This week is jam-packed with good news about restaurant openings, fun events, and anniversary celebrations. Here’s a look at what’s coming up in the Baltimore culinary world:
Openings & announcements
Mobtown Ballroom & Café is opening at a new location inside the North Avenue Market in Station North. The grand opening will take place on Saturday, April 20 and will include live music, food and drink specials, and “sea treats” from Galatea Oysters.
Diamondback Brewing Co. and Aveley Farms Coffee Roasters are teaming up to open a new Timonium spot that will feature a café, brewery, taproom, coffee roaster and pizza kitchen. The collab, which will be located on Deereco Rd., is slated to open later this year.
Easy Like Sunday has plans to open a new location in the former Iron Rooster space in McHenry Row. The restaurant’s first Baltimore location opened last year in Cross Keys.
Locust Point is also getting another new spot, as Kneads Bakeshop is popping up in South Baltimore for the month of May – and maybe longer.
Cazbar on N. Charles St., which closed in 2020, plans to reopen by mid-May.
Extended hours
Starting this week, Café Campli is extending its hours; the Hamilton spot will now be open for dinner and happy hour on Tuesdays.
Newcomer Costeria has also expanded its hours. The restaurant is now open for lunch on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Al fresco
Across the Baltimore area, as the weather warms up, diners head outside. Look for patios and decks to begin opening this month, either for a warm day here or there or for the season as a whole.
Outdoor seating returns to Dylan’s Oyster Cellar on April 16 – the Hampden restaurant is taking reservations for those tables now.
Citron’s lakefront terrace is open and the Quarry Lake restaurant has a new happy hour menu, too.
The gorgeous outdoor patio at Gertrude’s is open and the restaurant has updated its menu for spring.
Little Donna’s patio is open, too, with walk-in availability.
Woodberry Kitchen’s beautiful – and covered – terrace is open now for the season. Seating will only be available on select nights, as it is also used for private events, but the WK team is keeping the schedule up to date on the website, so you can check before you head out.
Gimlets for Green
Throughout April, McClintock Distilling is all about raising awareness about sustainability – being green. During the month, when McClintock bar, restaurant and shop partners sell certain bottles of McClintock gin or Gimlet cocktails, the Frederick company will donate to the Department of Natural Resources’ Tree-mendous program, funding the planting of a tree.
Anniversary week
April is, apparently, a big month for Baltimore restaurant openings: a bunch of great spots are in celebration mode, honoring their anniversaries.
Atwater’s in Belvedere Square turns 21 on Saturday, April 13 and is celebrating with food and drink specials and live music from noon to 2 p.m.
On Sunday, Melanie’s at Griffith’s Tavern turns two and is hosting a party for the occasion. Galatea Oysters and Big Softy will be there with food plus there will be a DJ and “gourmet” Jell-O shots.
This past week, Michael’s Café in Timonium celebrated a huge milestone: forty years in business. Many congratulations to the entire Michael’s team.
Also this past week, Sotto Sopra marked 28 years in business in Mt. Vernon.
And OctoBar celebrates its big first anniversary on April 17. The Federal Hill restaurant will celebrate with complimentary hors d’oeuvres from 6 to 9 p.m.
Feastival plans
Saturday is Feastival day at West Shore Park. The festival, now in its 8th year, raises funds for the Maryland Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation – and features food and drinks from a top-tier list of Baltimore restaurants.
Boujee Junk Food at The Food Market
This Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, The Food Market is embracing its funny side with a “Boujee Junk Food Dinner.” The menu includes courses like fried mac and cheese with winter truffles and “Oodles of Noodles’ made with lobster claw bone broth and topped with nori, a red chili-cured egg yolk and half a lobster tail.
Pierogies at OLAR
For this weekend only, head to Of Love & Regret for a very special, short-term addition to the menu: pierogies homemade by the chef’s grandmother.
Wines of Portugal
On Wednesday, Chef’s Expressions is hosting a five-course meal featuring the food and wines of Portugal along with an opera performance.
The meal, which takes place at the Gramercy Mansion and includes courses like seared foie gras with caramelized cippolini Madiera soubise paired with a 10-year old Madiera, will benefit the non-profit Arts Education in Maryland Schools (AEMS).
Planning for the future
Mark your calendars for:
April 21: Ggoma Supper Club x Chef Scott Bacon at Black Ankle Vineyards
April 23: Oysterfest Week at Manor Tavern
May 8: Campania Wine Dinner at Limoncello
