54 Best Restaurants in Baltimore, Maryland

Chef-owner Cindy Wolf's cuisine has a South Carolina Low Country accent with French roots—and the results are unparalleled. Inside the glowingly lit dining room, classics like she-crab soup and shrimp and grits complement more elegant fare, such as a lobster bisque spiced with curry or wild salmon with avocado.

Chef Kiko Wilson adeptly mixes Latin, Pan Asian, Southern, and California flavors. Tender coffee-rubbed short ribs are balanced by a crunchy daikon cole slaw with miso-ginger dressing. Lamb empanadas are finished with a chipotle aioli. Foreman/Wolf restaurants, Johnny's parent company, is known for its super-fresh ingredients, sourced locally, and excellent service. Johnny's receives high marks in both categories. Just like the food, the decor has a modern twist. Exposed interior brick walls, a Baltimore staple, get an acid-washed update. Comfy booth seating serves as an understated backdrop that allows the food to be the star.

With amazing pancakes, omelets, and French toast, this upscale cafe, now with locations at the Inner Harbor and in North Baltimore's Roland Park, has become the go-to destination for unbeatable breakfast and brunch (neither outlet serves dinner). Lunch entrées like the Chesapeake Club (crab cake, shrimp salad, lettuce, bacon, red and yellow tomatoes, avocado, and Old Bay remoulade on sourdough toast, dusted with more Old Bay) are also excellent. There's another location at 513 W. Cold Spring Lane in Roland Park.

An expansive 19th-century warehouse is home to this fashionable, two-level restaurant that celebrates Italian cuisine from regions south of Rome. Select a few appetizers: they are made for sharing. Spicy pork sausage adds heat to a tomato and Buffalo mozzarella (okay, that's a little east of Rome) pizza. In the rich, wine-hued setting, candles on tables and giant wrought-iron chandeliers illuminate the space, creating a downright sexy atmosphere. The choicest seats are upstairs in the mezzanine. Excellent service is a Foreman/Wolf trademark.

Reservations are a must at Baltimore's best French restaurant. Petit Louis specializes in homey French comfort foods: onion soup bubbling with Gruyere, escargot in garlic butter, duck leg confit, and other things you might find in a French grandmother's kitchen. Save room for the awe-inspiring assortment of French cheeses, and if you're pressed for a decision, order the one with the layer of truffles. The classic bistro setting is enlivened with red velvet banquettes and marble-topped tables spaced elbows-length apart. Once a pharmacy, the Tudor-style building is listed on the National Register as part of America's first shopping center. The service here is exceptional.

A few steps below street level, this small restaurant is usually crowded and always filled with pungent aromas and the sounds of Indian music. Among the vegetarian dishes, alu gobi masala, a potato-and-cauliflower creation, is prepared with onions, tomatoes, and spices. Tandoori chicken is marinated in yogurt, herbs, and strong spices, then barbecued in a charcoal-fired clay oven. The lunch buffet is another good choice.

A Tudor-style dining room in a 1930s apartment building is the setting for superb Indian fare. Go for the classics such as chicken tikka masala (grilled chicken in a sauce of red pepper, ginger, garlic, and yogurt) or alu gobi (spicy potatoes and cauliflower).

At this self-proclaimed "very casual eatery," you don't have to spend a fortune to get a satisfying taste of Little Italy. Blue jean–clad diners and walls hung with movie posters make for a fun atmosphere. Service is friendly and usually speedy, and the food comes in large portions. Try the chicken Lorenzo: breaded chicken breast covered in a marsala wine sauce, red peppers, prosciutto, and provolone.

Open since 1915, this authentic New York–style deli near the Jewish Museum is the only vestige of Baltimore's "Corned Beef Row" operating in its original location. Don't be put off by the long lines—they move fairly quickly, and the outstanding corned beef sandwiches are worth the wait, as are the pastrami, homemade chopped liver, and other oversized creations. Attman's closes at 6:30 pm on Monday through Saturday and 5 pm on Sunday.

In a residential neighborhood of lovely, large row houses, this casual corner bistro serves imaginative, Mediterranean-influenced fare. The seasonal menu includes such dishes as mussels with a green curry coconut broth and sesame-encrusted salmon with honey horseradish crème fraîche. Or choose from one of the chalkboard specials, such as the risotto of the day. On Sunday b is a popular spot for brunch.

The Black Olive specializes in impeccably fresh seafood. Let the waiter give you a guided tour of the catch of the day, which reclines on a bed of ice in the kitchen case. You can have your selection simply grilled, lightly dressed, and filleted for you table-side, accompanied by a glass of wine from the list's thoughtful selection of oft-neglected Greek vintages. For an appetizer be sure to try the calamari, stuffed with feta and manouri cheeses.

Baltimore needs more Mexican restaurants, and Blue Agave answers the call by providing regional Mexican flavors and making sauces and salsas fresh daily. Try the grilled quail served with both green and spicy yellow moles, or the more familiar chicken enchiladas with mole poblano. But tequila's the real star here—more than 130 different kinds are available, and you would be hard-pressed to find a better margarita in the city.

A cozy café with a celestial motif appropriate to its name, the Blue Moon is a favorite for breakfast, served until 3 pm daily. Start with one of the enormous house-made cinnamon rolls, but save room for excellent brunch fare such as crab Benedict and sky-high French toast coated in a Cap'n Crunch cereal batter and served with whipped cream and strawberries. On weekends it's open 24 hours, attracting revelers from Fells Point's many clubs and bars. On weekend mornings there's often a line, but it's well worth the wait.

Picking steamed crabs on Bo Brooks's waterfront deck as sailboats and tugs ply the harbor is a quintessential Baltimore pleasure. Spend a muggy summer day cracking into warm, spicy crabs and enjoy a refreshing pitcher of beer while a cool breeze blows in from the harbor. Brooks serves its famous crustaceans year-round, along with a menu of Chesapeake seafood classics. Locals know to stick to the Maryland crab soup, crab dip, jumbo lump crab cakes, and fried oysters.

Part brewpub, part restaurant, and part lounge, this old brownstone has a young, urbane following, who appreciate the ambitious menu, select wine list, and the home-brewed Belgian-style beers. Try the potent, delicious Resurrection ale. The upstairs dining room serves seasonal dishes with high-quality, locally available ingredients to create European-style country fare that is both hearty and sophisticated. In the dungeonlike downstairs bar, the menu and decor are more casual. Made with rosemary and garlic, the classic steak frites are a best bet.

The painted retro facade invites visitors to this casual family-owned cafe in the middle of Little Italy, and the simple, well-prepared cuisine only adds to the experience. Downtown professionals and savvy tourists fill the place for lunch entrées, all under $10, including hearty pastas like rigatoni bolognese or sandwiches like La Spiaggia (eggplant parmigiana) and La Adriatica (chicken parmigiana), served on perfectly toasted bread. Delicate dinner entrées like penne Gorgonzola and Shrimp & Scallop Alberto (named after the father of owner Giovanna Aquia) are only a bit more pricey but significantly larger.

At this neighborhood favorite, families come to celebrate milestones—baptisms, communions, graduations, and such. Pictures of the Baltimore landscape adorn the redbrick walls, and some white-cloth tables overlook one of Little Italy's main streets. The reasonably priced pasta selections rely on standards, but there's also more upscale fare such as chicken Giuseppe: breaded chicken breast with spinach, crabmeat, and provolone in a lemon wine sauce.

The owners of Baltimore Little Italy mainstay Chipparelli's recently opened up a second outlet in the Old Chesapeake Hotel, an elegant historic building in the heart of Havre de Grace that dates back to the 1890s. In addition to serving up old-school favorites like Homemade Gnocchi and Spaghetti Toscanini, the location offers guest accommodations—not a bad ideal after all that pasta.

The spotlight is on wine at Cinghiale (pronounced ching-GYAH-lay), an open, inviting space with tall, wide windows. Enjoy hand-cut pastas such as tagliatelle with tender chicken, greens, and walnuts or lasagna with veal ragù. Cinghiale is split into two sections: the elegant osteria and the less-formal enoteca.

The lofty space and black-and-white tile floors give this casual spot a feeling of classic grandeur. Come here for American fare with a creative twist—shrimp and grits carbonara or juicy lamb burgers. Another standout is the grilled Atlantic salmon with cannellini beans. Service is warm and efficient. For dessert, order the affogato: it's made with salted caramel Taharka Bros. ice cream and served over a steaming cup of espresso. Weekend brunch is very popular.

The Daily Grind is the neighborhood spot for coffee and Wi-Fi.

A comfortable spot for a chai latte or espresso creation, Dooby's serves artisanal sandwiches, pastries, and they offer a full dinner menu as well.

You can choose the atmosphere you want at Fleet Street Kitchen, which is housed in a former furniture factory. The downstairs is a casual Tavern Room; while upstairs, there's an elegant dining room. Chef Nate Magat creates beautiful New American dishes that speak to the season, such as hand-cut linguine with a garlic cream sauce and tomatoes from the restaurant’s Cunningham Farm. The popular slow-roasted pork is a winning bet. For dessert, the dark chocolate semi-freddo is as intense as it gets.

In the Baltimore Museum of Art, this casual yet classy spot cooks up creative Maryland specialties. Crab cakes, served with a variety of tasty sauces, are one option, Parmesan-crusted salmon is another. Finish with a decadent dessert.

On "The Avenue," funky Hampden's main commercial street, Golden West is the go-to spot for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The place is colorful and eclectic, and so is the menu of diner fare with a Tex-Mex twist. Try the the hefty huevos montuleños—fried eggs with yellow corn cakes covered in beans, feta, salsa, and a fried banana, or the tater tots with a chili-mayo dipping sauce. Large tables make it a good spot for groups, and the bar makes it good for pre- or post-dinner drinks. Occasionally, the café hosts local folk and indie rock bands.

Owned by Hamid Kharzai's brother, Qayum Karzai, The Helmand serves outstanding Afghan fare in a casual yet elegant space. Beautiful woven textiles and traditional dresses adorn the walls, adding color to the simple white table settings. Stop by for dinner Tuesday through Sunday.

Scrumptious burgers abound at Kooper's—be they made with Angus or Wagyu beef, bison, lamb or even black beans. It's a popular Thames Street watering hole and restaurant.