Best of Baltimore
EDITED BY
Jane Marion
WRITTEN WITH
AMY SCATTERGOOD & MIKE UNGER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JUSTIN TSUCALAS
NEW CAFE
Doppio Pasticceria
Situated inside an old gas station at the corner of Remington Avenue and 29th Street, the adorable Doppio Pasticceria sells all sorts of things you’d find in Sicily, a country also known as “God’s kitchen” for its bountiful larder. Here, you’ll find properly pulled espressos and a pastry case loaded with creative combinations, including bomboline—Italy’s answer to doughnuts—stuffed with seasonal ingredients like sour cherry, vanilla custard, and rhubarb jam, and Danish pastries studded with strawberries and dusted with confectioner’s sugar and pistachios. Come lunchtime, the cafe becomes a part-time pizzeria with specialty pies including a white version with onion sauce, four cheeses, and pistachio crumbles, a meatball sub, and arancini that taste like they came straight from a street stand in Palermo. Husband-and-wife owners Luke Illardo and Megan Cowan met—and married—over their Italian heritage and love of land. That passion is on full display here.
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ALFRESCO DINING
CECE’S
Eating en plein air makes everything taste better, which is why the courtyard at Cece’s of Roland Park is the place to be, whether you’re there for a dirty martini at the marble bar, a pesto pizza, or more of a meal. With its fire pits and lush plantings, no expense was spared in the design of this lavish oasis overseeen by landscape designer Bob Jackson. Live music and a happy hour add to the festivities. And if you’re not a total sun worshipper, there are plenty of seats in the shade.
BAKERY
SACRÉ SUCRÉ
Walk into Manuel Sanchez and Dane Thibodeaux’s pâtisserie and you’d be forgiven for thinking you were in Paris rather than a century-old Fells Point rowhouse. A jewel-box pastry case displays their stunning work: rows of petit gateaux, opera cakes, tarts, eclairs, croissants, and, in an array of flavors and colors, the macarons that began the couple’s sweet journey. As their repertoire has expanded along with their hours, they’ve added whole-grain boules, Breton-style crepes, soft-serve, and baguettes to their list of offerings.
BARBECUE
HERITAGE SMOKEHOUSE
We’ll start by pointing out the less classic offerings. The wings at Heritage Smokehouse are smoked then flash fried to create a combination of smokiness and texture not seen elsewhere. The fried catfish is excellent and served with a superior version of hush puppies that are less dense with a hint of sweetness. Don’t sleep on the ever-rotating offering of sausages, like chorizo and Morcilla (blood sausage). The cocktails are solid and there’s usually a kickass movie on the TV. Of course, barbecue standards like brisket, pork, and chicken are done perfectly here—those are what earned Heritage Smokehouse this recognition. But be sure to explore the entire menu.
BREAD
OVENBIRD
Ovenbird has always had the best sourdough in town, but since owner Keiller Kyle (a former ornithologist) moved his production facility to a renovated Highlandtown warehouse, the bread and pastry menu has expanded along with the beautiful—Wi-Fi and dog-friendly—dining space. Kyle has added Viennoiserie to the menu, as well as lunch and a cocktail bar. But it’s his bread that is the draw, which now includes rye, struan (a multi-grain harvest bread), “bird seed” bread, focaccia, and challah. The sourdough, which comes in either “Baltimore” or 100-percent whole wheat, feeds the bakery’s engines, and for good reason.
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BURGER
WOODBERRY TAVERN
While there are always excellent, highend dishes at Spike Gjerde’s Woodberry Tavern, as you’d expect from the only Baltimore chef to have won a James Beard Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic award, do not overlook the sublime Tavern burger. Constructed of locally sourced rib-eye and short rib, ground in-house, perfectly griddled, then sandwiched between a sweet-potato bun, and dressed up with a disk of raw red onion, melty white cheddar, a frilly lettuce leaf, and onion jam, it’s both simple and complex, and is best appreciated sans ketchup, though Gjerde makes that, too. Instead, opt for a dose of Snake Oil, the fish-pepper hot sauce you’ll find on every table.
BUTCHER SHOP
JOHN BROWN GENERAL & BUTCHERY
Along a winding country road in Cockeysville, you can ID this butchery, coffeehouse, and market from the sudden jumble of parked cars. Inside, beneath a chalkboard noting the farms where the animals are sourced, a giant case displays a wealth of grass-fed and -finished beef; pasture-fed pork, lamb, and poultry; and house-made sausages, pâtés, and charcuterie. Shop at the specialty market, order a double cheeseburger for lunch at the counter, then walk into the cozy dining room past a huge wall of refrigerated cuts of dry-aging beef, displayed like a museum for carnivores.
1976
1ST ANNUAL
Best of Baltimore:
BEST & WORST OF 1976
OH, THE DAYS WHEN YOU COULD feature a . . . sexy Mrs. Claus (?) and the words, “Ho, Ho, Ho” on the cover without raising eyebrows. This was our first-ever Best of Baltimore issue: “(A Bit of) The Best & Worst of Baltimore in 1976.” Yes, worst. For a decade or so, we included some real turkeys as part of our list, until we decided it was just too mean—and not useful to the reader. This being 1976, there was much written about the Bicentennial Cake debacle, exclusively under the “Worst” category, needless to say. The melted and ultimately devoured-by-rats cake was awarded “Worst Appearance in the Harbor”: “If Francis Scott Key had seen that ‘by the dawn’s early light’ he’d probably have stayed with the British,” we wrote.
CHEESESTEAK
CHEESESTEAK & CO.
There’s a new spot that requires a much shorter drive on I-95—south rather than north—to get a truly excellent version of a classic Philadelphia cheesesteak. Located in Elkridge, Cheesesteak & Co. takes note of the little things that make a cheesesteak genuine. While Cheese Whiz is available for purists, the Cooper sharp white American that comes on most versions provides outstanding richness. The 100-percent ribeye steak is sliced thin to mesh with the cheese and onions seamlessly. And then there’s the bread. The pillowy rolls come from Amoroso’s bakery in Philly, enhancing the flavor rather than distracting from it. The carryout has been such a hit since opening last summer that there’s frequently a long line. That’s okay—it still takes less time than driving to Philly.
CHINESE FOOD
DIMSUM PALACE
The highlight of this Catonsville restaurant is its dim sum service, done in the traditional Hong Kong style, with roving metal carts ferrying dumplings, buns, and other tiny plates throughout the roomy dining room. But though you should opt for that service, Dimsum Palace has far more than its namesake. On offer via the impressive menu are clay pots, barbecue, congee, various rice and noodle dishes—including the hard-to-find Cantonese noodle rolls called cheung fun—and a Peking duck service. With dishes ranging from the expected (Kung Pao chicken) to the obscure (jellyfish salad), there’s something for everyone here—plus Cantonese egg tarts, which alone are worth the drive.
DUMPLINGS
NiHao
Peter Chang’s Baltimore restaurant has always had terrific xiaolongbao, or soup dumplings. And NiHao’s dumpling game has only gotten better, as its dim sum menu has expanded to include har gow and wontons, among others. Our new favorite tradition? Their AYCE dim sum brunch. How many soup dumplings can one human consume? We’re about to find out.
KNIFE-CUT NOODLES
Ekiben
Loaded with shaved red cabbage, fresh herbs, and pickles and topped with tofu or ancho-chile pork, Ekiben’s noodles are knife-cut ribbons of goodness slicked with garlic-chile sauce. A perfect balance of noodle to stuff and jacked with flavor.
PASTA
Cinghiale
On any night, there are a dozen pastas on offer at Tony Foreman’s Italian restaurant, all made in-house (the gluten-free option is an exception). These are both traditional and inventive, highly seasonal dishes each with a regional description.
PIEROGIES
Little Donna’s
Chef-owner Robbie Tutlewski’s pierogies, an homage to his Yugoslavian grandmother, are doused with red chile-garlic oil and dollops of sour cream. Though they don’t need anything extra, you can order them with a side of sauerkraut and sausage.
RAMEN
Toki Underground
This outpost of the D.C. Michelin-starred ramen-ya serves stellar bowls of tonkotsu ramen, toothsome noodles swirled into absurdly rich pork broth, decorated with chashu, kale, and an onsen egg. The variations—mushroom shio, spicy miso, kimchi, curry chicken—underscore how good the bowls are.
COCKTAIL
FLAMBOYÁN at THE CORAL WIG
It’s so dark in this subterranean cocktail bar in the Hotel Ulysses that it’s impossible to see the menu without a flashlight. Yet somehow, when a Flamboyán is served, it lights up the room. Like all drinks on bar owner Lane Harlan’s menu, it’s meticulously designed and wonderfully executed. Made with El Buho mezcal, Maderia, guava nectar, Buddha’s Hand, and calendula tincture, it’s garnished with a healthy stalk of Thai basil, which adds a beautiful green color to the pinkish/reddish drink. The combination of ingredients create a stark, refreshing, fragrant drink that works for any season and time of day, regardless of whether it’s light or dark outside.
COFFEE SPOT
SOPHOMORE COFFEE
Hidden in a Remington basement around the corner from Faddensonnen—in whose patio they often do caffeinated pop-ups—Sophomore is both old-school and au courant. Owner Kris Fulton has engineered a cheery neighborhood hang-out, brightened by pedestrian- level windows, with baristas who pull top-level shots on a La Marzocco with beans they roast in Baltimore. Don’t expect to find concoctions like caramel-whipped milkshakes here; about as frothy as things get is the Shakerato, a shot shaken with half-and-half and vanilla syrup. For those needing more, opt for a growler of cold brew.
COOKING SUPPLIES
THE RESTAURANT STORE
If buying in bulk is your thing, look no further than The Restaurant Store, sandwiched between Dundalk and Highlandtown. They have large commercial accounts with area chefs and restaurants, but they also sell to the public. Here, you’ll find miles of aisles of anything you could possibly need for your larder or kitchen. Stock up on Brobdingnagian portions of bulk ketchup, vinegar, or hot pepper paste, both brand name and generic. There’s also tons of cookware, from braising pots to oven mitts, and even chafing fuel to channel your inner Julia Child.
DESTINATION DINING
WYE OAK TAVERN
Bryan and Michael Voltaggio, Frederick’s celebrity chef brothers, have turned this former all-girls’ school into one of the hottest new fine-dining spots in the state. Set inside the school’s now-deconsecrated church, their restaurant, whose name is a nod to the historic circa-1540s oak tree that was felled by a summer storm, is worth the drive down I-70, whether you live in Canton or Catonsville. It’s a steakhouse but one that also offers terrific takes on seafood, as well as clever spins on regional dishes such as coddies and crab cakes. With the church’s original stained-glass window panels, a pipe organ, and marble altar, the whole place is divine.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY SCOTT SUCHMAN
BRUNCH
Bunny’s Buckets & Bubbles
For brunch lovers this Fells Point spot, in an old rowhouse rehabbed by Baltimore chef Jesse Sandlin, is a dream come true. Fried chicken and waffles, eggs Benedicts made with featherlight biscuits and either Sandlin’s superb fried chicken or jumbo lump crab, and a serious cocktail bar featuring all the bubbles Sandlin pairs with her fried chicken. For those who aren’t normally brunch fans, it’s a welcome respite from the sugary stuff that’s on many a morning menu. Here, a shrimp and grits and collard-green Caesar is a revelation. Bonus points for waffle-fry brunch poutine and hash browns with caviar. The weekend starts early here—Fridays kick off with brunch.
HAPPY HOUR
THE VALLEY INN
Don’t be put off by the line at this Lutherville- Timonium institution, given a total makeover by the Atlas Restaurant Group three years ago. There’s plenty of space inside at the oval-shaped racetrack bar, as well as outside on the bluestone patio. You’re here for the discounted cocktails ($10 martinis and cosmos, for example), but what really separates this place from the pack is that the food, usually a throwaway during happy hour, is way above average. We particularly like the shrimp skewers, the tuna tartare, and the meatballs with ricotta. There’s often live music to add to the festive vibe. This is one of the buzzier spots in the sometimes sleepy suburbs—and for good reason.
INDIAN FARE
SANGAM INDIAN CUISINE
Baltimore has some terrific Northern Indian restaurants, but for Southern Indian food and its dosas, biryanis, idlis, appams, and spicy curries, it’s worth the drive to Ellicott City’s Sangam Indian Cuisine. Sangam has an extensive menu that includes thali specials, many kinds of curries, a splendid goat biryani, and 15 kinds of dosa, which alone merit a visit. The lamb and goat are sourced from a Maryland farm, the dishes are laced with fresh spices and herbs, and there’s a full cocktail bar to help you make your way through the long menu.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTOPHER MYERS
FARMERS MARKET
The Baltimore Farmers’ Market
After an uncertain off-season, in which the Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts lost its contract to run the market but was eventually reinstated, this much-loved farmers market—Maryland’s largest—reopened at the end of April. Now in its 48th year, the market is again running in its longtime home under the Jones Falls Expressway downtown, with local farmers and vendors offering open-air aisles of fresh produce, pit beef, roasted oysters, bottled milk, and baked goods. Stalls laden with greenery and fresh fruit draw folks from all over the city and county; it’s our version of a happy, crowded town square.
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY SCOTT SUCHMAN
BAR
Dutch Courage
Lots of elements beyond the booze must work in concert to create a great bar. First, there’s the physical space, and nothing in the city can quite compare to Dutch Courage. Housed in a regal home built in 1851, it’s stylish, airy, and evokes old-world grandeur while remaining eminently comfortable. Then there’s the music, which here is played at just the right volume. There’s the vibe—a long bar, tables, couches, comfy chairs, and a courtyard out back. Plus the bartenders, who couldn’t be friendlier or more knowledgeable. And there’s the food, which is seriously next-level. (Prepare to snack on tinned fish, a cheese plate, or indulge in a sirloin steak—served only medium rare—with shiitake mushrooms and duck-fat fingerling potatoes.) But of course, it always comes back to the drinks. With more than 100 gins and pages of cocktails, you can experience something new every time you return. Which we often do.
INTERNATIONAL GROCER
PRIMA FOODS
An industrial stretch of street beneath I-95 does not seem like a likely place to find a gourmet grocer. But given its location in the shadow of Highlandtown, the heart of Baltimore’s Greek community, that’s exactly what you’ll find here. Beneath a blue-and-white Greek key awning is a well-stocked store for all your Hellenic needs. There are barrels of oil-cured olives, Byzantine-era bread rings known as koulouri thessalonikis, raw honey from Athens, feta from the farms of Mt. Olympus, and even cases of frozen baklava cheesecake. Grab a bottle of ouzo from the shelf and throw a Greek feast.
NEW RESTAURANT
THE DUCHESS
Trying a new restaurant these days can be a pricey proposition—best to stick with a sure thing. But we can say with complete confidence that Tony Foreman and executive chef Kiko Fejarang’s The Duchess, open since last December, will be instantly added to your favorites list. Situated along Hampden’s bustling The Avenue, this pubstyle spot sets its sights on the bold flavors of Chamorro fare, also known as the cuisine of Guam, the chef’s beloved birthplace. Menu highlights include delicate shrimp cakes with spicy aioli, crisp pork lumpia spring rolls, a mildly sweet lotus root stir-fry, and a SPAM musubi that elevates the canned meat to delicacy status. Bring your friends and order as many plates as possible.
1979
4TH ANNUAL
Best of Baltimore:
BEST & WORST OF BALTIMORE
WE’RE AFRAID SEXY ladies were a recurring theme for our first decade or so of BOB covers. Here, joining 1976’s “Sexy Mrs. Claus with Candy Cane” (p. 114), 1980’s “Sexy Lady Drinking Tropical Drink” (p. 120), and 1985’s “Sexy Lady Jumping Out of a Cake” (p. 124) is “Sexy Lady with an Improbably Large Stack of Sandwiches.” Oddly, the promised “Best Creative Sandwich” is nowhere to be found, but we did gives nods to both “Best Corned Beef Sandwich” (Edmart) and “Best Pastrami Sandwich” (Subway?...Yes, Subway). Some since-shuttered eateries that took home awards included Café Des Artistes (crab cake) and Pimlico Hotel (dessert). The hotel may be gone, but the Pimlico cakes live on.
PIZZA
FRANK’S PIZZA & PASTA
There are all kinds of pizzas out there, from deep dish to square-cut tavern-style. Of course, trends come and go, but for us pizza means something akin to the classic pies at Frank’s Pizza & Pasta that lean toward New York (and Naples) style. After 40 years of business, Frank’s went viral when Barstool Sports’ Dave Portnoy paid a visit last January, but those who live in Overlea have known what some 542,000 YouTube viewers just discovered: If you want a place that pumps out pillowy yet crispy crust, a tangy tomato sauce, and mozzarella that bubbles, Frank’s is your spot. Word of warning: Waits can be long. Popularity has its price.
RAW BAR
THAMES STREET OYSTER HOUSE
The raw bar at this Fells Point fixture is hard to beat for its sheer smorgasbord of ever-changing oysters. Another plus is that you can order the oysters a la carte, so you can mix and match Chesapeake and New England bivalves and beauts from the West Coast all on one platter. Other draws include Maine lobster tails and artisanal tin fish from Portugal. If you’re celebrating something, there’s also a shellfish tower. And even if you’re not, take a seat on a barstool and watch them shuck oysters or grate the fresh horseradish that goes into the cocktail sauce. There will likely be a wait if you don’t have a reservation, but the line out the door is proof of its supremacy.
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SOFT-SERVE
TROPICOOL ITALIAN ICE
This Falls Road stand with the neon palm tree sign is something of an institution for icecream/ gelato/ice afficionados eagerly awaiting their turn to order from the window that’s open from April through October. Tropicool features an impressive assortment of housemade Italian ice flavors—watermelon, egg custard, mojito—but it’s the simple swirls of premium OG soft-serve flavors—chocolate, vanilla, strawberry—or a soft-serve/Italian ice combo that sums up summer in Baltimore.
TACOS
LA CABAÑA
Hidden behind a Dundalk 7-Eleven near I-95, La Cabaña has all the things that make a great taquería: house-made tortillas, al pastor from a trompo, excellent bowls of pozole, whole lambs roasting on the patio on weekends, and, of course, fantastic tacos. Opened a decade ago by a family from Guerrero, the sprawling restaurant includes a homey dining room, a covered patio, and even a taco truck for events. The menu includes quesadillas and burritos, but you’re here for the tacos, including a stellar quesabirria with consomé, all on just-made tortillas, plus house-made hot sauces.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY SCOTT SUCHMAN
ITALIAN SUBS
DiPasquale’s
A good Italian sub should be hefty, something that takes two hands to eat—and even then, there’s no way to contain all the capicola, mortadella, salami, peppered ham, and provolone, plus hot peppers and oregano inside the roll. Of course we have opinions on that, too. The roll should be sturdy enough to hold together the ingredients, yet squishy enough to deploy pressure to the whole affair. All of this to say is that DiPasquale’s does it exactly right—and lucky for us, in addition to their Canton flagship they have numerous locations. There are variations on the menus, but all feature some version of a stupendous sub.
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