Technically, we have a few more weeks of summer left, but with Labor Day weekend looming and college kids flooding the city, it’s starting to feel like autumn. Fortunately, the weather is cooperating, making this week a great one to head outside for dinner and drinks.
Local restaurants are making that easy, with a great lineup of outdoor events on tap this week. Here’s a look at what’s happening over the next seven days:
Openings and announcements
The original Charles Village Pub, which closed in May following a grease fire, reopened for business on Thursday.
Atlas Restaurant Group, the locally owned tour de force behind several Harbor East eateries, including Azumi, Ouzo Bay, Loch Bar and Tagliata, has announced new expansion plans. Sometime next spring, the restaurant group will open two restaurants in Washington D.C.’s Moxy Hotel. One of the new ventures will be a glass-enclosed rooftop bar.
The former Cask & Grain space in Canton is set to become Himalayan Yak, a Nepalese and Indian spot from the owners of Masala Kitchen and Kumari Restaurant and Bar.
Get outside on Saturday
The weather this weekend looks promising, and Saturday is looking to be an ideal day to get outside and enjoy everything the city has to offer.
On Saturday, Sandlot’s airstream trailer will become a boozy ice cream truck. The outdoor venue is partnering with One Eight Distilling to create sundaes, slushees and ice cream sandwiches, all featuring One Eight’s products. (Non-alcoholic frozen treats will also be available.)
Wine and jazz fans can get their fix by the water in Havre de Grace on Saturday, when Community Projects of Havre de Grace hosts its annual Arts, Wine & Jazz Fest fundraiser at the Susquehanna Lock House Museum. The party includes artisans, wineries, breweries and distilleries plus live jazz music performances.
Also on Saturday, the Leinenkugel’s Beer Garden in Power Plant Live! will throw a party celebrating its seventh anniversary and its updated look and new name: Leinie Lodge & Beer Garden. The party will include live music, a brat-eating contest and a stein-holding contest, plus giveaways and prizes (and of course, food and drinks).
This weekend looks like a good one for crabs. In Howard County, Food Plenty is holding a Saturday afternoon crab feast, which sounds like a blast, though it is, unfortunately, sold out. But keep an eye on the restaurant’s Facebook page for future events.
REVIVE! in Ellicott City
On Saturday evening, the Brewers Association of Maryland hosts its annual Revive! Divine Food + Divine Beer event at The Shrine of St. Anthony in Ellicott City. The event features local brewers and restaurants, who have been banded together to create event-specific beer and food pairings.
Some of the matchups include Union Craft Brewing + Dylan’s Oyster Cellar, Frederick’s Barley & Hops paired with White Oak Tavern and DuClaw Brewing Company paired with Hamilton Tavern.
Whiskey and more
With September nearly upon us, it’s time to start thinking about everyone’s favorite cold weather drinks: red wine and whiskey. This week, a couple local favorites are celebrating brown liquors and more with fun tastings.
Tuesday, Aug. 28, explore the world of pairing whiskey and cognac with oysters during Dylan’s Oyster Cellar’s Brown Flights and Delights tasting.
On Aug. 30, 1157 Bar + Kitchen will host Double Barreled: Wine and Whiskey Tasting, featuring a double-barreled cabernet aged in whiskey barrels, along with several whiskeys and food specials to match.
Summer in Provence dinner
Yes, whiskey is popping up in glasses all over the city, but rosé, the unofficial drink of summer, isn’t going away just yet.
On Aug. 30, Ludlow Market, Bar & Bottle Shop will hang on to the last days of the season with a Summer in Provence dinner, featuring four courses celebrating the flavors of the south of France, including dishes like bouillabaisse with saffron Pernod broth, paired with 2017 Close Sainte Magdeleine Cassis Blanc.
Flora at Topside
Also on Thursday, the fabulous plant folks from B. Willow will be in the Garden Room at Topside in Mt. Vernon, hosting a botanical workshop with a cocktail twist. The event, the first in a monthly series, will include instruction on a particular topic related to plants, plus cocktails. Guests will leave with a plant of their own.
This first class is dubbed “Strange Plants: Desert Edition.”
Food trucks at the Baltimore Museum of Industry
On Friday, Aug. 31, 16 food trucks will take over the space outside the Baltimore Museum of Industry for a food truck rally benefiting There Goes My Hero, a nonprofit that supports blood cancer patients by increasing bone marrow donor registrations. The benefit will help provide meals to patients and fund research.
The trucks will include many local favorites, such as Gypsy Queen and The Smoking Swine, plus some newer-to-the-scene food trucks like Farm to Charm and Pablo’s Toc O’s Food Truck. Heavy Seas will also be on hand for all your local beer needs.
Restaurant Weeks continue
Restaurant week promotions are winding down, but Baltimore Vegan Restaurant Week is still underway. The promotion lasts through the weekend, ending this Sunday. Now in its third year, Vegan Restaurant Week includes over 40 local restaurants, all of them offering new vegan-friendly menu options during the event.
Planning Ahead
Here are a few events to look forward to over the next few weeks:
September 15: Brunchfest
September 22: Charm City Night Market
September 30: Mermaid’s Kiss OysterFest
