From wine to Pride to Father’s Day and beyond, this weekend and week are busy in Baltimore. Check out what’s happening in the local restaurant world:
Openings and announcements
The patio at Vida Taco Bar in Harbor Point has officially opened and the restaurant has a terrific new spring menu, with dishes like heirloom tomato and corn salad and a soft shell crab torta.
Jimmy Buffett-themed LandShark Bar & Grill will open later this year in Harborplace.
A new eatery, Honey’s Café, has opened in Pigtown.
Saffron Grill has opened on Broadway in Fells Point.
Brazil Gourmet will open in Fells Point later this summer.
Moveable Feast’s annual fundraiser, Dining Out for Life, is always a big hit, and it’s a fantastic fundraiser for a great cause. This year’s event is set for Sept. 19. Right now, the organization is recruiting restaurants to participate. If you’re in the business and interested, check out the details here.
Baltimore Wine Fest
The fifth annual Baltimore Wine Fest takes over Canton Waterfront Park on Saturday.
The festival features more than 160 different wines from all over the world, plus craft beers and spirits, food from local restaurants, cooking demonstrations, wine seminars, vendors to shop, kids’ activities and live music.
Celebrating Pride
Baltimore Pride is this weekend–you might have spotted the signs around town already. Tons of local restaurants and bars are offering specials and fun events for the weekend. A few include:
Dutch Courage, the hotly anticipated, nearly-open gin bar in Old Goucher, will temporarily open during Pride weekend. The bar is still under construction, so this is a good chance to take a peek before it opens. The festivities will be a fundraiser for the The Pride Center of Maryland and feature complimentary Monument City brews, Charm City Mead meads and gin punch, plus snacks from Blue Pit BBQ.
Gunther & Co.’s Friday night Pride kickoff party includes a DJ and prizes and is sponsored by Roca Patron Tequila.
Pride specials at The Local Oyster in Mt. Vernon Marketplace include $4 house rosé and $5 vodka sodas. The deals last well beyond this weekend, too, with those prices staying in place until June 30.
At The Elephant (which is open!), Pride weekend specials include rainbow spaghetti, made with sausage, broccolini, garlic, lemon, wine and butter.
Topside, in the Hotel Revival, has a few special cocktails just for Pride, including the 6″ Stiletto (a combination of vodka, crème de violette, amaretto, citrus and hibiscus) and La Diversité (gin, grapefruit, spiced pear, cinnamon and a prosecco float).
Happy 75th to Eddie’s
Eddie’s of Roland Park celebrates its 75th anniversary this year and, to mark the occasion, has a host of events and activities planned, including a weekly lunch giveaway and a “Bark” party benefiting BARCS this Saturday.
The party starts at 11 a.m. and admission includes drinks, hot dogs and a donation to BARCS.
Father’s Day celebrations
Dads might not get the same mimosa-fueled hoopla as mothers do on their annual day of recognition, but there’s still plenty happening in their honor this weekend. Father’s Day is on Sunday, and numerous local spots have something dad-centric planned.
At Cunningham’s, brunch will feature a whole roasted pig, slow-roasted New York strip steak, oysters and wine, beer and whiskey tastings.
Petit Louis‘ Father’s Day specials include a 16-oz. porterhouse steak.
At Johnny’s, there will be a brunch buffet during the morning and afternoon, and the full à la carte menu is available for dinner.
Mt. Washington Tavern’s Father’s Day celebration includes a BBQ-happy buffet, with baby back ribs, pulled pork, bacon-wrapped chicken and more. Plus, each dad will receive a small bottle of Maker’s Mark barbecue sauce.
Magdalena’s Father’s Day menu features a classic steak dinner with add-ons like jumbo lump crab and seared foie gras.
Cinghiale in Harbor East will offer the à la carte menu and specials, plus 50 percent off Barolos (an amazing deal).
Chez Hugo Bistro isn’t usually open on Sundays, but the team is making an exception for Father’s Day. The menu will include multiple burger options, côte de boeuf with bearnaise and (for the kids) mac and cheese.
Topside will celebrate with half-price bottles of wine with the purchase of a Tomahawk steak.
Jägermeister Cocktail Competition at Southern Provisions
On Monday, Southern Provisions hosts the third annual Baltimore Jägermeister Cocktail Competition, featuring creative Jäger drinks made by some of the city’s best bartenders.
Cunningham’s on Chopped
On Tuesday night, chef Jay Rohlfing of Cunningham’s will appear on the Food Network show “Chopped.” The show airs at 9 p.m. You can watch it at home or join the crew at Cunningham’s for a viewing party at the restaurant.
Liguria dinner at Café Troia
Café Troia’s monthly wine dinner takes place Tuesday evening. The June dinner features the wines of Liguria, the Italian Riviera. The four-course meal includes dishes like Ligurian seafood soup paired with Punta Crena Pigato Vigneto Ca’da Rena and homemade pasta with swiss chard and spinach, finished with walnut and herb pesto, paired with Punta Crena Colline Savonesi Cruvin.
Food truck Wednesdays in Towson
Starting June 19, Towson will be food truck central on Wednesday nights. Each week, food trucks will gather in the parking lot of Ascension Lutheran Church from 5-8 p.m., and each month, a portion of profits will be donated to a different community organization.
Musician appreciation at La Cuchara
As you have probably heard, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra has canceled a number of performances due to budget constraints, leaving its musicians without paychecks for the summer months. On Thursday, La Cuchara will help support those musicians, with a Musician Appreciation Dinner, featuring wines from Bodegas Riojanas, and live music from some of the players themselves.
The meal includes five courses, each of which will be paired with a wine. A portion of ticket proceeds will go directly to support the Baltimore Symphony Musicians.
World Refugee Day at Clavel
Thursday is World Refugee Day and to recognize it, Clavel will donate 50 percent of proceeds from a special menu to BCCC Refugee Youth Project, which provides after-school, summertime, community arts and mentoring programs to young refugee students.
Smokin’ and Shuckin’ benefit
On Friday, June 21, head to the Richlin Catering and Event Center in Edgewood for Smokin’ and Shuckin’, a fundraising event supporting the Harford County Education Foundation.
The “old-fashioned country shindig” will feature BBQ chicken and ribs, baked potatoes, ice cream sundaes and, of course, oysters. There will also be music, line dancing, raffles and an auction.
Cookout on the Lawn at Rye Street Tavern
From June 22 through July 13, Rye Street Tavern will host cookouts on its gorgeous waterfront lawn.
The cookouts will feature one-day-only specials, like a seasonal burger or Virginia chicken, plus live music and an outdoor bar.
Rosé in the Garden
Rosé in the Garden is set for June 23. The event, which takes place in Preston Gardens and is hosted by the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, will include bites from local restaurants like The Elephant, Points South Latin Kitchen and Sobo Café, and tunes from DJ Cory Banks. Plus, of course, rosé!
Planning Ahead
Here are a few events to look forward to over the next few weeks:
June 22: Manor Hill Farm Fest
July 3: Tacopalooza at La Food Marketa
Aug. 10: Flower Farm Dinner at Two Boots Farm
