From West Asian cuisine to picnicking with cows, this week has a little bit of everything for Baltimore food lovers. Plus, tons of brunch options to celebrate moms. Here’s a look at what’s coming up:
Openings & announcements
On Friday, May 12, Hampden gets a new outdoor cocktail spot: Hampden Yards. The “libations garden,” as it is calling itself, is right behind the Co-Balt Workspace at 1014 W. 36th St. The bar program is run by industry favorite Shaun Stewart, formerly of JBGB’s, Bluebird Cocktail Room and Mr. Nice Guy Cocktails. There will also be food offerings, including charcuterie boxes and burgers.
Mount Vernon’s popular newish Italian spot, Allora, will move this fall into a 2,500-square-foot space in the new City House Charles building at the intersection of Charles and Eager streets. Roggenart Bakery & Café will also occupy space in the City House Charles project.
Schola is moving to new digs on the waterfront in Canton. The cooking school, which has made Mt. Vernon its home for years, starts classes in its new location in mid-June.
R. House has a new permanent tenant: Doppio Pasticceria. The Sicilian bakery is open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., serving breakfast and lunch with coffee and espresso.
The Sandlot beach bar at Harbor Point will return for its seventh season this year. Although it will mainly be used for private events, it will host a handful of public events for Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day.
The Milton Inn now has new lunch hours on Saturdays. The country restaurant is open from noon to 2 p.m. – starting this weekend.
Bondhouse also has new lunch hours on the books. Starting this week, the Fells Point restaurant will be open for lunch on Fridays.
Clyde’s Restaurant Group announced this week that it will take over operations of Rye Street Tavern in the Baltimore Peninsula neighborhood. The company plans to do extensive renovations to the current restaurant space, including creating a waterfront outdoor dining area. The newly renovated spot is slated to open sometime next year.
Sadly, Baltimore will be saying goodbye to one of the good ones. Chef Mark Levy, formerly of Magdalena (among other places), will be decamping to Maine, where he will be in the kitchen at Musette in Kennebunkport. Baltimore will miss him!
Live Baltimore Trolley Tour fun
On Saturday morning, the Live Baltimore Trolley Tour will travel through Hamilton-Lauraville and the neighborhood businesses will be out in full force to welcome the crew. A handful of Harford Road restaurants, including Zeke’s Coffee, Silver Queen Café, and Emma’s Tea Spot, will offer free breakfast to the community at the Market lot at 4500 Harford Rd.*, and throughout the morning, there will be entertainment from the nonprofit BeyondFIT and more.
Maryland Craft Beer Festival
On Saturday, the Maryland Craft Beer Festival, run by the Brewers Association of Maryland, will take over part of the Carroll Creek Linear Park in Frederick. The festival includes dozens of Maryland breweries – including a few that aren’t even open to the public yet – plus food, craft vendors and live music.
Post-Position Draw Party at Guinness
Guinness Open Gate Brewery will be open on Monday to host the Preakness Stakes’ Post-Position Draw – the drawing that determines the competing horses’ starting gates.
The draw isn’t something that is usually open to the public but this year, it will be. During the event, Guinness will offer a special Maryland-themed menu and Preakness Ale (which was released last Thursday). Plus, there will be a performance by John Waite of Bad English fame.
Ggoma Supper Club
On Monday, May 15, Chef Tae Strain brings his Ggoma Supper Club to JBGB’s for a collaboration with Chef Marcelle Afram, owner of Shababi in Washington, D.C. The chefs will collaborate on a menu inspired by the cuisine of Palestine and West Asia as a whole.
Sunset picnic with the cows
On Friday, May 19, Prigel Family Creamery welcomes the public to picnic in its fields at sunset, right alongside the cows that provide the milk for the creamery’s ice cream. There will be tables in the fields and treats available for purchase.
Rash Field food trucks
In case you missed it, Rash Field is hosting a rotating lineup of food trucks every Saturday and Sunday (except for this weekend, which is just Saturday due to the Mother’s Day holiday). This week, hit the park from noon until 6 p.m. for treats from 3 Jay’s Seafood & Chicken.
Preakness tickets from EKIBEN
Every day from now through May 19, EKIBEN’s Hampden location will give away two free tickets to Preakness to order number 148 – in honor of the 148th run of the race.
Mother’s Day roundup
Sunday is Mother’s Day and if you haven’t made any plans to celebrate your mom yet, you still have some options around town.
At Duck Duck Goose, Mother’s Day brunch is a ticketed event on the rooftop of the Admiral Fell Inn including bottomless mimosas and a variety of dishes.
Johnny’s will have a brunch buffet, with dishes like local crab-stuffed fluke and smoked salmon pizza, and will be open for dinner, offering its regular menu.
Peerce’s Mother’s Day brunch includes a seafood station and all sorts of Indian dishes.
Manor Tavern will offer a dinner buffet with two seatings. The menu includes a little something for everyone, from miso-glazed catfish to turkey and gravy.
In honor of Mother’s Day, Cypriana opens early this Sunday, with hours starting at 1 p.m.
Copper Shark is open for brunch on Mother’s Day from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will offer its regular menu plus a bunch of food and drink specials for the holiday.
Cosima’s regular menu will be available on Mother’s Day, along with some chef’s specials.
Charleston is open starting at 1 p.m. on Mother’s Day, serving three-course meals with optional wine parings and complimentary dessert.
At Cinghiale, the Mother’s Day dinner menu options include the restaurant’s a la cart dishes plus specials like squid ink ravioli filled with lobster, fava beans and lemon basil butter.
Towson Tavern’s Mother Day brunch buffet includes all the classics, from eggs benedict and waffles to crab balls and filet mignon.
Planning for the future
Mark your calendars for:
May 21: Highlandtown Wine Festival
June 10: Wine & Food Festival at the Fairgrounds
July 23: Tacopalooza
*Updated to clarify location of free breakfast
