This week is an exciting one in Baltimore, from St. Patrick’s Day festivities to oyster-heavy celebrations. Here’s a look at what’s coming up in the local food scene:
Openings & announcements
The Liberatore family has plans to open an outpost of Lib’s Grill in the former home of the Grill at Harryman House. The family is busy right now, as the new Towson location of Lib’s Grill is slated to open soon – they are in the hiring process this month.
Earth, Wood & Fire’s Baltimore location has closed. A new restaurant from the family behind the much-missed Parkville restaurant Mama Lucia’s, Fausto’s Italian Restaurant & Coal Fire Pizza, is slated to open in the space.
Herman’s Bakery, a Dundalk staple for over a century, will close at the end of March. The bakery, which is especially beloved for its desserts, has been run by six generations of the Herman family.
Michael Twitty comes to Baltimore
On Saturday, March 14, esteemed culinary historian Michael Twitty will be at the Maryland Center for History and Culture for a talk called “Why Maryland Matters: Tracing Maryland’s Culinary History.” The discussion will delve into the international roots of Maryland cuisine, particularly focusing on influences from West and Central Africa and the African Atlantic.
St. Patrick’s Day
St. Patrick’s Day proper is on Tuesday, March 17 – which means that Baltimore will be green all weekend and into the work week.
At Rye Street Tavern, St. Patrick’s Day will be a blast with traditional Irish food, soda bread baked in-house, Guinness on tap, and live bagpipers.
Starting at noon on St. Patrick’s Day, Attman’s in Harbor Point will offer food and drink specials, giveaways, free appetizers, music, and cash prizes for the best dressed customers.
The party at Guinness, which started earlier this month with tons of specials, music, and the return of the Irish Village on the lawn, continues throughout the weekend and into Tuesday, when the brewery is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
James Joyce will have live music and dancers from Teelin Irish Dance and the Loyola Maryland Irish Dance Team performing on St. Patrick’s Day – on top of its regular menu that’s stacked with Irish favorites.
The Duchess has a special musical guest on tap: former Mayor and Governor Martin O’Malley, who will take the stage to perform classic Irish music starting at 7 p.m.
Ryleigh’s kicks off St. Patrick’s Day weekend with food specials starting Friday, March 13. On Tuesday, the restaurant will open at 8 a.m.
For more St. Pat’s news, check out last week’s column.
The Matriarch Dinner at The Urban Oyster
St. Patrick isn’t the only cause for celebration around Baltimore on Tuesday, March 17. At The Urban Oyster in Hampden, The Matriarch’s Dinner – a collaborative meal between Chef Jasmine Norton and Chef Catina Smith – will pay homage to the female mentors who have taught generations of women how to cook.
Petit Louis wine dinner
Another non-Irish option for March 17 is taking place at Petit Louis, which will host a wine dinner featuring the wines of Christophe Cordier. The meal includes five courses, each paired with a white wine from a southern Burgendy appellation.
Dining Out for Life expands south
Dining Out for Life, the annual fundraising effort for Moveable Feast, is expanding to Annapolis. On Thursday, March 19, diners can head to a participating restaurant in Annapolis for a meal, while raising money that will be donated directly to Moveable Feast. Participants include Bread and Butter Kitchen, Leo Annapolis, Osteria 177, Rams Head Roadhouse, and Rams Head Tavern.
Plus, from now through March 23, every $25 donation to Moveable Feast will get an entry into a raffle for a $500 gift card to Annapolis’s Osteria 177.
Chesapeake Oyster Week begins
The Oyster Recovery Partnership’s Chesapeake Oyster Week (CHOW) returns starting on Friday, March 20 and lasting through March 31. During that time, tons of local establishments will offer oyster-related promotions and specials – with a side of education about ORP’s Shell Recycling Alliance and the importance of oysters to the Bay.
Participating restaurants stretch across the region. Those in Baltimore include Atlantic Food & Spirits, Conrad’s, Costiera, Dylan’s Oyster Cellar, Faidley’s Seafood, Gertrude’s, Guinness, Gunther & Co., Jimmy’s Famous Seafood, Lib’s Grill Mama’s on the Half Shell, Mt. Washington Tavern, Phillips, Rye Street Tavern, Thames Street Oyster House, and True Chesapeake.
Mark your calendars
On March 30, Marta is teaming up with fellow James Beard Award Semifinalists Café Dear Leon, Southpaw, and Pink Flamingo, for a collaborative dinner benefitting No Kid Hungry. The five-course meal includes dishes like white asparagus with spring citrus, toasted walnut gremolata, and walnut puree; and lamb two ways – grilled chops and slow-cooked shank – with potato puree, spring vegetables, feta, pistachio, and mint.
Tickets are on sale now for the event – and they are limited, which means you should grab them while you can.
Planning for the future
Mark your calendars for:
March 25: Spanish Wine Dinner at Linwoods
April 10: Greek Wine Tasting at Estiatorio Plaka
April 22: Dinner with Brian Lavin at Boordy
