It’s cold outside but Baltimore restaurants are giving food-lovers lots of reasons to bundle up and head out to dinner. Here’s a look at what’s coming up this week:
Announcements
Happy anniversary to Sotto Sopra, which celebrated thirty (!) years in business this past week – though the restaurant’s owners promise that the celebrations will last all year long.
Morton’s Steakhouse, a longtime staple of downtown happy hours and dining, has closed. Its home, the Sheraton inner Harbor Hotel, also closed.
Restaurant week in full swing
With every local Restaurant Week program up and running at some point during this week, it’s prime time to make some reservations.
Harford and Baltimore County’s weeks both start Jan. 16 and run through Jan. 25, Howard County’s starts Jan. 19, and the event at Live! Casino and Hotel runs from Jan. 18 to Jan. 29.
Baltimore Restaurant Week slips in at the tail end of the week, starting on Jan. 23 and lasting until the first of February.
Plus, during this time, the Atlas Restaurant Group restaurants are participating in a fundraising event, Dine to Donate, benefiting the Y.
Golden days at The Point
From now through the beginning of February, The Point in Towson is entering a golden age – of Golden Girls-themed events. The lineup includes specials, happy hours, brunches, trivia, and karaoke, all set in a space that’s decked out in the finest Golden Girls style.
Damn Near Beer Fest
True Chesapeake and Whitehall Mill are making the most of Dry January with the Second Annual Damn Near Beer Fest, held on Sunday.
The party features over thirty non-alcoholic beers and beverages from a variety of different brewers, free samples, drinking games, food vendors, and more.
Several other local spots are also going all-in on Dry January, with lots of extra spirit-free drinks on their menus, including Bunny’s, Vivian’s, and Alexander’s Tavern.
Gaming sips at Patterson Pins
If Dry January is not your thing, there’s nothing to worry about – plenty of local spots are still all about the booze. That includes Patterson Pins, where Shaun Stewart, one of the city’s most creative cocktail makers, has developed “Pins Versus the World,” a ten-drink menu based on classic arcade games.
The menu, which will be available for six months, is the result of intense research and thoughtfulness, with drink elements representing very specific details associated with certain games. For example, the “Take You for a Ride,” a three-spirit drink representing the three-on-three tag team approach in the game Marvel vs. Capcom 2.
Après Ski Wine Supper
On Friday, Jan. 23, Chef’s Expressions pops up at The Gramercy Mansion with its first wine supper of the year. The theme is Après Ski, which means fondue, followed by five courses of alpine-inspired food and wine.
Boordy wine dinners
Last year, Boordy Vineyards hosted a series of chef-led dinners to celebrate its 80th birthday. They were such a hit that the vineyard decided to bring them back for 2026 – and tickets are on sale now.
The lineup for this year includes a terrific group of chefs, including Chad Gauss of The Food Market, Brian Lavin of Costiera, MasterChef’s Michael Leonard, Jimmy Dipino of Forno, and Clavel’s Carlos Raba.
Planning for the future
Mark your calendars for:
Jan. 28: Bodega Garzon Wine Supper at Manor Tavern
Jan. 29: Dark Beer Dinner at Silver Queen Café
Feb. 6: Carnevale at Cinghiale
