It’s midsummer in Baltimore, which means it’s time for crabs, summer vegetables and Artscape in the heat. All of those things are good news for local food lovers. Here’s a look at what you can expect over the next week:
Openings and announcements
Atelier de Culinaire, a new restaurant run by the Hospitality and Culinary Program at the Baltimore campus of Stratford University, opened recently in Little Italy. The school’s kitchen lab, where extension classes take place, has also been updated.
Between now and Aug. 3, the restaurant is running an opening special, with a three-course meal available for $25 (plus tax and gratuity).
Last week, Lobo celebrated its fourth anniversary! The Fells Point spot is more than a standard corner bar: it has some of the best casual food around. Its success is definitely well-deserved.
Foraged Eatery is doing something new: The Hampden restaurant has created a chocolate bar available for purchase. The bars look terrific, plus 10 percent of the purchase price goes directly to the chocolate farmer, and another 10 percent goes to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
Summer menus
Restaurants continue to update their menus to reflect the amazing bounty of summertime in Maryland. The most recent update includes new offerings at The Elephant, with summer dishes like seafood escobeche and a salad of Vidalia onion and local vegetables, topped with a poached egg.
Artscape
Artscape is this weekend, which means tons of food and drink and, usually, steamy temps, though they might not materialize this year. With or without the heat, Artscape is a blast.
At the festival, the food and beverage vendors focus on local products, including beers from Brewer’s Art and Monument City Brewing Company and food from about thirty different local vendors including Ekiben, Otterbein Cookies and The Local Oyster.
The fun extends outside the festival gates, too, with specials and events around town, including a Jägermeister Beats & Brunch party at Ampersea on Sunday and an intriguing art exhibit at Mt. Vernon Marketplace.
Whiskey on the Waterfront
On Saturday, the Sagamore Spirit Distillery in Port Covington will host a Whiskey on the Waterfront party benefiting the Ellicott City Partnership’s flood recovery efforts.
The party includes food and drinks for purchase from Rye Street Tavern and Little Havana, and music from Grayson Moon. Plus, 100 percent of the proceeds from Sagamore’s new Cognac Finish Rye Whiskey will go to the flood recovery efforts.
Evening at the Farm cancelled
La Cuchara’s Zarahdka Farm dinner, originally scheduled for Sunday, has been canceled due to the stormy forecast. The next dinner is scheduled for Aug. 19. Those who purchased tickets for Sunday’s dinner will receive a refund and a discount if they choose to buy tickets for the next round.
Porky at Parts & Labor
On Sunday, Parts & Labor will offer a pig butchery demo, during which head butcher George Marsh will show class participants how to break down a whole pig.
The class also includes drinks and a tasting of P&L’s house-made cured meats and local cheeses.
RAR sour beer dinner
On Monday, July 23, the Eastern Shore’s RAR Brewing is teaming up with Outpost American Tavern for a collaborative dinner featuring a special menu designed to highlight RAR’s sour beers, including Strawberry-Kiwi, Bay Breeze, Blueberry-Peach and Mai-Thai.
Crabs & beer at Gertrude’s
Gertrude’s annual Crab and Beer Dinner takes place Thursday, July 26. The meal includes four courses of crabby dishes, like crab-crusted Atlantic salmon and crab-stuffed mushrooms, each paired with a beer from Evolution Craft Brewing Company.
Restaurant Week starts!
Are you ready for Restaurant Week season? It’s almost here.
Baltimore City’s Restaurant Week begins on Friday, July 27, and runs through Aug. 5. This year, over 100 restaurants are participating, including new spots and old favorites. The promotion includes two-course lunch and brunch options priced $12-20, and three-course dinner menus ranging from $20-35.
The time to make reservations is now. Restaurant Week is a great way to explore the city’s dining scene on a budget. There’s certainly no shame in hitting multiple restaurants in a week (or even in a day).
Planning Ahead
Here are a few events to look forward to over the next few weeks:
August 23: Summer Soiree at The Pendry
August 23: A Night with Newton Vineyard at Magdalena
September 30: Mermaid’s Kiss OysterFest
