OPEN
Little Hungarian Bake Shoppe: This new addition to Fleet Street near Patterson Park is exactly what it sounds like—a cozy spot to get a taste of Budapest by way of Baltimore. Stop by to enjoy Hungarian treats such as sweet-and-savory crepes (rolled, not folded) and kürtőskalács, or chimney cakes—the shop’s signature hand-rolled, hollow pastries made from sweet yeast dough. To get their shape, the cakes are baked on a rotating spit. Then, they’re either coated in sweets like cinnamon sugar and chocolate, or stuffed with savory meats and cheeses. The team also experiments with seasonal specials, like this week’s pumpkin cheesecake spread for dipping and pairing with coffee.
According to reporting by the Baltimore Business Journal, owner David Korrie, who lived in Budapest for a period, also uses the bakeshop as a way to give back. He partnered with Church World Services’ Neighbor Network to offer the bakery building’s back apartment to a Ukrainian refugee family displaced from the ongoing war with Russia, who will also be offered employment at the shop. “It’s for a cause,” he told the BBJ. “That has driven me to keep throwing my retirement savings into this.”
COMING SOON
The Chicken Lab: Harbor Point—the development boasting retail, offices, and greenspace in between Harbor East and Fells Point—is welcoming yet another restaurant next week. Joining neighbors like Honeygrow, Attman’s, and Ceremony Coffee, The Chicken Lab will begin offering its sweet-and-spicy crispy fried chicken to the area on Monday, Sept. 29.
“We’re thrilled to open the doors to our new location and share the bold, flavorful dishes of South Korea with this new community,” Na Yi, co-owner of The Chicken Lab and Charm City Poke & Mochi (which also operates in Harbor Point’s Constellation building) said in a release.
Diners might be familiar with the two other Chicken Lab locations in Towson and Cross Street Market. The menu on the waterfront will be similar, featuring the spot’s famed double-fried, Korean-style chicken doused in its signature sauce, alongside rice bowls, sandwiches, and grab-and-go options.
NEWS
Chef Cat on Hell’s Kitchen: If you haven’t already, read through our exclusive interview with Chef Catina Smith about her time competing on the new season of Hell’s Kitchen, which premieres tonight on FOX. Smith, the co-founder of community incubator Our Time Kitchen in Old Goucher, has long been a champion for the Charm City food scene. Fun fact: In a way, she manifested that she’d make it onto the show, made famous by its fiery host Gordon Ramsey: “What’s crazy is that I literally wrote a culinary bucket list a few years ago,” Smith tells us, “and being on Hell’s Kitchen was on that list.” Read more, here, and head to The Empanada Lady downtown tonight to cheer on Chef Cat at the official premiere watch party.
CH-CH CHANGES
New Season, New Flavors at Dutch Courage: As the seasons change, it’s customary for restaurants to roll out new menus. But the new food offerings at this Old Goucher gin bar are really elevating its profile. “People think of us as a cocktail bar, but we have definitely transformed into a fine bar and restaurant,” says co-owner Brendan Dorr.
Chef Pete Davis is leading the charge from behind the line, where new dishes include The Bird—a seared duck breast entree with smoked parsnip purée, poached cipollini onions, and a honey balsamic glaze—as well as the Fig, Prosciutto & Pomegranate small plate topped with whipped goat cheese and rosemary maple drizzle.
Of course, there’s also a fresh fleet of cocktails to pair with the new menu, like bartender Rich Desire’s Cybertruck Destroyer (a smoky, tomato-forward drink—tomato cocktails are trending!—made with two gins, finocchietto, and roasted garlic honey syrup, balanced with lime and a hatch-fennel-tomato tincture) and general manager Chris Woods’ fruity and spicy Purple Rain.
EPICUREAN EVENTS
Negroni Week 2025: This weekend marks the tail end of Negroni Week, an international event in which bars and restaurants spotlight the bittersweet Italian spirit. More than 50 local spots are signed on to shake and stir their takes on the iconic gin-Campari cocktail, with proceeds benefiting global and local charities. The aforementioned Dutch Courage is one of them, as well as Little Italy’s Sisu Bar & Bottles—which is going big with a Negroni tower in collaboration with Hayman’s Gin. From sleek cocktail dens (Blooms and RYE) to neighborhood faves (Southpaw), you’ll find more Negroni specials across the city through Sept. 28. See the full list, here.
The Wine Source Celebrates One Year Co-Op Anniversary: If your weekly stop into The Wine Source in Hampden feels a little extra festive in the next few days, here’s why: The beloved spirits shop is celebrating one year since becoming a worker-owned cooperative. In the spirit of community, the shop’s worker-owners have organized for other local brands to pop-up with daily tastings and giveaways Sept. 30-Oct. 4. Look out for visitors such as Sophomore Coffee, Baltimore Spirits Co., The Wine Collective, Hex Ferments, Neopol Smokery, and others throughout the week.
SHUT
Morning Mugs in Locust Point: Just one year after opening in the neighborhood, Morning Mugs Coffee served its last cups of joe on Beason Street in Locust Point on Saturday, Sept. 13. Known for creative lattes like French toast and strawberry-coconut—as well as breakfast burritos and pastries—the cafe (whose Federal Hill flagship is still going strong) has also gained a following for its playful “guess the mug color” promotion that rewards winners with a 10 percent off coupon.
Owner Tyler DellaRatta shared the news on Instagram, calling the closure “unfortunate news, and not what we planned.” DellaRatta shared that the Beason Street location operated under a licensing agreement, and the decision was mutual among business partners. Again, the closure won’t affect Morning Mugs in Fed Hill, where “the coffee, the color-guessing game, and the good vibes are all waiting for you,” DellaRatta wrote.
As for the Locust Point shop, SouthBmore.com recently reported that it’s being taken over by neighborhood resident and former Morning Mugs manager Morgan Rosser and her father, restaurateur Steve Rosser. Slated to open early next month, the shop, dubbed Cool Beans, will offer Locust Point’s Pfefferkorn’s Coffee, as well as breakfast and lunch items.