This is the perfect moment to shake off winter and get back out with friends and family. With its convenient location, Baltimore County is an ideal destination for travelers from afar or those who want to explore something new in their own town.

Life sure has had its ups and downs in recent years, but one thing has stayed the same: Baltimore County is a lively home to a wide array of activities to suit any interest. Our parks, restaurants, shops, recreational areas, and golf courses are open for everyone to safely enjoy.

In the following pages we provide you with information that is sure to inspire your next outing. Cuisine connoisseurs will appreciate a taste of all that we have to offer, from farm-fresh produce to world-class restaurants and wine from locally grown grapes.

We offer charming main streets for strolling, the perfect way to shop small. For families looking to reconnect, Baltimore County has outdoor adventure, arts, athletic, and recreational activities that will surely entice even the most reluctant in the family to put down that device and enjoy some fresh air.

It’s time to get back to play again. Whether you’re ready to pick up the game of golf, want to return to open air concerts, or are looking for a way to amp up your fitness practice (paddle pilates, anyone?), let Baltimore County welcome you with all we have to offer.

The construction of the Milton Inn dates to the mid-18th century and it began its life as a coach stop for local Quakers. It is still a haven of hospitality in Baltimore County, only now it welcomes diners with discerning palates from all around the region.

“OUR LONG-TIME CLIENTS AND OUR NEW NEIGHBORS HAVE BEEN SO ENTHUSIASTIC. ALSO IT’S NOT HALF BAD FOR A CITY BOY LIKE ME TO GET TO ENJOY THE BEAUTIFUL COUNTRYSIDE OF NORTHERN BALTIMORE COUNTY EVERYDAY. ” — TONY FOREMAN

The announcement that the Foreman-Wolf Group were going to reopen The Milton Inn— its first restaurant in the county—created a shockwave of culinary joy.

Foreman-Wolf refreshed the historic building’s interiors and kitchen, opening the restaurant in 2021 under the guidance of chef and coowner, Chris Scanga. Today, The Milton Inn offers cuisine focused on the Southwest of France showcasing fresh, seasonal ingredients from over two dozen of the mid-Atlantic’s finest farms and purveyors.

Looking to taste more of what Baltimore County offers? Try these delectable destinations:

THE TILLERY, OWINGS MILLS
Dine in on classic American fare and craft beverages or enjoy sitting outside, perhaps around the firepit.
thetilleryowingsmills.com

PERENNIAL, TOWSON
Enjoy Chef Jay Rohlfing’s innovative, seasonally-inspired menu and a “robust cocktail program,” right in the heart of Towson.
perennialtowson.com

LA FOOD MARKETA, PIKESVILLE
Chefs Chad Gauss and Johntay Bedingfield bring the same quality of its sister restaurant in the city, The Food Market, to Quarry Lake.
lafoodmarketa.com

SUNSET COVE, MIDDLE RIVER
This beach bar and restaurant with its perfect waterfront view is the place to enjoy long, warm summer days and evenings.
sunsetcovemd.com

THE HUB, CATONSVILLE
This food hall features cuisine from multiple vendors so you can sample everything from Korean street food to all things hot pot goodness. There’s even a Montessori-inspired kids play area.
thehubfoodcourt.com

BOORDY VINEYARDS, HYDES
Enjoy everything from a tour of the vineyard to food truck cuisine and farmers’ markets, all with a sip of wine from one of the county’s oldest vintners.
boordy.com

Catonsville became Baltimore County’s first state-recognized Arts and Entertainment District in 2020. The award was given by the Maryland State Arts Council, and it is easy to see why. Catonsville is home to a host of live music venues and shops—and places like Bill’s Music House and Appalachian Bluegrass Shoppe that are both shops and live music destinations. Perhaps it’s no surprise the Maryland General Assembly dubbed it, “Music City, Maryland.”

But there’s more to Catonsville than just great music, and many of its charms are best explored on foot with a leisurely stroll down Frederick Avenue. Here you will find enticing places to shop small, such as locally owned antique shops, boutiques, and artisan food markets. And whether you need a restorative jolt of caffeine or a delicious meal to recharge during your saunter, Catonsville features coffee shops and restaurants to suit all tastes.

With Catonsville leading the way, Baltimore County is sure to continue its growth as a recognized center of arts and entertainment.

Looking for more places to stroll and shop local? Be sure to visit the county’s retail hubs:

TOWSON: The county seat features small shops, boutiques, and great restaurants.

HUNT VALLEY: While the energetic town center is Hunt Valley’s heart, don’t miss the small shops, garden centers, and markets along York Road.

REISTERSTOWN: From one end of Main Street to another you can pick up kids clothes at The Elephant’s Trunk, enjoy a coffee at Reister’s Daughter, and get ice cream, salon styling, and more in between

Do you have an aspiring golfer in your household or do you want to share your love of the game with a young person? The Fox Hollow Training Center (FHTC) in Timonium is the perfect place to start—or to get a seasonal refresher.

Golf is a sport a child can learn now and play for a lifetime. Since it’s noncontact, it’s a great way to exercise with less likelihood of injury.

At FHTC, children learn the game from trained professionals and are introduced to important life skills like integrity, sportmanship, and self-control.

The facilities at FHTC are top notch, including 60 hitting stations, three lighted putting greens, and practice bunkers. FHTC is routinely ranked nationally as a Top 50 Driving Range
by the Golf Range Association of America.

Now is the time to get in the swing of things, with special offers like professional instruction at reduced rates for juniors and reduced and/or complimentary access to any of Baltimore County Golf’s five courses for golfers 17 and under. Or take advantage of one of FHTC’s summer camps.

baltimoregolfing.com

Baltimore County has countless places to get out and connect with friends and family.
Here are just a few:

CROMWELL VALLEY PARK, PARKVILLE
Just minutes from Towson, this park encompasses 460 acres of stream valley and upland habitat, a combination that makes it perfect for birding. The nature center offers many programs or simply enjoy its hiking trails.
cromwellvalleypark.org

MARSHY POINT NATURE CENTER, CHASE
Sitting within a 3,000-acre nature preserve on the Upper Chesapeake, Marshy Point offers innnovative programs and exhibits for visitors, hiking trails, and Baltimore County’s first water trail for kayaking or canoeing!
marshypoint.org

BENGIES DRIVE-IN THEATRE, MIDDLE RIVER
Recapture a bygone era at Maryland’s only remaining drive-in theatre. Featuring the “biggest movie theatre screen in the USA,” Bengies is a great spot to enjoy the latest blockbuster.
bengies.com

PRIGEL FAMILY CREAMERY, GLEN ARM
At the scenic Prigel Creamery enjoy a scoop of chocolate peanut butter, caramel pretzel, or even a choose-your-own ice cream sandwich, while the farm’s dairy cows graze happily in their pastures. P.S.: They serve way more than ice cream!
prigelfamilycreamery.com

HAMPTON NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE, TOWSON
In 1790, Hampton was perhaps the largest home in America. Today, the architecturally significant home and surrounding site offer a chance to explore and gain a deeper understanding of the complex history of our nation.
nps.gov/hamp

There’s no better way to spend a hot, humid summer day than lazing down the Gunpowder River in a tube. The always cool and shaded river winds its way by pastures and woodlands, meandering parallel to the NCR hike and bike trail. Tubing is the antidote for harried lives.

The Monkton Bike shop, housed in the historic Monkton village, offers tubes for rent for kids and adults. It has also marked two tubing routes accessible by foot. Simply walk north on the NCR trail and look for the blue tree markers to find the path where you put in at the river. When you coast under the Monkton Road bridge you’ve reached the end of your float.

The Gunpowder is generally tranquil and often shallow enough to walk and splash in, making it a perfect outing even with young kids.

Looking for more outdoor adventures?
Here are a few destinations to add to your summer bucket list:

LOCH RAVEN RESERVOIR
The protected woodlands around the reservoir feature 60 miles of hiking trails while its calm waters are perfect for kayaking.
baltimorecountymd.gov/departments/environment/watersheds/lrmain.html

NCR (TORREY C. BROWN) TRAIL
Whether you’re a runner, walker, or biker, the nearly 20 miles of trail following the meandering path of the former Northern Central Railway (NCR) offers optimal conditions. Just look out for tubers sharing the path on hot summer days!
dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/pages/central/tcb.aspx

B’MORE SUP
Interested in paddle pilates? Or a board excursion with your pup? Whether you simply want to try staying upright in a begininers paddle board class or you’re ready for yogaflo on your board, the three locations of B’More SUP are here to help.
baltimoresup.com

ROCKY POINT GOLF COURSE
Go for par—which is 72, by the way—on this exceptional course set in meandering natural wetlands, the only waterfront course on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay.
baltimoregolfing.com/course/rocky-point

PATAPSCO VALLEY STATE PARK
There are 200 miles of hiking trails inside the park’s more than 16,000 acres. See for yourself why the park is nationally recognized for its trail system and scenic beauty.
dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/pages/central/patapsco.aspx

Chelsea Gregoire is giving a Zoom tour of their apartment in Hampden’s Whitehall Mill, where the vast collection of books they share with their artist wife, Shandi Chester, is organized by the color of the books’ spines. The blue books alone show the range of the collection.

“We have The Basics of Biblical Greek,” says the 30-year-old, who uses “they/them” pronouns and identifies as queer. “We have What If?, which are critical-thinking exercises for philosophy. We have Setting the Table by Danny Meyer. We have a book about Madeira, Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis (“I read this four-chapter beauty every time I go through something difficult.”), and The Sick Rose, which is a book about medical illustrations.”

If one’s bookshelf can be considered an autobiography of sorts, Gregoire’s volumes speak volumes. In this case, Gregoire’s varied book collection serves as a sort of metaphor for the acclaimed beverage director’s mission of inclusiveness, diversity, and making everyone feel at home, including their coworkers, such as NiHao bar manager Ashley McMichael, who previously worked with Gregoire at True Chesapeake Oyster Co.

“They have taught me so much,” says McMichael. “I’m a recovering alcoholic. And when I first got sober, I was like, ‘How can I be sober and then run a bar program and mix drinks for people?’ And Chelsea was like, ‘You can totally do that. If that’s what makes you happy.’ And they encouraged me to come up with ideas for mocktails. I’ve never had a mentor who was so passionate about everything they do, especially when it comes to teaching others. Chelsea always makes sure that everyone feels included—they’re everything you want in a coworker, a boss, a friend. And I give Chelsea such accolades for being the person they are in a world that told them ‘no’ a lot.”

Dave Thomas, the former chef-owner of Ida B’s Table, who worked with Gregoire when they were a bar manager at his restaurant, puts it like this: “They say what’s on their mind and care about how things affect other people. They fostered this idea of the bar collective and emboldened the staff to create cocktail menus, instead of taking the credit.” Gregoire, says Thomas, has the rare ability to give careful consideration to every last detail in a way that goes way beyond the bar.

“We were an African-American-owned and operated business that didn’t carry Hennessy behind the bar, which was a big problem,” says Thomas. “We didn’t know a lot about Hennessy back then, except for the fact that it was a staple in Black bars. But we also wanted to make sure that whatever brands we carried didn’t exploit the culture. Chelsea took on researching the brand and was also always explaining to customers why we weren’t going to carry it until we knew more.”

Even beyond Baltimore, for Gregoire, an industry veteran despite their relative youth, the hosannas keep coming. Gregoire has won numerous national awards in the beverage industry for their mission toward creating more inclusive and equitable restaurant spaces and better working conditions for people in the service industry, from talking about affordable health care and a livable wage to raising awareness surrounding fair hiring practices, product selection, and company partnerships.

In 2018, as the bar manager at Hotel Revival, they were named an Eater Young Gun. And in 2019, while still working at True Chesapeake Oyster Co., Gregoire was named Beverage Director of the Year by Esquire magazine, which mentioned their “radical, generous-spirited approach to inclusiveness” and called them a “game changer” for the industry.

“I wake up to an email that says, ‘Congratulations, you’re America’s Beverage Director of the Year,’” recounts Gregoire. “I couldn’t have imagined it in my wildest dreams, but I don’t want the awards to elevate me. I want them to elevate the idea that things could be better.”

Most recently, Gregoire published a holiday cocktail for Bon Appétit, a publication whose editor-in-chief resigned over accusations of racial bias and discriminatory culture. Before agreeing to be featured in the special issue, edited by famed Ethiopian Swedish chef Marcus Samuelsson, Gregoire proceeded with characteristic caution and care.

“BA’s recent reckoning has not gone unnoticed,” says Gregoire. “I knew they were trying to diversify the voices and treat those voices equally, but I wanted to make sure that they weren’t just asking a bunch of white people to make holiday cocktails. If someone doesn’t hold these organizations accountable, then the change we are asking for fails.”

Even Gregoire’s manner of dress—sartorial men’s custom suits and an array of playful printed ties and bowties—is their way of making a statement that all people, regardless of race, gender, or creed, should have a place at the proverbial table.

“The way I dress is one of my main forms of expression in a business that’s a lot about assimilation, to its detriment,” says Gregoire. “There’s an abundance of uniforms, so being able to have that self-expression is important. I see it as a suit of armor that allows me to navigate a space that I wouldn’t normally be able to.”

FOR GREGOIRE, AN INDUSTRY VETERAN DESPITE THEIR RELATIVE YOUTH, THE HOSANNAS KEEP COMING.

First and foremost, Gregoire considers themselves a bartender, but with their wide smile, big blue-green eyes, and, yes, spirited personality, crafting a cocktail is about more than just adding an ounce or two of alcohol, a splash of liqueur, or a garnish to a glass. The secret to the sauce—or, in this case, the drink—is that every cocktail (and cocktail program) is a chance to share a story.

“I think of people who make drinks and food as artists,” says Gregoire, who created a list of cocktails at Ida B’s Table inspired by songs from Black artists such as Chuck Berry’s “Promised Land” and The Supremes’ “I Hear A Symphony.”

Gregoire once considered a career with the ministry, but has instead used bars and restaurants as their pulpit. In their nearly eight years since graduating with degrees in religion and theology from Liberty University, they have worked in all aspects of the industry.

Gregoire’s first beverage job was in 2009 at Teavana in Annapolis, followed by a barista job at Firehouse Coffee Company on O’Donnell Square in Canton, and then years of working as a barista at various Starbucks outlets in Virginia. “I loved the satisfaction of seeing a smile on someone’s face in a conversation about their day,” they say. “And I know what their usual drink is.”

In fact, most of what Gregoire has learned about the world of cocktails came from their interest in java. “The world of coffee can go on forever and ever,” they say, “but it’s a foray into understanding terroir and into the understanding of the manipulation of production and the effect it has on an agricultural product. Once you get a taste of that and how these different methods develop different flavors, you can’t get enough. For someone like me who loves devouring information, I couldn’t stop.”

Since those days, Gregoire has worked all over Charm City, from bartending at the former Pen & Quill in Station North to managing the bar at Dooby’s in Mt. Vernon, as well as a management position with Jay’s Restaurant Group.

At the height of the pandemic, in June of last year, they decided to leave their gig as general manager and beverage director at True Chesapeake Oyster Co. to devote their efforts full-time to their consulting firm, the wryly named Drinkable Genius, in which they plan events, teach classes, help create cocktail menus, and “dabble” in all aspects of the beverage arena.

In addition to teaching mixology virtually for now, at local and national events and conferences such as Tales of the Cocktail, Portland Cocktail Week, Bar Convent Berlin (Germany), and Baltimore Cocktail Week, Gregoire is a restaurant consultant for local restaurants such as Crust by Mack. And during the pandemic, as restaurants continue to struggle for survival, there has been no shortage of need.

“The paycheck isn’t the most important part,” they say. “I’m trying to meet people where they’re at. I can help people for an hour and still make an impact—I just want to see as many small businesses as I can make it to the other side of this.”

For Gregoire, who was born in Baltimore and raised in Annapolis, the road to the world of hospitality has been an unlikely one, though connecting with community has always been a leitmotif in their life. “As a kid, I was super outgoing,” they say. “I grew up dancing and doing musical theater like Carousel and Footloose, but I didn’t want to be the lead, it was more fun for me to be a part of the community than to be a star of the show.”

Gregoire’s mom, Lisa, recalls that Chelsea, who played upward of six instruments, including guitar, electric bass, piano, the mandolin, and sold five full-length albums on iTunes before they were 15, was precociously bright.

“I remember going down to Raleigh, North Carolina, and my great-grandfather was reading the newspaper, and Chelsea was 3 years old and climbed on his lap and said, ‘Can I read the paper?’ He was like, ‘Is this kid for real?’ And Chelsea started reading the newspaper to him.”

Growing up, Gregoire briefly considered the idea of becoming a marine biologist (“Once you watch Free Willy, you’re like, ‘Give me the whales,’” they crack), considered a career as a musician, and finally set their sights on working in the church. “I wanted to figure out ways that I could help people,” they say. “Music was a bridge. I was playing music at church, and I was like, ‘I’m really passionate about this ministry thing, in addition to music.’”

Along the way to adulthood, their sunny personality landed them a job selling cards and gift-wrapping at a Hallmark store in Annapolis in 2007. “I’ve always been sentimental, but working at Hallmark took it from 25 percent sentimental to 150 percent,” they say. “Anyone who has ever worked for me has gotten a card or a note or a handwritten message or text telling them how much I love them. I’m just a giant sap—Hallmark drove that home.”

While still a senior in high school, they had a brief stint as a receptionist at a Lexus dealer in Annapolis. (“Oh, the irony,” says Gregoire. “I don’t even have a driver’s license.”)

By 2008, Gregoire was a student at York College living the life of a freshman. “I partied a little too hard,” they say. “I’ve always been extremely self-aware, and I came home for winter break and was like, ‘I can’t go back. I just can’t.’” They decided, instead, to transfer to the faith-based Liberty University. “My mother was skeptical but supportive,” says Gregoire. “I just needed to put walls around myself, so I could focus on the task at hand, which was to study.’”

When Gregoire first arrived on campus, following the rules and regulations of the Christian college—with its dry campus and insistence on abstinence—wasn’t an issue. But over time, Gregoire started to question Liberty’s ideology. “There was something called The Liberty Way, with fines and disciplinary homework for the normal college stuff that kids do—I smoked a cigarette and there was such a layer of guilt put on me that I had to admit my wrongdoing and then had disciplinary homework,” they say, now laughing at the memory.

Gregoire had other experiences that led them to question the code of conduct, too. After graduating with a master’s in theology in 2013, Gregoire was set to teach an online freshman class at the university. At the same time, they had come out as queer and went public with a post on Facebook.

“I posted that I was in a relationship with Shandi,” they say. “And then I received a message from Becki Falwell [the wife of then university chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr.] that said, ‘I saw your status about Liberty. Is there something that I can do?’ And I was like, ‘If you need to ask….’”

“HOSPITALITY IS THE BUSINESS OF CARING FOR SOULS,” SAYS CHELSEA GREGOIRE.

Shortly after, Gregoire says they were locked out of the university’s email, effectively blocking them from the school’s online community and classrooms. (We reached out to Liberty University for a comment, but at press time, had not heard back.)

Looking back now, as they sit near the rushing waters of the Jones Falls, just outside Whitehall Mill, the recent report that Becki was allegedly having an open extra-marital affair (which led to her husband’s ouster) clearly calls up old wounds.

“I’m livid,” they say. “These disclosures have been completely emotionally exhausting. I still have $23,000 in student loans. What she did is not inherently wrong—you can have an open relationship and extramarital affairs, if that’s something that you agree to—but what I can’t stand for is the absolute hypocrisy.”

Though their college years are now a thing of the past, Liberty left a lasting impression. “Going there changed almost everything about me,” says Gregoire. “I firmly believe that you can believe in God and still enjoy a glass of wine. The two are not mutually exclusive, but at Liberty, it is. That realization really gave me pause.”

Despite those realizations—or maybe because of them—Gregoire, who has a cross tattoo tucked behind their right ear, still considers themselves spiritual. In fact, they often draw on their abiding faith. “Hospitality is the business of caring for souls,” they say. “It’s a very religious idea that we can only pour out as much as we are being filled up—that’s the whole basis of religious community. We only have so much we can give without being refilled ourselves.”

And that’s a particularly helpful insight during the inevitable challenges that arise from working in the service industry.

“Hospitality has taught me that there’s always a backstory when a customer is cranky or someone on the staff is having a tough time,” says Gregoire. “There’s always something going on in people’s lives, something that’s causing them to act this way, and that’s one of the hardest parts of hospitality. If often ties back to the thing I take to heart from my experiences with religion and Christianity—it’s about the extension of grace.”

ON WEEKEND MORNINGS beginning in August, mysterious long lines began to stretch around Canton Square. Those at the front entered a store with no sign above it. When they left, whether they were carrying chocolate babka, a Tamago Sando (a Japanese egg sandwich), or a simple cup of coffee, they seemed blissfully unbothered by the wait.

When Café Dear Leon opened, co-owner Min Kim had no idea what to expect. He and two partners had been discussing the concept since September 2019, and they took over the building in February. Then…well, you know what happened next.

“Initially, we were going to open sometime in May,” Kim says. “We figured since things were not going to be opening at the regular time, we were going to do some of the work on the building ourselves, which saved us money.

Of all the business sectors impacted by the COVID crisis, the food-service industry has been among the hardest hit. Between March and June, The National Restaurant Association—which represents nearly 500,000 food service establishments—forecasts a loss of $145 billion in revenue, and more than eight million restaurant employees laid off or furloughed at the height of the shutdown. As the National Restaurant Association’s executive vice president of public affairs, Sean Kennedy has his finger on the pulse of the culinary landscape across America. We caught up with Kennedy from his home in Washington, D.C., to share his thoughts on the state of the industry.

How were restaurants doing before COVID?
As we moved into the first quarter of 2020, the signs were encouraging. Spending was up. We thought this would be one of our better years for the industry and that we were fully out of any signs of economic recession. People were not talking about expanding their businesses, but they began the spring of 2020 with optimism that this would be a good starting point for further growth looking into 2021.

And then what happened in mid-March?
On March 14, which was a Saturday, Hoboken, New Jersey, was the first city to shut down dining operations effective at midnight. Suddenly, you have an industry that was literally preparing for St. Patrick’s Day and Mother’s Day that found itself shut down on a nationwide basis.

How many restaurants are projected to shut down permanently?
That’s a really tough question. You have to make assumptions about how long the pandemic will last and what the reopening timeline will be. What everyone is discovering are the lingering effects of the pandemic, particularly in hotspot states in the Sun Belt. That’s led many states to roll those requirements back. Over past two weeks nationwide, the state and local governments have reclosed 100,000 restaurants [which just happened this week in Baltimore City.] Restaurants are not designed with an on-off switch. Restaurants are designed to be in use seven days a week, roughly 14 to 16 hours a day. It’s a very thin profit margin of four-to-six percent and that assumes a full house, particularly a full house in the high season, which is what we’ve been in since March 16. The health consequences of the pandemic have been awful, so I don’t want to appear dull to that, but the timing of this was particularly challenging for restaurants because it is this period when we can afford to save enough money, so that we can afford to stay open with the full contingent of staff in the leaner months when it’s cold outside.

“Restaurants are not designed with an on-off switch. Restaurants are designed to be in use seven days a week, roughly 14 to 16 hours a day.” —Sean Kennedy

Pivot has become the word of the year. How have restaurants pivoted?
What has been really remarkable about this industry is how quickly so many small businesses redefined themselves and their business models literally over a 10-day period. Restaurants that swore they would never do takeout and delivery went back to basics and said, ‘How do we make something that is going to be delicious and enjoyable, and so distinctly identifiable to this restaurant, but can travel through a third-party delivery or can be picked up at a counter?’ It required a lot of innovation. Another thing is cocktails to-go. That doesn’t sound like a big one, but the margins on cocktails to-go are such that for some restaurants that’s almost 20 percent of their monthly revenue. One of the new things this has brought to light is that when people order a takeout Mexican meal, they want to get their favorite margarita prepared by the restaurant.

Are there any other examples of pivots that you’ve seen?
A lot of restaurants are making their menus simpler. They have fewer dishes with fewer total ingredients that the kitchen needs to have. This helps lower costs and increase efficiencies in the back of the house.

What are some of the bigger struggles right now?
Probably the biggest fear we have right now is these restaurants that are being closed down again. It is so capital-intensive to open up a restaurant. At least a third of your costs are perishable goods. If you get it wrong on how many people will walk through your doors or the state shuts you down again, that’s a lot of inventory that literally has to be given to employees for their families or food banks. With four-to-six percent profit margins, you can’t be wrong too many times.

Can you talk about hygiene and safety in restaurants in the age of COVID and its impact on the bottom line?
The restaurant industry has really been at the forefront of hygiene, cleanliness, and safety. We are highly regulated as an industry for food-borne illnesses already. Restaurants pivot quickly on how to deal with airborne viruses like coronavirus, so we have the protocols in place, but the challenge becomes what you do if you are operating at a capacity with restrictions. Your fixed costs like rent remain the same, but now you’re spending more money for things like training and PPE. What do you do with prices? Do you increase prices, or put in a COVID surcharge? Do you reduce the number of people working in restaurants? It has been a challenge for so many restaurant owners.

“If you get it wrong on how many people will walk through your doors or the state shuts you down again, that’s a lot of inventory that literally has to be given to employees for their families or food banks. With four-to-six percent profit margins, you can’t be wrong too many times.”

Is there one type of restaurant that will fare better than another?
If you’re not in a takeout and delivery space, you’re not going to exist. Most high-end restaurants might be able to afford to weather the storm a little longer because they are destinations in and of themselves, but with most restaurants what we are seeing much more of is that they are more attuned to third-party delivery or doing takeout. We know it’s sticking with millennials—we are waiting to see what consumers who are older than millennials are going to do when we are in a post-pandemic world. Will they return to the dine-in experience in the same numbers? There’s a lot of uncertainty right now because even in some communities with the 50 percent capacity, they’re still not seeing full houses. We don’t have the confidence level from consumers that our country needs to have right now.

Are there any other trends you’re seeing in the industry right now?
The other trend we will see is smaller footprints from a real-estate perspective. Smaller might be better. You’re going to have to find a way to social-distance if you have an enormous physical space but can’t put many tables in there. You need to use kitchen space and dining space more efficiently to maximize the revenue that comes out of that. Also, we’re all looking to see what the rise of the ghost kitchen will be. Is there going to be more of an effort to do virtual restaurants that just do takeout? So, it’s the same quality of food, the same kind of a meal, but it’s designed to be consumed at home and made in a kitchen that’s more economically feasible. It’s a trend you’re going to see seeing more of nationally.

The average restaurant has only 16 days of cash on hand—that’s one of the lowest for small businesses of any industry. The biggest misconception that we get with policymakers is that they go into a restaurant, see a full house, and they say, ‘These guys must be raking it in.’ But what they don’t appreciate is that just to eke out a five- percent profit margin, a restaurant needs to be a full house almost every night of the year. If you do that, you can keep your doors open. This could not be coming at a worse point for us now.

“When you talk to people about what they miss the most, it’s always about not being able to go out to a restaurant.”

Despite the hurdles, why are we continuing to dine out?
This has really demonstrated the importance of restaurants during the times of crisis. Usually, if there is a hurricane or a fire that takes down a community, the first thing to reopen is a restaurant and that restaurant immediately goes into support mode. They are either supporting first responders or they are supporting families who are still without power or don’t have the wherewithal to make a meal. This is coming at a time when our entire industry was shut down simultaneously. When you talk to people about what they miss the most, it’s always about not being able to go out to a restaurant. This is anecdotal, but always in the top three. People have their favorite place. It gives them a feeling of not only comfort, but that everything is going to be okay. They can still get their favorite dish.

Who will be hardest hit?
The folks that are really going to suffer the most are the smallest restaurants. If you are a small independent or a small franchise owner, you have so much less coverage right now. You have less access to less capital. You are a lot more vulnerable. And for the restauranteurs and the chefs, that’s their proving ground. It can’t be only larger restaurant groups or larger chains or independents that are sustainable. We need to make sure that all segments of the industry are somehow able to find a way to survive. It’s such a delicate ecosystem and we want to do everything we can to preserve it.

We all know Baltimore Restaurant Week as a summer treat for industry professionals and residents alike. But this year, with the coronavirus causing temporary shutdowns of all non-essential businesses in the spring, most of the city’s restaurants are in a precarious position. While trying to adjust to new business models, they are also working to keep their employees and customers safe and, ultimately, keep their doors open.

“When the shutdown hit in March, we had a lot of questions about whether we could move forward with the promotion,” says Michael Evitts, Senior Vice President of Communications & Brand Strategy at Downtown Partnership, which co-organizes the event with Visit Baltimore.

Yet another curveball came this week when Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young made the decision to close all restaurants for indoor dining for two weeks effective Friday, July 24—the day that Restaurant Week was slated to begin—due to a spike in COVID-19 cases in the city.

Although the 10-day promotion, running through August 2, will undoubtedly look a bit different this year, more than 60 spots are on board to offer dining discounts for carryout, delivery, and outdoor service.

Keeping the event going meant long conversations with chefs and restaurant owners about what Restaurant Week would look like. Every spot faces their own set of unique challenges, ranging from low staff to limited sidewalk space for outside dining. (Luckily, the implementation of parklets—converted parking spaces-turned-al fresco dining areas—have helped to facilitate outside seating for many restaurants that may not have originally had the space.)

Taking feedback from these conversations, organizers decided that this year, restaurants can create their own specials as opposed to requiring the typical $35 three-course meal. By loosening the guidelines for participating spots—and reducing registration costs from $175 to $25—this summer’s event will include many eateries that don’t typically partake, embrace participation from coffee shops and fast-casual eateries, and place an emphasis on supporting Black-owned businesses.

“People are understanding now that when you support Black entrepreneurship, you’re helping to keep Black workers employed,” says Keyia Yalcin, owner of Fishnet inside Mount Vernon Marketplace. “So it’s really part of feeding an ecosystem and being thoughtful and intentional with your dollar.”

With so much to offer, it may be hard to choose. So, here’s a taste of some local favorites, Black-owned restaurants, internationally inspired cuisine, and coffee shops included in this year’s Restaurant Week lineup.

Charleston
For fine dining, guests can visit Charleston in Harbor East, where award-winning chef Cindy Wolf works her magic on cuisine inspired by a blend of regional and international techniques. For its very special Restaurant Week debut, Charleston will offer guests a five-course dinner served with crab soup, local heirloom tomato salad, pan-roasted sea scallops, grilled wild rockfish, and raspberry choux au craquelin for dessert. $75

Southeastern Roastery Coffee Lab
Those in the mood for a pick-me-up can find daily deals at Southeastern Roastery on Fort Avenue. The four-year-old spot with roots in Virginia and Washington, D.C. is a café dedicated to mindfulness and community outreach. Customers can enjoy curbside pickup and carryout options from a calendar of unique specials every day of the week, including the debut of new coffee and tea spritzers, bagel options, and recipe demos on Instagram live.

Orto
This Italian spot in Station North has some stellar carryout offerings. During Restaurant Week, the team is throwing in a free bottle of wine with purchases of $70 or more. Enjoy a special three-course prix-fixe menu that features options such as chilled corn soup, chicken leg confit with lemon herb couscous, and a brioche doughnut filled with passionfruit curd.

Miss Carter’s Kitchen
Known for its delicious soul food and fresh seafood, Miss Carter’s Kitchen is offering a range of meal options including homemade alfredo, crab cakes, and baked mac and cheese. With locations on both Liberty Street and Edmondson Avenue, there’s more than one place for customers to indulge with carryout or by requesting a delivery.

Wight Tea Company
Whether you’re looking to start your day with a warm cup of tea or seeking some light refreshments later in the afternoon, this favorite inside Hampden’s new Whitehall Market has many options for tea-enthusiasts. The sibling-run shop sells handcrafted blends in flavors such as Sage Rose White Tea, Blueberry Basil Rooibos, and Fireside Fig. (Another can’t-miss is the color-changing Butterfly Glitter Lemonade.) Walk in or call ahead to inquire about Restaurant Week deals.

Fishnet
While its Mt. Vernon location has only been around for a year, this seafood spot has been running locations in Maryland for nearly nine years. Since the pandemic, Fishnet has had to shift to delivery and carryout only, but owner Keyia Yalcin says she is finally getting the hang of it. This week’s promotions will be offered on their website. Guests who spend $15 or more can apply the promo code #fishnet to their order for $5 off. $15+

La Calle Restaurant
Craving Mexican-inspired cuisine? This downtown destination fuses Mexican traditions with modern flavors. Guests may choose to reserve an outdoor table or carry out to enjoy a customizable three-course lunch that features dishes like pozole de pollo, empanadas de hongos, carne asada, and dessert. The promotion also includes a three-course dinner option that comes with a complementary margarita. $20-$35

Jazz+Soju
For dishes such as Korean fried chicken and bulgogi, look no further than this restaurant in Locust Point. Specials include a two-course lunch that allows customers to pair appetizers like sake butter shrooms or Brussels sprouts with yuzu meatballs, wings and fries, or fire beef. For those seeking dinner options, Jazz + Soju will offer a combination of an appetizer, two courses, and dessert. $15-$35

Rusty Scupper
This Inner Harbor classic offers meals from brunch to dinner. Guests can enjoy the waterfront views with weekday deals like the three-course supper, which comes with a choice of a salad or crab soup appetizer, an entrée, and dessert. $35

Matt Hornbeck, the principal of Hampstead Hill Academy, a pre-K to 8th grade public school next to Patterson Park, found out Maryland schools were closing at the same time everyone else did—after Gov. Larry Hogan’s afternoon press conference on Thursday, March 12. It meant he and his staff had less than 24 hours to prepare 859 students for a transition to online “school,” which would last for the remainder of the academic year due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Hornbeck’s staff got as many learning packets to the kids as they could. They spent the next few weeks safely distributing Chromebooks. Teachers began posting assignments, reading books to students online, and creating homemade instructional videos. They provided sample schedules to parents and organized “coach” classes—where kids could log-on in a live setting and ask their teacher questions.

Given the city’s gaping digital divide, hoping that a class of 25 city school children would start showing up in daily 8 a.m. Google classrooms was never an option. Many Baltimore kids simply don’t have WiFi at home. Others don’t have a parent in the house during the school day to help navigate the process. Even at Hampstead Hill, the highest performing school in the city, the staff still hadn’t heard from 55 students—and that was after six weeks of diligently whittling down their “hardest to reach” list.

Schools, like Hampstead Hill, are more than sources of neighborhood pride. They are hubs providing breakfasts, lunches, after-school activities, and childcare. It’s where kids make friends and connect, and parents do, too.

“It doesn’t look anything like school used to look,” Hornbeck says. “It’s hard to even call it school.”

It’s a statement that applies to almost everything at the moment.

Restaurants, barbershops, bars, churches, libraries, gyms, movie theaters, museums, festivals, music venues, sporting events, and the state legislature shuttered all at once in mid-March. As did all “non-essential” workplaces. The entire economic fabric of the state, not to mention the natural, vibrant social life of Baltimore, was quickly torn asunder by the stay-at-home orders that were issued.

It wasn’t just in Maryland, of course. By the end of May, nearly 41 million people—one in four workers nationally—were filing for unemployment each week. One Federal Reserve model projected a gross domestic product drop of more than 50 percent in the second quarter—both figures representing the worst economic contraction since the Great Depression. That Maryland, with its large number of federal workers, has fared better than most states hardly serves as consolation. Unemployment in the state, which tripled in a matter of weeks and remains at levels unseen since the 1930s, overwhelmed the system to the point where out-of-work Marylanders failed to get checks for weeks. Meanwhile, hospital intensive care units attempted to keep pace with coronavirus patients and food banks struggled to meet the demand from suddenly unemployed families.

One can only hope that lessons will be learned about preparing for future pandemics, including the need to manufacture and stockpile personal protective gear and testing equipment. But how do you measure and address the full impact of the COVID-19 virus in Maryland or a city like Baltimore? Is it a simple calculation of deaths and illnesses, plus job and tax revenue losses? What about addressing the hugely disproportionate impact on low-income and Black and Latino communities? Other questions arise, too, about building more resilience into our healthcare and economic systems. How long, for example, will U.S. citizens, the tens of millions of whom lost their livelihoods and insurance benefits in the middle of the pandemic, accept a system that ties their family’s healthcare to their job? Will the coronavirus crisis, in combination with the massive protests following the police killing of an unarmed George Floyd, spark any kind of reckoning of our ever-widening racial, health, and economic inequality?

It’s too early to know the answers to any of these questions. As we keep our fingers crossed for a vaccine, and social and economic life return to some kind of new normal, everything remains up in the air. It’s not even clear yet if Maryland schools will fully reopen on August 31, officially the first day of 2020-2021 school year.

The global spread of the novel coronavirus, while a first in our lifetimes, isn’t unprecedented. Our great-grandparents experienced a similarly terrifying pandemic. From 1918 to early 1920, the so-called “Spanish flu” ravaged the globe. The new influenza killed at least 50 million people worldwide, an estimated 675,000 in the U.S. alone, over three waves. At its height, schools were closed in Baltimore then, too. Theater and baseball games were canceled. Retail, pub, and restaurant hours were restricted. Many stayed home from work out of fear. People were encouraged to wear masks—and many did. At the outset, the World War I defense effort helped stave off a disastrous economic impact. Once the war ended, however, a crippling recession set in. Ultimately, massive technological breakthroughs, including the electrification of the country and mass production innovations—think conveyer belts and Henry Ford’s assembly line—jumpstarted the Roaring ’20s.

So far, the 2020s have been far less promising. Most economists were optimistically predicting a “V”-shaped economic recovery—with a dramatic dip and equally steep rise. But the shutdowns here and elsewhere proved much broader and lengthier than first imagined and that prediction has shifted dramatically.

“Most economists aren’t anticipating a V-shaped recovery anymore, but something like a Nike ‘swoosh’—a significantly longer, more gradual recovery,” says Daraius Irani, vice president of strategic partnerships and applied research at Towson University. “What we are seeing is a slow throttling of the economy as the reopening is phased in over time—and rightly so with the COVID-19 virus still all around us.”

“If people don’t feel safe taking buses and the light rail, they’re not going to work.”

The lynchpin to an economic rebound is the state’s public schools, says Anirban Basu, chairman and CEO of Sage, an economic and policy consulting firm, and a former Baltimore school member. Maryland public schools don’t just teach more than 900,000 students, but in essence also provide free childcare for their working parents. In an interview with Baltimore, Gov. Larry Hogan asserted that schools will reopen this fall and that State Superintendent of Maryland Schools Karen B. Salmon “is working on a childcare plan.”

What that looks like, however, isn’t known. It’s likely to look different depending on the school district. St. Mary’s County, largely unaffected by the COVID-19 virus, may fully reopen, while schools in the Baltimore-Washington corridor might open at a half-day or every-other-day schedule, keeping parents in limbo. It’s a particularly complicated challenge for working women, still the primary caregivers in most households. Growth in the service professions has allowed women to overtake men as a proportion of the U.S. labor force. But it has also made them more vulnerable to job losses in this crisis because sectors with more women, such as education, leisure, and hospitality, have been hardest hit by the social distancing measures.

“An aggressive recovery isn’t possible without schools fully opening,” says Basu. “Unless that happens, you’re just fiddling around the edges. Mass transit is also an overlooked factor. Especially in Baltimore. If people don’t feel safe taking buses, the light rail, the subway, they’re not going to work.”

Local colleges are making tentative plans to accept students this fall as the state braces for flu season and a second COVID-19 wave, which if history is a guide, could be severe. With lower enrollments, fewer students in dorms, more online classes, and clubs and varsity sports cut to the bone—will university life resemble anything like it has in the past?

The other primary concern of economists and politicians: How do local governments manage their budget shortfalls? State revenues are projected to fall 30 percent this fiscal year, which begins July 1. How many teacher, civil servant, firefighter, police officer, and sanitation worker furloughs does that translate into? At best, according to Basu and Irani, we’re looking at a five-year economic recovery from the massive stay-at-home orders, which no doubt saved tens of thousands of lives, but also eliminated the gains made during the entire economic recovery since the 2008-2009 recession. Baltimore City Council president Brandon Scott says the city budget “can’t be balanced on the backs of those who’ve borne the brunt” of the economic crisis this time around.

“We can’t do what we did in the 2008-2009 recession and close rec centers,” Scott says. “The federal government has to help.”

Gov. Hogan, not generally a political ally of the City Council president, has repeatedly made the case for greater federal assistance as well. “I’ve spent my entire political career fighting for less government spending,” Hogan wrote in a June op-ed for The New York Times, pleading for more federal help. “But we’re not in a normal time, and the conventional political arguments just don’t fit this moment.”

Hornbeck, who has been principal at Hampstead Hill for 17 years, is from Baltimore and he’s not just concerned about his students, but their parents, some of whom have lost jobs. He worries about the impact on his students’ family life and stability. At best, Hornbeck thinks it could be the 2021-2022 academic year until everything at his school is back in full swing, even if students return to the building in some form in the fall.

“[Then] we can begin to understand what we’ve all been through,” he says. “There is trauma on so many levels, for staff and students, and families. You go back and forth thinking that things are normal—the weekends can feel slightly normal, but they’re just not. Nothing is normal right now. It’s a weight that adults feel, it’s a weight then that kids feel.”

Just as vital to reestablishing a sense of normalcy—and restoring Maryland’s economy—is the fate of Baltimore’s vital and diverse culinary scene, from the red sauce dining rooms of Little Italy to the gyro joints of Greektown to the scores of neighborhood pubs, trendy hotspots, classic crabhouses, and burgeoning Asian, Latin, and soul food restaurants.

Many restaurants with outdoor capacity began reopening at the start of June with the Governor’s formal “Phase I” easements. Other “non-essential businesses”—retail stores, manufacturers, offices, banks, and auto showrooms—were allowed to reopen later in the month. Fitness centers, malls, and indoor movie theaters remain closed. Churches may only hold services at 50-percent capacity, with face mask and social distancing requirements.

Eating indoors at restaurants remains prohibited and most remain a shell of their former operations. The restaurant business has suffered the most significant sales and job losses of any industry during the COVID-19 outbreak. Sadly, popular establishments, including City Café in Mount Vernon and Ryleigh’s Oyster in Federal Hill, have closed permanently.

In Baltimore, the verdict is still out on who will reopen, who will remain forever closed, and who will continue to find success with the myriad new business models—from high-end restaurants turned ad-hoc grocery stores providing prepared foods and pantry items (La Cuchara, Woodberry Kitchen) to places like Le Comptoir du Vin, which has been functioning as an online bottle shop, to temples of fine-dining such as Charleston in Harbor East and Linwoods in Owings Mills, which have been providing curbside carryout and recently added patio dining to their repertoire.

Even with new business models, not all restaurants will survive. Still, some see it as an opportunity for reinvention.

“People have to go out and socialize. Restaurants provide that space.”

“Out of the Great Depression came The New Deal and a lot of innovation, this is something that my wife, Amy, has brought up,” says Ben Lefenfeld, owner-chef of La Cuchara in Hampden-Woodberry. “I think that out of the coronavirus you’re going to see a little bit of a renaissance. You’re going to see people thinking about different ways to approach the business of owning a restaurant and it’s going to change the overall landscape for the better.”

Despite the difficult days ahead, Le Comptoir du Vin’s owner-chef Will Mester remains bullish on restaurants. “There’s going to be a lot of restaurants that close [including] a lot of restaurants that we love . . . and that’s really sad,” Mester says. “But restaurants are too old, they are too important, they will survive, and things will get back.”

Mester notes that a lot of people are trying to figure out what’s going to happen to restaurants—a kind of canary in the coal mine of city social life and economic activity. “[Restauranteur and author] David Chang thinks that food is going to revert back to the ’80s or ’90s when there weren’t as many options and big chains [ran] things, but I can’t imagine that people in Paris are wondering about the fate of their restaurant culture,” Mester says. “It’s so tied into everyday life. It’s the fabric of those cities and they are just as important here. People have to go out, they have to socialize. Restaurants provide that space. This is what cities are all about.”

Despite the devastation, Sergio Vitale, of Aldo’s Ristorante Italiano, echoes Lefenfeld and Mester’s optimism.

“As rents reset, there will be another opportunity for a [dining] renaissance that we’ve seen in Baltimore recently,” Vitale says. “People will start to see opportunity for small, 500-square-foot, or 1,000-square-foot models, maybe delivery and curbside oriented.”

The economists, Basu and Irani, agree that out of every crisis comes new opportunities. Remote working is likely to continue, which could lead to new innovations in technology—expanded broadband, for example. While its tourism industry is taking a huge hit, Baltimore is well positioned for a bio-medical boom with University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins research campuses in the city.

Hornbeck, the longtime Hampstead Hill principal, certainly expects online education to improve. It may never be a gamechanger for pre-K though grade 8 education, but it will likely continue to develop and assist higher education and professional training curriculums.

Both note that some older businesses, local grocery stores and bicycle shops to name two, have already witnessed huge, unexpected revenue gains. The few drive-in movie theaters left, like Bengies in Middle River, expect a resurgence. Old-school canning and jarred good companies are making a comeback with more people cooking at home. Another encouraging sign: Commercial real estate rents are already falling and interest rates on loans remain low.

“Who will be the person most likely to open a new restaurant?” Irani asks rhetorically. “Someone who has opened a restaurant in the past. Entrepreneurs are dreamers. It may take time, but they find a way. They find a niche that isn’t being served.”

Vitale notes that fine dining is a particularly challenging arena, both because of concerns about the spread of COVID-19 indoors and because the whole model has been under assault for years with razor-thin margins. The current crisis only exacerbates the underlying problems.

But he believes things will percolate up.

“After the initial shock, how the restaurant business will re-engage is small, less expensive and open [air and floor] models,” Vitale continues. “Why do you go to a city except to dine well and to have an opportunity to see some culture in the company of like-minded people? Isn’t it an ancient Greek who said all good things of this earth flow into the city?”

As demonstrators continue to take to the streets to demand justice for George Floyd and other victims of police violence, many are feeling helpless and unsure of how to show support.

One of the many ways to take action is to be conscious about spending money at local black-owned businesses. Especially in the wake of COVID-19—which caused the number of working African-American business owners to plummet 40 percent, according to the Washington Post—it’s a tangible way to support the black community while also working to achieve racial equity and better distribute wealth.

While it’s important to patronize black-led restaurants, cafes, bars, bakeries, and farms on any day, here are a few to familiarize yourself with if you’re looking for a way to show support right now.

Berries By Quicha: With locations in Federal Hill and Medford, this sweets shop from owner LaQuicha Brown specializes in chocolate-covered strawberries that can be customized for special occasions.

Black Yield Institute: Led by founder Eric Jackson, this Cherry Hill-based collective works tirelessly to address food apartheid in Baltimore City. In the wake of the coronavirus, Jackson and his team continue to organize produce distribution from the Cherry Hill Urban Garden and many other community farms.

Blacksauce Kitchen: Chef Damian Mosley has developed a die-hard following with his buttermilk biscuit sandwiches filled with everything from fried chicken to cider-braised pork with onion jam. Normally you’d be able to spot the line from a mile away at the Baltimore Farmers Market, but in the wake of its cancelation, Mosley has shifted to offering parking lot pickups in Remington on weekends.

Blondie’s Doughnuts: Owner Michelle Diggs slings her scratch-made brioche doughnuts in flavors such as lemon meringue, chai-spiced sugar, strawberries and cream, Jamaican rum custard, and raspberry swirl. Catch her at the Cross Street Farmers Market on Saturday mornings.

Breaking Bread: The Pigtown cafe from husband-and-wife owners Edward and Kimberly Ellis lives up to its name with a menu of comforting burgers, pasta and potato salads, and famous sticky wings.

Cajou Creamery: Husband-and-wife owners Dwight Campbell and Nicole Foster are offering contact-free “porch drops” of their plant-based ice cream pints throughout the pandemic. Must-try flavors include cheesecake, baklava, and horchata.

Connie’s Chicken and Waffles: The fan-favorite chicken-and-waffles spot—run by brothers Shawn and Khari Parker and their mother, the restaurant’s namesake, Connie—are offering pickup and delivery from their Broadway Market location in Fells Point.

Crust by Mack: The very soon-to-open brick-and-mortar stall inside Hampden’s Whitehall Mill will offer chef Amanda Mack’s scratch-made cookies, cakes, hand pies, and more.

Creole Soul Restaurant: This R. House stall takes diners on a trip to New Orleans courtesy of chef Que Neal and her fiancé, co-founder Dedric Richardson. Menu highlights include authentic gumbo, blackened catfish, sweet potato and kale soup, and “Grandma’s Ole’ Fashion Southern Mac.”

Dovecote Cafe: Though this beloved Reservoir Hill haven—whose mission has always been “community first, cafe second”—remains closed throughout the pandemic, you can show your support for the cafe’s team and their many food justice initiatives by purchasing gift cards to use in the future.

Ekiben: Co-owner Ephrem Abebe prepares beloved steamed buns and rice bowls for the shop’s loyal fans. Carryout orders can be placed online at both the Hampden and Fells Point locations.

Freakin Sweet Jars: Husband-and-wife team Jaheel and Renate Garrett pack tons of flavor into their delectable dessert jars. They’re offering their signature parfaits—which come in featured flavors like Pineapple Crush Cake, banana pudding, and Key Lime pie—for delivery and pickup from Natasha’s Just Brittle on Harford Road.

Gangster Vegan Organics: Featuring vegan salads, bowls, burgers, and snacks, this Cross Street Market stall offers delivery via Uber Eats Thursday through Sunday from 1-8 p.m.

Granny’s Restaurant: The Owings Mills location of this family-run restaurant—which pays homage to its namesake, Lessie Wainwright, more lovingly known as “Granny”—is open for carryout and delivery Monday through Sunday.

Home Maid: The homey Key Highway brunch spot created by Derrick Faulcon offers curbside pickup Friday-Sunday.

Ida B’s Table: Named after pioneering investigative journalist and civil rights advocate Ida B. Wells, this modern soul food restaurant—a venture from The Real News Network—currently offers curbside pickup and delivery via Doordash, Grubhub, and Uber Eats.

Just Call Me Chef: Chef Catina Smith founded this culinary movement, which empowers female chefs of color through mentorship, networking, and education. Smith and four other chefs are currently offering special Father’s Day cookout menus that are available for pickup June 20. You also support the efforts by donating, here.

Koba Cafe: For 15 years, owner Adama Fall has been serving up coffee, all-day breakfast, and other cafe fare at his bright neighborhood spot in Riverside.

The Land of Kush: Locals rave about the vegan crab cakes and dairy-free mac and cheese at this soul food eatery near the University of Maryland Medical Center’s Midtown campus. Throughout the years, owners Greg Brown and Naijha Wright-Brown have become trusted leaders in the plant-based community.

Le Monade: Chef Carleen Goodridge, who has familial connections to Harriet Tubman, named her small-batch drink mix startup as a nod to how her son used to pronounce “lemonade.” She also operates a Liberian pop-up, Cōl Bōl, sharing recipes passed down throughout the generations.

Lemontopia: Thirteen-year-old Jamaria Crump continues to set an example for young entrepreneurs by selling her specialty lemonades (flavors include original, watermelon, and lavender blueberry ) and baked goods.

Love Puddin’: Catch Denisha “Dawn” Hightower in her mobile pudding van to savor butter crunch, strawberry cheesecake, and classic “Dirt” pudding cups, as well as other treats.

Magdalena: Owned by husband-and-wife team Eddie and Sylvia Brown, this fine-dining den inside the boutique Ivy Hotel in Mt. Vernon offers seasonal plates that explore all cultures.

Midnite Confections Cupcakery: Mother-son team Sandra and Aaron McNeil whip up 12 daily cupcake flavors at their Federal Hill bakery, which currently offers carryout, delivery, and catering. The namesake “Midnite” cupcake tops chocolate cake with a chocolate buttercream frosting and features a chocolate chip cream cheese inside.

Miss Carter’s Kitchen: Endorsed by Lamar Jackson, chef Cia Carter’s soul food concept is known for its Instagram-worthy seafood pastas and fried fish platters.

Neopol Savory Smokery: Dorian Brown and his mother and business partner, Barbara Lahnstein, are offering online ordering for diners to dig in to their famous smoked spreads, fish, and salmon BLTs. They also offer a weekly dinner special for two.

Next Phaze Cafe: The Lexington Street hub is open for curbside pickup and delivery, with dishes including catfish tacos, crab cakes, and crispy chicken sandwiches with red pepper sauce.

Off the Rox: At their Highlandtown liquor store, co-owners Jeryl Cole and Tyrekia Jackson feature a vast selection of local beer, wine, and spirits, as well as beers on tap for growler fills.

Old Major: Not only does owner Candice Bruno serve great food and drinks at her Pigtown neighborhood bar, but she’s also turned it into a hub for community fundraisers, donation drives, game nights, and live music performances. While the bar remains closed throughout the pandemic, regulars can’t wait to enjoy all of the programming when it reopens.

Papi Cuisine: Private chef and caterer Alex Perez recently opened his first brick-and- mortar restaurant in Fells Point. Try the droolworthy mac and cheese, jumbo lump crab cakes, or “Snow Cone” cocktails, all available to-go.

Pure Chocolate by Jinji: Jinji Fraser and her father, Guy, share their dairy-free, gluten-free chocolates that are produced without any refined sugar. The treats are sold at the flagship stall in Belvedere Square as well as many other markets and coffee shops around town.

Refocused Vegan: Owner Jerel Jefferies is offering his vegan bacon cheeseburgers, mac and cheese, truffle fries, and other lauded dishes for curbside pickup and delivery. Be sure to try some of the restaurant’s colorful to-go cocktails to wash down all of the eats.

SoBeachy Haitian Cuisine: Husband-and-wife owners Chanel and Leo Fleurimond are offering to-go orders from their stall inside Cross Street Market Wednesday through Saturday. Enjoy traditional Haitian dishes such as simmered oxtail, whole red snapper, fried codfish sandwiches, and, of course, the boozy rum punch.

Sophomore Coffee: Co-founder Kris Fultion is one of the most knowledgeable baristas around. At his cozy Old Goucher shop, he pours the likes of Thread and Partners coffee blends—educating patrons with every cup.

Shareef’s Grill: With locations in East and West Baltimore, as well as a new sister spot on Liberty Road in Randallstown, this one-stop-shop for Halal wraps and rotisserie wings takes a healthier approach to typical carryout fare. The Belair Road location even has a juice bar attached.

Sporty Dog Creations: Mother-daughter duo LaShauna Jones and Daejonne Bennett craft hot dogs that appeal to all palates, from classic ballpark to vegan and chicken franks.

Strength 2 Love Farm II: This Sandtown-Winchester farm works to combat food deserts while also creating job opportunities. The vacant plot-turned-working farm primarily grows leafy greens, as well as okra, peppers, cucumbers, squash, radishes, beets, and flowers.

Sunset Raw Juice Bar: Owned by former Ravens player Gerrard Sheppard and his family, this go-to located in the Foundry Row development in Owings Mills offers a wide selection of cold-pressed juices, smoothies, cleanses, and acai bowls.

Taste This Baltimore: Since opening in 2015, diners have raved about the stuffed salmon, honey Old Bay wings, and other drool worthy dishes at Taste This, which now operates locations in Charles Village and Hamilton-Lauraville.

Teavolve: Owner Sunni Gilliam’s serene cafe took root in Harbor East long before all of the high-rises towered over the neighborhood. Order teas, smoothies, croissant sandwiches, salads, and more online during the pandemic.

Terra Café: This Charles Village staple from owner Terence Dickson has proudly served the community with great food and plenty of live music for more than 10 years. Comfort dishes include shrimp and grits, fish and waffles, and omelets of all flavors. Terra Café is offering delivery via UberEats Monday-Thursday from 8 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m.-11 p.m., and 10 a.m.-7 p.m. on Sunday.

Taharka Brothers Ice Cream: Though we do love the addictive ice cream flavors (the honey graham will change your life), the most important aspect of this homegrown business is its commitment to social justice reform. Through various initiatives, the dessert wholesaler—which also operates retail shops at R. House and Broadway Market—uses its ice cream as a mechanism to spark change.

The Urban Oyster: Chef Jasmine Norton has been getting creative at her Locust Point seafood spot, rolling out special menus exploring flavors from New Orleans to the tropics. Place carryout orders Thursday through Sunday.

Union Craft Brewing: Co-founder Kevin Blodger also serves as the director of brewing operations at this homegrown facility. Though the Union Collective taproom and patio remains closed, you can order to-go beers for delivery and pickup directly from the brewery’s website.

Vagrant Coffee: After years in the United States Marine Corps, private security world, and working as a member of the clergy, Josh Dew pivoted to open this local roastery with co-founder Jared Cate in 2017. The operation has since expanded to include three retail shops across the city, including Milk & Honey Market in Station North, 3 Bean Coffee on Key Highway, and the 1100 Wicomico building in Pigtown. Milk & Honey and 3 Bean are currently open for carryout and accepting online preorders.

Serenity Wine Cafe: At this neighborhood haunt in Locust Point, diners go for the serve-yourself wine taps, but stay for the oven-fired pizzas.

Sunnyside Cafe: Order carryout or delivery from this East Baltimore favorite, which features an extensive lineup of breakfast options, wings, seafood, and an Instagram-worthy chicken and waffle sandwich.

Water for Chocolate: Chef/owner Sean Guy recently celebrated the 14th anniversary of his Butchers Hill brunch spot, which is now open for al fresco service.

With Love Co.: Officially reopening its doors on June 4, this black and female-owned vegan spot on Harford Road emphasizes the passion that goes into its food. As the hand-painted wall mural inside the shop reads: “Everything begins and ends with love.” Try the lentil burgers, scratch-made soups, and filling bowls and salads.

Whitelock Community Farm: The team behind this Reservoir Hill farm is working harder than ever to supply residents, senior centers, and group homes with organic produce throughout the COVID-19 crisis. You can purchase the produce at the 32nd Street Farmers Market on Saturday mornings.

Even during a global pandemic, Charm City continues to live up to its name. A constant light in this socially distant darkness is seeing how Baltimoreans have stepped up to help those in need. And right now, many of those good deeds revolve around food—the universal language that brings people together even in the most challenging times.

Whether organizing donation drives or providing resources to the hospitality industry, the local food scene remains dedicated to lifting each other up as the quarantine continues. This week, we’re dedicating our food column to some of the many praiseworthy groups, as well as providing information on how to support their causes:

Baltimore Hunger Project: During a normal week, the Baltimore Hunger Project (BHP) spends about $3,500 to feed students at its supported schools throughout the city and county. Now, the organization is increasing those efforts to help serve the thousands of students who are learning from home. Volunteers have been hard at work stocking the BHP warehouse (donations of ready-to-eat canned goods, granola bars, and other snacks are welcomed), organizing deliveries, and collecting notes of encouragement to distribute along with the food. Plus, other local partners including H&S Bakery, which has donated hundreds of loaves of bread, and Kona Ice, which has used its truck to help with distribution, have come on board to lend a hand.

Baltimore Restaurant Relief Group: Local restaurant publicist and hospitality advocate Dave Seel continues to provide resources and push for industry relief with his Baltimore Restaurant Relief Facebook group, which now has nearly 2,000 members. “My mom is a life coach,” Seel recently told us. “She always said, ‘Put your anxiety into action.’ That’s what I’m doing here.” Read more about his efforts, here.

Cocina Luchadoras: Devastated by the hit that the restaurant industry has taken due to the spread of the virus, Cocina Luchadoras co-owner Rosalyn Vera established a new pay-it-forward system for diners to add an extra taco, drink, or meal to their takeout orders, which will later be donated to industry workers who have been laid off. Vera started the system by contributing 50 tacos, and will continue to offer any of the pay-it-forward meals to those in need.

Ed Reed Foundation: When principal Mischa Scott of Booker T. Washington Middle School in West Baltimore reached out to the Ed Reed Foundation about quickly emptying the boxes of perishable goods at its food pantry, volunteers came out in droves to help. The foundation looped in Nick Schauman and his team at The Local Oyster, and within a matter of hours, it was able to redistribute a few hundred boxes of fruits, vegetables, and milk using bags donated by John Minandakis of Jimmy’s Famous Seafood.

With the help of community school director Mariel Pfiester and the school’s kitchen director, Mrs. Travers, all of the items were donated to the Outcast Food Network and the Ruth M. Kirk Recreation Center, which distributed them to families in need.

Foraged: Before this Hampden favorite closed its doors earlier this week, chef/owner Chris Amendola provided curbside family meals for service industry workers, as well as Baltimore police, firefighters, medical professionals, and other essential personnel. The restaurant plans to reopen soon, and currently offers merch and gift card sales online.

Horseshoe Casino: Earlier this week, the team at the South Baltimore casino came together to donate nearly 7,500 pounds of milk, cheese, vegetables, and other foods to Baltimoreans in need. The donations were distributed among congregants and Head Start families at New Psalmist Baptist Church, students and families connected with Thread, and the Maryland Food Bank.

Hotel Revival: In addition to offering its unused first-floor kitchen to local food startups in need of a prep space to organize delivery orders, this Mt. Vernon gem also hosted a food and supply drive earlier this week for service industry workers who have been laid off. The hotel partnered with Dave Seel, as well as Jason Bass and Ryan Rhodes of Kiss Tomorrow Hello and The Night Brunch to hand out care packages full of Hungry Harvest and Coastal Sunbelt produce. The team plans to continue these efforts—a bagged lunch drive is planned for Friday, March 27 at 12 p.m.—and you can learn more about how to lend a hand to the Baltimore Service Industry Fund, here.

Jimmy’s Famous Seafood: In partnership with Tito’s vodka and Baltimore-based animal nonprofit Show Your Soft Side, this Dundalk staple is offering free meals for members of the bar and restaurant industries. Hospitality workers can enjoy the complimentary eats by presenting a 2020 paystub when ordering.

Juliet Ames: If you’re not familiar with Juliet Ames’ artwork, which repurposes vintage dishes into custom jewelry and framed pieces, do yourself a favor and follow @thebrokenplate. Earlier this week, Charleston’s chef Cindy Wolf donated one of her signature textured plates to Ames for a new design. Once it’s finished, Ames plans to donate the proceeds from the piece to the Virtual Tip Jar.

McCormick for Chefs: This initiative from the famous Baltimore spice purveyor provided free condiment packets for local restaurants to include in their carryout orders. In addition to the Frank’s Red Hot and French’s mustard and ketchup packets, the company is also offering free cases of Cattleman’s barbecue sauce to eateries in need.

Mera Kitchen Collective: During these trying times, this local worker-owned cooperative, which focuses on the empowerment of immigrants and refugees, is doing what it does best—helping to bring the community together through food. Throughout the past week, Mera Kitchen Collective has prepared and distributed more than 1,000 free meals to families across Baltimore. The group is accepting monetary and bulk food donations to aid in continuing its efforts for weeks to come.

Saval Foodservice: Adding to its efforts to provide meals to the community during this difficult time, local distributor Saval Foodservice set up a donation drive in partnership with Atlas Restaurant Group at The Choptank in Fells Point on Thursday. Using a contactless pickup model, vice president Brian Saval gave out food packages to service industry workers who had been recently laid off. The drive will occur once again on Thursday, April 2 from 12-2 p.m.

Virtual Tip Jar: After Governor Hogan signed an executive order indefinitely closing dining rooms at restaurants throughout the state, hospitality veteran Abby Hopper created this resource for diners to send a few dollars to their favorite servers, bartenders, and baristas while they are out of work. The names of more than 1,800 workers, as well as their Venmo, Paypal, and CashApp information, are now included on the spreadsheet.

Wilde Thyme Baltimore and Black Yield: Perhaps one of the most beautiful stories of neighborhood unity that has come from these circumstances is the work of food truck Wilde Thyme Baltimore, nonprofit Black Yield, and other community partners in Cherry Hill. Throughout the past two weeks, the teams have merged with volunteers to provide 250 free dinners each night to those in need in the South Baltimore community. Joining forces with others including Mexican on the Run, Kitchen Girl Farm, The Sporty Dog, Casalag Pop-Up, Real Food Farm, Beth El Temple, and Broadway Market, the project continues to distribute food and toiletries at the Cherry Hill resource and shopping centers.

Gift Card Donations: We’d be remiss without mentioning organizations such as Foreman Wolf Restaurant Group, Atlas Restaurant Group, and White Oak Hospitality—the team behind Bandito’s Bar & Kitchen and 101 Baltimore—who are all donating 100 percent of gift card sales to support staff members during this difficult time. Atlas is also matching all gift card donations dollar for dollar, and donating crops from its new farm in Finksburg to the Maryland Food Bank.

There’s a running joke in my family, albeit straight from the Borscht Belt school of ba-da-bump! humor. And it goes like this: “What’s mom’s favorite thing to make for dinner?” “Reservations!” say my three kids in unison.

Corny, I know, but it makes me smile because it’s true, After all, I am the food and dining editor at Baltimore magazine.

Depending on the month, I eat out between three and five times a week, whether for business or for pleasure—and for a dining obsessive like me, most times those borders blend. It’s the best job in the world, though there have been times when I’ve longed to just stay at home and scramble up some eggs.

Several months ago, a former Baltimore food editor told me that after hanging up her hat at the magazine, she vowed to eat at home for an entire year (which she did).

I could relate. Having come off a particularly gut-busting bender—five dinners out in one week, foie gras, followed by several dishes drowning in cream sauces—I looked at her with envy. “That sounds like heaven,” I said.

Now, that sounds like hell.

Last week, Governor Hogan closed all restaurants and bars, with the exception of carryout to keep the hospitality industry from completely imploding in the wake of the COVID-19 virus. It was a remarkable move that shook many of us to the core. It was the final stroke, a serious statement, that moved me from a sense of growing unease to serious alarm.

Like many of us, even before that, I was concerned, but there were so many mixed messages out there—and this has been unprecedented territory for the world at large. In the first week of March, while washing my hands, I sang happy birthday in my head—ironically, one of those days was my actual birthday—but I was still dining out. I stocked my pantry with dry goods and bought prepared foods I’d normally never eat, but I continued to consider places to review and carried on with my usual restaurant-reporting routine.

The night after President Trump banned flights coming from Europe to America, I watched executive chef Chris Scanga at work in the kitchen at Petit Louis Bistro. During menu meeting, the staff had been briefed about taking precautions (disposable menus, extra wearing of gloves, and sanitizing of surfaces), word came down that Disney World was closing, the NBA had suspended its season, and Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, had just come out of the Corona closet.

It seemed surreal, but back in the kitchen, as onion soup was topped with cheese and placed in the oven for maximum melting, plates of grilled salmon with pomme purée moved down the line, and the comforting din of the dining room found its way into the kitchen, everything felt normal.

That night now feels like another lifetime.

As recently as Saturday, March 14, I debated about honoring my reservation at Cookhouse, a new spot in Bolton Hill. With a bottle of Purell in tow, my husband and I decided to go and were careful to ask for a table set apart from the others to practice “social distancing.” It felt great just walking into the space on the site of the former B Bistro, because as long as I could do my job, it felt like business as usual.

The space was breathlessly beautiful with its teal banquettes and mirrored backlit bar. The food needed some work, but the place was in its fourth week of business, and I know that this can be a typical trajectory.

As I always do, I made notes throughout the meal. The Dover sole was pricey and too upscale for a neighborhood spot. The burger, on the other hand, was just right. The boiled peanuts were a mushy mess, but the roasted carrots with horseradish earned plus points. Several people congregated at the bar. The ambiance was warm and convivial. We looked out the window at burgeoning blossoms on the trees, while wondering if we should be sitting there at all. It was the calm before the storm.

The owner/chef made the rounds and asked how we liked our meal. We told him we were looking forward to coming back. “That’s if we’re still here,” he said, his voice catching.

Though I didn’t know it at the time, it would be my last meal in a restaurant for the foreseeable future.

Less than 48 hours later, thousands of service-industry workers were laid off. And in the days that followed, restaurant owners were emptying out their walk-ins and freezers to feed their employee’s families.

“It just hurts me to know that these people who have worked so hard for me to live my dreams are suddenly insecure about where their next meal is coming from through no fault of their own,” Duck Duck Goose’s Ashish Alfred said to me of his staff, echoing what others have expressed, too.

There’s an implicit irony in the hospitality business: Those who choose it as a career often have the need to nurture, even though the wages are low, the hours are long, and the job can be thankless. But many people who pick it, pick it for this sole reason—feeding us feeds them.

Right now, I could kill for a crock of that onion soup from Petit Louis. I’m on the verge of making a Draconian deal with whatever higher power exists (take my pinkie toe!) to enjoy a plate of lentils and labneh at Le Comptoir du Vin. I’d do anything for the Tilghman Island Crab Pot at Woodberry Kitchen.

But in a world where the first quarter of 2020 has basically been cancelled, the body count continues to mount, and we fight a situation that’s been compared to World War II and 9/11, why should restaurants, of all things, matter?

But in fact, they matter now more than ever.

Restaurants, an $836 billion-dollar industry in the United States in 2019, are as necessary as food itself. We dine out to be nurtured, to get respite, to refuel, to reset, and share a common cause—the love of eating and drinking together. In France, where the first restaurants originated, the word “restaurant” comes from the word “restore.”

In my work, I spend a great deal of time considering what makes a restaurant great. Of course, there are the elements of food, ambiance, and service to consider, but what makes a restaurant memorable transcends the table. I can’t always remember what I ate—and taste is subjective, anyway—but I always remember how I felt sitting in a particular space.

Dining out not only provides a restorative escape, but it gives us a sense of kinship and community. When all goes well, it feels sacred, celebratory, and special. It fills us physically, yes, but it feeds us spiritually, too. What’s on the plate is paramount, but it’s only part of the bigger picture. At a time when there’s a need for so much healing, what better place to do that than in a restaurant?

Right now, we have no idea how long it will be before we resume our regularly scheduled lives. At this point, it feels like we’re facing many months of “social distancing” and self-isolation. When this is over, many restaurants will be added to the list of casualties. Some fledgling spots will never get the chance they needed to take root. And even old stalwarts are at risk—just as we all are.

But some restaurants will be back, while new ones will open and thrive. And our desire to commune over a meal will be stronger than ever. When that time comes, I’ll be there making my favorite thing for dinner.

[1/1/21: Editor’s Note: This piece was originally published when the first restaurant shutdown went into effect in March of 2020. Though many of the establishments listed below are still offering to-go service, some of their specials may be outdated. For an updated list of restaurants offering takeout, please visit our Restaurant Directory.]

If there is any good that can come of the mandatory bar and restaurant closures across the state—aside from, of course, slowing the spread of COVID-19—it’s seeing how the resilient hospitality industry has come together to support one another during these surreal times.

Longtime restaurant publicist and industry advocate Dave Seel has started a Facebook group to share resources and propose relief efforts for culinary professionals. Industry veteran Abby Hopper has created a Virtual Tip Jar for locals to send a few dollars to their favorite servers, bartenders, and baristas while dining rooms remain closed.

But above all, supporters of the city’s dining scene have come out in droves to promote carryout and delivery service, which makes it easy to support your favorite small businesses when they need it the most. Can’t decide what you’re feeling for your next meal? Here’s an easy-access guide with some of the many spots offering carryout and delivery, and more information on how to order:

Breweries, Wineries, and Liquor Stores

At one of his many public announcements, Governor Larry Hogan declared that he has signed an executive order allowing for alcohol delivery in an effort to help support the industry while encouraging citizens to stay home. Though this is permitted at all establishments, here are a few favorites to consider:

Bin 604: The experts at this Harbor East headquarters are offering curbside pick-up and free delivery services from 11 a.m.-7 p.m.. Browse the store’s inventory and order online, here.

Canton Crossing Wine + Spirits: Not only is this neighborhood shop offering its regular delivery service, it’s also offering work to industry professionals in need. More information here.

Diamondback Beer: Diamondback is offering hot pizza and cold packaged products to-go in order to limit contact and put safety first. Online orders can be placed through Toast Tab or DoorDash, where curbside pickup can be requested.

Full Tilt Brewing: This Towson brewery on York Road will be offering curbside pickup for its cans and crowlers, and a 25-percent discount on them all from 3-7 p.m. this week.

Grand Cru Bottle Shop: Visit this Belvedere Square staple’s online bottle shop to find tons of wine, beer, and spirits available for delivery and curbside pickup. Be sure to check out the “Staff Picks” section for practical suggestions (think boxed wine and local craft beer) perfect for hunkering down at home.

Guinness Open Gate Brewery: Customers can now order a range of Baltimore-brewed experimental beers, as well as Dublin classics, for curbside pickup at the Halethorpe facility. Guinness Blonde and Over the Moon milk stout are among the options available for to-go service. All proceeds will benefit the Maryland Food Bank’s COVID-19 response efforts.

Mr. Nice Guy Cocktails: Mr. Nice Guy Cocktails is a group of bartenders offering takeout and delivery eats and drinks in Canton and the surrounding Baltimore area. Menu items include snacks, craft cocktails, and nonalcoholic drinks with frequent collaboration with local bars and restaurants. Run by bartenders impacted by the virus, 10 percent of all profits will be donated to the Baltimore Bartenders’ Guild Relief Fund. The kitchen is open Monday through Saturday and the bar runs daily from 12-8 p.m.

Monument City Brewing: Show your support for this Highlandtown brewery by grabbing cold cans from its curbside station from 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, and 12-7 p.m. on weekends. Online ordering is now also available.

Nepenthe Brewing Co.: Though its doors are closed, this Falls Road hangout is offering pickup orders for crowlers, food, and homebrew supplies. The team has even started bottling their house cocktails. More information here.

Union Craft Brewing: Union is offering online beer orders for pickup or carryout. Customers can purchase a six-pack, case, or specialty growler.

Union’s taproom neighbor Well Crafted Kitchen is orchestrating pickup for its pizzas, shareables, and snacks, as well as other goodies from its farm partners and fellow Union Collective tenants. Visit the kitchen’s website to bundle The Charmery ice cream, Baltimore Spirits Company liquors, Vent Coffee beans, and more with your pizza order.

Waverly Brewing Company: Waverly is operating on modified to-go hours so that customers can still enjoy the beer in crowlers and growlers. The team is currently featuring six different brews, with two more coming later this week. Hours are 4-7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 12-4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Wild Kombucha: This homegrown fermentation facility is offering free home delivery (within Baltimore city and county limits) on 12-packs of its signature kombucha and Icaro Yerba Mate. All orders can be placed online or by phone and will be delivered to your doorstep within three days.

Looking to support local vineyards? Check out a handy guide to wineries open for curbside pickup from Vino 301 and the Maryland Wineries Association, here.

Neighborhood Spots

AJ’s on Hanover: AJ’s is offering all food and drink for curbside pickup from 4-9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday for brunch. Orders can be called in at 410-800-2657, and will be brought straight to the curb with your receipt.

Alexander’s Tavern: This Fells Point favorite, along with its sister spots Papi’s Tacos, Wicked Sisters, and Huck’s American Craft, is offering meals to-go and through delivery providers.

Annabel Lee Tavern: The hand-written menus are still available for walk-up and carryout at this Canton corner bar. Daily specials, such as the $5-off crab cake deal on Thursday, continue to be offered.

Abbey Burger Bistro: Locations in Federal Hill and Mt. Washington are open for curbside carryout from 5-9 p.m, as well as delivery via Grubhub, Doordash, and Uber Eats. Food, beer, and wine are all available to order.

Arthouse Pizza Bar: Delivery, carryout, and gift certificates on all food and alcohol are available from 5-9 p.m. and until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Avenue Kitchen & Bar: Hampden’s Avenue Kitchen & Bar is now offering carryout and delivery daily from 3-8 p.m. Carryout orders can be placed by calling 443-961-8515, and delivery orders can be placed through DoorDash and GrubHub. Gift cards can be bought on Toast Tab, where 50 percent of all proceeds will be contributed to helping employees currently out of work.

Barracuda’s: Did someone say to-go Crushes? In addition the the famous Maryland cocktail, the Locust Point Tavern is featuring a special “Quarantine” menu that highlights its signature Maryland crab soup, crab cakes, and pizzas, all available in various sizes if you’re feeding a group.

The Backyard Uptown: This brand new concept, now open in the former home of The Greene Turtle in Towson, is open for contact-free carryout and delivery. Every day from 12-8 p.m., The Backyard Uptown offers its full menu of burgers, sammies, pub snacks, and larger entrees like barbecue ribs and lemon pepper chicken. Be on the lookout for special drink deals and family packages offered weekly.

Blue Agave: Food, margarita mix, and nonalcoholic beverages are available for carryout at Blue Agave in Federal Hill. Updated business hours are 5-10 p.m. Monday through Friday and 12-10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Blue Agave is also available for delivery on GrubHub and DoorDash.

Blue Hill Tavern: Enjoy favorites from this Canton staple in the comfort of your own home by ordering curbside pickup. Check out the restaurant’s Instagram for a new menu and carry-out specials (like boozy snowballs) weekly. In addition, 100 percent of all food and gift card sales will be divided amongst the tavern’s hard-working staff. The restaurant is also offering an option to donate a prepared lunch to emergency room staff and front line workers for $10.

The Bluebird Cocktail Room and Pub: The Hampden bar is offering a special curbside carryout menu including bottled versions of its famous Old Fashioneds and Manhattans. Its downstairs pub will be boxing up eats including cheeseburgers, fish and chips, and lamb meatballs.

Blue Pit BBQ & Whiskey Bar: Curbside pickup and delivery via Chownow are offered from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 4-9 p.m. on Sundays. Options include the full barbecue menu, as well as bottled mules and single-barrel bourbons, six-packs of beer, gift cards, and Blue Pit merch.

The Brass Tap: The Brass Tap in Midtown is offering carryout of select food, beer, and wine. Enjoy 15 percent-off carryout food, 50 percent-off select bottles and cans of beer, 25 percent-off bottles of wine, and 10 percent-off of everything between 2 and 4 p.m. for happy hour. Customers can call 888-901-BEER or place an order through the website.

Charmed Kitchen: In Butcher’s Hill, this neighborhood go-to is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Aside from its all-day menu, the restaurant offers Ceremony Coffee, beer, wine, and cocktails to-go. If you’re in need of other essentials, Charmed Kitchen’s market offers items such as sugar, flour, and marinara sauce. Carryout orders can be placed online or by phone.

Clark Burger: Clark Burger’s York Road and downtown locations are both still open and running. Near Belvedere Square, customers can place their burger and poutine orders online for carryout. Downtown diners closer to the location just outside of Harbor East can also order online, as well as place an order for delivery through Grubhub.

Dutch Courage: The bar may be closed, but Dutch Courage’s new Bottle Shoppe is open for business. From 12 to 6 p.m, pick up beer, wine, and spirits at the Old Goucher spot, which is offering batched cocktails to-go in sealed containers. The “Stay @ Home Sour,” made with gin, Strega, strawberry, and lemon, serves four.

El Bufalo Tequila Bar: The special menu at this Canton hotspot is available for carryout, delivery, and curbside pickup. Order tacos, sandwiches, burritos, and, of course, booze to-go by calling 410-814-0594. Plus, the restaurant has partnered with local artist Lynn Cipollone to provide personalized tequila kits, which make excellent gifts. Customers are encouraged to check El Bufalo’s social media channels for daily specials.

Grano Pasta Bar: Aside from offering daily specials and beloved pasta dishes for pickup or delivery within a 10-mile radius, this Hampden hotspot is also selling packaged foods to be frozen or eaten as a family meal. Other offerings include Italian rice, antipasto, tomato sauces, and Neapolitan ricotta cheese cake.

Hair of the Dog: This South Hanover Street pub is offering GrubHub deliveries to your home. Plus, you can order online and pick up your food at the South Baltimore spot from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Holy Frijoles: This Hampden dining favorite is open for carryout, although it plans to offer online ordering and delivery in the coming weeks. Open Monday through Thursday from 4 to 9 p.m. and Friday through Sunday, from 12 to 9 p.m, pick up cocktails to-go and other items from a new carryout menu.

Homeslyce: In addition to curb-side pickup and delivery to extended locations, Homeslyce is currently offering cook-at-home-kits. Each comes with the pizza bar’s award-winning dough and all the ingredients to make your own pie.

Johnny’s: In Roland Park, this neighborhood staple is offering its full cocktail menu. Pair your drink of choice with a la carte soups, salads, snacks, famous seafood dishes, and meal kits for two to prepare at home. Foreman Wolf is also hosting a pop-up market at Johnny’s Sunday mornings from 8 to 11 a.m. featuring fresh pasta and sauces from Cinghiale, empanadas from Bar Vasquez, produce from Mexico, breakfast and coffee from Johnny’s, and wines picked by Tony Foreman and sommelier Lindsay Willey. The restaurant group is also hosting farmers’ produce from AgriBerry Farm, Two Boots Farm, and Richfield Farms, as well as crafts and art from Foreman Wolf employees.

Koco’s Pub: Got a hankering for a classic crab cake? This Harford Road staple is offering curbside takeout, including its full menu and cocktails to-go, Wednesday-Sunday from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. The team is also shipping its crab cakes to out-of-towners who need their fix.

Lee’s Pint & Shell: Continuing its daily food and drink deals, Lee’s is providing carryout, curbside, and delivery in Canton and Brewer’s Hill. Among the specials are $10 growler fills and a 16-inch pizza, 25 wings, and a case of beer for $50.

Mahaffey’s Pub: Local beer bar Mahaffey’s Pub in Canton is open for carryout food, beer, wine, and cocktails. Take advantage of deals like 50 cent wings with the purchase of a bottle of beer, canned cocktails, and bottles of liquor. Orders can be called or texted in at 443-695-3485, and hours can be seen here.

Mick O’Sheas Irish Pub: Choose your favorite Irish cuisine and pub grub from the full menu, as Mick O’Sheas offers curbside pickup daily starting at 5 p.m. Looking for a drink? The spot also offers bottled cocktails including margaritas, as well as mix-and-match 6 or 12-packs of craft beer, all to go.

No Land Beyond: This recently relocated gaming bar in Old Goucher is offering carryout and delivery on select beer, cocktails, and board games. No Land Beyond is open everyday from 12-8 p.m., and orders can be placed through its website. All delivery orders are $20 minimum and will be dropped off within five miles of the bar.

Papi’s Tacos: Both Papi’s Tacos locations in Fells Point and Hampden are now available for delivery. Papi’s Fells Point location will deliver through GrubHub, and Hampden through DoorDash.

Pen & Quill: Though we’re unable to hang out in the bar or dining room of this Station North gem, the restaurant is offering carryout food and cocktails to hold us over until it’s safe to return. The limited menu features to-go Grapefruit Crushes and basil lemonades, along with homemade focaccia, sandwiches, burgers, and lasagna for two.

Refocused Vegan: Open for carryout and delivery, this vegan concept offers its plant-based dishes and desserts, as well as specialty 16-oz. bottled cocktails. Try the “Peach Potent Potion” sangria, “Ravens Purple Reign” vodka cocktail, or Hennessy “HEN-demic Punch.”

Taco Fiesta: Taco Fiesta in Harbor East is serving eats and drinks for carryout and delivery. Enjoy tacos, dips, tequila, and “Fiesta-ritas” from its standard menu. Orders can be called in or placed through GrubHub or Uber Eats.

Topside: Hotel Revival’s rooftop bar and restaurant is offering delivery through Uber Eats. But to further do its part in these challenging times, the hotel is offering its unused first-floor restaurant space to local food startups without a brick-and-mortar location free of charge. Known as the “Pop-Up and Pick-Up” initiative, the project allows small businesses the space to take orders, prepare food, and offer carryout.

Additionally, Hotel Revival is partnering with Kiss Tomorrow Hello and The Night Brunch to collect resources such as money, supplies, and fresh produce from Healthy Harvest for service industry workers who have been recently laid off.

Wet City: House beers, guest beers, canned wines, bottled cocktails, hot Cheeto-fried deviled eggs, confit chicken wings—this Mt. Vernon hangout is offering it all for pickup and delivery. Be sure to grab some merch (including the popular Spagett t-shirt) to further show your support.

Wicked Sisters: Wicked Sisters is offering it’s full menu for delivery or curbside pickup via Grubhub. Customers can also call in their orders.

Produce and Groceries

Copper Kitchen: Caroll Park’s Copper Kitchen is open for curbside pickup and doorstep delivery for those who live within a 10-mile radius. Their menu features soups, salads, sides, entrees, and desserts. Customers can also purchase fresh organic produce and mix- -and-match beer kits to pair. Orders can be placed by calling 410-244-7152 or by sending an email. All orders must be placed by 3 p.m. and at a 48-hour notice.

Culinary Architecture: In the wake of COVID-19, Culinary Architecture has refocused its services and is now a reliable neighborhood source for food and grocery needs in Southwest Baltimore. All orders can be placed via email for guaranteed contactless transactions.

Chuck’s Trading Post: Enjoy carryout, curbside, or delivery from this Hampden bodega and saloon. Chuck’s continues to offer its full menu, as well as grocery items including eggs, milk, produce, beef, butcher boxes, and meal kits. Carryout beer, wine, and liquor are also a plus.

La Cuchara: La Cuchara is now operating as a curbside grocery store, providing neighbors with fresh fruits, vegetables, and proteins from suppliers, as well breads baked fresh in-house. Beyond that, the team is peddling household items such as bleach, gloves, and garden seeds. There are also some prepared meals easy to heat up at home. Orders are accepted Tuesday through Saturday to be picked up the following day. A 10-percent gratuity is added to orders to support hourly staff who are unable to work.

Table Field Catering: With special events canceled for the foreseeable future, Table Field Catering has pivoted to delivering locally sourced organic vegetables. For just $35, 10 pounds of freshly picked produce will be delivered right to your door weekly, biweekly, or monthly. They are also a community partner of The Maryland Foodbank and every order supports a food-insecure Marylander.

Woodberry Kitchen: Woodberry Kitchen’s expansive “Here for Us Market” menu includes its own recipes (think wood-fired meatballs and maple-glazed sweet potatoes), as well as items from other local purveyors. Among the goods to-go are ice cream pints from The Charmery, salsas from Papi’s Tacos, loaves from Motzi Bread, and produce from Karma and Liberty Delight Farms.

Additionally, restaurant partner Corey Polyoka has created a signature line of curbside cocktails that will act as a fundraiser to maintain health benefits for Woodberry Kitchen and Artifact Coffee employees. The first release is a barrel-aged Black Manhattan featuring Catoctin Creek rye and local kumquats.

Food Hall Hubs

Baltimore Public Markets has made the decision to close Lexington, Avenue, Broadway, Hollins, and Northeast markets in an effort to prohibit patrons from congregating to make purchases and to keep its merchants safe and healthy. However, other market and food hall tenants inside Cross Street Market, Belvedere Square Market, and R. House (beginning Friday) are offering curbside, takeout window, and delivery service.

Amano Taco: R. House has made it easy to enjoy all of its food hall staples, including Amano Taco. Amano is available for delivery through DoorDash, GrubHub, Postmates, and Uber Eats, as well as for takeout and it’s selling gift cards through Toast Tab. New hours of operation are Monday through Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

BeBim: BeBim Korean at R. House is available for carryout daily from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Gift cards can be purchased here to support the business now while treating yourself to a DIY rice bowl in the future.

Between 2 Buns: This Mount Vernon Marketplace mainstay will be offering its entire menu of burgers, poutine, and milkshakes for curbside pickup every day from 12-7 p.m. Call ahead with your order and the make of your vehicle and the team will meet you outside the marketplace with your food.

BRD: BRD’s flagship location at R. House in Remington is offering curbside pickup by ordering online or calling in. BRD is also delivering through DoorDash, GrubHub, Postmates, and Uber Eats. Updated hours of operation are Monday through Friday 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday to Sunday 11a.m. to 10 p.m. Gift cards can be purchased here.

Gangster Vegan Organics: This vegan hub inside Cross Street Market will be taking orders from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Call 410-617-8903 to place orders.

Gundalow Gourmet: This local caterer, which will soon open a homebase inside the forthcoming Whitehall Market in Hampden, is offering a menu of prepared items to stock your fridge and freezer. Follow updates on Gundalow’s Instagram, which boasts offerings such as family-style lasagnas, shepherd’s pie, and summer squash quiche.

Fishnet: You can still head to Mount Vernon Marketplace for your seafood fix. Fishnet is open Tuesday through Saturday from 12 to 7 p.m. for pickup and delivery via UberEats.

Neopol Savory Smokery: Get all of your favorite smoked snacks and bulk-order deli items delivered via Uber Eats, Doordash, and Grubhub, or the Neopol team will bring it all to you directly during two daily delivery windows. In addition, online ordering and pickup from Belvedere Square is available.

Pizza di Joey: Access to Pizza di Joey in Cross Street Market will be available through its carry-out window from 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Place orders online, over the phone, or at the window.

The Pizza Trust: The Pizza Trust is currently open Wednesday through Saturday from 3 to 8 p.m. Order for delivery via GrubHub or UberEats or head to the restaurant’s pickup window at PlantBar in Belvedere Square.

Vikki’s Fells Point Deli: After closing briefly this month, Vikki’s has re-opened to offer carryout and curbside delivery, as well as delivery via GrubHub, DoorDash and Postmates. The Broadway Market deli is not accepting cash payments. Pull up to receive your prepaid, online order and check Vikki’s Facebook page for daily soups and specials.

Fine Dining

Aldo’s Italian Ristorante: Aldo’s famous Italian cuisine is now available for delivery and takeout from 5-8 p.m. daily. Orders can be placed by calling 410-727-0700, and customers receive 25 percent-off any gift card after their first online order.

Alma Cocina Latina: Alma has started an arepa ordering service for pickup. All arepas are $15 and can be ordered by calling 667-212-4273 after 3 p.m. daily. Pick up will be available from 5-8 p.m. with Sundays excluded.

Amicci’s: This Little Italy staple is accepting carryout orders, which can be called in at 410-528-1096. Amicci’s is also available for delivery through DoorDash, GrubHub, Uber Eats, and Postmates.

Ananda: Beginning Friday, March 20, this Howard County gem will be offering carryout service from 12-8 p.m. daily. Favorites including the crispy Gobinda cauliflower, Kerala crab cakes, and lamb vindaloo are all featured on the takeaway menu.

Bar Vasquez: Chef Mario Cano Catalán is offering tacos, tapas, meats, fish, and suggested wine pairings at Brazilian steakhouse. In addition, you can pre-order a special meal kit with proteins to throw on the grill at home.

Cafe Gia: Little Italy’s Cafe Gia is offering takeout and delivery of its classic pizzas, pastas, family-sized entrees, and bottles of wine. Orders can be placed by calling 410-685-6727.

Citron: This Pikesville restaurant at Quarry Lake is offering curbside pickup for their New American eats. Call the restaurant to order all of your menu favorites along with selections from their award-winning wine list. Use promo code “Citron To Go” for 20 percent-off all carry-out orders.

Cosima: Treat yourself to a Sicilian feast in the comfort of your own home with offerings including oven-fired pizzas, pastas, fish dishes, sides, and decadent desserts. You can’t go wrong with grilled salmon over saffron risotto, black roasted garlic chicken, or classic spaghetti and meatballs with house garlic bread.

Clavel: Move over, McDonald’s. Clavel has created its own drive-thru outside of the restaurant for fans to pick up tacos and bottled cocktails everyday from noon to 7 p.m. Text your order in at 443-900-8983, wait for confirmation, and send payment via Venmo, Paypal, or CashApp.

Charleston: Chef Cindy Wolf is back in her kitchen at this Harbor East hotspot, whipping up a limited menu of à la carte dishes. Pull out the candlesticks, set the dining room table, and enjoy dishes such as rich lobster soup, sweetbread empanadas, pan-roasted sea scallops, grilled black sea bass, and a half rack of roasted Colorado lamb. There are also cheeses and sweets, as well as discounted to-go bottles from the restaurant’s cellar. Please note take-away must be ordered for next day pick-up.

Cinghiale: Take a drive to Harbor East to grab curbside pickup from this Italian classic. The dinner menu includes the restaurant’s famous pastas, including tagliatelle with forest mushrooms, ricotta-filled mezzaluna, and spaghetti with Gulf shrimp, garlic, and capers. Be sure to also check out the Roman-style pizzas, desserts, and suggested bottled wine pairings.

Chez Hugo Bistro: Between 5 and 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Chez Hugo will be offering curbside pickup. Place your order off of the special to-go menu, which features French Onion soup, a croque monsieur, and whole roasted chicken, by calling the restaurant and pre-ordering Wednesday-Saturday from 1-8 p.m.

Coal Fire Pizza: Coal Fire Pizza in Baltimore, Ellicott City, Hunt Valley, and Gambrills is offering its full menu for carryout and delivery. Customers can enjoy fresh pizzas, pastas, wings, and more. Coal Fire is offering pizza kits for families to make at home, and BWL. To give back to the community, Coal Fire is offering complimentary food to restaurant workers in need and running a program to help feed healthcare workers fighting on the frontlines.

Cookhouse: If you haven’t yet tried this Bolton Hill newbie, order online and pick up your food from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

Dylan’s Oyster Cellar: Dylan’s is offering a smaller takeout menu with classics for customers to enjoy. Call 443-759-6595 or email to place an order for pick-up between 3 and 9 p.m. Both in-store and curbside pick-up are available.

The Food Market: Order the signature Amish soft pretzels, “Big ‘Ole” mozzarella sticks, and Baltimore club sandwich to pick up curbside from 4-9 p.m.

Germano’s Piattini: Curbside pickup and delivery orders can be placed daily from 2-9 p.m via phone or by emailing piattini.germanos@gmail.com. Since Germano’s has also had to stop operations of its upstairs cabaret, each order will include a CD of music performed by artists who have frequented the stage.

The Helmand: This traditional Afghani restaurant is open for lunch and dinner from 12-8 p.m. Monday through Sunday. Diners can place carryout orders of the famous “Kaddo Borwani” (baked pumpkin with yogurt sauce), kabobs, and vegetarian entrees, or order delivery via Grubhub and Doordash.

Hersh’s: Beginning at 4 p.m., swing by this South Baltimore staple for antipasti, wood-fired pizzas, and booze to-go. There’s also a section of prepared foods, which includes options like housemade mozzarella and take-and-bake lasagna with Hersh’s homemade pasta.

Ida B’s Table: Chef David Thomas’ soul food spot is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. for delivery and curbside pickup. Healthcare workers who visit the Holliday Street restaurant will receive 15 percent-off curbside orders with hospital ID. Call 410-844-0444 to place pick-up orders.

Koco’s Pub: Koco’s Pub is open for curbside takeout Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Famous Koco Crab Cakes along with the full menu are available, and speciality cocktails. Crab cakes are also being shipped to customers out of town, and orders can be called in at 410-624-5044.

Le Comptoir du Vin: For those who are going through French lentil withdrawal, Le Comptoir in Station North has began offering contactless carryout. In addition to the lentils, the owners are offering their beloved house sourdough, chicken liver pâté, wine by the bottle, and cocktail kits.

Little Italy Restaurants: Aldo’s owner Sergio Vitale and Cafe Gia owner Gia Fracassetti have created a website for patrons to order takeout and delivery from their favorite Little Italy restaurants.

The Milton Inn: The Northern Baltimore County mainstay has officially reopened for curbside and delivery, offering special “Butcher Boxes,” platters, pizza kits, and booze to-go. The classic menu of fine-dining favorites is also available, with options including braised beef short ribs, 6-oz. crab imperial, clams casino, and fried jumbo shrimp.

Orto: Takeout dishes including rotating appetizers, pastas, and main dishes are available for pickup from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday.

Petit Louis Bistro: Create your own French feast to remember with take-away dishes from this Roland Park mainstay. Favorites on the limited menu include steak frites, trout amandine, traditional Quiche Lorraine, and a croque monsieur on brioche. Now offering outdoor seating, Petit Louis is a great spot to enjoy the summer weather while dining al fresco.

Peter’s Inn: Pull up to this Fells Point gem from 12-7 p.m. to grab thick slices of garlic bread, sweet sausage lasagna, braised pork shank with cheesy grits, and more.

Restaurante Tio Pepe: To get a taste of authentic Spanish cuisine at home, order carry-out by calling 410-539-4675 from noon to 8 p.m. The team will also offer delivery through DoorDash, UberEats, and Postmates within a limited radius from the restaurant.

Sammy’s Trattoria: Sammy’s Trattoria is Station North is offering curbside pickup and delivery through Uber Eats, GrubHub, Postmates, and Slice. They are also partnering with local NPO’s & Under Armor to deliver large quantity orders to families and first responders in need.

Sobo Cafe: This Federal Hill staple is ready to serve all of your needs with delivery via Doordash, Grubhub, and Uber Eats, as well as individually packaged catered meals available via contactless delivery. Browse the menu full of comfort foods including stuffed eggplant, seared salmon, and a family-size chorizo mac and cheese. There’s also keto and paleo-friendly meals, weekly specials such as Burger Nights on Thursdays, and plenty of growlers and adult beverages to-go.

Tapas Teatro: Break away from your typical takeout routine and plan a menu of small plates to pair with sangria and wine from this Station North gem. Order for carryout or delivery via ChowNow for lunch and dinner Tuesday-Saturday.

True Chesapeake Oyster Co.: While the restaurant is closed, you can still pick up wine, liquor, six-packs, and swag from True Chesapeake, where general manager and beverage director Chelsea Gregoire will be busy hand-picking and packing orders. Email chelsea@truechesapeake.com to see selections from the restaurant’s daily price list, available for drive-thru pickup.

Verde Pizza: Verde Pizza in Canton is serving takeout and delivery, including cocktail kits, from 12-8:30 p.m. daily. Be sure to have your home pizza cutters ready, as the team has stopped slicing its pies in an effort to reduce any additional handling of the food. Place your orders through the restaurant’s website, Uber Eats, or Grubhub.

Cafes and Coffee Shops

Attman’s Delicatessen: Attman’s is open for carryout and curbside pickup. Ten people are allowed inside at a time, but the shop is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. everyday. Curbside orders can be called in at 410-563-2666 or placed online.

Atwater’s: All five of Atwaters’ locations are open for takeout and delivery through GrubHub and Uber Eats, with updated business hours. The Belvedere location is open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, Canton and Catonsville are open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, Hopkins is open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Kenilworth is open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.

Aveley Farms Coffee: Stop by to get coffee, merch, and grinds to-go from 8-12 p.m. on weekdays and 8-2 p.m. on weekends.

Baby’s on Fire: Both locations in Mt. Vernon and Fells Point are offering online takeout orders on coffee, breakfast, lunch, and merch.

Bottoms Up Bagels: This fan-favorite bagel purveyor is offering standard menu items to be ordered through its website, with specials once a week. Sandwiches, bulk bagels, lox, and spreads are all available for home delivery on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Orders can be placed through Waverly Farmers Market on Saturdays, and orders through Bmore Kitchen can be placed here.

Ceremony Coffee Roasters: All three Ceremony locations at Harbor Point, Cross Street Market, and in Mt Vernon now offer carryout and gift cards for purchase. The shop’s mobile ordering app is up and running for all cafes, and first-time users will receive 25 percent-off their entire order. Bottles of wine are available for carryout at the Harbor Point location only.

Charmed Kitchen: In addition to breakfast, lunch, and wine to-go, Charmed Kitchen is currently offering grocery essentials. Stock up on milk, butter, and other pantry staples between your next grocery delivery and grab a bite to-go from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The Charmery: This beloved Baltimore sweets staple is accepting online orders 24/7. Pick up from 2 to 8 p.m. at The Charmery’s Towson and Hampden locations, which are offering deliveries from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.

Cheese Galore and More: To encourage social distancing, Cheese Galore and More is only allowing 1-2 customers in at a time. However, you can still stop into the gourmet cheese shop, which offers made-to-order paninis and necessities like coffee and olive oil. Grab wine and beer to-go and call 410-244-5515 for curbside and takeout, which is available 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays and 12 to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Common Ground: Curbside pickup and local delivery in Hampden will be available from 7 a.m.-3 p.m. daily.

The Corner Pantry: This Mt. Washington haunt has come up with a variety of family-style dinners available for carryout. Among them are vegetarian lasagna, lemon chicken with basmati rice, and French toast casserole. Gift cards are also available.

Dangerously Delicious Pies: Visit the Canton location for carryout or curbside delivery every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Enjoy a $5 discount when purchasing a whole pie, and the $22 date-night deal still stands. Orders can be placed by calling 410-522-7437 or though GrubHub or Uber Eats.

The Daily Grind: Grab-and-go eats and drinks will be available from 7 a.m.- 5 p.m. daily.

Earthshake: Earthshake in Fells Point is offering curbside delivery and delivery through DoorDash so you can enjoy an acai bowl from home. Call 410-276-0777 to place your order.

Felici Cafe: Felici Cafe and Catering in Govans has a boxed lunch menu available for delivery or carryout from its kitchen. Orders can be called in or placed on the website. Felici is also donating boxed lunches to a local soup kitchen to give back to the community.

Golden West Cafe: This Hampden go-to is now offering carryout, curbside pickup, and delivery of its updated food, drink, and merchandise menus. Orders can be called in at 410-889-8891, or placed for delivery through Uber Eats. Customers can also enjoy free door-to-door delivery when they order through the Toast Takeout app.

HomeMaid: Call ahead to order off of this Key Highway spot’s full supper menu for curbside pickup. The signature brunch menu will also be available to-go throughout the weekend.

LB Bakery: Grab-and-go service from 7:30 a.m.-8 p.m. includes coffee, housemade pastries, grilled salmon and chicken breast, lox platters, and side orders of mac and cheese. From 11 a.m.-7 p.m., the cafe will also offer $3 local craft beer cans and $12 bottles of wine.

Lenny’s Deli: Get your delicatessen fix with curbside pickup, carryout, and delivery from Lenny’s. The Baltimore mainstay is offering its full menu, including the famous corned beef sandwiches, breakfast options, deli counter offerings, and bakery items. Call 410-363-3353 to order.

Love Puddin’: Love Puddin’ is open for delivery from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Although pop-ups are closed, you can still enjoy flavors like lemon drop and butter crunch, brought right to your door (limit 3 per flavor.)

Miss Shirley’s Cafe: Satisfy all of your breakfast, lunch, and dinner needs with offerings from Miss Shirley’s, which will offer delivery through DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats, and Postmates, as well as online, phone, and walk-in orders.

Nalley Fresh: With a little determination and ingenuity, a drive-thru was just created in Nalley Fresh’s Hunt Valley location, allowing you to pick from more than 100 toppings for your salad or bowl from the safety of your own car. Don’t have time to drive? Nalley Fresh has you covered, offering GrubHub delivery straight to your doorstep.

Order & Chaos Coffee: Swing by the Key Highway shop for carryout eats and drinks from 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday-Thursday, and 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday-Sunday. Customers can place orders by phone (410-244-1111) or order online through the shop’s website.

Plantbar: Get a bit of fresh air by visiting the Towson and Brewers Hill locations of this local juice bar and cafe, which are open for carryout. Delivery is also available via Grubhub and Postmates.

Pure Raw Juice: All four of Pure Raw Juice’s locations in Towson, Hampden, Federal Hill, and Bel Air are open for carryout only. Towson, Hampden, and Bel Air are open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday through Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The Federal Hill location is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Rosina Gourmet: Operating solely out of its Thames Street location for the time being, Rosina Gourmet is offering catering and carryout while also working with partners at Our Daily Bread to provide meals to those in need. Owner Jim Lancaster hopes to reopen the Lombard Street location downtown soon (with special deals on carryout orders), but, until then, customers can enjoy sandwiches, soups, salads, and more from Thames Street.

Stone Mill Bakery & Cafe: Stone Mill has amped up its carryout business with its sumptuous selection of soups, sandwiches, and salads, plus daily specials like lobster rolls and brisket. Grocery items such as milk, eggs, and bread are also on offer. Customers can order online or call in for curbside pickup or carryout during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The $20 dinner, including soup or salad, a main course, two sides, and a dessert, is one of the best deals in town.

Teavolve Cafe: Open from Friday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Teavolve Cafe is still serving customer favorites. Menu staples like spiced chai, red velvet pancakes, omelettes, and sangria pouches are available for curbside pickup and local delivery. Orders can be placed on its website or called in at 410-522-1907.

THB Bagels & Deli: All locations of this beloved Baltimore cafe are offering 50 percent-off to-go orders for all hospital employees and first responders. THB is also fulfilling curbside orders placed on its website and mobile app.

Vagrant Coffee: Both Vagrant Coffee locations, Milk & Honey Market and 3 Bean Coffee, are open everyday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Waffie Waffle:Waffie in Hampden is offering curbside pickup through its website and delivery with Uber Eats. Customer-favorite desserts like “Chicken and Waffles,” “The Netflix and Chill Box,” and “Chicken Sliders by the Bay” remain on the menu to enjoy.

Zeke’s Coffee: Step up to the carryout window at this Harford Road hangout to fuel up while properly social distancing. The window will be open daily from 8 p.m.-4 p.m.

Seafood Spots

The Urban Oyster: Quell all seafood hankerings with the oysters, sandwiches, and snacks at this Locust Point spot, which is offering curbside service via online ordering Friday through Sunday.

Nick’s Fish House: This waterfront hangout has plenty of crab cakes to go around. Order all menu items to-go from 12-6 p.m. daily.

Worldly Eats

Baltimore Chef Shop: Hampden culinary school Baltimore Chef Shop is offering two new ways to dine, with prepared dinners and make-at-home kits. Prepared dinners range from Moroccan to vegetarian Indian, and serve two for $27.99. They are available for curbside pickup from 3-5 p.m. this Friday through Sunday, and orders must be placed 8 p.m. the previous day. Additionally, bake-at-home kits are $13.99, with recipes including coffee cake and chocolate chip scones.

Curbside pickup for these meals are from 3-5 p.m. on Friday and Sunday. Baltimore Chef Shop is contributing to relief efforts by donating a portion of all wages to the One Fair Wage’s Coronavirus Emergency Tipped and Service Worker Support Fund.

Cocina Luchadoras: Cocina Luchadoras in Upper Fells Point will be offering carryout and delivery through Uber Eats. Customers can expect both new and staple dishes to enjoy.

Ekiben: While Ekiben has decided to temporarily close its Fells Point location for one week to give its staff some much-needed rest, its new Hampden carryout is serving up steamed buns, rice bowls, and plenty of tempura broccoli to-go. Order online or via the Ekiben app.

Helmand Kabobi: The fast-casual, little-sister version of The Helmand in Mt. Vernon offers traditional Afghani salads, bowls, wraps, soups, and desserts. Customers can order carryout or delivery via Grubhub and Doordash.

Joe Benny’s: Joe Benny’s “Meatball Window” is open and ready to serve curbside orders of the restuarant’s famous meatballs and fresh foccacia pizzas. Pickup or delivery for all menu items is offered daily from 4-9 p.m.

Naked Grill Sushi: Naked Grill Sushi in Canton is offering carryout and delivery through GrubHub, DoorDash, and Uber Eats. Customers can enjoy Japanese and Thai food and sushi, with updated business hours here.

Mexican On The Run: Owner Jimmy Longoria has you covered with tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and weekly specials served from his fan-favorite food truck. Customers are encouraged to pre-order online and schedule their pickup times, but Longoria is also accepting call-ahead and walk-up orders on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

Nepal House: Nepal House in Mt. Vernon has expanded its delivery hours from 9:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m.

Puerto 511: Got a hankering for some authentic ceviche? This Peruvian gem is offering its dishes via online ordering for carryout or delivery.

Tony Loco’s Bar & Restaurant: This Italian and Puerto Rican restaurant in Howard County is giving away one free roll of toilet paper with every carryout order. Plus, 10 percent of all restaurant proceeds will be donated to charitable causes.

Trinacria Ristorante & Bar: For all of the makings of an Italian feast, carry out from Trinacria in Mt. Vernon, which is fully stocked with prepped meals to-go. Plus, carry out pizzas, pastas, and beer and wine.

The Local Fry: Order your favorite fries, wings, bowls, and banh-mi sandwiches from The Local Fry online or for delivery via Uber Eats.

The Verandah Kitchen: The Verandah Kitchen is offering family-style meals to-go. Head to the restaurant’s Hampden location from 4-7 p.m for favorites like chicken curry and paneer tikka masala (each come with a side of basmati rice and serve 4-5.)

Zaatar Mediterranean Cuisine: Online ordering for takeout and delivery from this Federal Hill spot is up and running. Favorite dishes include falafel, grape leaves, shawarma, and spinach pie.

*Additional reporting by Grace Hebron, Sarah Raymond, and Ally Wade.

If you’re a bar or restaurant owner taking new action to reach your customers, let us know by completing the following following form:

Earlier this week, longtime local publicist and hospitality advocate Dave Seel started the Baltimore Area Restaurant Industry Relief Group, a Facebook page for a reeling restaurant community in the aftermath of statewide closures amid the COVID-19 contagion.

Seel started his grassroots group on Tuesday morning, a day after Governor Larry Hogan announced the closing of area restaurants and bars, many of which have decided to stay open for curbside delivery and to-go orders. Within 24 hours, the page had more than 600 members.

“My mom is a life coach,” Seel says. “She’s always said, ‘Put your anxiety into action.’ That’s what I’m doing here. This is the World War II of our generation.”

Seel is hoping that the page will serve as a central hub for service industry professionals, including restaurateurs, chefs, cooks, and servers, to find resources in a quickly unfolding crisis that threatens to leave many in dire straits.

In a business where many hospitality professionals live paycheck to paycheck, the closing of restaurants and bars both in Maryland, and around the country, has had a profound impact on an industry that employs 16.54 million people in the U.S.

We spoke with Seel to hear more about his advocacy work in the community and why it’s important to support our local businesses now, when they need it most.

Give us a sense of why it’s hard to make a living in the hospitality industry?
Only a few people, usually two people in an entire restaurant—the general manager and the chef, and maybe a sous chef—are salaried. In this country, servers and line cooks are paid minimum wage or just higher than minimum wage starting at $12 to $15 an hour, and then it’s tip based. For some people like bartenders, I would guess that 60 percent of salaries are tips. Take that away and they can’t survive. And many of these people don’t have savings accounts—if they do, they’re likely small.

Why did you decide to form this group?
I was talking with a friend of mine, Angie Lee, who is the operations manager at Atwater’s. On Monday, after Governor Hogan’s announcement, she shared with me a James Beard Foundation webinar. For me, the big takeaway I had was the way federal assistance is going to be disseminated through the states. Unemployment and all that advocacy work has to be focused on a state level. Governor Hogan will decide what assistance is given. I saw friends in the industry asking where to go, and I was like, ‘I need some place to consolidate these resources, focus on the advocacy, and share.’ People need a rally point. That’s what this group has become, and my hope is that we can all get through this together.

So give us some specifics on what your goals are for the group.
Angie and I are working on a Maryland restaurant relief proposal—this is something that is being handled state by state. John Shields [of Gertrude’s Chesapeake Kitchen] and Ned Atwater [of Atwater’s] are going to look over it. We are drafting a petition form to say we are a group of Baltimore-area hospitality people—and what we need is pretty simple: We need assurance that we are not going to lose our homes. We need food and shelter.

I want people to know that they are not alone. They will be helped. If someone is struggling or goes homeless or needs food, we will help them. Restaurant owners have had to lay off a ton of people and may be losing their own businesses. There’s a lot uncertainty out there. This group is to answer questions as we figure them out.

What points are you planning to make in the petition?
There will be this mass group of people who don’t have access to food. Soup kitchens and community centers are not going to work because we can’t be together. There needs to be some sort of solution where people can use credits or get [food stamps] to be able to purchase food. And we want assurance they won’t be evicted. On the back side of this, there needs to be employment opportunities. How can we re-purpose these people, most of whom are young? If we’re going to be dealing with healthcare shortages, let’s take all of the restaurant people and employ them for the time being.

What will the long-lasting impact of restaurant and bar closures be?
We will have no restaurants. We will have homeless people. We will have all of the ripple effects as we did with The Great Depression.

With all the turmoil in the world, why is this an important concern for the general public?
People can eat at home—it’s not about the food. It’s a matter of culture and community. Everyone can cook food at home, but these places are community gathering places that are vital to our culture in Baltimore and the world of food and restaurants. Dining is integral to our reality as humans. If we’re just going to let the people who are bringing those experiences into your lives fall by the wayside, we are dismissing a core part of who we are. These people are the artists, the musicians, the culture bearers.

Whether you’re a fan of Valentine’s Day or think that it’s overrated, there’s no denying that good food and company is a great way to spend February 14. Charm City offers a variety of menu options and price points, depending on what you and your dining companions are looking for. Whether you’re in the mood for comfort food, craft cocktails, or dessert for dinner, make a reservation at any of these spots to satisfy both your heart and your stomach.

CASUAL COUPLES

Papi’s Tacos: With locations in Fells Point and Hampden, this laid-back cantina is a great spot to celebrate love with authentic street tacos and margaritas. For $35, guests can enjoy tableside guacamole, two entrees, and a dessert to share. 1703 Aliceanna St. and 3820 Falls Rd. $35.

Kona Grill: This Inner Harbor classic will be serving up its “Love is Grand” menu for two complete with a champagne toast. The special menu with feature items like lobster potstickers, coconut shrimp bisque, and filet with lobster butter. 1 E Pratt St.

FIRST-DATE SPOTS

Grano Pasta Bar: Cozy up in this tiny BYOB restaurant and become closer with your significant other over plates of pasta. First dates are already nerve racking enough, and Grano makes choosing an entree easy by boasting all things pasta. As seen on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, the spot is known for its handmade ravioli and dedication to flavor. Pro tip: be sure to explore Hampden after your meal. 1031 W 36 St.

Tersiguel’s: Road trip to Ellicott City for a French dining experience in an incredibly romantic setting. Tersiguel’s will be serving a five-course fixed menu of chef Michel Tersiguel’s selections for guests to enjoy. Be sure to try the locally sourced “Filet au Poivre” topped with green peppercorn sauce, potatoes, and green beans. 8293 Main St. Ellicott City. $99.

Guinness Open Gate Brewery: Head to this Halethorpe headquarters to sip two love-inspired releases that are debuting just in time for the holiday on February 13. Every pint of the Guinness Chocolate Stout and Guinness Raspberry Chocolate Stout will be served alongside a complimentary Mouth Party caramel. The wrapper for each locally sourced treat will be printed with a love note, affirmation, drawing, or coupon for special deals at the bar—including pints for a penny.

Dylan’s Oyster Cellar: Hampden’s Eastern Shore-inspired hideaway will kick off its celebration with a Galentine’s Day party on February 13. Dinner service the following evening will feature romantic drink specials and thematically appropriate oysters that you won’t want to miss. 3601 Chestnut Ave.

VETERAN VALENTINES

Cosima: If you’ve been together forever, shake things up on Valentine’s Day by visiting this rustic Italian spot in Mill No. 1, a 19th-century cotton mill repurposed into a sustainable building. Perched along the Jones Falls, the Sicilian destination will feature a three-course menu with blue point oysters, crab ravioli, and warm dark chocolate amaretto cake for $85 per person. Cosima, 3000 Falls Rd. $85.

Gunther & Co.: Gunther and Co. features local twists on modern American fare in a beautifully designed space. The Brewer’s Hill restaurant will be serving a $95, four-course tasting menu from 5-9:30 p.m.—complete with wine pairings and oyster and shellfish courses available for an additional charge. The restaurant will be setting the mood with dishes including Asian pear salad, seared scallops, Tahitian vanilla sponge cake. 3650 Toone St. 5-9:30p.m. $95+.

Fleming’s: Impress your Valentine with a three-course meal at Fleming’s. Pair the famous filet with your choice of lobster scampi, crab-stuffed shrimp, or pistachio-crusted lamb chops, or enjoy the prime surf and turf for two. Menus start at $75 per person. 720 Aliceanna St. $75+.

Rye Street Tavern: This Port Covington restaurant serves chef-driven comfort food and cocktails that should not be ignored. Situated on the water directly next to the Sagamore Spirit Distillery, Rye Street Tavern makes you feel right at home. Its three-course Valentine’s Day menu includes yellowfin tuna poke, classic Southern fried chicken and biscuits, and a campfire sundae. Diners can add on beverage pairing for an additional $45 if they choose to explore the extensive drink menu that, of course, emphasizes rye whiskey. 13 Rye St. $75+.

Birroteca: Travel off the beaten path for modern Italian cuisine at this Hampden mainstay. Birroteca will give you the feeling of a high-end restaurant in a no-frills setting. Whether you go for pizza (the famous “Duck Duck Goose” pie should not be missed), pasta, a salad, or an appetizer, all of their ingredients are sourced from local ranchers and farmers. 1520 Clipper Rd.

La Cuchara: Enjoy a five-course meal inspired by the food and culture of the Basque region of northern Spain and southern France. With an emphasis on quality ingredients from land and sea, this Valentine’s Day menu includes wild mushrooms with truffle, veal breast carpaccio, and rockfish and potatoes. 3600 Clipper Mill Rd. $99.

CUPID’S COCKTAILS

The Elk Room: Nothing says intimacy like dim lighting, deep woods, and jazz music in a speakeasy environment. The Elk Room in Harbor East is the perfect bar to lose all sense of time. With live music by eclectic composer Joel Michael Schwartz and cocktails sporting fun names like “Cotton Tail,” “Night Rider,” and “Jeepers Creepers,” the bar offers a warm and lively way to spend V-Day. 1010 Fleet St.

R. Bar: Inside Remington food hall R. House, R. Bar will be hosting “A Bitter Affair” on Saturday, February 15. Led by bar manager Justin Carr, 20 guests will have the chance to try three classic cocktails with three different bitters in each. Accompanied with light fare and unique facts about bitters, this event is a casual and boozy way to take on the holiday. 301 W 29th St.

True Chesapeake Oyster Co.: For those who are celebrating with friends, or third-wheeling, head to True Chesapeake for lots of seafood specials. For parties of three or more, enjoy complimentary sparkling rosé for the table and a dozen sweet and small Huckleberry oysters to share. 3300 Clipper Mill Rd.

Dutch Courage: If you’re searching for a spot that pairs food with alcohol, look no further than Old Goucher’s newest gin bar Dutch Courage. Owners Brendan Dorr and Eric Fooy will be offering a three-course menu with unique cocktail pairings. Enjoy drinks like a Champagne cocktail, a cocktail portioned for two, and a digestif blended with barrel-aged gin with your meal. 2229 N Charles St. $85.

The Bluebird Cocktail Room: This Hampden hotspot is catering to couples by offering a menu of special cocktails that are poured, and priced, for two. Enjoy the “Absinthe (Makes the Heart Grow Fonder)” prepared tableside for $24, the “Champagne Cocktail” served with a take-home love poem for $26, or the China-China Amer-infused “Thief of Hearts” accompanied by Pure Chocolate by Jinji for $28. 3600 Hickory Ave.

AMOUROUS ART

Gertrude’s Chesapeake Kitchen: With a star-lit ceiling and main dining room that overlooks the Baltimore Museum of Art’s sculpture garden, Gertrude’s is a romantic oasis for those who appreciate the arts. The Valentine’s Day menu will feature items like sweet potato and caramelized apple bisque, strawberry spinach salad, and a crab cake duo. Tour the BMA after your meal to get a dose of culture. 10 Art Museum Dr. $55 prix fixe dinner menu, $45 prix fixe vegan menu.

DINNER AND A GAME

La Scala: Old-school Little Italy hotspot La Scala is a favorite when it comes to feasting on traditional Italian cuisine in large dining rooms and playing rounds of indoor bocce ball. Elegantly casual with white tablecloths and old photographs lining the walls, La Scala brings you right to Italy by way of Baltimore. Menu items include bruschetta, penne alla vodka, and alla marsala. 1012 Eastern Ave.

SWEET TOOTH FIENDS

Sacré Sucré: For those who want a casual way to indulge their sweet tooth, head to Sacre Sucre in Fells Point, where the beautifully presented pastries are almost too photogenic to eat. Sacre Sucre houses a variety of sweets, but macarons are the stars of the show. Be sure to take a romantic stroll along the Fells Point cobblestones near the water once you’re finished. 2001 Fleet St.

The Charmery: For one night only, The Charmery will be transformed into a swanky sit-down to celebrate dessert and love. The Ice Cream Factory’s three-course dessert dinner “Chez Charmerie” is the perfect way for friends, family, and lovers to indulge their sweet tooth on February 12. 1700 W 41st St. $25.

Atwater’s: If you can’t make it to Atwaters for Valentine’s Day dinner, be sure to pick up some sweet treats ahead of time. Leading up to the holiday, enjoy desserts including addictive “Sprinkledoodles,” chocolate almond biscotti perfect for dipping in a latte, and handmade red berry rose jam. With six different locations scattered from Towson to Canton, Atwaters makes it easy to indulge. Multiple locations including 3601 Boston St.

BANG FOR YOUR BUCK

Noona’s: Head to Bolton Hill to enjoy a $35 four-course meal at this pizza spot. The sweet deal includes an amuse bouche, small plate, pizza or handmade pasta, and dessert to finish. Plus, chef Cai Lindeman will also be running an octopus and scallop special. Top it off with a special late-night happy hour from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. 1203 W Mt. Royale Ave. $35.

Lee’s Pint & Shell: Baltimore is seafood central, so it makes perfect sense to be served what the city knows best. For the locals, Lee’s Pint & Shell in Canton is known for having an incredible selection and will be offering a great special for the holiday. A $65 fixed menu per couple features 12 oysters, a choice of prime rib, lobster, or crab cake, two sides, dessert, and a bottle of wine. Lee’s Pint & Shell, 2844 Hudson St. $65.

Topside: Enjoy the Hallmark holiday at Topside, a buzzing rooftop restaurant and garden bar overlooking historic Mt. Vernon. Situated inside the Hotel Revival, Topside serves fresh-from-the-sea dishes and hand-crafted drinks. The team is toasting to the holiday with special cocktails “Genius of Love” and “Two Souls in Communion,” as well as a $50 three-course dinner. After you enjoy menu items like baked oysters, ribeye steak, and chocolate mousse, be sure to venture over to the garden room for a quiet retreat with spectacular views. 101 W Monument St. $50.

VEGAN V-DAY

L’Eau de Vie Organic Brasserie: Nestled on the edge of Fells Point, L’Eau de Vie is an entirely vegan bar and restaurant committed to organic ingredients and sustainable business practices. The casual spot will also be sharing their new winter menu and Valentine’s specials during dinner service on Friday, February 14. Plus, Musical duo Buntopia will be performing while guests participate in bingo and have the chance to win a free drink for their next visit. 803 S Caroline St. 6-9 p.m.

Baby’s on Fire: Enjoy a vegan five-course dinner in a restaurant that doubles as a record shop this Valentine’s Day. A $55 fixed menu features mushroom-stuffed tofu, creamed pear-parsnip soup, micro green salad, lentil-seitan sausage, and a smoked chocolate brownie. A complimentary glass of bubbly will round out the meal in the historic area of Mt. Vernon. 1010 Morton St. 6:30 p.m. $55.

Do you ever love a restaurant so much you want to take a piece of it home with you? And no, we’re not talking about petty theft of salt and pepper shakers or a short-lived box of leftovers.

Many beloved local restaurants sell swag, so you can flaunt your adoration for them anytime. Our own collection includes a navy blue long-sleeve from McFaul’s IronHorse Tavern of Parkville, a coffee mug dotted with strawberries from Ocean City’s Bayside Skillet, and a bumper sticker from the ever-quirky Papermoon Diner.

And while you might get a new addition to your closet, the restaurant also gets a boost in the name of free advertising.

Restaurant consultant Arlene Spiegel of Arlene Spiegel & Associates in New York City notes that restaurant merchandising is a way to make sure that a given brand stays with a guest.

“Whether it’s a T-shirt, an umbrella, or a jar of barbecue sauce,” Spiegel says, “the whole idea is that the brand is extended beyond the brick and mortar of the restaurant itself.”

If you want to show support for your favorite spot, check out some of these nifty merch options.

The Charmery Engraved Ice-Cream Scoop ($20)

Why stop at simply taking home a pint of one of the Charmery’s eccentric flavors? Recreate the experience by treating yourself to an ice-cream scoop engraved with the shop’s logo.

Baby’s on Fire Mug (10)

Show off your love for records and your dedication to caffeine by grabbing a cute white mug with the logo of Mt. Vernon’s finest. Better still, stop in for
a cup of coffee and buy a mug for whomever you call ‘baby.’

Sticky Rice Star Wars Shirt ($16)

Whether you’re a sci-fi buff or a connoisseur of high-quality tater tots, Sticky Rice has something for everyone. Meld the two passions together by checking out this T-shirt, and we can (almost) guarantee that you’ll be the only person in the room wearing tater-shooting-spaceship chic.

Duck Duck Goose Baseball Hat ($30)

There aren’t many things in this world cuter than baby ducks, which is why we adore the embroidered ducks on the back of the hats from this Fells Point eatery. For a fashion-forward look, wear it backwards to display the ducks to the world.

Recently, we asked our readers: what are the best places to eat in Baltimore? Here are the results of our 2014 Readers’ Poll.
To see our editors’ list of the 50 Best Restaurants in Baltimore, pick up a copy of our March 2014 issue, available on newsstands now. 2013’s Readers’ Poll Results are available here.

Best for Visitors

TIE: Verde Pizza, Hull Street Blues Cafe

Family Friendly

Miss Shirley’s Cafe

Fab Find

SoBo Cafe

Best Deal

RA Sushi

Most Romantic

Kali’s Court

Best Crabhouse

Shultz’s Crabhouse

Best Overall

The Prime Rib (Downtown)

The great men in our lives deserve more than one day of celebration, but if we are limited to a single holiday to honor them, we better make the most of it. Whether your dad is a beer connoisseur, a die-hard O’s fan, an avid golfer, or a vintage car enthusiast, here are our suggestions to make this Father’s Day one of the best yet.

SPORTS

Father’s Day Catch on the Field: Put on your O’s jersey and head to Camden Yards early for some pre-game fun with your dad. Register for one of three sessions for the rare opportunity to play catch on the field. After your 25-minute session, find your seats to watch the Orioles take on the Red Sox while devouring Birdland nachos, boardwalk-inspired fries, and Camden Frank hot dogs. Plus, the first 20,000 fans will receive a free fedora upon entering the ballpark. Packages include a charitable donation to prostate cancer research. 333 W. Camden St., 10:45 a.m.-12:05 p.m., $250-300

Bulle Rock: Hit the links this holiday weekend at one of Maryland’s top-ranked public golf courses. After 18 holes, enjoy a relaxing dinner inside the Gourmet Pub & Grill—which will be featuring classic, local seafood dishes paired with craft beer. Amidst conversation, admire the manicured fairways or watch the O’s game right from your table. 320 Blenheim Ln., $75-99

GBMC Father’s Day 5K: Lace up your running shoes and pin on your bib number for the 31st annual 5K run or one-mile walk around Greater Baltimore Medical Center’s Towson campus. Before and after the race, enjoy music and food at the Wellness Village. Awards will be given to the top runners of various age groups and the fastest father-son and father-daughter teams. Proceeds from the race benefit the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit. 6545 N. Charles St., 8-11 a.m., $30-40

MUSIC

Baltimore Jazz Fest: If your Pops is a jazz fan, take him to this annual festival at St. John’s Episcopal Church to hear performances by six bands, including the Baltimore School for the Arts Big Band. In between dancing to the music, munch on some local food and sip wine and beer. 3009 Greenmount Ave., 1-7 p.m., Free

The Everly Brothers Tribute Father’s Day Show: Does your dad jam to the rock giants in his car, nostalgic for his teen years? If so, he’ll love this tribute to the folk singers, who influenced the likes of The Beach Boys and The Beatles. Father-daughter duo Jon and Laura Bannon will perform the brothers’ hits such as “Cathy’s Clown” and “Bird Dog” at Germano’s this Sunday. 300 S. High St., 12 p.m., $15-17

DINING OUT

Chez Hugo Bistro: Celebrate summer’s arrival and your favorite man with Chef Steve Monnier’s delicious burgers (the restaurant is named for his son, after all). The chef’s cuisine fuses his native French culture with locally sourced ingredients. Pair your burgers with $5 draft beers, but save room for desserts including a fancy banana split with Neapolitan ice cream flavors, grilled banana, cherries, and whipped cream. The kid-friendly restaurant will also offer smaller portions of mac and cheese, burgers, and desserts for your tiny tots. 206 E. Redwood St., 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 443-438-3002

Guinness Grills for Dad: Treat your dad to a day off the grill. At Guiness, he will be the man of the hour with specials like a 10-oz. grilled New York strip dinner paired with a locally brewed Guinness Blonde. Non-alcoholic options will also available. 5001 Washington Blvd., 12 p.m.-7 p.m., $30

Father’s Day Beer and Brunch: For those beer-obsessed fathers who also love brunch, B.C. Brewery in Hunt Valley is offering an exclusive, mid-morning meal of chicken and waffles followed by dessert in its taproom. Of course, the brewery’s signature self-serve drafts will also be available for purchase throughout the afternoon. 10950 Gilroy Road, Suite F, 12-5 p.m., $30

FUN & GAMES

Father’s Day Axes and Ales: Whether you’re newly 21 or have been drinking with dad for decades, an afternoon at Urban Axes is sure to make this Father’s Day one to remember. This Sunday, cheers your beers and aim for the bullseye. The price of admission includes an hour of axe-throwing with coaching and your first beer. 1 N. Haven St., 11 a.m.-4 p.m., $25

Father’s Day “Pop Up” Car Show: Prepare to talk shop with dad as you join fellow car enthusiasts on the hunt for Maryland’s “Best in Show.” Admire the classic cars parked along Broadway Square and hailing from all over the Old Line State—and vote on your favorites. 1632 Aliceanna St., 12-5 p.m., Free

Recently, we asked our readers: what are the best places to eat in Baltimore? Here are the results of our 2016 Readers’ Poll. To see our editors’ list of the 50 Best Restaurants in Baltimore, pick up a copy of our March issue, available on newsstands now. Our 2015 Readers’ Poll results are available here.

For the generation of kids raised in the 1980s, the term “fine dining” often meant crawling though tubes and diving into ball pits at a McDonald’s Play Place. Now parents with kids themselves, they want better options for dining out with their own tykes, and local restaurateurs have heard their clarion call.

In and around Baltimore, there are dozens of restaurants that cater to kids—and their parents—in myriad ways: from offering free childcare to gourmet kiddie fare and enticing toys. “The culture has definitely changed from the ‘children-should-be- seen-and-not-heard’ attitude,” says Jason Daniloski, chef and co-owner of Silver Queen Cafe in Hamilton. “The food doesn’t have to be secondary anymore.”

Child’s Play

It’s always play time at these area restaurants.

WOODBERRY KITCHEN
Woodberry Kitchen pro- vides every pint-sized pa- tron with a tin of play dough made on the premises and, in keeping with its farm-to- table aesthetic, seats them in rustic, wooden high chairs with leather belts.

SILVER QUEEN CAFE
The mini kitchen is the most popular toy at Silver Queen Cafe’s cozy nook, where little ones can cook “dinner” while Daniloski preps the real thing nearby. Plastic dinosaurs, dolls, and a Star Wars Millennium Falcon also keep kids occupied so parents can enjoy a relaxing meal.

IRON ROOSTER
Parents often request booths along the back wall of Iron Rooster in Hunt Valley
so their little ones have easy access to the enclosed, pirate-themed play set out- side before or after the meal.

MISS SHIRLEY’S CAFÉ
Miss Shirley’s Café has some of the most kid-friendly fare around, and their stack of breakfast-themed children’s books like Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast and Green Eggs and Ham help pass the wait times for tables. Once seated, kids can channel their inner Picasso with mini Etch A Sketches.

R. HOUSE
Children love
to sit and eat at (and also climb) the tiny tables and chairs at Remington’s R House. And with a bar at one end and 10 stalls selling every- thing from beef bulgogi to baba ghanoush, there’s plenty of options for parents to have fun, too.

MAHAFFEY’S PUB
Mahaffey’s Pub co-owner Alice Kistner (who has
a 4-year-old son) converts a corner of her Canton pub’s upstairs dining room into a kids’ play area on Sun- days and Mondays. One of the three TVs is tuned to cartoons, while the other two show sports, so everyone gets to watch what they want.

Haute Kids’ Cuisine

Goodbye chicken nuggets, hello benne seed fried chicken—these area restaurants feed the kiddies with air.

Avocado Roll with a side of tots at
Sticky Rice ($10)

Vegan Pepperoni French Bread Pizza at GreatSage ($6)

Hopi Cake with crème fraîche and pine nuts at Golden West Café ($6)

Benne Seed Fried Chickenat Miss Shirley’s Café ($8.88)

Petite Steak with Frites at Gunther & Co. ($10)

Virgin mojitos at Little Havana ($4)

The Babysitter’s Club

Several times a year, The Point in Towson hosts “Family Craft Nights,” hiring extra staff to watch, feed, and entertain kids. Moppet minders help the kids make spooky spiders at Halloween and ornaments at Christmas.

When you’re headed out on a date with someone you’ve never met, as is commonplace in the age of dating apps, there are certain criteria. Not only do you want to like the person you’re sharing appetizers with, but you also want to like the appetizers themselves.

The thing about first dates is that your comfort level can make or break them. You don’t want something too formal, or else it will feel like a business meeting, but you want something casual enough to keep the whole thing feeling breezy.

Luckily, in Baltimore, you don’t have to go a five-star restaurant to find stellar atmosphere, a good meal, and a couple of tasty drinks. Here are some of the best first date-spots around.

Wicked Sisters
There are a few reasons why I try and steer all of my first dates towards Wicked Sisters. The Hampden spot has great atmosphere filled with intimate corners that are great for, at the very least, cozying up to a bottle of wine. The whole place has good vibes but, come springtime, the outdoor patio is where it’s at. Appetizers are big enough to share and you should never leave without trying the sweet and spicy Brussels sprouts. 3845 Falls Rd., 410-878-0884

Belvedere Square Market
When you’re planning to meet someone for the first time, you probably have no idea what food they’re into. Luckily, Belvedere Square Market has everything from smoked fish and quick-fired pizza to hearty sandwiches and spicy ramen. Afterwards, if the date lasts that long, head over to Grand Cru for some cocktails and light bites. The whole marketplace has outdoor seating, too, which is perfect for the warmer weather. 529 E. Belvedere Ave., 410-464-9773

Nepenthe Brewing Co.
It’s the perfect time to make a date at the brewery just off of The Avenue in Hampden. Check out the new peach and raspberry sour beer or the Something Pithy Pale Ale with grapefruit while the spring breeze rolls through the open garage-door windows. Talk about keepin’ it breezy! You know the beers will be delicious but the food is on point, too. And if it all starts to go south, there are plenty of nearby places to escape (aka bar hop with your friends). 3626 Falls Rd., 443-438-4846

Nick’s Fish House
If you’re looking for relaxing, you can’t really beat sitting out on the deck at Nick’s Fish House overlooking the Patapsco River. Sure, you’ll probably wind up covered in Old Bay from picking crabs and sucking down many more Orange Crushes than you had planned, but it’s all in good fun. Make sure to check the music schedule and bring your energy because jammy music is the thing at Nick’s every Thursday-Sunday. As long as your date can get down, you’re in for a night filled with seafood, dance moves, and all-around good vibes. 2600 Insulator Dr., 410- 347-4123

R. House
With new spring drinks on the menu and ample outdoor seating, you can’t beat a date at R. House. Clever new drink creations like the new Mean Green Mother from Outer Space cocktail and the Rebel Dentist will be sure to help rid you of the first-date jitters. You can find tacos, spicy chicken sandwiches, and scrumptious hot dogs from new stand, On Top Hot, just to name a few. The patio is tons of fun this time of year, but, maybe more importantly, it provides a speedy exit when absolutely necessary. 301 W 29th St., 443- 347-3570

29th Street Tavern
We all love to sit outside and soak up the sun this time of year, but spring still has a few chilly days in store. For those rainy date nights, hunker down at the ultra cozy 29th Street Tavern and load up on the spicy wings and beers. Blast some tunes on the jukebox and, if you aren’t having fun yet, well, you’re definitely on the wrong date. 398 W 29th St., 410-235-2426

The Sandlot
You don’t have to head downy ocean to put your toes in the sand. Just head towards Harbor Point to this seasonal waterfront bar. Opening day is just around the corner on May 3, making this the perfect warm-weather date spot. Word on the street is there will be a bit more shade than last year so you won’t wind-up sundrunk, though maybe just regular drunk. Sun, sand, boozy beverages, and crab-corn fritters? At this point, halfway decent conversation would just be an added bonus. 1000 Wills St., 410-568-4916

Of Love & Regret
This unique, hidden gem in Brewer’s Hill has some of the best cocktails around, making it just a touch easier to fall in love, at least for the evening. You can sample liquor from all over the globe while munching delicious shareables like grilled smoked meatballs or calamari. The lobster mac and cheese is a must-have but they have tons of vegetarian options in case your date is an omnivore. With such amazing menu options and a cozy first-date atmosphere, Of Love & Regret boasts a price point that’s totally reasonable. Let’s hope your date is, too. 1028 S. Conkling St., 410-327-0760

Blue Pit BBQ and Whiskey Bar
Blue Pit’s laid-back vibes make for a great first date no matter what. But in the springtime, you can head out to the patio, which means your dog can come, too (your dog’s instincts about your date may even be more accurate than yours). With $2 off drafts, $1 off wine, $7 house Old Fashioneds and Manhattans, and $5 for a shot and a beer, the happy hour is a near steal. But don’t forget to fill up on pulled pork and addictive potato salad. If you don’t, the whiskey might get the best of you. And then it’s just you and the dog . . . 1601 Union Ave., 443- 948-5590

Columbia-born chef Andrew Fontaine comes to The Alexander Brown Restaurant after stints in the Napa Valley, and, more recently Antrim 1844 in Taneytown. He couldn’t be happier about the way in which the food scene has evolved here. “Baltimore has always teetered on the edge of being an unbelievable food city,” he says. “It’s really close to that tipping point where it can be taken just as seriously as other big cities. The food is not far off from being as good as D.C., Chicago, and Charleston. It just needs a little push and a tug and some exposure.”

I know you grew up in Columbia, but had you ever heard the name Alexander Brown?
Growing up around here, everyone has heard of Alexander Brown, the person or the bank—the firm or the building has that presence rooted in a deep history of Baltimore. But I wasn’t familiar with his impact on Baltimore until I started this project.

What part of the bank was where the kitchen is located now?
The kitchen is in the basement where the vault is that was original to the bank. We now use it for dry storage, which is very unique. The door to the vault is an antique and, apparently, they’re are not many of these left. We have the one that has a serial number of one on it, so it’s the first one like it. Of course, having a 4,000-pound door right by the pass to the kitchen creates its own challenges.

Did you grow up dreaming of becoming a chef?
My original plan was to go to law school, but I spent a summer working in my dad’s law office here in the city and realized that I didn’t want to do that. I had restaurant experience. In college, I managed a restaurant and my grandparents owned a few pubs. As a kid, I always worked in restaurants—I just didn’t think I’d do it forever.

What appealed to you about working in a kitchen?
In the beginning, it really was a comfort zone of where I felt at home in terms of the camaraderie with my coworkers. I loved that everyone had a common goal and I love the instant gratification of finishing a dish and putting it up. That really appealed to me. It also appealed to me because you’re part scientist, part artist, and part craftsman.

What did you want to accomplish with your menu?
I took inspiration from the Alexander Brown investment firm, family, and their merchant trade and tried to use that. They spent a long time importing the finest linen from all over the world and bringing back here to Baltimore. I’ve worked hard to find the greatest ingredients from all over the world and bring influences from North Africa, Korean, Spain, and Mexico. The wagyu beef comes from Japan, the morels come from the Pacific Northwest, the Ora Salmon comes from a sustainable farm in New Zealand, and the grits come from Anson Mill in South Carolina. Things will change as there’s a natural evolution of the restaurant, but we’ll never fully lose track of that.

What are some of the signatures on your menu?
The crab beignets are not going anywhere. We wanted to incorporate the feeling of Baltimore and Maryland and crabs are a huge part of that, but we wanted to do it in a little bit of a different way. Everyone has a different feeling about what makes the best crab cake and there’s no right or wrong. I wanted to showcase crab in a very different, refined, and elevated way and came up with the beignets. The inside is al like a crab salad with very little filler and herbs and crème fraiche.

The chicken for two is also turning into a wildly popular dish. We wanted to find a way to have a good whole roasted chicken but make it different. We debone it and then reform it. It’s steamed and roasted and arrives at the table as a cleaner package that’s easier to serve.

I imagine it’s fun to work in a new kitchen.
It’s nice to start in a brand new place and get all the toys and goodies that you want. We have sous vide machine and four circulators—more than most kitchens, which have one. We have sausage stuffers, smoking guns, and we are getting a centrifuge. We really try to bring contemporary aspects to what we do and use a fair amount of modern and contemporary cooking techniques.

Spring has sprung and, just because you’ve been making a conscious effort to eat well, doesn’t mean you can’t indulge occasionally. We talk to registered dietician and personal trainer Courtney Ferreira about tips and tricks to make healthier choices at any of your favorite food spots.

Italian

• Keep your carbs in check. If you are having a carb-heavy appetizer, opt for a veggie-heavy main course and vice versa.
• Avoid the bread basket. Eat something small before you go out to help you resist the urge to fill up on bread.
• Stay away from items with cream sauces or heavy cheeses.

American

• Stick to only one fried option. If you can, choose broiled, grilled, or steamed selections.
• Watch out for words like rich, breaded, and smothered.
• Freshen up your leftovers by adding a fried egg to them.
• If there are large portion sizes, order less and share with your dinner companions so you aren’t overeating.

Japanese

• Order miso soup or seaweed salad, which are both healthy and filling options.
• Try sashimi in lieu of your regular sushi roll so that you are getting a nice serving of quality proteins and fat.
• Stay away from the tempura or baked rolls.
• Add cucumber to any roll for extra crunch and flavor with minimal calories.
• Substitute white rice with brown rice.

Mediterranean

• Swap your pita chips for veggie slices.
• For dips, choose hummus or babaganoush. Both are made with simple ingredients and are high in nutrients.
• Skip the gyro or shawarma sandwiches, as they are typically loaded with various high-fat toppings.

Indian

• Use raw veggies in place of naan for any dipping.
• Choose a chicken or seafood option. They are high in protein and have less fat than beef or lamb options.
• Avoid fried options by choosing meats cooked tandoori style, which means they have been oven-grilled.
• Monitor your rice portions—one serving size is only ½ cup.

Mexican

• Balance is key. Pick what your carb will be for this meal, and then make sure to have a protein and veggie option as well.
• Trade in your margarita for a lower calorie option such as tequila and soda water with fresh-squeezed limes.
• If your serving is too big, split up your portion and take the other half home for lunch the next day.
• Opt for the corn tortilla instead of the flour option for a smaller, less processed portion.

Our survey of Baltimore’s best restaurants this year reminded us that not every hot spot in town has a license to sell adult beverages—so you bring your own. Such places offer you the opportunity to pair delightful and unique wines while avoiding too big a hit to your bill. If you are headed to a BYO place, take advantage of it by treating yourself to something nice that’s also going to pair well with your food.

Wittmann “100 Hills” Riesling 2017
($20, Country Vintner)

There may be no more versatile white wine on the planet than a delicious, mostly dry German Riesling. It possesses great acidity for cutting through fat, lovely aromatics to lift herbal and savory flavors, and is never weighed down by oak and tannins that could swamp delicate preparations. Wittmann hails from Germany’s Rheinhessen region and does a fine job of pairing with Thai and Korean, of course, but also ceviche, grilled poultry, and even red meat.

Monteagrelo Bressia Cabernet Franc 2016
($25, Kysela)

Argentina is most immediately associated with Malbec, but Cabernet Franc does astonishingly well there, too. They tend to be more fruit-forward, less heavy, and more versatile. Just the ticket for a trip to a place like Puerto 511, which features Peruvian fare that is seafood-oriented but also always includes a hefty shot of red meat. This example is lush and packed with fruit without being too heavy or tannic.

Felsina Berardenga Chianti Classico 2015
($30, Bacchus Importers)

On one visit to a Baltimore BYO Tuscan restaurant, we noted that one table decided a 1.5 liter of white zinfandel was just the ticket to go with the chef’s painstakingly prepared Italian feast. To each his own, but we saw room for improvement. Next time consider a red from Tuscany’s most famous region, Chianti Classico. This iteration from stalwart producer Felsina is textbook—beautifully tart red cherry, fine tannins, sweet tomato, and sun-baked terracotta scents. From pizza to steak, it’s a winner.