Baltimore has been consumed by searing heat, but summer will soon fade into fall’s cooler temps. Local restaurants are bridging the gap between seasons with fun events and special dishes. Here’s a look at what’s coming up this week:
Openings & announcements
Cypriana, the popular Greek spot near Johns Hopkins’ Homewood campus, is opening a Howard County outpost. The restaurant’s new Maple Lawn location is slated to open this fall.
Giving back
During September, a few local restaurants are giving back to great causes.
Towson Hot Bagel has teamed up with Chef Chad Gauss, the mind behind The Food Market empire, to raise money and awareness for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP).
Every Wednesday throughout September, THB will offer purple and teal bagels – the colors representing suicide awareness and prevention – and throughout the month, THB will offer Chef Gauss’s favorite sandwich, a PBJ & Bacon. A portion of proceeds from both the themed bagels and the sandwich will be donated to AFSP.
At Foraged Eatery, 20% of sales of Old Westminster Winery wines will be donated to Be the Match, in honor of Old Westminster’s Drew Baker, who was diagnosed with leukemia in 2022 and is in the search for a bone marrow donor match.
Music at Woodberry
The Tavern at Woodberry continues its evolution – now with the addition of music on Thursday evenings. Throughout September, musicians will pop up on the Woodberry patio, where tables are first come, first serve (it will be heard inside, too).
Crabs & Pig in Union Square
On Saturday, Sept. 9, Union Square hosts its annual Crab Feast & Pig Roast fundraising event. The party kicks off at noon and lasts until the evening. Proceeds from the event support community initiatives.
Taste: My Life through Food
On Sunday, the Baltimore Chapter of Slow Food will gather for a book club potluck to discuss Taste: My Life through Food by Stanley Tucci.
The meetup takes place at The Ivy Bookshop. The group will discuss the book, which covers Tucci’s life and work through the lens of food. Attendees can bring a dish to share, if they’d like, but contributing is not mandatory.
Farm to Table Dinner at Elkridge Furnace Inn
On Thursday, Elkridge Furnace Inn celebrates the late summer harvest season with a special farm to table dinner menu. The prix-fixe meal will include five courses showcasing seasonal and local ingredients.
Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day
Believe it or not, Friday is Sept. 15 – which means we’re just about at the halfway mark between St. Patrick’s Day 2023 and St. Pat’s 2024.
Guinness Open Gate Brewery will be celebrating that midpoint all weekend, starting on Friday at noon, with special deals on merchandise and tours, a corned beef and cabbage special, and half-off pints of Kilkenny, Harp and Smithwick’s.
Holding on to summer
The calendar says September but the thermostat still suggests July. In these hot final days of the official summer season, restaurants are making the most of the last of the great summer produce the Chesapeake region offers.
The Food Market is closing out the season with fried green tomatoes topped with lump crab, beurre blanc and parsley oil.
At The Corner Pantry, the drink of the month is a still-summery cantaloupe and mint agua fresca.
Silver Queen Café’s menu still includes some of its summer hits, like Maryland crab pizza with sweet corn and tomatoes – but the restaurant warns that with the season changing, those dishes won’t be around for much longer.
At Allora, it’s almost time to say goodbye to dishes like the watermelon beet salad, which is tossed with goat cheese, pistachios and lemon vinaigrette.
Planning for the future
Mark your calendars for:
Sept. 20: Campari Cocktail Dinner at Dutch Courage
Sept. 29: Maryland Italian Festival
