and the restaurant will allow everything to thrive.”

Of course, Todd is also looking forward to the opportunity to collaborate more closely on a project with Nikki. The two previously worked together to rebrand food truck MindGrub Cafe, which Nikki sold last year to focus her energy on Share Kitchen. But Todd says that Mindpub will create an entirely new experience for the couple.

“We’re always trying to figure out why we’re so in love,” he says. “I’m a math guy, but the only conclusion I can come to is that we both have the same stardust in us. In this case, we get to parallel play. It’s the best of both worlds because we’re not reporting to each other, we’re not in the same business, but we both get to do what we love under one roof.”

There’s something sacred about the traditional way of ordering a drink across the bar, but the modernized self-serve method—which has surfaced in larger cities like New York and Washington, D.C.—has its perks, too.

At Serenity Wine Bar, the new Locust Point hangout opening in the former Our House space off of Hull Street next month, owner Nneka Bilal is hoping to find a sweet spot between the two. In addition to classic bar and table service, Serenity will offer 16 pour-your-own wine taps that patrons can access using a reloadable swipe card.

“It’s kind of like a Dave & Buster’s system,” Bilal explains. “You purchase a card and load money onto it. Then you can go up to the screen, swipe your card, and choose if you want a small pour to taste, or a full glass.”

Highlighting many different blends—ranging from dry to sweet, red to white, local to international—the taps created by North Carolina-based Napa Technology are meant to offer something for everyone. Bilal hopes that the system encourages sampling and mingling between wine beginners and seasoned oenophiles alike.

“There’s such a social aspect to it,” she says, referencing her own experiences at self-serve spots in D.C. “It’s not very intimidating. You’re up there with strangers and talking to people about the wine—what you like and what you don’t like. It’s a really friendly experience.”

The idea is for Serenity to fill the neighborhood-corner-bar void that Our House left behind, and a huge part of creating that atmosphere revolves around the food.

After working at a pizza restaurant for 23 years, Bilal, a Howard County native, was pleasantly surprised to find that the space was equipped with its own pizza oven. She wants the menu to center around her own roster of made-to-order pies, as well as wings, sandwiches, salads, and pastas. Aside from the pour-yourself wine, the spot will also offer house-made sangria and a selection of draft and bottled beers.

In keeping with its name, the 75-seat space will have a casual feel with a mix of coffee tables, high-tops, bar seating, and long benches. Bilal is also planning to arrange black-and-white photographs of Baltimore to make the space feel hyper-local.

“I wanted to highlight the city, but also make it feel really cozy,” she says. “The space was pretty turnkey, it just needed a little bit of love. I want it to feel like a home away from home”

Though the DIY tap trend has taken root in Baltimore County (think spots like B.C. Brewery in Hunt Valley and Liquid Lib’s in Timonium), Bilal is excited about being one of the first places to offer the of-the-moment technology within city limits.

“It reflects a change in the times,” she says. “Sometimes when you sit down at a crowded bar, you have to wait for somebody to notice you. But here, everyone can just come in, get started, and do their own thing.”

In between brewing the signature Green Machine IPA and Forte pilsner, the team at Diamondback Brewing in Locust Point has been firing up the oven, rolling out dough, and testing recipes in an effort to make their dream of having an in-house food program a reality.

Though the prep space that the owners have built inside the modern-industrial brewery is only about 50 square feet, co-founder Colin Marshall assures that its size has no effect on the flavors: “The kitchen is small,” he admits, “but the taste that comes out of there is pretty mighty.”

This Wednesday, Diamondback will debut its inaugural menu featuring 12-inch Neapolitan pizzas, hand-twisted Bavarian pretzels with Green Machine beer cheese, and large charcuterie boards meant for sharing. The new eats are launching in conjunction with expanded hours at the taproom, which is staying open until 8 p.m. on Sundays and will begin opening on Tuesdays starting next week. (In addition, Diamondback’s new food license has one drawback in that dogs are no longer allowed inside.)

Marshall says that offering food has been a priority since 2016, when the brewery opened and began hosting local food trucks and pop-ups on busy nights. But it took some time to come up with a plan to execute a menu made in-house.

“It’s been in the works since we opened,” he says. “But, in the past six months, we have really been working through the concept, deciding what we’re going to serve, and figuring out how we would begin to keep it sustainable moving forward.”

Taproom manager Ryan Belton and baker/bartender Cassidy Johnson—industry veterans who were both brought on within the past year—further helped to solidify the path toward pizza. Given the tiny kitchen space, the two thought it was best suited for a small menu of simple, well-executed fare.

With flavors ranging from a margherita with fresh basil to the “Inverno” topped with lemon and ricotta, the deep-crust pies are formed using dough handmade by Johnson. They are then covered in Belton’s signature, herby red sauce and custom five-cheese blend by local distributor The Great Cheese before heading inside a TurboChef pizza oven.

“Theoretically and also conceptually, we just kind of thought, ‘If we’re going to do this, we’re going to do it well,’” Marshall says. “It can’t just be filler, like ‘Hey, we have food now.’ It needs to be something we would all enjoy ourselves if we were eating it elsewhere.”

Of course, the food menu is also meant to align with the beer program. Just as the draft lineup rotates monthly, the pizzas will also change based on which toppings are in season.

“You can always count on Forte and Green Machine, but the other seven or eight beers on tap are changing from month to month,” Marshall explains. “The same goes for the pizza—you’re always going to be able to get a cheese, but with summer coming along you might have a lighter, zesty citrus option as well.”

To further the seasonal approach, the brewery hopes to craft the summer menu using leftover vegetables from its Community Supported Agriculture program with One Straw Farm—one of the many neighborhood initiatives that Marshall hopes to continue as Diamondback evolves with its new menu and taproom hours.

“We want more of the community members around here to frequent us,” he says. “Being out on the peninsula, we’re a bit isolated, but we’ve definitely got that neighborhood feel.”

When The Wine Market Bistro opened in 2004, the chic warehouse space, which serves modern American fare inside the historic Foundry on Fort complex, was a novelty. The concept: Buy a bottle of Bordeaux at the attached wine shop boasting 800 bottles and get 15 percent off your purchase if you dine next door. At the time, the gimmick was cute, even catchy.

For many years, The Wine Market was a great gathering spot and one of the hottest reservations in town. But all good things must come to an end, and, by March 2018, after more than 13 years of business, the fickle crowds had moved on. But rather than call it quits, several months later, Wine Market restaurateur Christopher Spann reopened the space with a new name—Ludlow Market, Bar & Bottle Shop—as well as a new look and a new chef in the form of Christopher Audia, formerly of Tail Up Goat in Washington, D.C. Thankfully, there’s still a wine shop next door with the same discount offer.

I was a fan of the original restaurant, so I was eager to return, though, upon entering the space, with the exception of small tweaks—added splashes of color with red aluminum chairs and a colorful glass wall—I couldn’t discern the difference between the new and old spot.

My visit to Ludlow Market was perfectly pleasant, but the fact that our party of four was dining in a nearly empty restaurant didn’t feel good. And here’s my dining diagnosis: Sadly, a small neighborhood restaurant with an eclectic New American menu (shareable plates, classic sandwiches, more substantial mains) doesn’t necessarily spell success anymore now that so many new spots have sprung up in the city.

Food-wise, there’s a lot to like here—a dish boasting multicolored heirloom roasted carrots and cipollini offered a rush of pleasure with its sweet-and-sour notes. A painterly plate of plump, pan-seared scallops with watercress remoulade was good enough to get again and again. A Sukiyaki beef sub with mirin-marinated beef, Gochujang mayo, and stir-fry veggies was a fun cheesesteak riff for this Philly girl. Along with the hits, though, there were misses. A seafood risotto special with curry had us hunting for the advertised shrimp and sea bass, and a pan-seared salmon with blue crab butter and Calabrian chili served over wax beans tasted a bit like an institutional diet platter.

In the service realm we had no complaints. Our server was attentive and made great suggestions throughout the night, bringing extra rounds of baguette for our cheese plate and pacing out our courses in a way that made sense and never felt rushed.

Baltimore’s dining scene is at a crossroads these days, and this city of neighborhoods needs to make room for smaller spots. But which ones not only survive, but thrive, depends on the will and whims of the people. We suspect that if old Wine Market fans give this place a chance, they’ll find much to enjoy.

Ludlow Market, Bar & Bottle Shop 921 E. Fort Ave., 410-244-6166.
HOURS Tues.-Thurs. 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.; 5-10 p.m.; Fri. 11:30-3 p.m., 5-11 p.m.; Sat. 5-11 p.m. PRICES Starters, small plates: $6-17; entrees: $18-48. AMBIANCE Minimalist warehouse.

The strength of Jazz + Soju, the new Korean-influenced eatery in Locust Point’s Anthem House apartment building, lies not in its jazz or soju (Korean vodka), though those are perfectly satisfying aspects of the concept. Really, there should be another plus sign in the name, with the word “chicken” following it.

Allow us to explain: When word of the restaurant leaked last year, we couldn’t wait to try its take on one of our favorite comfort foods, Korean twice-fried chicken. We heroically held off until July, about one month after the restaurant opened. That was when our crunch fast finally ended.

The walls of the single-room, high-ceiling, semi-industrial space are dotted with framed album covers from jazz legends such as David “Fathead” Newman, Dinah Washington, and Ramsey Lewis. A huge cabinet filled with actual record jackets and old-time stereo equipment rests against the back wall. The goal, we’re told, is to have live music a few nights a month, though the stage (actually a nook behind the host stand) was silent during our visits. When we came for lunch, curiously, electronica was playing on the sound system. At dinner the next week, the chatter of the crowd drowned out the recorded jazz.

We started that dinner with “soju-tinis,” a twist on the classic variety that uses real fruit, nectars, and soju, the Korean alcohol typically made from rice or sweet potatoes. The strawberry version was tasty but intensely sweet—we preferred the lychee one. (A sign on the front door that boasts “voted best in Baltimore signature soju martinis” made us chuckle—there’s not a lot of competition.) For less adventurous drinkers, there’s a large selection of traditional martinis, cocktails (including a “Korean Donkey” made with ginger beer, soju, lime juice, and ginger), beer, wine, and even mocktails.

Heeding a warning on the menu, we ordered our chicken wings early—they can take 25 to 30 minutes to cook. Before they arrived, we sampled several dishes from the modestly sized menu. Our starters all satisfied. The honey gotchujang sauce on the excellent spicy Brussels sprouts—ordered without the bacon for our vegan friend—provided a subtle kick.

The sweet sesame dressing on the mango salad, with romaine hearts and mixed greens, offered the perfect complement. Fries topped with kimchi and a tangy sauce were a nice take on a ubiquitous dish, but the best of the bunch was the fried mandu. We opted for the pork-filled Korean dumplings (shrimp is also available), which are fried (there’s a bit of a theme here), but not overpoweringly so.

Main courses are less consistent. During our afternoon visit we tried the spicy chicken udon with cauliflower, zucchini, and bell peppers, topped with a Korean chili sauce, which was tasty if not bursting with flavor. Same goes for the bulgogi (marinated beef with Korean barbecue sauce), which was served over rice. Both came with miso soup, which our bartender instructed us to drink straight from the bowl, sans spoon.

While waiting for the star dish to emerge from the kitchen a few nights later, we scooped wedges of seafood pajeon with our chopsticks. The crispy Korean pancakes filled with calamari, scallops, and shrimp were disappointing; the small pieces of seafood were lost in the batter. Next time we’ll try the marinated beef short ribs, which dazzled the dining room as they were served to a neighboring table on a sizzling stone plate.

Our envy was short-lived, though, when our chicken arrived piping hot. We split our order of 10 mini drums and wings between the regular soy garlic sauce and the spicy version. Both were outstanding. What makes this truly a dish to die for is the way the incredible juiciness of the meat melds with the crunch of the skin, which is fried in soybean oil to dissipate the fat. While you have a feeling that what you’re eating falls short of say, quinoa, on the health-food scale, the wings are surprisingly devoid of grease.

Jazz + Soju still has some kinks to work out. The restaurant was out of several wines the night we visited, and the staff was unsure about its own vegan offerings. What some parts of the service lacked in execution, however, waiters made up for in effort. Each one we encountered was friendly and attentive, and seemed genuinely invested in getting things right.

And ooh, that chicken. On our way out we took note: There is room for another word on the sign.

JAZZ + SOJU 900 E. Fort Ave., 410-244-8600. HOURS Mon.-Thurs. 11:30 a.m.- 2:30 p.m., 4 p.m.–11 p.m. Fri.-Sat. 11:30 a.m.-1:30 a.m., Sun. 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. PRICES Starters: $6-15; salads: $9-14; rice and noodles: $13-16; share plates: $13-19; chicken: $18-23; sushi and sashimi: $6-14. AMBIANCE Jazzy.

When Baltimore-born chef Christopher Audia first met with Wine Market Bistro owner Chris Spann about launching a new concept in the Locust Point space, it didn’t take long for the two to come to an understanding about the menu.

“Chris explained that he wanted this to be more of a neighborhood spot that people would visit fairly frequently,” Audia says. “He wanted to make it so that people could stop in and get a few dishes to share with friends, and really make the experience a little more playful.”

Locals will be able to try out the new concept for themselves when Ludlow Market, Bar & Bottle Shop—named after its proximity to Ludlow Street in Locust Point—debuts to the public in mid-June.

The space formerly housed Spann’s Wine Market Bistro, which he closed in March after 13 years due to lack of business. This time around, the spot will have a more casual feel with expanded food and drink menus at varying price points, an updated interior, and a focus on small-batch offerings in its attached wine shop—which remains open throughout renovations.

Audia plans for the locally sourced menu to fit all occasions, whether diners are looking for small plates, sandwiches, or more elaborate entrees. The chef, who was born in Hampstead, went to Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island for culinary school, and later moved to Boston to work at French restaurant No. 9 Park. He recently moved back to the area to be closer to family, and built his resume at D.C. hotspots Mirabella and Tail Up Goat.

“I’ve worked in a fair amount of classical kitchens,” he says. “I never got the chance to actually eat at Wine Market Bistro when it was still open, but I think the style of food will be similar. It’s going to be contemporary food, but executed in a more classical sense.”

Though Audia is still hard at work testing dishes, he is eager to introduce eats like his grilled lamb ribs with hazelnut harissa and herb salad, Belgian frites finished in beef fat served with three dipping sauces, and toasted crostini topped with house-made ricotta, pea pesto, and grated parmesan.

The bar program is also aiming to accommodate a wide range of tastes by introducing draft beer, boozy slushies, and a gin and tonic menu, while keeping Wine Market’s lengthy wine list.

“We’re trying to pair all of the classical food with these very much Old World wines,” Audia says. “And we’re going to focus on making sure that the cocktails go well with the shareable appetizers. We want to be able to use the pairings to guide guests into any specific experience.”

While the space inside the historic Foundry Building won’t lose its industrial feel, the team has enhanced it with new furniture and tabletops, a fresh color scheme, and more lighting on its outdoor patio. Spann has added a partition wall to separate the bar from the dining room in hopes of making it its own destination.

Additional changes are in the works at the adjoining bottle shop, which will expand its offerings with more beverages from family-owned wineries, distilleries, and breweries. With the neighborhood in mind, Spann is also adding refrigeration space to the shop so that locals can stop in to grab cured meats, cheeses, and other gourmet takeaway items. 

Audia is also excited about embracing the local community, not only through exploring Chesapeake flavors, but also by getting to know the Locust Point neighborhood

“Baltimore has such an up-and-coming food scene with so much potential,” he says. “Being a part of something that can create more of a community and a culture in the city has always been a dream of mine.”

Looking for a good workout with an even better playlist? Then you might want to head over to REV Cycle Studio for one of Sean Sanders’ classes. This high energy instructor will make you work hard while trying to restrain your body from all out dancing in his fun 45 minute class offered at both the Brewers Hill and Locust point locations. We caught up with Sanders to discuss his time at REV, how he creates his dynamite playlists, and what he would be doing if he wasn’t a spin instructor.

When do you start teaching spin and how did you get involved with REV?
I’m originally from Knoxville, TN, and I moved here about four years ago, and decided to do an internship with FX Studios, which is how I met the Rick who is a co-owner of REV and it just kind of went from there. I started working at the front desk of the studio in Locust Point, but I have always been very passionate about fitness. I had been working there close to a year and I only took maybe three classes, just because I didn’t feel like spin was for me. But I saw how it impacted a lot of different people and our customers daily and that made me want to be part of it. After that, I decided to become an instructor. 

How has spin has impacted your life?  
Physically, I feel that I have gotten a lot stronger, faster, and my endurance has definitely gone up. I’ve always been a people person, but ever since I started spin the way I talk to others has changed and I feel like I am more engaging. It’s also impacted me by being very rewarding. I love that I’m helping people. I had a lady come up to me the other day and tell me about all the weight she lost taking the class and it made me feel good. The classes can also benefit your mental health by taking 45 minutes to really focus on yourself. 

How many classes do you teach a week?
I teach 8-10 classes a week and I teach at both studios. I was actually the first full-time instructor at REV.

What do you think makes REV stand out from other gyms?
Oh man, a lot! It’s the way we impact the community. There is always an outreach program and charity rides for people in need. It’s also very personal. If it’s your birthday, we acknowledge that and might put something on your bike.

How do you go about picking music for your classes?
I have to admit, it’s a lot of work. I work with Soundcloud and Spotify to put it into a 45-minute mix. There are some instructors that play strictly hip-hip or some that just play pop. I feel like I’m in between. Sometime I’ll go from an EDM song to a hip-hop song to rock and roll. 

What’s your favorite song to spin to?
It’s probably ‘Take It All Back’ by Judah and the Lion. It’s a mix between country and alternative and then it picks up at the end. It’s just one of those songs I had on my very first playlist I ever made and I still play and see everyone go nuts.

What would you say is your favorite fitness trend?
I’m currently training for an Ironman triathlon on May 20. So I’d have to say racing.

If you were not a fitness instructor what would you be?
Honestly, it probably would be something to do with fitness, like personal training. I am also a year away from my degree in information systems, so maybe even doing something with cyber security.

What would you tell people that haven’t been to REV before, that might be a little intimidated to take a class? 
I would tell them not to be scared. It can be intimidating to try something new. I have clients that never want to sit in the front row because they feel like people are looking at them or judging them if they aren’t doing the right thing. I always tell my clients the same thing and that is to do what you can. The minute you step through the door, it’s a judgement-free zone. 

On March 23, 1868, the first foreign steamship docked at the new immigration pier at Locust Point. A momentous occasion at the time, and historically, the arrival of appropriately named SS Baltimore from Bremen, Germany was greeted with a canon salute as it passed Fort McHenry and a parade down Broadway.

This Saturday, the B&O Railroad Museum and the Baltimore Immigration Museum will be jointly celebrating the occasion. A purchased ticket to the B&O Railroad Museum in Southwest Baltimore includes the unveiling of a new commemorative panel marking the historic occasion, a luncheon, and two speakers—B&O curator Harrison Van Waes and Balitmore Immigration Museum co-founder Nick Fessenden. That event kicks off at 11 a.m. 

The day’s program concludes with an open house at the Baltimore Immigration Museum in Locust Point, which will be open, free of charge, from 2-5 p.m.

The Baltimore Immigration Museum, which opened in 2016, is located in the historic Immigration House at 1308 Beason Street. Built in 1904 in connection with the former immigrant German church next door, the original Immigration House took in “newly arrived European immigrants who needed temporary housing before moving on to their final destinations or finding work and permanent housing in Baltimore,” according to the museum’s website.

The Immigration Museum documents the city’s 19th- and early 20th-century immigration story as well as chronicling the different ethnic groups who began their American journey at the Locust Point immigration piers. The Baltimore Immigration Museum will also be open Sunday from 1-4 p.m.

In our cover story last month, “City of Immigrants,” Baltimore magazine told the story of our immigrants’ historic—and current—struggles and successes.

Until the outbreak of World War I, the regular arrival of Norddeutscher Lloyd ships—loaded with Central and Eastern European Germans, Poles, Russians, Jews, Lithuanians, Czechs, Slovaks, Bohemians, Austrians, and Ukrainians—would forever alter the city’s course and character. From the opening of the Locust Point piers until they closed in 1914, some 1.2 million European immigrants entered Baltimore’s Ellis Island, making the city the third busiest port of entry in the U.S. and the busiest below the Mason-Dixon line.

“To understand the development of Baltimore,” local historian Wayne Schaumburg says, “you have to know about those piers and the influx of immigrants there who built the city’s ethnic neighborhoods around the harbor.”

Hundreds huddled together at a candlelight vigil outside of Francis Scott Key Elementary Middle School last November to honor the life of Alex Wroblewski—the 41-year-old Locust Point native who was fatally shot during an armed robbery at the Royal Farms on Key Highway earlier that month.

Friends, neighbors, and city officials addressed the crowd, expressing their condolences and sharing favorite memories of Wroblewski—who most knew by his nickname, Albo.

“His last name was too long,” explains Wroblewski’s close friend Patrick Dahlgren. “Nobody really called him Alex or Al. He was just Albo.”

Dahlgren—owner of The Rowhouse Grille where Wroblewski worked for 10 years—remembers his best friend’s bold personality.

“First of all, he was so loud,” Dahlgren recalls. “You could hear him no matter where he was in the building. But he just had this charismatic way, he was a one-of-a-kind person.”

In the wake of the tragedy, Wroblewski’s family urged community members to send donations to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) in lieu of flowers.

Raising money for LLS was a passion that Dahlgren bonded over with Wroblewski, whose uncle passed away from the disease. Both participated in the society’s Man of the Year fundraising campaign, and Wroblewski’s fundraising team, Wroblewski’s Warriors, hosted everything from crab feasts to fishing trips to support the cause.

“The LLS connection started when I ran for Man of the Year four years ago,” Dahlgren explains. “And Alex did it last year. It’s a 10-week program where 10 people are nominated and each raises as much money as they can during that period of time. There is a winner and a gala, but it’s mostly about raising money for the cause.”

Now, Dahlgren and the staff at The Rowhouse Grille are hosting a special event to honor Wroblewski’s life, and his work advocating for blood cancer research. On Tuesday, January 16, Wroblewski’s birthday, the Federal Hill bar will host a fundraiser featuring live entertainment and unlimited eats and drinks.

For a $30 donation, guests will enjoy music spun by DJ Noteman, bottomless beer, wine, and liquor, and a buffet spread featuring appetizers and Wroblewski’s favorite personal pizzas. There will also be a silent auction with prizes donated from local businesses including REV Cycle Studio, and restaurants in the Federal Hill Hospitality Association. Nearly 100 percent of all proceeds will be donated to LLS.

The event will also be an opportunity for Rowhouse to acknowledge the fundraising that the community has done in Wroblewski’s honor in the weeks since his death. Dahlgren estimates that neighborhood fundraisers and crowdfunding campaigns have raised nearly $20,000 since November. He plans to present a check to Wroblewski’s parents at the event, which will be donated to LLS in his memory.

“Handing over the check is going to be tough,” Dahlgren says. “But after that, we’re going to try to have some fun. We want to try to celebrate his life and bring people’s spirits up as best we can.”

But Dahlgren’s work won’t end after the event. He is gearing up to represent the state of Maryland in the National Man of the Year program once again this April, where he will continue to raise money for the cause in honor of his late friend.

“He was so memorable—everybody in the community knew him,” Dahlgren says. “Even if people didn’t know his name, they would say hello to him and he would say hello back. It was just his being.”

The brewery’s 8.5 barrel brewhouse includes 17 barrel fermenters and a pilot system to test out small-batch releases. Diamondback is hoping to produce 2,000 barrels within its first year, starting with their brand new Green Machine IPA and Azacca Blonde Ale.

Heading up the production will be Tim Heath, a former space engineer at Northrup Grumman and brewer at Fairhope Brewing Company in Alabama, who recently moved back to Baltimore.

“Tim was able to make a real name for Fairhope while he was there,” Marshall explained. “He’s not as concerned with all the marketing bells and whistles, he’s really interested in the science and focused on making a damn good beer.”

A big draw for Diamondback is the rustic taproom, filled with reclaimed wood accents from local artisan Nick Modha at Monkey in the Metal custom furniture company. A 15-seat semi circular bar surrounds a giant original smokestack, which features eight beer taps, chalkboard menus, and some brewery merch. The taproom will be open on weekends through November and, after that, the plan is to go seven days a week.

One unique element is that on the same campus as Diamondback, Mindgrub Technologies has been constructing a commissary kitchen, which will be a shared space for building occupants and outside chefs to prep, cook, and host events. Marshall said that the Locust Point location—and all of its surrounding commercial and residential development—is a particularly exciting place to open up.

“We really want this to be a community atmosphere that feels different from a bar,” he said. “Sure, you’re drinking and having a good time, but this isn’t the place to order bombs and get crazy. This will be the place to have good beer and connect with the people who make it.”

Recently, Diamondback underwent a rebranding thanks in part to a logo redesign by local firm Gilah Press. The new graphic ditches the original turtle shell (a nod to University of Maryland) for a more sophisticated badge. But, rest assured, Marshall said they are more committed to the local market than ever.

“Being in South Baltimore really fits our brand,” he says. “We are so grateful that places like Union [Craft Brewing] paved the way for a brewery like this to open up in the city. How cool would it be one day for every neighborhood to have its own go-to brewery?”

Jason Ambrose’s new venture is so tiny that I almost don’t want to talk about it. When the renowned chef and co-owner of Salt opened up his micro-sized bar on an obscure corner in Locust Point at the end of last year, skeptics wondered whether anybody would be able to find it. But by the time I visited on a frigid Friday evening in mid-February, the place was so packed that I nearly fell on my knees in gratitude when one of the five two-tops (the place holds 30 people and doesn’t take reservations) miraculously opened up.

Nearby Under Armour employees had obviously discovered the place, as had neighborhood folks and, most likely, Ambrose fans from all over the city. And after visiting twice now, I am truly ambivalent about spreading the word. The place is so sure-fire fabulous I may never get in again.

Clearly, 1157 Bar + Kitchen is the proverbial labor of love. When Ambrose, who still co-owns Salt, ceded the restaurant’s kitchen duties to Matt Smith in 2014, he took some time to himself, but soon returned to the scene with the notion of going smaller and cheaper, getting back to basics with a simple neighborhood bar. Indeed, you’ll find him in 1157’s spotless, but miniscule, exhibition kitchen, looking out at the long, narrow bar-dining space and working contentedly over every item that comes off the line.

At Salt, Ambrose turned out cuisine that was consistently inventive and sophisticated, yet somehow retained its ability to powerfully evoke your best childhood food memories—whether you grew up in Cuba or Cleveland. While the offerings at 1157 may be a bit humbler, consisting mostly of small plates and sandwiches, they are no less enticing. The one drawback to Salt is that I always want to order everything on the menu. Here, you practically can! The menu is compact enough that I managed to sample nearly half of its items over two visits.

In an atmosphere where the waiters urge you to share, it seems heretical to order a single entree.

Of course, things will change with the seasons. But my wintry repasts were the soul of robust home-style cooking, with the little twists and international flavors that mark Ambrose’s style. An off-the-bone braised oxtail stew floated over creamy brown-butter polenta; its intensely beefy shreds, baby carrots, and cipollini onions recalling the soup mom used to make. A crispy chorizo sausage sandwich topped with a fried duck egg combined Spanish and Latin influences with layers of Manchego cheese, sofrito, and avocado. And a braised short-rib melt turned out to be the most unctuously perfect winter sandwich in town. Topped with aged cheddar, horseradish mayo, and red onion, the beef was, well, meltingly good, recalling the best gastro-pub cuisine.

There’s plenty of seafood, too: a silky tuna crudo, its pale palette enlivened with colorful Meyer lemon, balsamic, and a streak of carrot purée; a delicate saffron-laced shellfish bisque loaded with scallops, shrimp, and mussels. The octopus was so nice I tried it twice. Crispy on the outside and perfectly tender on the inside, it boasted a vibrant sweet-tart orange-chile mojo and sat aside a lively chickpea salad. Likewise, the addictive Korean fried-chicken wings with pickled veggies were bar food transformed, gorgeously lacquered with a fiery orange combination of chili paste and sweet soy. It’s the sort of plate that appeals to both traditional and adventurous palates, catering to the bar’s varied clientele.

Aside from the sandwiches, all of the above appear under the “Small Plates” heading on the menu. In such a crowded, convivial atmosphere, where the friendly bartenders/waiters happily recite their favorites and gently urge you to share, it almost seems heretical to order a single entree. Of the two on offer at this writing—wild boar ragout pasta with hedgehog mushrooms and rapini, and seared sea scallops—we ended up sharing the latter as if it were a small plate, divvying up the fat, tender scallops and eagerly diving into the accompanying root vegetables and garlicky greens.

The roster of drinks, drafts, and wines is equally compact. The four cocktails on offer will also likely undergo seasonal changes; they’re composed of small-batch liquors and interesting combinations of flavors, and they’re intoxicatingly well crafted by those amiable bartenders. The dozen wines by the glass come from out-of-the-way vintners and are reasonably priced, and you can get an offbeat draft like Breckenridge Brewery Agave wheat ale, as well as a Yuengling. And should you want to combine your libation with dessert, you could do no better than to order the adult milkshake. Mexican chocolate brings sweetness, the Mezcal brings smoke, and the cayenne and cinnamon bring spice. It’s delightful. And so is 1157. So delightful, in fact, that I beg you not to go. At least, not when I’m heading there.

1157 BAR + KITCHEN 1157 Haubert Street, 443-449-5525.
HOURS Tues.-Thurs. 4 p.m.-12 a.m., Fri.-Sat. 4 p.m.-1 a.m., Sun. 1 p.m.-10 p.m. CUISINE Internationally influenced home-style cooking.
PRICES Small plates and sandwiches: $7-16; entrees: $25-26; desserts: $6-10.
ATMOSPHERE Micro-sized neighborhood bar with great food.

On our first visit to Our House, we felt right at home. It was 11
a.m. on a Thursday, and the breakfast spinach pizza caught our eye. But
when we ordered at the counter in the back of the eclectically cozy
Locust Point row house, we were told it’s only served on weekends.
Co-owner Dianne DeSantis, a longtime neighborhood resident who opened
the charming cafe in October with Janis Cashmark, must have sensed our
disappointment, because precisely at that moment she emerged from the
kitchen and told us she’d be happy to whip one up, no problem. We took a
seat in the dining room, where no two tables, chairs, or stools are
alike. The women bought the used furnishings almost entirely at the
salvage warehouse Second Chance. The walls are lined with local
photographers’ works and chalkboards advertising specials: bingo Tuesday
night, Great White Wednesday (a seven-inch white pizza and glass of
wine for $10), and an upcoming art show. Shelves hold Hale’s salsa,
Zeke’s Coffee, and other gourmet items for sale. An Orioles banner hangs
near the baked goods and dessert case. There are even real hand towels
in the bathroom.

The deep-dish pizza arrived piping hot, topped with two fluffy eggs,
fresh spinach, and feta cheese. It was delicious, as was the more
traditional “Carnivorous pie” ($9 for a seven-inch, $13 for a 10-inch)
with pepperoni, meatballs, sausage, prosciuttini, and mozzarella.

The food in front of us and on the menu, which includes salads (with
homemade dressings), pastas, and classic Italian subs, all for $10 or
less, made our mouths water, so we strolled over to the refrigerators
filled with bottles of wine and a wide variety of beer. Drinks are
self-serve: Help yourself, then simply bring your empties to the counter
when you pay on your way out. That’s right—the honor system. (Take a
moment to let that set in.)

Our House is so warm and inviting we could have spent the entire
afternoon there, playing a board game while sipping a glass of red wine
or reading a magazine in a rocking chair as we snacked on a homemade
meatball-and-Italian-sausage skewer or handmade pretzel.

Unfortunately, we had to go home.