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Baltimore loves seafood, and, in particular, crabs. Soft- or hard-shell crabs, crab cakes, crab dip—the city's passion for clawed crustaceans seems to have no end. Flag down a Baltimore native and ask them where the best crab joint is and you'll get dozens of different options.
But crabs aren’t the only thing on the menu. Baltimore's burgeoning restaurant scene features a world of flavors: Afghan, Greek, American, French, Italian, Korean, and other ethnic cuisines. In recent years, Baltimore’s culinary cred has grown, thanks to the efforts of standout restauranteurs such as Spike Gjerde, Tony Foreman, and Cindy Wolf.
Most of the Inner Harbor has chain and hotel restaurants, so if you want to eat well, spread out. Harbor East is the city's newest center for fine dining. A few blocks east of the Inner Harbor, Little Italy has a host of Italian restaurants, most of which serve classic southern Italian, spaghetti-with-garlic-bread fare. Yet father east, Fells Point has some renowned local restaurants. Or, head north. Charles Village, near Johns Hopkins University, Hampden, to the northwest, and posh Roland Park, at the city’s suburban limits, have outstanding dining options. Note that most places generally stop serving by 10 pm, if not earlier.
Blink, and you may think you’re in South Beach: this trendy restaurant has quickly become the city’s most popular, where the suit-and-tie crowd sidles up to the elevated bar or takes a seat on the cushy outdoor terrace. Try the grilled octopus starter, tossed with lemon juice and capers, or the charcoal-grilled whole fish, be it wild sea bass, sole, or snapper.
The ceilings and walls of this funky, colorful diner are plastered with toys and other interesting objects. People come at all hours (it's open 7 am–midnight every day except Tuesday, and until 2 am on the weekend) for the overstuffed omelets, big stacks of pancakes, burgers, nachos, sandwiches and... bacon milkshakes (a must-try). Stop by at midnight on a Friday or Saturday night to nosh on sweet potato fries with hipsters and students from nearby Johns Hopkins University. The servers have a diner attitude—they don't always seem too interested in serving, and the food might take a while—but the place is always lively and entertaining.
The latest creation from Chef/Owners Spike and Amy Gjerde is a real meat market—as in, a butcher shop. Sit at one of the communal dining tables (they also have private dining) and enjoy a family-style meal. At its heart is an open kitchen with an oakwood hearth. The dry-aged flat iron steak is the perfect balance of tender juiciness in a lean cut, served with a tasty shallot and red onion sauce. Salads and grilled vegetables are served at the height of freshness. The chefs commitment to local purveyors is evidenced by the credit they attribute to them on the menu.
Bustling and crowded, this luxuriously dark dining room is just north of Mount Vernon Square and a five-minute drive from the Inner Harbor. The leopard-print carpet and live pianist lend a swanky 1960s feel to a place that seems untouched by time, including the meat-heavy menu of steak-house classics.
A tourist favorite, the Rusty Scupper undoubtedly has the best view along the waterfront; sunset here is magical, with the sun sinking slowly into the harbor as lights twinkle on the city's skyscrapers. The interior is decorated with light wood and windows from floor to ceiling; the house specialty is seafood, particularly the jumbo lump crab cake, but the menu also includes an Angus beef burger, grilled rockfish, and filet mignon. Reservations are essential on Friday and Saturday and for the popular Sunday Jazz brunch.
East of Fells Point is Greektown (20 minutes by car from Inner Harbor hotels), home to Baltimore's Greek population. An informal restaurant, done in clean, classic blue and white, Samos serves excellent Greek fare. Portions are generous, with lamb souvlaki and tender, juicy gyros leading the menu. Be warned: the folks at Samos often take the phone off the hook and stop offering carryout during the lunchtime rush. Samos doesn't offer beer or wine, but you can bring your own.
This hot dog specialist a block from the Fells Point waterfront earns a large share of the lunch and late-night crowds with specialties like the Bmore Dog, with grilled baloney and deli mustard, and the Wild Thing, a Bison dog with blue cheese and diced raw onions. For dessert, the fried Oreo cookies have a certain charm. There's a second location in Federal Hill (at 17 E. Cross St.)
Connected to the Charles Theater, the place for art and indie films in Baltimore, the Tapas Teatro is a popular pre- and post-movie spot. It's often a scene, especially in warm weather, when the glass front is open and tables spill onto the street. Tapas include roasted potatoes, spinach sautéed with crab, and lamb tenderloin. There's also an extensive list of wines by the glass, and if you don't finish them with dinner, you can carry drinks into the Charles. But be careful: it's so much fun to keep sampling that it's easy to run up a hefty bill.
Like many historic buildings in Fells Point, Thames Street Oyster House has lived several lives, functioning as a brothel, saloon, and gift shop before opening in 2011 as a seafood restaurant. This might be its best incarnation, yet. The raw bar features a mouth-watering array of oysters, caught in regional, Atlantic, and Pacific waters. Also available are mussels, crab claws, scallops, quahogs, and lobster tails. Speaking of lobster, the delectable Maine lobster roll comes stuffed with poached lobster and is served on a buttered hot dog bun. The antique black bar and white-tiled floor impart a classic, yet comfortable vibe. The stained glass windows and exposed brick are original to the building.
Candles light up the whitewashed walls of these cellar dining rooms, where the menu covers all regions of Spain. The staple is paella à la Valenciana (chicken, sausage, shrimp, clams, and mussels with saffron rice); a less-well-known Basque preparation is red snapper with clams, mussels, asparagus, and boiled egg. Make dinner reservations in advance; walk-in weekday lunch seating is usually available.
The Latino enclave just north of Fells Point, called Upper Fells Point, is fast becoming a foodie destination with many low-cost, authentic variations on Mexican and South American cuisine. This tiny but charming hole in the wall—mostly a take-out operation, although the counter space and in-house food presentations are lovely—is the best of the bunch. The homemade corn tortillas are the perfect platform for delectable tacos with fresh fish, pork, chorizo, or tongue. This is also the city's best place for tamales.
