I think if the Travel Channel had put a different headline on this list, I wouldn’t have a problem with it. Call it, “Five exciting new-ish (mostly) restaurants in Baltimore” or “Five funky spots to get slightly expensive modern American ” and I’d just smile and nod. But they called it the “Best places to eat in Baltimore,” and so I’m forced to disagree.
It’s not that I think any of the five picks — Shoo-Fly, Wit & Wisdom, Mr. Rain’s Fun House, Clementine, and Fork & Wrench — is terrible. I legitimately adore Clementine, for one. And we’ve written about several of them on this very site, for another. It’s just that they’re all kind of… of a piece. Upscale but not stuffy, chef-driven, high concept — and most of them (though not Clementine) have opened in the past year or so. I only wish the Travel Channel had been a little more adventurous in its picks. (Also, don’t they know that no one refers to us as Monument City anymore?)
Baltimore is a diverse city with an equally diverse set of restaurant choices. Readers, what would you pick to be on the list.
Woodberry Kitchen. Charleston. Salt. La Scala. Petit Louise.
Wow – that list makes the travel channel look completely disengaged from what Baltimore has to offer on the food scene. Especially when Shoo-Fly and Wit & Wisdom are pretty consistently getting bad reviews from critics and patrons alike.
Couldn’t agree with you more Rachel. I, too, was miffed by the Travel Channel selections. They seem completely out of touch.
I like janjamm’s list. Wine Market is good too and the servers are devoid of annoying attitude and very competent.
*Puerto 511*. *Bottega*. Pazo. Woodberry Kitchen. The Chesapeake. Birroteca. Parts and Labor. Donna’s at 31st & St. Paul.
That’s just for starters. There are too many good restaurants in Baltimore to keep up with anymore, which god knows wasn’t the case 30 years ago. So we’re lucky.
I still think Petit Louis is quite good. Charleston and Cinghiale, however, are overrated and overpriced.
Brewer’s Art. Wine Market. Woodberry Kitchen.