It’s a busy week coming up in the Baltimore restaurant scene, with several exciting openings on the horizon and fun food events of all different types.
Here’s a look at what’s coming up:
Opening & Announcements
Last week, Bagby Pizza announced the closure of two of its locations, including the one on Fleet Street in Harbor East. This week, we found out what’s going into that spot, when Atlas Restaurant Group announced it will open Italian Disco, a beer and pizza spot with a jukebox filled with ‘80s music. Atlas owns several Harbor East restaurants, including Tagliata, also located on Fleet Street.
Fells Point restaurant Waterfront Kitchen announced this week that at the end of January, the restaurant will close, briefly, to rebrand. It will open again in February as Ampersea.
Sometime during late summer, Limoncello Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar will open in Anthem House in Locust Point. The restaurant also has a location in St. Michael’s, where it serves traditional Southern Italian food.
Later this year, downtown Baltimore will gain a new restaurant, when Blackwall Hitch opens in the former Candler Building on East Pratt Street. This will be the fourth location for the restaurant, which also has spots in Annapolis, Alexandria and Rehoboth Beach.
Jack’s Bistro’s many devoted fans have known for several months that the beloved Canton restaurant’s time was growing short. Earlier this week, the restaurant announced, via Facebook, that it will close for good on Sunday, Jan. 21. However, there’s a silver lining: the owners’ new venture, Blair’s on Hudson, will open sometime the following week. Stay tuned for more on that.
Ryan’s Daughter, the Irish pub that has been a key part of the Belvedere Square landscape for 14 years, announced this week that they will close on Sunday, Jan. 21. This is the third Belvedere Square restaurant closing over the past several months: Tooloulou closed their stall in the market in November and Starlite Diner closed last October.
Restaurant Week
Baltimore City’s Restaurant Week officially begins today, lasting through Jan. 21. You still have time to make reservations for one (or more) meals out! Participating restaurants will offer two-course brunch and lunch menus ranging from $12-$20 and three-course dinner menus ranging from $20-$35.
Baltimore County’s Restaurant Week isn’t too far behind the city: it begins next Friday, Jan. 19. And Howard County’s week starts just a few days later, on Jan. 22.
Sunny Sunday
Sunday is supposed to be anything but warm, but inside Modern Cook Shop, the vibe will be tropical. The Fells Point restaurant is hosting “Summer this Sunday” with Caribbean food, tiki cocktails, and viewings of “Weekend at Bernie’s” and “Captain Ron.”
Meatball Fest
Did you get your tickets for Little Italy’s Second Annual Meatball Fest? Unfortunately, the event, which is sponsored by Joe Benny’s, is sold out, but mark your calendar for next year because it sounds like a blast. The day includes a pasta and salad buffet, raffles and giveaways, plus a best meatball competition with some great prizes, and proceeds go to benefit the Pandola Learning Center.
The competition is sure to include some seriously good meatballs, including some recipes that might be a little unusual, including a hot and spicy one from the team behind the fabulous local hot sauce B’More Saucy.
Korean in the City
With intense flavors, high spice and warm broths, Korean food is a great fit for cold weather. This Monday, a pair of pop-ups make it easy to enjoy the cuisine.
That evening, the Korean food pop-up phenoms, haenyo, will take over Dylan’s Oyster Cellar in Hampden with dishes like spicy crab soup, clam pajeon and warm seafood salad.
Also that night, the crew from The Local Fry will pop up at Wet City, hosting a noodle and dumpling night, with several ramen dishes, including a spicy-savory “army stew” and a handful of dumplings, all of which will no doubt pair perfectly with some of Wet City’s beer selections.
Celebrating Alex Wroblewski
Alex Wroblewski, the much loved Federal Hill bartender who was killed in a robbery last November, would have celebrated his 42nd birthday on Tuesday, Jan. 16. The Rowhouse Grille, where Alex worked, will celebrate him that night with a party raising money for his favorite charity, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
The party lasts from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., with drink specials all night long. There will be a DJ, a silent auction and door prizes.
Cakebread Comes to Baltimore
Fans of family-owned California winery Cakebread Cellars are in luck next week when representatives come to Baltimore for not one, but two wine-centric dinners.
On Wed. Jan. 17, Cakebread’s winemaker Stephanie Jacobs will be at Wit & Wisdom Tavern for a four-course meal, with wine pairings including one rare find: the Dancing Bear Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon.
On Thursday, Jan. 18, Katie Griesbeck, the national sales and marketing director for Cakebread, will visit Café Troia in Towson, where the wines will be paired with a four-course meal including dishes like seared scallops with lobster-brandy sauce and black olive-crusted lamb chops.
Michael Twitty Comes to Artifact
Artifact Coffee’s Origins Speaker Series is back on Thursday, Jan. 18 and it’s a pretty terrific topic. Celebrated culinary historian Michael Twitty will join the group at Artifact to discuss his work understanding the African American influence on Southern food.
It’s sure to be a riveting discussion, filled with some great stories from Twitty’s experiences working throughout the region.
Planning Ahead
Here are a few events to look forward to over the next few weeks:
January 28: Comparative wine tasting at The Vineyards at Dodon
February 10: Kids’ etiquette class at Miss Shirley’s
February 24: Swig & Pig at Ryleigh’s Oyster
