From festive cocktails to holiday markets featuring all kinds of local food makers, Baltimore’s culinary community is embracing the season this week. Here’s a look at what’s coming up:
Openings and announcements
Souvlaki has opened in its new Hampden digs. The Greek spot has been a fixture on the Avenue for several years now and its newly expanded space has more room for seating – and a fantastic vibe.
Happy 12th anniversary to SoBo Café. The big day was this past Monday and the restaurant is celebrating all week long with a $12 discount on every $60 gift card purchase.
BA in Baltimore
Check out the December issue of Bon Appetit for some excellent Baltimore content showcasing some of the best restaurateurs in Baltimore. Lane Harlan and Matthew Pierce, the minds behind spots like Clavel and Fadensonnen, are featured in the magazine, hosting a party for friends.
Holiday shopping downtown
With the holiday season upon us, it’s time to get out and do some shopping – preferably locally. Visit Baltimore is making shopping local a little easier (and tastier) by hosting the 2nd annual Baltimore by Baltimore Holiday Maker’s Market at the Harborplace Light Street Pavilion on Saturday and Sunday.
The market features over 60 vendors selling a wide range of items – plus tons of food and drinks (including adult beverages).
Eric Sze at Ekiben
On Sunday, the Ekiben crew will team up with NYC’s Eric Sze for an epic afternoon collaboration. Chef Sze, who has earned all kinds of accolades for his Taiwanese food, will be at Ekiben’s Fort Avenue location on Sunday starting at 2 p.m. The menu isn’t completely set but it will include Sze’s beef noodle soup.
BSC Toy Drive
Also on Sunday, Baltimore Spirits Co. hosts a toy drive – planned to be the first in an annual series. The event is in partnership with Jimmy’s Famous Seafood, which will pop up with crab cakes, crab pretzels and more.
Guests who bring an unwrapped toy to the Cocktail Gallery on Sunday afternoon will receive 10% of cocktails, bottles and BSC merchandise. A win for all!
Eats at the Waldorf Fair
Also on Sunday, The Waldorf School hosts its 38th annual Waldorf Fair, a major event featuring all kinds of holiday activities, from wreath-making to a snowball catapult, a local market, and a lot of great food. This year’s food vendors include restaurants like Woodberry Tavern, Heritage Smokehouse and Ryleigh’s Oyster.
Trees & more at the Lord Baltimore
The Lord Baltimore Hotel’s annual Couture Tree Competition has begun. The competition showcases the creative work of local designers (both professional and amateur) and is an impressive and festive sight for the holidays. The competition itself will take place on Monday but the “trees” will remain up through early January.
Just in time for the tree competition, the hotel’s LB Tavern has launched a new menu featuring classics like crab cakes and rockfish alongside dishes like a savory grilled artichoke risotto (that is also vegetarian).
Chef’s Showcase Dinner at Charleston
On Tuesday, Cindy Wolf and Tony Foreman are hosting a very special one-night meal at Charleston. The Chef’s Showcase Dinner, which is organized in partnership with Salty Magazine, is a collaboration between Chef Wolf and two other excellent professionals: Johnny Spero of Reverie in Washington, D.C. and Steven Greene of Herons at The Umstead in North Carolina.
The meal features six courses, paired with wines chosen by Tony Foreman, plus selections from the Charleston cheese plate.
Hanukkah at Gunther
On Thursday, the first night of Hanukkah, Gunther & Co. hosts a special dinner to mark the start of the holiday. The menu includes classic dishes like latkes and braised beef brisket, along with themed cockails like The Maccabeet Mule (vodka, beet juice, passion fruit shrub, lemon and ginger beer).
Best of the Best wine supper
On Thursday, Chef’s Expressions hosts its annual Best of the Best Wine Supper. The dinner, held at Gramercy Mansion, showcases the best dishes and wine pairings from the entire year of Chef’s Expressions wine dinners.
Make the most of the Monument
The 52nd Annual Monument Lighting takes place in Mount Vernon on Thursday, Dec. 7. To mark the occasion, Hotel Revival has a bunch of fun events planned including a DJ and terrific cocktails.*
Hotel Revival also has a holiday market happening in the second floor lobby every Friday from now through December 22. The market is open from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and features a bunch of local makers, like Kate Rowe Creations (gorgeous ceramics including great party pieces) and treats from The Cookie Chemist – it’s a convenient place to stop and shop local.
Full sensory Home Alone
There’s one surefire way to know the holidays are here: “Home Alone” returning to screens around town – including the one at The Charmery. The ice cream shop will host four full-sensory viewings of the Christmas classic, featuring scents and smells that bring the movie to life.
The first screening is Friday, Dec. 8. Get your tickets early and pack your PJ’s – theme dressing is encouraged.
Cozy cocktails
One fun benefit of chilly weather is that it provides a great excuse to imbibe in some warm drinks. In Fells Point, Prima Dopo has a lineup of new toasty cocktails that sound terrific, including the Hot Ginger Spice, a mix of ginger tea, lemon juice, honey and Wilde Gin.
Planning for the future
Mark your calendars for:
Dec. 9: Station North Holiday Market
Dec. 10: True Chesapeake Holiday Market
Dec. 14: Abruzzo Wine Dinner at Café Campli
*Note: an earlier version of this article referenced a ticketed event at Topside in Hotel Revival. That event has been canceled.
