Get ready, Baltimore food lovers: this coming week offers a ton of events, from Baltimore Cocktail Week classes to the opening of a brand new distillery. Here’s a look at what local restaurants, bars and organizations have to offer over the next few days:
Openings, Anniversaries & Announcements
Sagamore Spirit’s new Port Covington distillery opens for public tours this Friday, April 21. During the distillery’s first open weekend, April 21-23, guests can enjoy free tours (on a first come, first serve basis), plus food trucks and live music.
The new distillery is in a gorgeous spot right on the Patapsco River. The rye is made and bottled onsite and is triple-distilled in a one-of-a-kind, 40-foot copper column still.
In Canton, Holy Crepe Café has a new owner in UMBC grad Matt Berry, who has plans to extend the café’s hours in the evenings and is working on new menu offerings specifically geared toward Canton’s late-night scene.
Bookmakers Cocktail Club announced this week that by the end of the month, it will open a new bar in the restaurant’s upstairs space. The new venture, called Grey Ghost, will be open on Fridays and Saturdays and will have a different look, feel and drink menu than Bookmakers.
Corned beef lovers in Baltimore heard some tough news this week, with the announcement that Sunday will be the last day of business for Lenny’s Delicatessen on Lombard Street. However, there is a bright spot: the deli’s locations in Owings Mills and at the Horseshoe Casino will remain open.
Head Outdoors
On Sunday, April 23, The Boathouse Canton will celebrate the weather – and the opening of the Dockbar – with Oysters for Education, a beer and oysters party with live music benefiting Living Classrooms.
Wit & Wisdom’s patio has been accessible since the weather warmed, but the restaurant will host an official patio-opening party with a blue crab theme on Wednesday, April 26. The party will feature frozen cocktails and local beers, live music, cornhole and blue crab-inspired dishes to get guests ready for the summer.
On Friday, the first Gathering of the season will be held at Harbor Point’s Central Plaza. The event, which features food trucks, live music, a beer garden and kids’ activities, is free (but you can purchase an all-you-can-drink wristband).
Saturday Coffee
Coffee lovers have a lot to check out tomorrow.
Starting at 7:30 a.m., The Corner Pantry will host Saturday Morning Coffee 101, a 30-minute workshop focused on basic brewing methods.
From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Trohv in Hampden will host a coffee tasting with Thread Coffee, a local, small batch roaster that is collectively owned.
Saturday Beer
Saturday is also Earth Day and to celebrate, the Waterfront Partnership and Peabody Heights Brewery are hosting an official launch party for Mr. Trash Wheel’s Lost Python Ale, an IPA created in honor of Mr. Trash Wheel, the city’s favorite googly-eyed Inner Harbor trash collector.
Cider Battle
On Sunday, Nepenthe Homebrew, Millsone Cellars and Blue Pit BBQ are banding together to host a homebrew cider competition. Held at Blue Pit starting at 2 p.m., the competition will feature cider creations from 20 different homebrewers. Guests can try all 20 ciders, then vote for their favorites.
Baltimore Cocktail Week
Baltimore Cocktail Week starts Sunday, April 23, and lasts until the following Sunday, April 30. Throughout the week, local bars and restaurants will host a variety of events and classes, including some that sound like an absolute blast, like the Sunday evening Launch Party at R. House and a sold-out “Scotch Meets Sherry” dinner at Tapas Teatro on Monday night.
International Dipping at The Charmery
The Charmery in Hampden is known for its great ice cream, but also for its willingness to try new things and collaborate with other businesses around the city. The team is taking that to a new level this Wednesday, April 26, when it hosts the International Dipping Cabinet, a celebration of flavors from around Baltimore and around the world.
The evening, which is a benefit raising funds for International Rescue Committee Baltimore, will feature six internationally-inspired flavors created in collaboration with local restaurants. The collaborating restaurants are Ekiben (Japan), The Ambassador (India), Souvlaki (Greek), The Helmand (Afghani), Nailah’s (Senegalese) and Hersh’s (Italian), and the flavors sound both intriguing and delicious.
Dishing about Food Blogs
On Wednesday at 7 West in Towson, the Towson branch of the Baltimore County Public Library will host a panel with several local food bloggers. Richard Gorelick, former restaurant critic for the Baltimore Sun, will moderate the panel, which will discuss what it’s like to create, and keep up with, a food blog.
Pretzels & Beer at Das Bier Haus
Wednesday, April 26, is National Pretzel Day. Das Bier Haus in Federal Hill is celebrating the very important holiday with a six course “pretzel dinner.” The evening will include six different gourmet soft pretzels, including one “mystery pretzel,” each of which will be paired with a beer from Devil’s Back Bone.
Reasons to Celebrate
Little Havana celebrates two decades in business this Thursday, with a party at the waterfront restaurant.
Starting this past Wednesday, Cask & Grain started a new promotion: a dozen oysters and a bottle of Cava for $30 every Wednesday night. This week also marked the launch of half-price bottles of rose on Thursdays at the Canton restaurant.
Homerun for Recovery
On Thursday night, the 25th annual Homerun for Recovery will take place at PBR Baltimore in Power Plant Live. The event, which features food, music and dancing and an auction, benefits The Baltimore Station, an organization that helps veterans get back on their feet.
Taste of Pikesville
Thursday, April 26, the 6th annual Taste of Pikesville event will take over the Pikesville DoubleTree. Local restaurants will be showing off their best work for guests and a panel of judges. The event starts at 6:30, but there’s also a VIF (“Very Important Foodie”) private tasting experience that starts at 5:30 p.m.
HoCo Happenings
There’s a lot to look forward to in Howard County this week (and moving forward).
The Columbia outpost of Petit Louis has just announced a terrific new Thursday happy hour, including $5 kir royales, $10 escargots and $6 frites.
On Friday, support Howard Community College students in need at Vino Scholastico, an event featuring fine wines, craft beers, spirits and food from a variety of local restaurants. The evening also includes wine tastings and a presentation from Ridgeback Wines of South Africa, a 50-bottle “black bag” drawing.
Wines of Italy
Café Troia will celebrate the wine and food of Italy at a wine dinner on Friday, April 28. The meal will include dishes like fennel mousse with calamari and clams and tortellini filled with peas and leeks with veal sauce.
The meal includes four savory courses, each paired with a different Italian wine, plus dessert.
Save the Date
Getting your summer plans in order already? Make a note that the Trifecta Food Festival will come to the Timonium Fairgrounds on July 29. The festival is a massive gathering of food trucks, plus live bands, craft beer, kids’ activities, a pie-eating contest and local artists.
Planning Ahead
Here are a few events to look forward to over the next few weeks:
May 6: Heavy Seas Taco Festival
May 6: Charm City Wine Run
May 26: Sweet and Savory at Prigel Family Creamery
