When noted chef Peter Chang opened his second Baltimore restaurant on Ashland Avenue last June, it was fantastic news for lovers of Chinese food. Because not only was it more of Chang’s cooking—his first Baltimore restaurant, NiHao, opened in 2020 to rave reviews—but it specialized in dim sum.

Dim sum, a style of small-dish service that originated in Cantonese teahouses, is a cuisine Baltimore has been missing. Chang’s latest restaurant offers not only a large dim sum menu, but also classic dishes, including some available at NiHao.

Located near Johns Hopkins Hospital, PCB feels more like a fast-casual eatery than a Hong Kong teahouse. Rather than the large banquet tables and roving carts of a traditional dim sum restaurant, you order your food at a walk-up counter. Thanks to the Hopkins lunch crowd, the place does a brisk takeout business, helped by its boba menu.

The same menu is served all day, so you can get a huge bowl of Chongquing sour-cabbage flounder, an excellent rendition of the water-boiled fish that’s a staple at Sichuan restaurants; the branzino, fried and served whole atop a pool of spicy pan sauce; or a whole or half Peking duck, the lacquered bird served with a container of paper-thin pancakes.

But the most fun, and arguably the best use of your appetite, is to bring a group and order as much of the dim sum menu as you can. Start with a bamboo basket of soup dumplings, called xiaolongbao or xlb in dumpling houses and a dim sum must-have, as are orders of shumai and wontons, doused with the requisite chile oil.

And although you might not ordinarily opt for kabobs at a dim sum house, the ones here are blissful miniature skewers of cumin-heavy lamb. These aren’t really kabobs at all, but a variation of toothpick lamb, a classic dish for which bits of lamb are infused with cumin and chiles, crisped into submission, then impaled on a series of toothpicks, an addictive but insanely labor-intensive dish, both to create and to consume.

And no matter how many dishes you manage, do not forget dessert, here in the form of eight-treasure osmanthus sticky rice and black-sesame egg-yolk bao. And that duck? You could start your dim sum journey with it, but then you wouldn’t have room for the dim sum. Either put in a to-go order or enjoy it at NiHao, a more leisurely restaurant better suited to banquet-style dining.

It is easy to find Peter Chang these days. This was not the case 15 years ago, when the then-peripatetic chef was tracked by his remarkable dishes throughout the Southeast, his trajectory the subject of a New Yorker piece called, “Where’s Chang?” by Calvin Trillin. Chang, who cooked at luxury hotels and won cooking competitions in his native China, then moved to the U.S., where he was chef at the Chinese Embassy in D.C. before building a small restaurant empire and winning a slew of awards.

That we have not only NiHao but a neighborhood dim sum spot here is something of a coup. One imagines Trillin, now 88, sitting in the corner, a stack of bamboo baskets before him, smiling.

PETER CHANG BALTIMORE: 1923 Ashland Ave., Baltimore, 443-888-3688. HOURS: Daily, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. PRICES: Dim sum: $7-12; noodles, soups, and entrees: $4-78; desserts: $8-12.

When NiHao opened in July 2020, Baltimoreans were thrilled that an establishment associated with the esteemed chef and 2022 James Beard finalist Peter Chang had opened in Charm City. Despite the pandemic, the Canton restaurant, run by Chang’s daughter, Lydia, attracted diners curious about its contemporary Chinese cuisine and created a buzz long before it even opened. Esquire magazine even named it one of the country’s “best new restaurants” that year. And in 2022, NiHao became a semifinalist in the James Beard Awards, in the Best New Restaurant category (not to mention a Baltimore Best Restaurant).

Then, in a move that surprised many, NiHao announced it was closing temporarily in January 2023, and unveiling a new concept in February. At the time, Lydia Chang said the restaurant was not bringing in enough revenue. A few weeks later, her father reopened the location with a new partner, Karina Hou, a Montgomery County artist, and a new chef, Dong Liu, whom Hou describes as a “celebrity chef” from China.

The menu focuses on the Sichuan dishes that Peter Chang is known for. There are a few overlaps, like the Peking duck, but the revised offerings capture various interpretations of the cooking Chang turns out at his more than a dozen restaurants (one of which recently opened near the Johns Hopkins medical campus), including the popular xiao long bao (soup dumplings).

To start, you don’t want to miss the UFO-shaped bubble pancake. Pierce the airy dome with a sharp knife and tear off crackly pieces to swab in the vegetarian curry sauce dotted with nubs of tofu. The refreshing chicken lettuce wrap was also a crowd-pleaser. Crisp iceberg leaves serve as the foundation for the spicy chicken mixture that becomes a torpedo of flavor when folded together.

Slices of the aforementioned duck, available as a half or whole bird, arrived impressively at the table, with thin pancakes, scallion sticks, and a hoisin sauce. But the result wasn’t as spectacular as expected. The skin on the duck—a benchmark for duck aficionados—wasn’t as crackly as it should have been, and the meat was bland, not rosy and juicy.

Other dishes soared by comparison. The flaming cumin lamb chops created a stir as the plate blazed through the dining room to be set at our table in flames. When the fire died down, a clever teepee of tender chops was revealed, hiding a nest of baby potatoes.

But the dish that will be seared in our memory is the hot chile-oil flounder fillet. Hunks of delicate fish arrived in a bowl of broth studded with red chiles and ribbons of Napa cabbage. Scoop out the flavorful flounder but avoid imbibing the tongue-searing liquid. It’s a marvelous dish, even if there were a few tears shed along the way.

You may be inclined to skip dessert, but push yourself to indulge in the black golden-yolk buns, which come two to an order. The midnight-colored orbs with edible gold leaf are a gorgeous, sweet finish. While the restaurant has maintained a minimalist look, a formal space has been created on the third floor, with Chinese artwork for private events. As for Lydia Chang, she moved to D.C., had a baby, and is now operating Chang Chang in D.C.

The Chang dynasty continues.

NIHAO: 2322 Boston St., Canton, 443-835-2036. HOURS: Mon.-Thur. 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 5-9 p.m. Fri.-Sun. 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. PRICES: Starters: $5-13; Entrees: $16-78. AMBIANCE: Minimalist casual.

Lydia Chang greets me with an offer of tea. She’s seated at table No. 22 in the empty dining room of NiHao, the revolutionary new Chinese restaurant she co-owns in Canton, and even on a cold December morning, her warmth is apparent.

“It’s half pu’er, which is a Chinese black tea,” she says, as she sips from her own cup. “If it’s harvested today, you can drink it, but over time, it can last over 20 years. Something like this could be as valuable as a glass of vintage red wine.”

So, is this one worth big bucks?

“No, this one is pretty new,” she says, as she lets out a surprisingly substantial belly laugh considering her diminutive size. While the 5-foot-3-inch Chang may be small in stature, her reputation in the culinary world has been growing since she opened NiHao in July, in the middle of the pandemic. In November, Esquire placed it fourth on its list of best new restaurants in America. An impressive achievement, for sure, but even in that brief, 104-word write-up, hers was not the first Chang name mentioned. That was her famous father, chef Peter Chang, described as “the elusive Mid-Atlantic legend of Szechuan cuisine.”

His would be rather gargantuan footsteps to follow. Luckily, his only child isn’t trying. She’s a key part of his empire, and at NiHao, she’s leading the charge. Lydia Chang, 33, is a manager, marketer, front-of-the-house designer, menu shaper, and visionary. Basically, she does everything in the restaurant business—except cook. At NiHao, which is a part of her father’s company, her business partner, executive chef Pichet Ong, mans the kitchen.

“I like to say I am an excellent eater,” she says, letting out another of those laughs. “I spend more time eating out, tasting, doing R and D. Cooking is something I know I would never be able to compete with in my family. I withdraw myself from that competition.”

So far, her efforts are paying off. NiHao is wildly popular, and at least one important observer has certainly taken notice. You don’t need to read in between the lines to understand that her father had reservations about his daughter’s vision, if not her abilities.

“I was prepared and ready for the cleanup and aftermaths of a failure,” Peter Chang writes via email, his preferred method of communication. “I thought to myself, there’s only a 30 percent chance it could turn out to be a [sound] business. She could come to me one day begging for help or money. However, I still need to give her a chance to prove herself. I was observing from a distance and patiently waiting for the moment to come. Well, now we know, NiHao is on the journey to become its own thing—very different from what I have done. Of course, I’m pleased and admire her courage. Without much of my involvement, she pulled it off.”

Born in China, Lydia Chang grew up in the city of Wuhan, capital of Hubei province. Despite the fact that both her parents were chefs, it was her grandmother’s cooking that shaped her then admittedly bland palate. Her favorite dish was ground pork—“I liked it very, very dry over rice,” she says.

“Mom and dad were like visitors because they were working so much,” she says. “Dad has a schedule, he goes away to work for 10 days, comes back for one-and-a-half days. He was a chef working for a cruise company along the Yangtze River. Mom worked as a pastry chef sometimes from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m.”

She lived with her grandma until she was 14, when her parents brought her to Washington, D.C., where her father was the chef at the Chinese vice ambassador’s residence. She knew little English (she speaks Mandarin and the dialect of Wuhanese) but was excited for the opportunity to experience a new culture. She assimilated to American life easily, helped by watching Disney movies and the fact that she made friends in her English as a Second Language (ESL) class at Woodrow Wilson High School.

The toughest adjustment was one many 14-year-olds struggle with—living with her parents, whom she wasn’t used to having around all the time. One perk: They cooked her daily meals. Her father’s baked cod with breadcrumbs became a favorite. The butter, soy, and pickled chili flavors in the dish began to awaken her taste buds.

After high school, Chang was on the move again. She attended King’s College in London, where she earned a business degree. She relished the art, history, and food in the city, where Cantonese cooking is a staple. During this time, her father’s fame began to grow. He worked at restaurants throughout the southeastern United States, displaying such a prowess (and a reputation for restlessness) that national publications like The New Yorker ran fawning pieces headlined “Where’s Chang?” and “Chef Peter Chang Disappears Again.”

In 2011, he opened his first eponymous restaurant, in Charlottesville, Virginia. It was an instant hit, and he began having conversations with his daughter overseas about the financial side of the business. Her suggestions centered on marketing and providing customers with a reason to come back.

ESQUIRE PLACED NIHAO FOURTH ON ITS LIST OF BEST NEW RESTAURANTS IN AMERICA.

“He liked to keep me updated with everything that was going on,” she says. “I don’t even know how much of my advice went into the way he’s doing things, but he liked for me to be engaged.”

After graduating from college in 2013, she went back to China to visit her grandmother and work as an intern in the banking industry, which she quickly realized wasn’t for her. So, at the beginning of 2014, she returned to the United States and joined her father’s company as a general manager trainee at his poorly performing restaurant in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

“That was like, ‘You are new, I can’t put you somewhere that is already super busy that’s on the right track, you might create more problems,’” she says. “That was a time when I saw we had so many restaurants in different markets, but we were doing the same dishes. I realized that you could have the same brand with a similar menu with equally tasty food, but every market responds differently to who you are.”

After stabilizing that restaurant, largely by emphasizing customer service, she left to become GM of the new Peter Chang in Arlington. It was a smashing success on a level the family hadn’t previously experienced. Glowing reviews in Washingtonian and The Washington Post led to lines out the door and phones that never stopped ringing. Still, the family didn’t think this was the time to slow down.

In 2017, they opened Q in Bethesda. Her father wanted to name it “Qijian,” a Chinese word for “flagship.” His daughter convinced him otherwise. “I said, ‘I don’t think people can remember that. Why don’t we just take the first letter, Q? It’s very easy to remember.’”

Next came Mama Chang, a restaurant that serves the style of Chinese food Lydia remembers from her childhood. At first, her father was not thrilled by the concept.

“I was not on board with the direction of the menu at the beginning—the homestyle cuisine,” he writes. “She proved me wrong—it was well-received and accepted by diners and food critics alike. It’s quite obvious that she knows what the market wants. She was able to communicate a unified message with the media, diners, and followers to understand what I’m trying to do with Chinese cuisine. Chinese cuisine is diverse and multi-layered in tastes, texture, execution, and flavors—she becomes the voice and the storyteller. We can operate different concepts due to her understanding and knowledge in these markets.”

By then, Lydia had met Ong, who worked for the company and had become a friend. The pair started discussing opening a restaurant in Baltimore, a city of which they had grown fond from frequent visits. “As I started to spend my weekends here, I liked the museums, the parks,” she says. “I feel like this city has so much artistic and cultural attraction. It’s very diverse.”

They bought the former Fork & Wrench building in Canton, but transforming it to fit their vision of a sophisticated, yet comfortable restaurant took much longer than they anticipated. Then the pandemic hit. It was a formula for failure, but Chang never allowed herself or her team to feel defeated.

“I think she represents the new generation of restaurant operator. She’s very open-minded,” Ong says. “A lot of times, you have an emotional response to something, but she doesn’t think like that. She thinks more about what’s best for the business. That makes a difference.”

When COVID-19 began ravaging the restaurant business, Chang knew she had to pivot. She hauled the old Fork & Wrench furniture out of storage and challenged her team to think about how they could refinish it. They painted chairs and tables and created a communal table with advertisements and postcards printed from Google. They were able to project the homey feeling that Chang loves, even though she hasn’t been able to share it with guests very often. When it opened, NiHao was strictly takeout and delivery, even at a time when outdoor and some indoor dining was permitted, primarily out of her concern for the safety of her employees.

“NIHAO IS SOMETHING THAT WAS NEEDED ON THE BALTIMORE FOOD SCENE.”

“NiHao is something that was definitely needed in the Baltimore food scene,” says Steve Chu, owner of Ekiben, which has done pop-ups with NiHao. “They bring something different. The interior of that space is absolutely gorgeous. When people go there and people try the food for themselves, they’ll know.”

Despite the obstacles, NiHao’s food was the talk of the city’s culinary scene from the moment its first Peking duck was sliced. (Some people place their duck order online just after midnight to ensure that they’ll have one for dinner the next night. NiHao has been known to sell out of the birds.)

Chang bristles, albeit smilingly, when asked to pigeonhole the region of Chinese cuisine her restaurant serves. Rather than describe it as Szechuan or Cantonese, she prefers to label it “contemporary” Chinese.

Here you won’t find 10 different kinds of fried rice or every variety of noodle dish known to man.

“We focus a lot on the quality ingredients,” she says. “The flavors have the Chinese flavor as the fundamentals, but it’s our take on how it works with the modern cooking techniques. Generally, Chinese food is cooked on the wok. The heat is super high, and you would add all the flavors as you cook the dishes. However, here we try to do more of a western way of cooking all the sauces.”

Peter Chang says he has had a minimal impact on the menu. He visits the restaurant once a month to conduct cooking demonstrations and taste new menu items. The signature Peking duck recipe is his, but other takes, like the blue-crab steamed buns and Chinese meatballs, made with minced pork, sticky rice, water chestnuts, ginger, and salted egg yolk and served with daikon, are Ong’s and Lydia’s.

The two have eaten their way around Shanghai and Thailand together. Lydia, who’s an American citizen, is truly a citizen of the world, a fact she thinks helps her relate to people from all backgrounds.

“My dad likes to say you grew up in China, you have this Eastern part in you, but you developed most of your adolescence here in the U.S. and you went to school in England. Your value system is essentially formed in the Western culture,” she says. “I like to say I am bridging those gaps. I’m able to respect what the Chinese value or tradition says about respecting the elderly and the strong family values, but at the same time, the Western culture has taught me to be independent, to express how you feel.”

Her father, sometimes reluctant to offer praise, believes she has what it takes to succeed in a business in which he already thrives.

“She found her passion and interests while working on creating different concepts,” he notes. “She has become a restaurateur in her own way. She has the potential to achieve many things.”

Clearly, she’s off to a hell of a start.

CH-CH CHANGES

The Corner Pantry Expands: Since it opened on Valentine’s Day in 2014, many Mt. Washington dwellers have made this breakfast-and-lunch spot a part of their regular routine. Come March, the cafe will offer even more to love by nearly doubling its footprint. The spot will expand into the vacant space next door and add an additional 1,150 square feet. With more room to breathe, husband-and-wife owners Neill and Emily Howell plan to add a second counter for faster service, optional private dining and meeting space, and an expanded kitchen that will allow them to amp up catering. Plus, there will be more opportunities to host events and cooking classes for customers.

“Since we opened nearly six years ago, we have been able to produce some really incredible food out of a 400 square-foot kitchen,” Neill said in a statement. “Our business has evolved based on the feedback and needs from our customers, and we know expanded seating and offerings are what we can add at this point in our journey.” The owners plan to remain open for most of the construction period, which will begin in January.

Cosima Brings Names New Executive Chef: There’s been a slight shift in the kitchen operations at this Southern Italian destination along the Jones Falls in Hampden. Longtime chef de cuisine Jonathan Hicks was recently promoted to executive chef. But, rest assured—Baltimore’s own culinary queen Donna Crivello isn’t going anywhere. She’s stepped into the role of concept director at Cosima, where she will continue the restaurant’s monthly cooking classes, add tutorials for children on the weekends, and oversee private events. “As the granddaughter of Cosima and daughter of a Neapolitan mother, I absolutely love the warmth of Southern Italian hospitality,” Crivello said in a statement. “Those ideals are at the root of the restaurant, and I’m excited to be able to maintain and expand them.”

Bird in Hand Adds Bar Program: Since opening near the Johns Hopkins University campus three years ago, students and neighbors have relied on this collaborative spot—from the teams behind the Ivy Bookshop and Woodberry Kitchen—for a strong latte, espresso, or pastry. Last month, the cafe added to its offerings by launching “Bird Bar,” a collection of wine, beer, and cider to pair with the food menu. In keeping with Bird in Hand’s hyper-local philosophy, the list features Baltimore purveyors including Peabody Heights, Union Craft, and Oliver Brewing Company.

OPEN

Ropewalk Tavern: For nearly six months, Federal Hill revelers have missed the strong drinks and lively piano bar at this neighborhood staple. The McFaul family—who also runs three Ropewalk locations on the Eastern Shore—closed their flagship in July to make some fun upgrades in honor of the bar’s 25th anniversary year. And at the grand reopening party earlier this week, the team unveiled refreshed bars, new arcade games like Skee Ball and basketball shoot-outs, and a bowling alley upstairs. Swing by to play some of the new games, shoot a round of pool, and sip one of Ropewalk’s 150 featured beers.

COMING SOON

Angels Ate Lemons: The weekend before Christmas, Socle—the Old Goucher complex that houses Larder, Sophomore Coffee, and beer garden and natural wine bar Fadensonnen—will welcome yet another attraction. This new weekend concept invites guests to taste some of the worldly wines from Fadensonnen’s storage room in a daytime setting. Named after a line in an Etel Adnan poem, the experience is meant to foster “deep conversation and togetherness,” according to a message posted to Instagram. Angels Ate Lemons marks yet another innovative bar program from Lane Harlan, who also oversees Clavel and W.C. Harlan nearby in Remington.

NiHao Baltimore: We’ve been keeping tabs on this Baltimore expansion from culinary icon Peter Chang, who began his career as a chef at the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C. He has built an empire serving Sichuan specialties at strip-mall restaurants throughout the DMV, as well as at his fine-dining spot Q by Peter Chang in Bethesda. Earlier this year, word spread that the chef and his family planned to take over the former Fork & Wrench space in Canton. Though the restaurant isn’t slated to open until February 2020, the family was given a warm welcome last weekend when they hosted a pop-up at Artifact Coffee—giving diners a sneak peek at what the menu might look like when NiHao Baltimore officially opens.

Tofu skin salad and Sichuan pickled baked rockfish were among the featured dishes from Peter, his wife, pastry chef Lisa Chang, and chef Pichet Ong. (Ong is the James Beard award-nominated chef behind Brothers and Sisters located inside The Line Hotel in D.C., which also houses Artifact sister-spot, A Rake’s Progress.) Stay tuned for more details on NiHao’s highly anticipated grand opening in 2020.

COMING SOON

Peter Chang Restaurant: Get pumped, “Changians.” Though details have yet to be announced, devoted fans of cult icon Peter Chang will be happy to hear that the chef’s family plans to open an Asian restaurant in the space that was previously Fork & Wrench in Canton. A former chef at the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., Chang started his empire by opening strip-mall restaurants in towns throughout Virginia that weren’t particularly known for their Asian cuisine. While Baltimore boasts some stellar global eats, locals have long been waiting for an authentic Chinese food spot to open within city limits. Here’s hoping we’re next on Chang’s list of places to introduce to his Sichuan specialties—which include dry-fried eggplant, crispy pork belly, and Peking duck. 2322 Boston St.

OPEN

Lyfe Cafe: Experts say that late-January is typically the time when New Year’s resolutions start to go off course. But this new Towson eatery is making it easy for diners to prioritize healthy eating. Local nutritionist and personal trainer Penny Seabolt opened Lyfe Cafe inside The Shops at Kenilworth earlier this week, offering everything from protein shakes and wellness shots to vegan fare and meal-prep services. In addition to the lengthy list of breakfast, lunch, and dinner dishes, the daily menu features a “Food for Mood” section with suggestions for specific health concerns. Need a B-12 boost? Try the veggie omelet with egg whites, spinach, and red pepper. For a healthy heart, Seabolt recommends the Summer Salad with grilled chicken, strawberries, and balsamic. The new eatery joins old standbys Atwater’s and Italian Gardens at the shopping destination, which also plans to welcome Felipe’s Mexican Taqueria next year. 800 Kenilworth Drive. Ste. 800, Towson. 410-842-1050

NEWS

The Elephant Building for Sale: Although co-owners Steven and Linda Rivelis and Mallory Staley assure that this fine-dining destination is in it for the long haul, they recently decided to put the historic building that houses the restaurant up for sale. In an open letter sent to diners via email earlier this week, the owners explained their struggles to secure a bank loan to pay back investors who helped fund the multi-million dollar renovation of the Mt. Vernon mansion. “Without even looking at our financials, nine banks told us that they will not make a loan for a restaurant, especially in Baltimore City,” the owners write. “Unfortunately, we have run out of time. After two years, our friends and family who loaned us the gap funds deserve to be paid back.” The iconic North Charles Street property is currently listed at $2.9 million. Although it will soon have a new landlord, The Elephant’s elegant dining rooms, craft cocktails, and worldly cuisine are here to stay. 924 N. Charles St. 443-447-7878

So Long, Esskay Hot Dogs: Don’t be surprised if you can’t find orange-and-black packages of Esskay hot dogs on your next trip to the grocery store. Virginia-based Smithfield Foods recently made the tough decision to discontinue the fan-favorite franks in an effort to reduce expenses and competition with its other products. As a result, Esskay will also soon disappear from Camden Yards. “The Orioles have always offered a variety of hot dogs, including Kosher options, at Camden Yards, and there are many brands that are expressing strong interest in bringing their product to the ballpark,” Orioles spokesman Greg Bader told The Sun this week. Though summertime cookouts will never taste quite the same, we’re confident that the team will soon find a new brand to spark the same kind of hometown pride. Perhaps the only good news to come of the Esskay loss is that officials say it will not have any effect on the famous Hot Dog Races at Camden Yards.

Baltimore Spirits Company Releases Limited Liquor Line: In the very first collaboration between Baltimore Spirits Company and its Union Collective neighbors Union Craft Brewing, the distillery has created a malty, chocolatey liqueur using fermented wort (extracted liquid) from the brewery’s seasonal Snow Pants Stout. Singularity #1 is the inaugural release in Baltimore Spirits Company’s new “E.B. Smith’s Singularities” line, which is named after co-founder Eli Breitburg-Smith. The liqueur will be available in the tasting room starting this weekend. Other Singularity releases, including a pear brandy, are expected to debut in the coming months. 1700 W. 41st St. Ste. 430. 443-687-9099

EPICUREAN EVENTS

1/25-26: Masarap Filipino Pop-Up at Fadensonnen
If you still haven’t gotten a chance to stop by Fadensonnen—the Old Goucher beer garden from husband-and-wife owners Lane Harlan and Matthew Pierce—this weekend is an ideal opportunity. Not only will the spot offer its local beers, wild ciders, and natural wines, but it will also host chef Rey Eugenio in the food truck out front. Authentic Filipino dishes on deck include a braised pork noodle bowl with fried garlic chips, grilled veggie skewers with Jasmine rice and kimchi cabbage, and a beef-and-potato bowl topped with fermented chili paste ketchup. 3 W. 23rd St. 5-9 p.m.

1/25-26: Harry Potter Pop-Up at Order & Chaos
Key Highway coffee spot Order & Chaos is collaborating with Hampden’s Full Circle Artisan Palace to host a Hogwarts-themed pop-up party this weekend. Fans can enjoy butterbeer lattes while sampling a selection of magical sweets crafted by Full Circle. Among them include doughnuts like the chocolate-glazed “Deathly Hallows,” espresso-sugar covered “Floo Powder,” and cinnamon dusted “Potter Spice.” 1410 Key Highway. 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

1/29: Johntay Bedingfield on Chopped
Head to La Food Marketa in Pikesville to watch the restaurant’s own chef Johntay Bedingfield compete on an episode of Food Network’s Chopped. The kitchen will be closing at 8:30 p.m., at which point diners and staff will gather at the bar for drinks and light snacks while cheering on the chef during the episode. 2620 Quarry Lake Drive, Pikesville. 8-10 p.m. 410-415-0606

SHUT

Cafe Andamiro: MICA students were saddened to hear that this cozy Midtown-Belvedere cafe will be shutting its doors for good this weekend. “We appreciate your business and support,” mother-and-daughter owners Ran Yun and Bomin Jeon posted to Facebook earlier this week. “Being able to share food, drinks, and moments with you was special to us.” Since opening in 2016, Cafe Andamiro—meaning “overflow in abundance” in Korean—has been known for its espressos and pastries, as well as Seoul-inspired specialties including noodle bowls, seasonal salads, avocado toasts, and pressed paninis. 241 W. Chase St. 443-453-9314