OPEN

The Bun Shop: It only took two years, but the Towson location of this beloved coffee and pastry palace is finally open for business. The Mt. Vernon-based shop brings its signature gold-and-teal aesthetic, comfy furniture, loose-leaf teas, and delectable pastries to its new Baltimore County outpost just off of the Towson Circle. The worldly drink menu highlights a Vietnamese iced coffee, dos leches latte, honey macchiato, spicy mocha with chili and cinnamon, and even a vanilla-infused Paris tea latte. As its name suggests, the pastries, stuffed with everything from apple and gruyere to spinach and feta, are also not to be missed. Plus, Towson University students will be happy to hear that the new location continues the shop’s reputation as a late-night study spot, staying open until 3 a.m. daily. 40 W. Chesapeake Ave., Towson. 443-991-5901

Flying Dog Taphouse: Happy Opening Day, Baltimore! If you’re spending the city’s unofficial holiday at Camden Yards, swing by the new hoppin’ headquarters on the lower concourse near Gate C. Flying Dog Taphouse—a smaller version of the Frederick brewery’s gastropub inside BWI—will pour four draft beers including The Truth imperial IPA, Bloodline blood orange ale, Thunderpeel hazy IPA, and Under Dog gold lager. There will also be ice-cold cans of Bleacher Beer, Raging Bitch, Snake Dog IPA, Numero Uno Mexican lager, Dead Rise Old Bay summer ale, and Dogtoberfest Marzen. (Backing the birds from a neighborhood bar? Be sure to check out our list of food and drink specials.)

COMING SOON

Steak ’N Shake: Midwestern transplants are beaming about the news that Baltimore County will be getting its first Steak ’N Shake this summer. The Illinois-based chain has one location in Anne Arundel County and previously operated a spot at BWI, which closed after a short-but-sweet run in 2016. Locals will be able to get their hands on the eatery’s signature steakburgers—a blend of brisket and Chuck beef—when it opens in the Greenleigh at Crossroads development in White Marsh. Joining Thai Rainbow, Crossroads Wine and Spirits, and the newly minted Michael’s Cafe, Steak N’ Shake will take up 2,100-square-feet and have its own drive-through window. Aside from the hearty burgers, the chain is a go-to for shoestring fries, hand-dipped milkshakes, and the famous Frisco melt—a play on a classic patty melt with Thousand Island dressing and Worcestershire sauce. MD Rt. 43 at Crossroads Circle, White Marsh.

NEWS

Chef Andrew Weinzirl Joins The Choptank: As this new Fells Point crab house readies for an early summer opening inside Broadway Market, owners have brought on former Brewer’s Art chef Andrew Weinzirl to head up the kitchen. A collaboration Atlas Restaurant Group and Billy Tserkis of Captain James Landing, The Choptank will be a neighborhood seafood spot that emphasizes takes on Maryland specialties. (Think crab cakes, fried chicken, and, of course, hard-shell crabs.) The partners thought Weinzirl would be a perfect fit for the gig given his 15 years of industry experience, which includes opening Maggie’s Farm. Weinzirl says he jumped at the opportunity to settle in Fells Point. “My first memories of Baltimore, aside from Orioles games at Memorial Stadium, are of times spent in Fells Point,” he says. “You can’t think of Fells Point without envisioning the neighborhood’s familiar centerpiece, Broadway Market. It’s an iconic landmark that deserves to properly honor and showcase Baltimore cuisine.” 1640 Aliceanna St.

Local Dining Week: There’s still time to get in on this dining promotion running through April 7. Presented by local organizations like Strong City Baltimore and Community Wealth Builders, this third-annual event offers discounts at more than 50 restaurants throughout the city. Unlike Baltimore Restaurant Week, where each eatery offers a prix-fixe menu, Dining Week offers a number of different specials that encourage diners to support the local restaurant economy. Plus, in partnership with the Orioles, 100 patrons at each participating eatery will receive vouchers for free tickets to any game in April. Noteworthy deals include three sliders for $6 during happy hour at Abbey Burger, weekend brunch specials at Frazier’s, and 20 percent-off of your bill at BrickNFire Pizza Co.

Luigi’s Italian Deli: It’s a big week for Luigi’s on the Avenue in Hampden. In conjunction with launching a new breakfast new menu, which will be offered Wednesday to Sunday from 9-11 a.m., the go-to sandwich spot announced that it will be opening its BYO-patio for the season on Saturday, April 6. Sample the new Breakfast BLT, veggie sandwich, or “Specky Breaky” (speck, roasted bell peppers, and basil) while soaking up some sun. Free koozies will be given out to the first 50 people who stop by. 846 W. 36th St. 443-438-4195

EPICUREAN EVENTS

4/4-7: Green Street Academy Pops Up at R. House
The students of sustainability-focused Green Street Academy in West Baltimore are setting up shop inside R. House’s rotating pop-up stall this week. Throughout the weekend, Green Street will operate directly next to Molina Pizza from the founders of Urban Pastoral—which donated a climate-controlled greenhouse to the charter school’s campus. All proceeds from the menu of grilled sandwiches will benefit GSA Farms, the school’s agri-tech education program that teaches students about urban farming and healthy eating. 301 W. 29th St.

4/5: Hampden West Fest
Gypsy’s Truckstaurant is honoring its food truck roots by hosting this mini-rally in its parking lot off of Clipper Mill Road. Head to Hampden to enjoy live music, cocktails, beer, wine, and plenty of eats from some of the greats. Dig in to a classic Gypsy Queen crab cone, an order of feta-topped fries from Greek on the Street, a barbecue plate from Kommie Pig, or a scrumptious scoop of Honey Graham from Taharka Bros. The free event is dog- and kid-friendly. 3515 Clipper Mill Rd. 5-10 p.m. 443-869-5602

4/5: Cholita’s Tacos Turns Two
Spend your Friday celebrating Cholita’s second birthday with tacos, tortas, and lots of margaritas. In addition to all-day happy hour specials, the Mount Vernon Marketplace stall is ringing in year two with giveaways, a live DJ spinning all night, and a special nacho challenge kicking off at 5 p.m. 520 Park Ave. 5-10 p.m. 443-796-7393

SHUT

Ceriello Fine Foods: The days are numbered for this stalwart Italian grocery store inside Belvedere Square Market. The New York-based chain has anchored the market for more than a decade, but recently decided not to renew its lease. Owner Andy Ceriello recently told The Sun that the store will close in mid-April, mentioning that it “got old” and it was time for the brand to move on. Known as a one-stop-shop for the makings of an Italian feast, the shop was best known for its house-made sauces, cheeses, and prepared foods. Its Brewers Hill location on the bottom floor of the The Porter apartment building also recently closed due to maintenance issues. There’s no word yet on whether that location will get back up and running. 529 E. Belvedere Ave.

CH-CH CHANGES

Chick and Ruth’s Delly: Earlier this week, owner Ted Levitt announced that he had sold this iconic Annapolis eatery, whose bright orange exterior has been a landmark on Main Street since Levitt’s parents—the namesake Chick and Ruth—opened the diner more than 50 years ago. The deli has long been a favorite gathering place for locals and politicians to get their fix of breakfast fare, overstuffed sandwiches, and claim-to-fame crab cakes. Regulars will be happy to hear that new owner Keith Jones doesn’t plan on changing much about the neighborhood mainstay. “There’s an excitement about getting engaged in the work, but also an excitement about getting engaged in the community,” Jones told Capital Gazette earlier this week. “It’s a phenomenal legacy that they’ve built, and it’s an awesome responsibility to maintain it.” 165 Main St., Annapolis, 410-269-6737

Luigi’s Italian Deli: In other deli news, this Hampden hotspot recently announced that it would begin offering weekday breakfast effective October 2. The Italian outpost on The Avenue, which changed ownership earlier this year, currently serves its signature hoagies and pasta salads strictly during lunch and dinner service. But starting next month, the spot will open bright and early at 7 a.m. on weekdays with a new morning menu highlighting breakfast sandwiches and piping-hot coffee. 846 W. 36th St., 443-438-4195

OPEN

The Chasseur: Last weekend, revelers flocked to this Canton corner bar for the grand opening of its long-awaited rooftop space. Just in time for football season, the open-air hangout is officially up and running with garage-style doors, multiple flat screens, plenty of barstool seating, and a killer view down to the water. The upstairs menu features its own raw bar and an array of seasonal Crushes in flavors including classic orange and pineapple. 3328 Foster Ave., 410-327-6984

COMING SOON

Bunzzz Sports Bar & Grill: Come spring, shoppers will be able to grab a bite to eat while perusing The Gallery in the Inner Harbor. The brainchild of husband-and-wife owners Bernar and Angela Tallitsch, the sports bar will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the vacant space that formerly housed Brooks Brothers on the first floor. As its name denotes, the spot will focus on burgers with many different bun options ranging from sesame and rye rolls to a sweet cinnamon bun and a Hawaiian-themed bun with Maui onions. The opening will mark the return of dining to the mall, which hasn’t seen a sit-down eatery since its food court was converted to office space last year. 201 E. Pratt St., 410-332-4192

Mezcal Mexican Restaurant & Bar: A second location of this Owings Mills favorite will join the likes of MOM’s Organic Market and THB Bagels & Deli in Timonium’s Yorkridge Shopping Center next month. Expected to open mid-October, the cantina will offer its signature tacos, burritos, tableside guacamole, and massive tequila drinks. (Read more about Mezcal and other top taco spots around town in our upcoming October issue.) 6 W. Ridgely Road, Lutherville-Timonium.

Zeke’s Coffee: This Hamilton coffee institution is making moves to larger digs next week, but, luckily, it isn’t going far. The cafe and all of its baking operations have migrated to a 4,000-square-foot space just one block north, inside the brand new SoHa Row development at 4719 Harford Road. Slated to open next Wednesday, September 27, the new eatery will boast additional seating and walls hand-painted with Zeke’s signature logos. The food offerings will carry over in the new cafe, which will emphasize coffees and cold brews, as well as bagels, pastries, and build-your-own sandwiches. 4719 Harford Road.

NEWS

Ben Lefenfeld to Compete at NYC Wine & Food Festival: Our own Ben Lefenfeld—the chef/owner behind La Cuchara in Woodberry and Minnow in Riverside—is headed to the Big Apple next month for Food Network’s New York City Wine & Food Festival. In an Iron Chef-style battle hosted by celebrity chef Alton Brown, Lefenfeld will go head-to-head with nearly 30 other cooks from around the country who will all craft dishes inspired by autumn’s bounty. “I’m looking forward to driving a truckload of beautiful Maryland produce up I-95,” Lefenfeld said in a press release. The competition on October 14 will award multiple cash prizes to the winning chefs, who will be chosen by both Food Network judges and event attendees.

OrderUp Officially Transitions to Grubhub: You might notice a few changes the next time you try to order takeout. Grubhub recently took over all 27 markets of the Baltimore-based delivery service OrderUp, causing the app to redirect to Grubhub’s ordering platforms. Although the interphase is noticeably different, many of the same local restaurants (and a few additional spots) have vowed to continue using the service. The official transition comes as a result of Grubhub acquiring OrderUp from its parent company Groupon in August.

EPICUREAN EVENTS

10/2: Farm to Chef Maryland
Now in its eighth year, this foodie fundraiser at the B&O Railroad Museum continues to unite local chefs and growers to benefit TasteWise Kids—an organization that educates elementary school students about the importance of urban agriculture and healthy eating. Each local chef—this year’s participants include Scott Hines of B&O American Brasserie, Jerry Trice of Gunther & Co., and Kevin Cauthorne of Myth & Moonshine—will partner with an area farm to craft a dish based on its seasonal bounty. Members of the Baltimore Bartenders’ Guild will also be on hand to judge cocktails made with local spirits and ingredients sourced from the participating farms. 901 W. Pratt St., 7-9:30 p.m., $90-110

10/8: The Smoke Show Mark your calendar for this epic barbecue collaboration between chefs Chad Gauss of The Food Market in Hampden and Josh White of Cockeysville ’cue joint Smoke. The tailgate-style event will feature a menu that fuses the styles of both restaurants, with eats including potato soup with smoked gouda croutons, pastrami sandwiches with beer cheese fondue, smoked carrots, Korean barbecue ribs, and smoked pumpkin s’mores. There will also be a live DJ, photo booth, screens for viewing the Ravens game, and plenty of local libations to wash down all of the eats. Whitehall Mill, 3300 Clipper Mill Road, 3 p.m., $55

SHUT

La Folie Wine Bar & Steak Frites: Just over a year after opening in Canton’s O’Donnell Square, this French bistro known for its steak frites and frosé has closed its doors for good. Managing partner Mel Carter recently told the Baltimore Business Journal that he closed the spot in order to focus on his other two neighborhood concepts Blue Hill Tavern and Shiso Tavern. There’s no word yet on what will become of the space, which previously operated as Tavern on the Square before transitioning to La Folie last summer. 2903 O’Donnell St.