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

The idea of an elite professional cycling event in Baltimore on Labor Day weekend might conjure images of the erstwhile Grand Prix (born 2011, died 2013), for those who remember it.

There was the downtown construction and traffic, a lawsuit over uprooting trees in the city, people racing through the streets for multiple days (in engine-powered Indy cars, not on human-powered bikes), crowds enjoying food and beverage in hospitality areas, and unpaid debts by race organizers. Ah, memories.

But the vision for the first-ever Maryland Cycling Classic on Sept. 6, 2020, held in and around Baltimore, is distinctly not that.

First, the race route will be for cyclists, and it will cross through the city and potentially multiple counties around Baltimore—not just exclusively through downtown or the Inner Harbor. And, second, there won’t be any new construction and likely nothing close to the traffic headaches, as Maryland Sports Commission executive director Terry Hasseltine describes it.

The one-day, elite-level pro cycling event next year will mark only the second of its kind in the United States—a prestigious Union Cyclist International (UCI) ProSeries race that ranks one step below the series that includes the Tour de France. This is serious stuff, and will attract some of the best riders in the world to compete on a to-be-determined 100-plus mile route.

According to Al Hutchinson, the president and CEO of Visit Baltimore, there will possibly be 100,000 spectators in attendance in what is typically a festival atmosphere.

On the paved Maryland roads, picture a tightly-packed peloton—a main group of 100 or so riders, wearing spandex, shorts, and sponsors—carving through Baltimore, Carroll, Harford, or Frederick Counties near 30 miles per hour in flat areas, perhaps crossing a finish line somewhere downtown.

“This is professional cycling at its best, and it’s a pretty cool spectacle,” Hasseltine said when we spoke to get more details after the race’s official announcement earlier this month. “We think that up and down the Atlantic corridor, there’s a clamoring for primetime cycling. And because of that, we’re going to get a huge draw.”

Here’s more on what we know about the Maryland Cycling Classic so far:

Some of the best cyclists in the world will be here.
If Lance Armstrong were still racing, he might be in this. UCI, the international governing body of cycling, sanctions the top races around the world. And many of the same riders who will ride the roads around here will have competed in the Olympics in Tokyo a month earlier. The concept of the Maryland Cycling Classic is akin to similar multi-day and stage events worldwide and in the U.S., including Utah, Colorado, and California.

It’s a one-day, 100-plus mile event.
The race’s length will be somewhere between 110 and 125 miles, per standard rules. But that doesn’t mean the race route will be a straight shot from western Maryland to downtown Baltimore, for instance, though it theoretically could. There might be at least one “circuit”—aka a temporary track—where a few laps could be run.

The official route has not been determined, but here’s an idea of what it could look like…
The route is expected to be announced in early 2020, but a lot rides (pun intented) on discussions that host committee chair John Kelly (of Kelly Benefit Strategies and its Baltimore-based cycling club) and the Maryland Sports Commission—as well as partners Visit Baltimore, event management company Medalist Sports, KOM Sports Marketing, and USA Cycling—will have over the next two months.

But here’s what a map of the course might look like: “To get in 125 miles, we might be out in countryside to get 80 miles, with four 20-mile circuits, then have a straightaway to another circuit to get the other mileage in,” Hasseltine said. “Some people are talking about maybe identifying a ‘point to point,’ where riders do a couple circuits somewhere, then head somewhere else to do a couple more circuits, then finish. That’s the stuff that we have to work on logistically.”

Discussion items include developing a route that meets the UCI’s competitive requirements in length and difficulty (uphill and sprint sections, for example); looks good in person and on television (“A vibrant, tell-tale postcard impression of the state,” Hasseltine said); provides areas for viewing and hospitality setups; and minimizes road closures, which should be minor given the speedy here-and-gone nature of pro cycling. “The peloton is so tight in most cases that you do just rolling closures,” Hasseltine says. “Cyclists come through and then the road opens back up.”

Expect a ‘festival type’ atmosphere.
If your annual dose of cycling comes from video clips of flag-clad and sign-carrying people running alongside the route of the Tour de France in old European towns and hillsides, getting dangerously close to the riders, that’s about what you can expect here, too. The sound of cowbells. People in costumes. Food, drink, and international visitors. It will be broadcast to more than 100 countries. In its sponsorship materials, organizers estimate more than $20 million in economic impact.

So, like those who plunk down a folding chair or orange cone to save their city-street parking space during a snowstorm, you might want to claim a roadside viewing spot early come Labor Day Sunday, wherever the route may be.

For the fourth straight day, Donald Trump continued his assault on the city of Baltimore, describing it “like living in hell” while addressing reporters on the south lawn of the White House Tuesday morning. Further, the president claimed, without offering evidence, “that billions and billions given to Baltimore” in federal funding “had been stolen.”

Trump also continued his personal attacks on Rep. Elijah Cummings, who represents Maryland’s 7th District, suggesting Cummings is “in charge” of Baltimore, which the president had called “a disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess” over the weekend.

“They’re largely African American,” Trump said of Baltimore’s residents. “You have a large African-American population, and they really appreciate what I’m doing and they’ve let me know it.” Again, the president offered no information about who specifically from Baltimore had reached out to him. He tweeted that the city’s economic and crime numbers are “the worst in the United States,” neither of which is true.

In Tuesday evening’s Democratic presidential debate, Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, whose husband teaches at the University of Baltimore School of Law, decried Trump’s assault on majority-black Baltimore. “Little kids literally woke up this week and turned on the TV and saw the president call their city, the town of Baltimore, nothing more than a home for rats,” Klobuchar said.

To a question about how the candidates would change course and help heal from Trump’s tactic of racial division, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders highlighted his Thurgood Marshall Plan for Public Education, which aims at ending the growth of segregated schools, increasing support for Title I schools, and raising teacher pay, among other initiatives. Marshall, a Baltimore native, founded the NAACP’s Legal Defense Fund and won the Brown v. Board of Education case that overturned legal segregation in 1954.

On Saturday morning, a “Fox & Friends” segment that was critical of Baltimore prompted the president’s initial verbal assaults on the city and Cummings. Trump apparently viewed the segment as an opening to go after Cummings, who serves as chair of the House Oversight and Reform Committee. Previously, Cummings had offered tough questioning of Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan during a hearing on child separations and conditions at U.S. border facilities.

On Sunday, Trump referred to Cummings, the son of sharecroppers who grew up defending himself against bullies who tried to stop the integration of a South Baltimore public pool, as “racist Elijah Cummings.” On Monday, after Rev. Al Sharpton and former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, a Republican, visited Cummings’ West Baltimore church, Trump called Sharpton a racist, too. Meanwhile, Steele said Trump “has a particular venom for blacks and people of color.”

During his remarks to reporters Tuesday morning, Trump referred to himself as “the least racist person there is anywhere in the world.”

Whether American voters believe him is another question. Later Tuesday, Quinnipiac University released a poll that found 51 percent of American voters think the president of the Unites States is a racist. Forty-five percent of voters said they do not think Trump is a racist.

Wednesday morning, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, the renowned former Johns Hopkins neurosurgeon, came to Baltimore to defend the president and tout the Trump Administration’s “Opportunity Zone” initiative. According to reporting by The Sun, HUD officials planned to stage their press conference on a vacant lot in Southwest Baltimore, but never asked permission from the owners of the property, Morning Star Baptist Church of Christ.

Meanwhile, Baltimoreans have continued their defense of their beloved city, which launched a trending social media hashtag #WeAreBaltimore over the weekend.

Visit Baltimore, the city’s official tourism arm, noted, for example, that the city ranked fifth on the both Forbes’ list of rising cities for startups and Entrepreneur magazine’s list of top cities for minority entrepreneurs, as well as one of the top three U.S. cities for recent college grads by the Wall Street Journal.

In an op-ed to the Baltimore Sun, Under Armour founder Kevin Plank and Johns Hopkins University president Ron Daniel—joined by more than a half-dozen other business, academic, and nonprofit leaders—wrote how they were “proud and privileged” to call Baltimore home. They described Baltimore as “home of creativity, optimism, and determination.”

Others, including Baltimore photographer Devin Allen, continued to show their love for the city in heartfelt tweets, Facebook and Instagram posts and pictures.

By coincidence, Baltimore celebrated its 290th birthday Tuesday.

Trump, of course, most likely didn’t know that. A couple of years ago, he described one of Baltimore’s and the country’s greatest former citizens, former slave turned abolitionist, orator, and author Frederick Douglass, as “an example of somebody’s who’s done an amazing job and is being recognized more and more.”

In recent years, the popularity of Airbnb-style rentals has surged in Baltimore—especially in places like Fells Point, Canton, and Federal Hill due to their waterfront amenities. Since the emergence of these temporary rental properties, some residents and hotel chains have had varying issues with the influx of traffic to the neighborhoods. Residents have complained about increases in vandalism, crime, and noise, while hotels complain that the renters are getting away with paying less in taxes for the same amenities.

Councilman Eric Costello of the city’s 11th district heard those complaints and decided to take action by proposing a bill that would require hosts of those properties to register with the city and impose a 9.5-percent hotel tax on all stays. The ban also would prevent hosts from renting other properties besides their primary homes. The bill passed on Thursday night.

“It gives the city a swift and decisive mechanism to revoke problem operators licenses,” Costello said in a statement. “Number two, it captures the hotel tax which the city was missing out on. Number three, it prevents neighborhoods from becoming overly transient.”

In addition, Costello introduced an amendment to the bill earlier this week that would make sure that residents from outside the city can take advantage of the grandfather clause that allows existing hosts to rent their primary properties plus on additional property.

Local Airbnb “superhost” Natalia Cruz, who frequently hosts guests at her Inner Harbor apartment, has no problem with the bill saying it’s a fair move that will help grow the city’s economy.

“The majority of my guests are business travelers who coming to Baltimore for conventions and corporate work,” she explains. “Part of these taxes will go to Visit Baltimore that brings most of the conventions to the city. So why should I be opposed to it? As much as I want to keep more money to myself, I like to be fair. As an Airbnb host, I am taking a fair share from other hotels who pay taxes and other fees. If they start closing, it would be good for Airbnb hosts, but what about the city?”

Baltimore is not the first city to impose these types of rules and taxes on short-term rentals. As companies like Airbnb and HomeAway gain popularity, cities across the country have begun levying taxes on these properties. Montgomery County currently charges 7 percent of the listing price including any cleaning fee and guest fee for reservations 30 nights and shorter.

Beginning in 2019, Seattle will begin collecting taxes of $14 per night for short-term home rentals and $8 for short-term room rentals. The money collected from the tax will support community-initiated development projects and creating affordable housing. Hosts are also required to obtain a special license and can only operate on rental at a time.

Similarly, two years ago, Airbnb guests in Loveland, Colorado began paying the city’s 3-percent lodging tax as part of a direct partnership between Airbnb and the city.

In Baltimore, the 9.5-percent hotel tax will be effective at the end of 2018 and is forecasted to raise nearly $1 million per year. The other restrictions—including renting one property at a time—will take effect at the end of 2019.

Charm City is home to a colorful combination of cuisines, and this summer is the perfect time to expand your culinary palette. Baltimore Restaurant Week is back July 27-August 5, with more than 100 places bringing the best to your plate.

In its 13th year, the summer food frenzy is the longest running promotion in the region to offer delicious discounts. Participating restaurants will have special selections on fixed brunch, lunch, or dinner menus for the week, fueled by the collaborative support of the Downtown Partnership and Visit Baltimore.

For brunch and lunch, restaurants offer choices for two courses that range from a total of $12-20, and for dinner diners will have choices for three courses ranging from $20-$35. Reservations can be made online or through the mobile app Opentable, which is also partnering to sponsor the event.

New this year, nearby parking garages sponsored by LAZ Parking will have a $5 weeknight rate and a $10 all-day weekend rate, according to Jessie Krebs, Visit Baltimore’s public relations manager. While in years past the biggest obstacle might have been getting a parking spot downtown, Visit Baltimore wanted to make that easier.

“We realized that over time there has been perception that parking downtown can be a hassle for customers,” said Visit Baltimore president and CEO Al Hutchinson. “This year we wanted to show that that perception isn’t a reality. We’re hoping that that will be something special for this restaurant week.”

This summer, more than 100 restaurants are participating in Baltimore Restaurant Week, so we wanted to narrow it down to some of the highlights.

Unbeatable Brunch: Wicked Sisters
The brunch bites at this Hampden site are looking wicked good. We like french toast. We like muffins. We’re ready to try the French toast muffin. This first course menu option starts with a cinnamon sugar muffin, and is stacked with maple syrup bits, whipped cream, and Nutella powder. You just can’t make this stuff up. 3845 Falls Rd., $15-33, (410) 878-0884

Unrivaled Lunch: Tio Pepe
Stopping in for lunch at Restaurant Tio Pepe’s brings you straight to Spain. This year, the homemade Spanish cooking comes in several options for two midday courses at $15. Take time to try authentic dishes like gazpacho a la andaluza to start, and finish it off with tortilla Espanola Don Quijote or filete Tio Pepe. 10 E. Franklin St., $15-35, (410) 539-4675

Most Creative Menu: The Food Market
Does the idea of worms in dirt make you salivate? If your first thought is dark chocolate pudding with oreo crumbs, then you have the right instinct about dirt cups. The Food Market is making Restaurant Week extra fun with funky desserts and dishes like loaded nachos, duck confit potato skins, lobster-salted fries, and more. 1017 W. 36th St, $35, (410) 366-0606

Vegetarian-Friendly Place: Encantada
Last summer, this enchanting New American menu was our favorite sustainable option of Charm City’s restaurant week. And this year, not much has changed as Encantada still brings us back to basics of fresh eating, from vegan to vegetarian to virtually any diet. Through brunch, lunch, and dinner, the menus are almost entirely meatless, including choices like tofu tacos and cauliflower steak. Take your time atop the American Visionary Art Museum, and enjoy $15 bottomless mimosas, Bloody Marys, Evolution Craft Brewing drafts & sangria at brunch and lunch. 800 Key Highway, $20-35, (410) 752-1000

The Newcomer: Chez Hugo Bistro
The latest French bistro has had our hearts since its opening this past Valentine’s Day. Its spacious dining room is best for big parties and its semi-casual ambience is ideal for families, friends, and food. For restaurant week features, you’ll find French classics like soup à l’oignon, Croque Monsieur, and steak frites for lunch or dinner. 206 E. Redwood St, $20-35, (443) 438-3002

Outdoor Option: Cafe Fili
Fill up at Cafe Fili with mediterranean mezze meals that will make you want to come back for more. From paninis, hot dips, cold dips, and a baklava selection, the adventurous eats are ideal when paired with fresh air while dining al fresco out front. The cute corner cafe is modest and quaint, making for a casual outing in Mt. Vernon. Another bonus: its lunch and dinner menus have many vegetarian options. 816 Cathedral St., $12-20, (410) 244-1600

Sweet Spot: Kora Lee’s
Even the most savory items are prepared with a sweet spin at this gourmet dessert cafe, which is perfect for our indulging our inner sweet tooth. For a $15 lunch, options include ricotta heirloom tomato tart, blueberry feta salad and pineapple Thai chicken. But bring your appetite for brunch if you want a really tasty treat, like the Nutty Buddy banana pudding French toast. Yum. 602 N. Howard Street, $15, (443) 602-0167

Neighborhood Spot: Annabel Lee Tavern
While restaurant week is the best time to try something new, it’s also great to get deals at your local favorites. And Annabel Lee is a classic we can’t get enough of. The traditional American tavern is offering a $28 three-course dinner. Start with Old Bay gazpacho, an ode to Maryland heritage, and find other fan favorites like the crab cake platter or petit filet mignon. 601 S Clinton St., $28, 410-522-2929

Biggest Bargain: The Black Olive
The authentic Greek fish tavern in Fells Point offers an array of elegance and fine dining. Their menu is still in the works, but you’ll feel especially fancy with their upscale seafood options, for no more than $35 at dinner. 814 S. Bond St., Price TBD, (410) 276-7141

Best Beverages: Petit Louis
Last but not least, Petit Louis completes our week with French food and fabulous wine—oh la la! Imagine you’re sharing a tartelette aux peches or mousse au chocolat blanc. You’ll need a perfect wine to complement your dessert, and Petit Louis’ selection of pairings is set at $19. 4800 Roland Avenue, $35, (410) 366-9393