From Super Bowl wings to Valentine’s Day lobster, the next week or so is sure to be tasty in homes and restaurants all over Baltimore. Here’s a look at what’s coming up:
Openings & announcements
Alma Cocina Latina is opening for in-person dining in its new location on Friday. The beloved Venezuelan restaurant will, of course, be following city guidelines with respect to capacity and timing, and will debut some new menu items when it opens the doors.
On Saturday, Ampersea celebrates its third anniversary with a bottomless brunch and $3 bottles of wine.
Lexington Market has opened its final round of applications for food vendors; the market is looking for 20 or 30 additional vendors to include in its lineup when it opens its newly redeveloped space in 2022.
Saving Baltimore’s restaurants
The Save Baltimore Restaurants virtual telethon is on Saturday, so it’s time to finalize your bidding on the silent auction items – and considering donating even more to the Save Baltimore Restaurants GoFundMe, which so far, has collected over $370,000 being distributed directly to local restaurants.
Ice Cream for Breakfast at The Charmery
Saturday, Feb. 6 is Ice Cream for Breakfast Day and, as always, The Charmery is celebrating big.
This year looks different than in the past, of course, but the Charmery crew is still bringing tons of energy to one of their favorite holidays. As in years past, they’ve created some special cereal and cartoon-inspired flavors that will be best enjoyed in PJs, including the Golden Graham and Honey Nut Cheerio-based Go Go Gadget Arm and Thundercats Hoooo, a peanut butter and muddy buddy Rice Chex mix.
Unicorn spotting
Grab your favorite unicorn lover and head to Charlottetown Farm stand at the Waverly Farmers’ Market on Saturday morning. The Charlottetown crew will have some very special unicorn guests with them to help with sales.
Get ready for some football
Super Bowl weekend is here and while big parties might be off the table this year, there’s still plenty of opportunity to eat way too much.
NiHao’s Super Bowl lineup is a creative one with options like black bean and mapo sauced dip and egg roll chips, and a chili-topped brownie dessert to add a little spice to your evening.
Dutch Courage has a special Super Bowl edition of their Smokin’ Sunday Supper, with wings, subs and loaded tots.
Guinness Open Gate Brewery’s takeout specials for Super Bowl Sunday include Tampa and Kansas City-inspired entrees and a tailgating packages with items like Old Bay wings, pretzel nuggets with Baltimore Blonde beer cheese, and spicy crab dip.
Gundalow Gourmet’s Super Bowl choices include Roseda beef hot dogs topped with mustard and wrapped in puff pastry and loaded baked potatoes.
The Local Fry’s wings are always fantastic – and they’re a perfect match for watching football.
Cosima’s big game menu includes choices like racks of pork ribs, wings…and herb-crusted tenderloin (for the fancier football enthusiasts).
Jay’s Catering has a fun menu available for delivery on gameday, with tons of different types of sliders (think burgers but also pulled pork and crispy Buffalo chicken), Turp’s own wings, and mac and cheese bites.
Thames Street Oyster House’s menu includes options like clams casino and mini shrimp salad roll boxes.
Gertrude’s Super Bowl menu includes options like crab cake bites and crabby deviled eggs; order by Feb. 4 for pickup on game day.
Of Love & Regret has lots of options including a platter of pigs in pretzels that look amazing.
At Sobo Café, Super Bowl snack options include smoked wings, feta dip and pigs in a blanket.
Chef’s Expressions will be handling the Super Bowl menu at a ticketed event at The Manor Tavern; options include maple and miso-glazed bacon and chicken mozzarella meatballs.
Lee’s Pint & Shell has a Super Bowl special including pizza, wings, shrimp and pulled pork sliders.
The Choptank has four different game day packages including items like loaded tots.
Limoncello’s game day specials include pizza and wings in different quantities – and with or without wine.
Lunar New Year
On Friday, Feb. 12, we’ll welcome the Year of the Ox, which is supposed to bring prosperity and wellness to all. That’s something to celebrate!
For the fourth year in a row, The Corner Pantry will mark the occasion with a special menu.
Vegan Restaurant Week
Maryland Vegan Restaurant Week kicks off on Friday and lasts through the end of the month. During that time, participating restaurants, like Miss Shirley’s and Foraged Eatery, which has a fantastic menu lined up, will feature numerous vegan options on their menus.
The Takeout Getdown, V-Day-style
One of the more fun parts of this past New Year’s Eve was the Takeout Getdown – a joint effort between several local restaurants and DJs. The concept was simple: order from a participating restaurant and receive a link to an online party with a local DJ spinning fun tunes. So even though big parties were off the table, Baltimoreans could still celebrate with others – and listen to some great music.
The concept is back for Valentine’s Day and better than ever. This time, the party will happen twice – over Saturday dinner and Sunday dinner – and will feature both DJs and sets from local comedians.
Participating businesses include No Land Beyond, Crust by Mack, Cane Collective, Dylan’s Oyster Cellar, Dutch Courage, Land of Kush, Namaste, The Bluebird, The Urban Oyster, Grano Pasta Bar, Peabody Heights Brewery, Sentimental Fools, Heritage Kitchen, Sally O’s, Amano Taco, Creole Soul, BRD, Molina Brick Oven Pizza, Taharka Bros. and STEM Farm + Kitchen.
Valentine’s Day boxes & gifts
Now is the time to make Valentine’s Day reservations, order carryout, and pick up something special for your Valentine (even – or especially – if that Valentine is you). Local restaurants have put together some terrific gift options this year, with tons of items to enjoy at home.
The Corner Pantry has a fun Valentine’s Grazing Box put together, packed full of a wide variety of items like lobster thermidor dip served in a pastry shell and squid ink crisps.
Firefly Farms’ Whitehall Mill stall has put together two wine-cheese-and-chocolate bundles to help you celebrate.
The Bluebird Cocktail Room has created a couple gifts perfect for cocktail lovers, including a small box of housemade chocolate-covered bourbon and maraschino liqueur-soaked cherries, and the Old Fashioned Romance, a box including cherries and a medium bottle of The Bluebird’s Old Fashioned.
If you’re looking for something fresh and “sultry” to drink this Valentine’s Day, DuClaw has just released Carob-Mel Sutra, a Belgian-style ale named in honor of the Kama Sutra.
Cunningham’s Café has some fun dessert boxes including all kinds of sweetness, from cookies to macarons.
Valentine’s Day meals & events
Valentine’s Day dinner out might look a little different than usual this year, with more distancing, masking and hand sanitizer, and ordering carryout is likely to be a whole lot more popular than in years past. Restaurants are stepping up their game for both dine-in and carryout customers, with extravagant Valentine’s offerings.
Aldo’s has temporarily closed its doors but the Little Italy restaurant is offering a variety of meal kits for Valentine’s week, including choices like ossobucco for two, a Valentine’s brunch package, and even spaghetti and meatballs for kids.
Thursday, Feb. 11 will be Guinness’s final outdoor movie screening for the time being. In honor of the holiday, the brewery will show the classic rom-com “You’ve Got Mail.” Guinness also has a fun Valentine’s Day menu available for curbside carryout from Thursday through Sunday, including three courses, each paired with a Guinness brew.
Of Love and Regret has a three-course menu with choices including Cornish game hen and a craft cocktail pack with choices like The Sexy Strawberry and Apple Butter Jeans.
Gertrude’s four-course menu includes options like pistachio-encrusted lamb lollipops and rockfish imperial. There is also a vegan menu available – and you can even add on a bouquet of flowers.
At La Food Marketa, 10% of each three-course Valentine’s Day meal for two sold will be donated to Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital. The menu includes lobster-topped salad, crab cakes, crab scalloped potatoes and chocolate cake – pretty great from start to finish.
The Cupid’s Arrow package from local meal service Yes Chef! includes roses, a hot chocolate bomb, flameless candles, candy and a four-course meal.
When you order two of Maggie’s Farm’s three-course prix-fixe Valentine’s dinners for carryout, you’ll receive a complimentary bottle of Champagne.
Silver Queen Café’s Valentine’s Day dinner options include day boat scallops with sweet potato puree and pancetta leek beurre blanc and a filet and crab cake dinner, plus some special desserts, like tiramisu crepe cake.
Linwood’s Valentine’s Day menu includes several dinner for two options, like a beef tenderloin and crab imperial extravaganza.
The Nick’s Fish House V-Day menu is available from Wednesday through Sunday and includes options like crab imperial-stuffed salmon – and a complimentary glass of Champagne.
Nacho Mama’s Towson is giving away chances to win an evening in the Elvis Room on Friday, Saturday or Sunday of Valentine’s weekend. You don’t have to go with just a Valentine, either – winners can have a group of up to six people.
The Ouzo Bay Valentine’s Day menu includes choices like grilled Portuguese octopus and wild-caught Aegean bronzino.
Café Troia’s Valentine’s menu includes a three-course option with several choices – heart-shaped ravioli is one of them – as well as a la carte specials.
Papi’s has a taco date night package designed for two or, if you’d rather celebrate with others (or just want more tacos) for four.
At Tagliata, the San Valentino menu includes options like potato soup with black truffle and squid ink campanelle with blue crab, uni cream sauce and basil.
Oregon Grille’s Valentine’s Day carryout menu is available Friday through Sunday of Valentine’s weekend. It includes options like a filet and lobster surf and turf and two sizes of prime striploin.
Petit Louis will be open indoors and outdoors for Valentine’s weekend, offering a three-course prix fixe menu for dine-in or takeaway. Courses include options like duck confit and Moroccan spiced shrimp.
Classic Catering’s Valentine’s Day menu includes several luxe options (including a vegan menu), with dish choices like foie gras with honey-poached apple, hazelnut and brioche, and poached lobster with short ribs.
Loch Bar’s three-course menu includes tons of seafood choices, from oysters with caviar to crab-stuffed lobster tails.
Azumi’s Valentine’s Day menu includes a la carte options as well as a four-course prix-fix with dishes like rock shrimp tempura and an assortment of 10 pieces of sashimi.
Eddie’s Valentine’s dinner for two is available to take home from Thursday through Sunday of Valentine’s weekend. It’s customizable in several ways – you can pick an appetizer, main, sides to share and dessert.
Valentine’s Day brunch at The Bygone features half-priced bottles of Champagne.
Liberatore’s take-home meal package options include the True Love Package, which features crab and shrimp cocktail, Caesar salad, lobster and shrimp tetrazzini and coconut cake and cannoli – plus wine.
Charleston will offer an a la carte menu for indoor and outdoor dining and a four-course prix fixe takeaway menu with dishes like she-crab soup and grilled lamb tenderloin with artichoke, brioche, foie gras mousse and cognac sauce.
Bar Vasquez will celebrate Valentine’s Day all weekend long with limited in-person dining and a three-course menu to go featuring dishes like potato saffron gnocchi and octopus a la plancha.
Duck Duck Goose will offer limited in-person dining and a special to-go menu, including a prix fixe meal featuring choices like herb-crusted tenderloin and truffle mac and cheese.
Johnny’s Valentine’s Day menu includes three courses with options like a brown sugar-brined pork chop and lobster and fennel bisque.
Gunther & Co. will open for Valentine’s Day but on a very limited basis, with only ten tables in the whole restaurant. If you’d prefer to stay home, Gunther is also offering a virtual cooking experience – you’ll pick up the ingredients and follow along with instructional videos from Chef Jerry Trice.
Cinghiale will be open in Harbor East all weekend and its terrific pop-up market at Johnny’s offers a Valentine’s dinner box for two, including lobster agnolotti rosso and lobster cream sauce.
Le Comptoir du Vin has a four-course meal available for carryout, starting with caviar pie and ending with dessert called “Chocolate Nemesis.” Sparkling wines, flowers and chocolates (from Chocolates by Jinji) can be easily added on to any order.
Magdalena is not yet open for in-person dining but for Valentine’s Day, the Ivy Hotel restaurant is offering a take-home package including a three-course dinner for two, including dishes like a Maryland jumbo lump crab and lobster spring roll appetizer and a prime rib entrée.
Gundalow Gourmet has a ready-to-cook date night box available, including filet mignon, asparagus and twice-baked gruyere potatoes, as well as fun sweet treats for the holiday.
Miss Shirley’s locations have extended hours for Valentine’s Day – they’ll be open until 8 p.m. for dining in (and will have many carryout options available, as well).
Cosima’s Valentine’s prix-fixe is available for dine-in or carryout and includes dishes like prosciutto with fig and goat cheese and an 8-ounce filet with crab.
Planning for the future
Mark your calendars for:
Feb. 27: Whiskey, Wine & Fire at The Manor Tavern
