While we’re excited the O’s are finally taking the field, it’s hard not to lament the traditions of a typical Opening Day—like seas of fans decked out in orange flocking down Pratt Street to Camden Yards, vendors hawking the requisite peanuts and Natty Bohs, and the scent of greasy ballpark fare wafting throughout the stadium. Though the away opener against the Red Sox on July 24—and the first home game against the Miami Marlins on July 29—will seem surreal with no fans in attendance, local restaurants have us covered with festive food and drink specials to enjoy while watching at home. Here are a few ways to get into the spirit:

The Charmery: It should come as no surprise that master creamer David Alima has dreamed up an orange-inspired ice cream flavor to honor the return of the birds. All Charmery locations in Hampden, Towson, and Federal Hill are now scooping “Squeeze Play,” made with fresh-squeezed orange juice, orange zest, and orang bun(d)t cake.

THB Bagelry & Deli: To celebrate the home opener on Wednesday, July 29, all four THB locations will fill their bins with orange-and-black bagels. Enjoy the one-day-only offering with a classic schmere or your favorite sandwich fillings.

Zeke’s Coffee: Starting with the away opener on July 24, this neighborhood staple on Harford Road will be featuring a special menu of $5 ballpark fare while supplies last. Get your fill of classics like jumbo hot dogs, Pollock Johnny’s, soft pretzels with Zeke’s coffee porter mustard and cheese sauce, and stadium-style nachos with salsa and jalapeños. Round out your pregame platter with $2 Bohs and $3 Brewer’s Art Birdhouse cans.

The Sporty Dog: Nothing says baseball like hotdogs. And this fan-favorite purveyor is ringing in the season by dropping a new menu item. The aptly named “O Dog” is topped with crab meat and mac and cheese made with O-shaped pasta. Order for curbside pickup for the away opener and throughout the weekend.

The Classic Catering People: This Owings Mills-based catering company has crafted an “O”pening Day menu of carryout fare that is meant to make your feel like you’re watching the condiment races and the crab shuffle from the stands. Boxed meal options include fried chicken with macaroni salad and watermelon, crab cakes with coleslaw and Old Bay chips, and a pit beef sandwich pack that feeds four.

Nottingham’s: If you’re backing the birds from Howard County, consider snagging a seat on the patio at this Columbia spot—where the game will be on all screens with sound. Specials for the away opener include $3 draft beers, $6 hot dogs, and $10 burgers served with chips and a Miller Lite or Yuengling.

COMING SOON

Tiki Bar at Hotel Revival: No matter the season, tiki cocktails are all the rage. And it only seems fitting that the greenery-filled Garden Room on the top floor of Mt. Vernon’s Hotel Revival would get in on the trend. Beginning November 8, the space that was formerly used solely for private parties will be open Thursday-Saturday as a destination to take in the panoramic views while sipping herbaceous drinks crafted by bartender Bryan Reinhold. Among the options include the “Mojo’s Jojo” (Monkey Shoulder scotch and apricot liqueur), the “Firebird” (Vida mezcal and Blackwell rum), and the “Suffering Willow,” which fuses apple brandy with Bluecoat gin. Overseeing the Garden Room program will be Revival’s new lead bartender Ian Clark—a local industry veteran who has nearly 20 years of experience managing spots such as Peter’s Inn, Penny Black, Nacho Mama’s, and Modern Cook Shop.

THB Bagels & Deli Expanding to Owings Mills: On the heels of announcing a forthcoming location in Columbia last month, the owners of THB Neighborhood Bagelry + Deli are expanding their footprint yet again. A sixth location of the beloved breakfast-and-lunch spot will open at Mill Station, the site of the former Owings Mills Mall, this summer. But the growth isn’t stopping there—the family-owned business plans to open two additional locations annually through 2025. For now, Owings Mills and Columbia locals can get excited to have the signature New York-style bagels and sandwiches right in their backyard.

OPEN

Uptown Abbey: This cleverly named Abbey Burger Bistro spinoff is now officially up and running in Mt. Washington. After years of operating locations in Federal Hill, Ocean City, and Fells Point, husband-and-wife owners Russ and Marigot Miller—along with business partner Jason Zink of Smaltimore—have expanded yet again, bringing their outside-of-the-box burgers, greasy tots, spiked milkshakes, and pages-long beer list to the former home of The Nickel Taphouse. Featuring fresh bar tops, new flooring, and roll-up style garage doors, the revived corner spot offers the classic Abbey sports-bar vibe along with a few new additions to the menu. Aside from the signature burgers (this month’s featured meats include wild boar, camel, and New Zealand red deer), be on the lookout for steamed seafood offerings like Gulf shrimp with Old Bay, PEI mussels in garlic sauce, and little neck clams with butter.

Bambao: Earlier this week, the former Manchurian Rice Co. space in Harbor East made its debut as this Asian-fusion destination for bao buns and bubble tea. Created with feedback from Johns Hopkins Carey Business School students, the mindful concept highlights dishes including Sambal honey fried chicken, bulgogi short rib buns with pickled Asian pear, pork and crab fried rice, and Buddha bowls topped with pearled barley and edamame. Bambao will also offer origami as an activity for diners to enjoy in the zen space—which features dark woods, neutral tones, interior greenery, and a mural by Kelly Walker of ArtStar Paintworks.

Old Line Cocktail and Wine Bar: As this Highlandtown distillery gets ready to release its eight-year-old American single malt whiskey this weekend, the team is also celebrating the launch of its new satellite bar inside Cross Street Market in Federal Hill. Co-founders Arch Watkins and Mark McLaughlin have collaborated with the team at the newly renovated market to dream up the concept for the bar—which will pour local beer and wine, and, of course, focus on cocktails made with Old Line’s award-winning whiskies and rums. Just in time for the chilly temperatures, the bar has introduced warming happy hour deals such as $5 rum apple ciders and $1-off wine and beer.

SHUT

The Laughing Pint: Sadly, this year’s annual “Misfit Thanksgiving” potluck at The Laughing Pint will be the last. After 13 years, owner Shannon Cassidy is passing the torch to new owners who will introduce another concept, but she says she’s leaving the beloved Highlandtown hangout in “wonderful hands.” A closing party will be held on Saturday, November 23, followed by the potluck and official last day on Thanksgiving. “I am so thankful for the love and support we have received over the past 13 years,” Cassidy announced via Facebook.

Sam’s Canterbury Cafe: Last weekend, this Tuscany-Canterbury community spot shuttered its doors for good. “With mixed emotions and heavy hearts, we have made the difficult decision to close the cafe,” husband-and-wife owners Michael and Jennifer Myers announced via Facebook. “We thank each and every one of you for supporting the mission as well as making a lifetime of memories at the cafe.” The two opened the spot nearly three years ago as a place to provide meaningful employment for their son, Sam, as well as other adults living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Not only was the inviting hangout known for its baked goods, coffee drinks, and breakfast sandwiches, but it was also praised for its thoughtful design (minimal patterns and earthy tones) and programming catered toward those living with ASD. Here’s hoping we’ll see Sam’s smiling face elsewhere sometime soon.

COMING SOON

Crust by Mack: Chef Amanda Mack’s beloved baked goods have been added to the lineup of local eats that will be offered inside Hampden’s Whitehall Food Market when it opens later this year. After nearly two years of focusing solely on pop-ups and deliveries, Mack will set up shop inside the communal space to serve her sweet-and-savory hand pies (think everything from cherry almond to the “Bmore Crust” filled with jumbo lump crab meat), as well as cinnamon rolls and a Baltimore-inspired chocolate chip cookie made with brown butter and Old Bay. “It’s so Baltimore, but then it’s also that classic chocolate chip cookie that everybody dreams of,” she says, also mentioning brunch pastries that will be paired with Champagne and bellinis. In keeping with Mack’s social justice philosophy, she is looking forward to hosting community gatherings and speaker series in the market’s designated events space. “It’s the perfect location,” she says. “I’m excited to be around other like-minded people and collaborate with some of my favorite brands.”

THB Neighborhood Bagelry + Deli: Since opening its flagship in Towson 20 years ago, THB has expanded into three other neighborhoods and served more than 52 million bagels to the Baltimore community at large. To celebrate its big birthday, the deli is widening its footprint yet again—this time to Howard County. A fifth shop at Columbia Crossing is slated to open this winter, highlighting THB’s signature breakfast sandwiches, wraps, salads, and paninis.

OPEN

Pizza di Joey: The footlong “monster” slices from this roving pizza truck have finally found a permanent home inside Cross Street Market. Owner Joey Vanoni debuted a brick-and-mortar stall inside the renovated market last weekend, just in time for the Ravens home opener. Stop by the stall—or the attached take-out window that is open until 12 a.m. on Saturdays for revelers in Federal Hill—for wood-fired slices topped with everything from pepperoni and mozzarella to barbecue chicken and lump crab. Pizza di Joey joins newly opened spots Rice Crook, Annoula’s Kitchen, and Gangster Vegan in the revitalized property, which is expected to be fully leased by spring 2020.

NEWS

Le Comptoir du Vin Ranked Best in the Country by Bon Appetit: The fastidious food editors at Bon Appetit magazine narrowed their list of the 50 Best New Restaurants in the country down to 10 this week, and local diners were ecstatic to see that beloved French bistro Le Comptoir du Vin made the cut. Coming in at No. 8 on the list of the top newcomers in America, the Station North spot was praised for its chicken liver pâté, hand-cut steak tartare, and fresh-baked breads.

“The food is not even really what Le Comptoir is about,” writes editor Julia Kramer. “It’s about having a place where you feel immediately welcomed…a place where you just wanna hang out, as golden hour fades, hoping the night never ends.” We couldn’t agree more. In response to the award, co-owners Will Mester and Rosemary Liss took to Instagram to thank their team, Bon Appetit, and the city as a whole: “We love this city and are so proud to be here,” reads the post. “Thank you Baltimore for your love and support.”

EPICUREAN EVENTS

9/20-22: Mount Vernon Marketplace Turns 4
In the four years since Mount Vernon Marketplace debuted on Park Avenue, we’ve seen OG vendors like The Local Oyster, Cultured, Pinch Dumplings, and Taps Filling Station cement their place in the local dining landscape. And, along the way, the market has welcomed exciting new concepts like Indibowl, Mr. Souvlaki, and Fishnet. In celebration of the food hall’s four-year anniversary this weekend, all of the stalls will be running individual specials. Be on the lookout for $5 milkshakes and orders of fries at Between 2 Buns, $5 rice bowls and $10 soju bottles at Brown Rice, and a “Five Buck Birthday Cup”—which tops a sweet cream base with Oreos and birthday sprinkles—at Roll Bmore.

9/23: Farm to Chef Maryland
In honor of its 10th anniversary, this culinary competition benefitting local nonprofit TasteWise Kids is back and bigger than ever. Nearly 30 chefs—including Stefano Porcile of Orto, Jesse Sandlin of The Outpost American Tavern, Mark Levy of Magdalena, Doug Wetzel of Gertrude’s, and David Thomas of Ida B’s Table—will be paired with a local farm and tasked with creating a dish that showcases Baltimore’s bounty of homegrown produce. Plus, cocktail connoisseurs from the Baltimore Bartenders’ Guild will also use herbs and other ingredients from the featured farms to mix up signature beverages. Attendees will vote for their favorite eats and drinks of the night, and a portion of all proceeds will support the nonprofit’s efforts to educate kids about the origins of their food.

SHUT

The Haute Dog Carte: The Mt. Washington scene lost this old standby earlier this month. Chef Daniel Raffel took to Facebook to announce that he would be shutting down his hot dog cart—stationed in a converted garage next to Bonjour Bakery on Falls Road—indefinitely. “I am humbled by the kindness, support and love from all who joined me on this fun adventure,” he wrote. “I will sign off until there is something to report.” Some of the offerings that became favorites among lunchtime regulars included the spicy Italian dog topped with onion jam and the smoked country sausage with whole grain mustard. Here’s hoping the fabulous franks stuffed inside flaky baguettes will make a comeback sometime soon.

OPEN

Écho Frezco: It’s been nearly three years since plans to open this cocina inside the Hunt Valley Town Centre were officially announced. After much anticipation, the sister-spot to the popular La Tolteca chain finally celebrated its grand opening earlier this week. Swing by to sample the massive plates ranging from cheesy quesadillas and chicken flautas to steak nachos and a fried taco bowl with all of the fixins’. Of course, there is also a fully-stocked bar that turns out classic margaritas, palomas, and Mexican draft beers. The spot adds even more dining diversity to the development, which houses other eateries including Iron Rooster, Coal Fire Pizza, Barrett’s Grill, and Bar Louie. 100 Shawan Rd. 410-891-8281

COMING SOON

Chatime: Bubble tea can be hard to come by within city limits. Devotees were on cloud nine when QQ Boba debuted on the Avenue in Hampden a few years back, and next month, fans will be able to get their fix at this new shop in Federal Hill. The global tea franchise will soon open its second Maryland location (the first debuted in White Marsh in 2017) in the vacant space sandwiched between Lucky Fortune and Knockout Fitness on Light Street. Though boba—the trendy Taiwanese milk tea enhanced with flavored jellies and chewy tapioca balls—will be the focus, the menu will also offer fruit smoothies, fresh-brewed coffees, and lattes topped with a savory mousse. 1114 Light St.

NEWS

Lexington Market: It’s an exciting time for the city’s public market presence. The renovated Broadway Market in Fells Point partially reopened this week, and the brand new Cross Street Market is expected to follow suit in Federal Hill this spring. The next redevelopment coming down the pike is the landmark Lexington Market downtown. After a year of research and collaboration with vendors and business leaders, local developers Seawall and BCT Architects recently unveiled plans to construct a new market in the parking lot just south of the current space. Though the split-level structure will be smaller, the plans allow for all of Lexington’s vendors—including fan-favorites like Faidley’s and Connie’s Chicken & Waffles—to remain open throughout construction.

“Our Connie’s team is excited about the new feel that it is in line with what many of our customers have asked for,” Connie’s co-owner Khari Parker said in a statement. “Specifically, a design that brings a fresh feel through a new building, while preserving elements of the historic charm that tourists and local Baltimoreans alike have come to love at Lexington Market.”

Expected to break ground in 2020, the new building will span the block between Paca and Eutaw Streets and include an interactive plaza for farmers’ markets and other community events. Once the project is complete, a second phase will focus on the adaptive reuse and reprogramming of the existing Lexington Market. 400 W. Lexington St.

Towson Station: In other development news, Mission BBQ, MOD Pizza, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, and The Habit Burger Grill are among the fast-casual eateries that have inked deals to open at this forthcoming strip mall at the corner of York Road and Bosley Avenue in Towson. Spearheaded by Caves Valley Partners and H&R Retail, the new destination was met with some opposition from neighbors who were concerned about tree removal during demolition. But, ultimately, a Baltimore County judge ruled to move the project forward. Construction is slated to begin this summer, and tenants could start making their debut by later this year. 800 York Rd.

EPICUREAN EVENTS

3/24-25: Maryland Day Bagels at THB Bagels + Deli
You can always count on THB to fry up colorful bagels in honor of special events. We’ve seen everything from purple bagels for Ravens season to green ones to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Now, the cafe chain is showing off its local pride with yellow, black, red, and white circles for Maryland Day. All locations will be offering the tie-dye bagels on Sunday and Monday as an homage to our state’s big anniversary. (Perfect timing, as we cheer on the Terps in the NCAA Tournament.) Multiple locations including 3301 Boston St. 410-732-9090

3/28: Origins: A Speaker Series
It’s hard to believe that there have been nearly 30 installments of this sustainable speaker series since it debuted at Artifact Coffee in 2015. This time around, settle in for a panel discussion about food security in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. Chef Spike Gjerde will moderate the talk with Baltimore City food policy director Holly Freishtat, Rev. Dr. Heber Brown III of the Black Church Food Security Network, and Oasis Community Partners executive director Phillip Sambol. As always, attendees will be able to expand the discussion with the speakers over a family-style meal prepared by Artifact. 1500 Union Ave. $60 443-873-3900

SHUT

Edible Favors: Throughout the end of the month, sweet tooth fiends will be flocking to this dessert stall inside Mount Vernon Marketplace to stock up on festive cupcakes and the signature “Everything” cookies packed with chocolate, caramel, and salty pretzel pieces. Owner and pastry chef Denise Dingle, a Baltimore International College grad, recently decided to move on to other ventures after three years in Mt. Vernon. “It’s with heavy hearts that we soon say bon voyage to Edible Favors here at the marketplace,” reads a message posted to the food hall’s Facebook page earlier this week. “Denise and her goodies will be moving on and leaving at the end of March, but we can’t thank her enough for years of smiles and tasty treats.” 520 Park Ave.

Peace & A Cup of Joe: For more than a decade, Pigtown and Ridgely’s Delight locals have made stopping by this Pratt Street staple an important part of their morning routine. But last week, owner Themar Long sold the cafe’s last cup of coffee. “You’re never told the strains on family, friends, and life owning a business will put upon you,” Long said in an announcement posted to Facebook. “But it’s been an exciting ride, which I wouldn’t change for all the world.” Not only will the shop be remembered for its striking orange exterior with a hand-painted mural of hands picking coffee beans, but also for its menu of weekly coffee specials, colorful salads, and grilled sandwiches. 713 W. Pratt St.