Hard to say how it all started, but it’s a known fact that a typical Jewish Christmas is most often celebrated over Chinese food. (Could it be that when immigrants came through Ellis Island to the Lower East Side of New York, dumpling houses were not far from the shtetl?) It’s known that many families not celebrating the holiday have a Yuletide tradition of going for Chinese food and a movie. Other cultures have even adopted the custom, too.

“It’s one of our busiest days of the year,” says Joey Chiu’s manager Mimi Yu.

It just doesn’t feel like Christmas without a plate of moo goo gai pan. Here are a few of Baltimore’s Chinese food restaurants that are open on Christmas Day:

Asian Court: For more than a decade, Howard County diners have flocked to this Cantonese restaurant—which is perhaps most beloved for its daily dim sum service. Aside from the small bites (everything from shrimp dumplings to steamed chicken feet with oyster sauce) the Turf Valley Towne Square spot offers a lengthy menu with every dish you could imagine, including steamy noodle soups, chow mein, beef with string beans, deep-fried quail, and Hong Kong-style sweet and sour ribs. 1105 Resort Rd. Ellicott City. 410-461-8388

David Chu’s China Bistro: Located adjacent to Seven Mile Market on Reisterstown Road, this certified kosher restaurant has all of the classics—from cold sesame noodles and fried chicken wings to Kung Pao chicken and Mongolian beef. There’s also a lengthy list of meatless meals, including crispy eggplant in garlic sauce, orange bean curd, and crunchy sautéed string beans. 7105 Reisterstown Rd. 410-602-5008

Grace Garden: This Odenton gem is all about authenticity. Look out for family-style portions of the signature pocket tofu, fish noodles, and tender tea-smoked duck with perfectly crisp skin. The sugary fried doughnut holes are also a must to end the meal on a sweet note. 1690 Annapolis Rd., Odenton. 410-672-3581

Joey Chiu’s Greenspring Inn: This charming restaurant, complete with chandeliers and Greenspring Valley vistas, offers everything from seafood salads to sushi boats. With a wide array of duck, pork, steak, lamb, and fish dishes, regulars frequently flock to Joey Chiu’s for special occasions. For Christmas Eve and Christmas Day carryout orders, the restaurant requests that you call three to four hours in advance. 10801 Falls Road, Lutherville. 410-823-1125

Jumbo Seafood: This Pikesville spot has been around for years, making a name for itself in the Northwestern suburbs as a go-to for diners with cravings for classic dishes and sushi rolls. As its name signifies, the portions are hefty, so don’t expect to finish without leftovers. Favorites include scallops with ginger and scallion sauce, chicken and string beans, hot and sour soup, and house-made lo-mein. 48 E. Sudbrook Lane, Pikesville. 410-602-1441

Kung Fu 12 Szechuan House: This BYOB spot in the former home of Lutherville’s Szechuan House—which now operates at 2159 York Road—boasts a menu inspired by authentic Szechuan ingredients. Start things off with orders of scallion pancakes or cheese wontons before digging in to entrees like shredded pork with spicy garlic sauce, moo shoo, or classic mapo tofu. 1427 York Road, Lutherville. 410-825-8181

New Asian Taste: Plan to stroll around Hampden’s Miracle on 34th Street lights before or after grabbing grub from this Chinese food spot—which conveniently sits across the street. With a menu spanning everything from sushi rolls and sesame balls to drunken noodles and vegan Kung Pao chicken rice bowls, there’s something to please all palates. 3400 Chestnut Ave. 410-467-0100

NiHao Baltimore: This authentic Chinese food gem in Canton—helmed by lauded chef Peter Chang—will be dishing out favorites from its full menu on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Make a reservation or place a carryout order to chow down on the signature Peking duck, cumin spicy lamb chops, sweet and sour crispy branzino, and eggplant in a spicy garlic sauce. There are also noodle bowls, dim sum classics like gyoza and pork buns, and an array of vegan offerings.  2322 Boston St. 443-835-2036

The Orient: This Perry Hall favorite offers hearty bowls of steamy soups, crunchy egg rolls, and a pages-long list of shareable entrees. You can’t go wrong with the orange chicken, crispy beef, Mongolian pork, or lo mein noodles with mixed vegetables. 9545 Belair Rd. Nottingham. 410-256-8100

Orient Express: This St. Paul Street staple has long been a favorite of locals in the Charles Village area. The menu, which is broken down into categories such as “American Chinese Cuisine” and “Szechuan Street Food,” offers everything from sesame chicken and Kung Pao shrimp to clear noodles in chili sauce and sweet-and-sour cucumber. 3111 St. Paul St. 410-889-0003

Peter Chang Baltimore: The namesake chef’s second Charm City outpost—located near the Johns Hopkins medical campus—has quickly become a destination for dim sum, bubble tea, and a lengthy list of other vegan, seafood, and noodle dishes. Cozy up at a table or place a takeout order, but whatever you do, “do not forget dessert, here in the form of eight-treasure osmanthus sticky rice and black-sesame egg-yolk bao,” as research editor Amy Scattergood wrote in her February review. 1923 Ashland Ave. 443-888-3688

Red Pepper Sichuan Bistro: Head to this Towson hangout to carry out Sichuan dishes that fuse salty, sour, sweet, bitter, and even floral flavors. Written in both Chinese and English, the menu lists offerings like spicy hot pots, steamed chicken with chili sauce, stir-fry Shanghai cabbage, pork belly with sticky rice, and sweet-and-sour fish fillets. The owners now also operate Tea Horse Sichuan Bistro in Ellicott City, as well. 11 Allegheny Ave. Towson. 410-832-7333

Sonny Lee’s Hunan Taste: In addition to the delicious dishes, the comforting atmosphere of this beautifully decorated restaurant has made it a community stalwart for more than a decade. The service is always top-notch, and if you’re lucky enough to catch a glimpse of Sonny himself, you’ll find him making his rounds greeting guests or carving Peking duck at your table. Carryout favorites include handcrafted sushi rolls, orange beef, sizzling jumbo shrimp, and crispy Hunan soft shell crab. 750 Main St. Suite 104A, Reisterstown. 410-833-7288

Water Song Yunnan Kitchen: In Federal Hill, Water Song has become a go-to for sharable delicacies of the Yunnan province—including hot pots, vegan wontons, spicy tofu slices, and the signature Aunty Ying’s BBQ Ribs slathered in house sauce and topped with fried mint. 21 E. Cross St. 

We’re all about a good gazpacho during the summer, but the chillier months are prime time for steamy soups and stews. (Check out this piece if you’re searching for a good bowl of ramen or pho.) Whether you’re looking for a traditional chicken noodle to cure a cold, have a hankering for some spicy Maryland crab, or want to get nostalgic with a creamy tomato, here are a few places to visit to escape the nip in the air.

Atwater’s: With locations scattered everywhere from Kenilworth to Catonsville, this hometown hotspot is full of satisfying comfort foods. The daily soups, which vary by location, are sold by the cup, bowl, or quart and served with Atwater’s fresh-baked breads. Expect varieties like sweet potato bisque and creamy broccoli and cheese. Beloved broth: The first bowl of soup Atwater’s ever sold was a piping-hot helping of shrimp and sausage gumbo at the Belvedere Square location in 2003. If you ever see it on the ever-rotating menu, it’s a can’t-miss. Multiple locations including 3601 Boston St., 667-309-7146

Di Pasquale’s Marketplace: Although best known for its hefty subs and traditional Italian pastas, this Brewers Hill market (with a satellite location in South Baltimore) churns out some stellar soups. Step up to the counter to order a steaming bowl of Tuscan chili, classic fagioli (pasta and beans), cream of crab, or chicken gnocchi. Beloved broth: Italian wedding soup with parsley, Parmesean, and mini-meatballs. 3700 Toone St., 410-276-6787

Lenny’s Delicatessen: Featuring classic touches like cafeteria-style service and paper placemats, this decades-old deli has long been a go-to for breakfast platters, overstuffed sandwiches, fried chicken, and tasty soups. Slurp down classics like split pea, chicken noodle, and lumberjack vegetable. Beloved broth: Chicken matzo ball soup like Bubbe used to make. 9107 Reisterstown Road, Owings Mills, 410-363-3353

Mama’s On the Half Shell: Opened in 2003, Canton’s Mama’s On the Half Shell—which recently expanded with a second location in Owings Mills—offers an array of classic Maryland seafood staples, whether it be crab cakes, seafood clubs, or crab mac and cheese. But let’s not forget another highlight: soup. Piping-hot bowls range from Maryland crab and cream of crab to oyster stew and a seasonal French onion. Beloved broth: Thick seafood chowder. 2901 O’Donnell St., 410-276-3160

Nalley Fresh: We know, we know. This homegrown cafe chain is best known for its customizable salads and rice bowls. But don’t sleep on the soups. While making your way down the line, add on a hearty cup of the soup du jour, which could be anything from chicken noodle to turkey or vegan chili. Beloved broth: In keeping with the DIY spirit, you can create your own layered soup bowl with a choice of protein, plus noodles, quinoa, black beans, carrot, onion, wheat berries, pumpkin seeds, and spinach all covered in a steamy tomato broth. Multiple locations including 120 E. Baltimore Street. 

SoBo Cafe: Settle in at one of the white linen-covered tables at this Federal Hill dining destination to start your meal with a cup of steamy soup. Seasonal favorites include a tortilla and creamy tomato basil soup. Beloved broth: Butternut squash with sherry topped with garlic aioli and crispy sage. 6 W. Cross St., 410-752-1518

Soup’s On: This cozy outpost in Midtown-Belvedere exudes plenty of charm, with chalkboard menus, coveted window seating, and whimsical, hand-painted table-tops inspired by the featured soups on the menu. (The butternut squash table is particularly pleasing, with labeled illustrations of ingredients like thyme and leeks.) The offerings rotate frequently, and include a sizable vegan and vegetarian selection. Be on the lookout for options ranging from a classic French onion to cream of crab. Beloved broth: Cream of tomato with mascarpone. 11 W. Preston St., 410-528-1003

Stone Mill Bakery & Cafe: Whether you’re dining in, or ordering a quart to-go, you can’t go wrong with the scratch-made soups at this Green Spring Station staple. Get cozy and pair the cafe’s warm bowls (think non-fat vegetable and a classic chicken noodle) with any of its fresh-baked breads. Beloved broth: Stone Mill’s famous tomato-basil soup will be sure to soothe your soul. Multiple locations including 10751 Falls Road, Lutherville-Timonium. 410-821-1358

Thames Street Oyster House: Seafood stews abound at this Fells Point spot, which boasts a menu full of oceanic offerings like fish and chips, oysters on the half shell, and classic lobster rolls. Try the Eastern Shore oyster stew, or the special weekend chowder made with Rhode Island quahogs (hard clams). Beloved broth: Locally inspired Maryland crab with braised short rib. 1728 Thames St., 443-449-7726

Urban Deli: Early birds love grabbing locally sourced Towson Hot Bagels and Zeke’s coffee at this Federal Hill breakfast-and-lunch spot, which also serves an array of signatures sandwiches. The soup du jour rotates daily, and includes chicken noodle, hearty vegetable, and chili. Beloved broth: Cheesy broccoli. 1025 Light St., 443-708-0495

Fact checking assistance by Samantha Carey

It’s no secret that the chemicals in chocolate are known to boost your mood, and there’s nothing quite like a mug full of piping hot cocoa to help forget all of those winter woes. This season, plenty of area eateries are getting creative by putting their own unique spins on the classic cold-weather treat.

“It’s something everyone has a connection to,” says pastry chef Sarah Malphrus, who has worked at local spots including Rye Street Tavern and The Ivy Hotel. She remembers making batches of hot chocolate and spiced cider with her family as a child. “You can never have just one cup.”

Plenty of spots around town are highlighting decadent hot chocolate recipes this season. Here, we’ve compiled a list of some of the top steamy sips:

The Charmery: Especially this time of year, when crowds flock to see the 34th Street Lights in Hampden, a visit to this neighborhood creamery is in order. If you’re one of the naysayers who thinks it’s too cold for ice cream, indulge in a cup of The Charmery’s thick, creamy hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and a hunk of house-made marshmallow. Multiple locations including 801 W. 36th St. 410-814-0493

The Bun Shop: This late-night coffee corner is a favorite of neighborhood locals and college students alike, with a menu full of worldly beverages, signature buns, and tasty European pastries. Not only does The Bun Shop have a killer classic hot cocoa, but it’s been known to also feature a “spicy” hot chocolate amped up with cinnamon and chili spices. Multiple locations including 239 W. Read St., 410-989-2033

Dooby’s: Warm up with a 12 or 16-oz. cup of hot chocolate at this Mt. Vernon mainstay. While you’re at it, grab one of the shop’s signature cookies, muffins, scones, or cake slices to start the day off right. 802 N. Charles St., 410-609-3162

Miss Shirley’s Café: Just in time for the dropping temperatures, Miss Shirley’s is warming diners up with it’s piping hot chocolate topped with a swirl of house-made whipped cream. Don’t miss other seasonal specials including the peppermint hot cocoa pancakes— garnished with a dollop of peppermint-infused whipped cream and a mini candy cane for good measure. Multiple locations including 750 E. Pratt St., 410-528-5273

Pitango Gelato: Take your taste buds on a journey to the Italian Alps by way of Fells Point at this neighborhood gelato spot that offers an entire menu full of European hot chocolate drinks during the colder months. Head to the mint green awning to enjoy specialties such as Hot Italian Sipping Chocolate (premium cocoa brewed with milk and sugar), Marrochino (equal parts sipping chocolate and espresso) and Chocolate Affogato—a scoop of any flavor gelato drowning in Pitango’s signature sipping chocolate. 802 S. Broadway, 410-236-0741

Pure Chocolate by Jinji: Gourmet chocolate purveyor Jinji Fraser highlights a sophisticated sipping chocolate during the holiday season. Swing by her stall in Belvedere Square Market to sip small pours of the dairy and gluten-free drink, which features raw Ecuadorean chocolate. 529 E. Belvedere Ave., 410-394-9901

Stone Mill Bakery: Alongside the plethora of pastries and scones on the morning menu at this Green Spring Station stalwart is a variety of warm beverages including mocha, Americano, and café au lait coffees. The list also showcases a rich hot chocolate using Valrhona cocoa powder sourced from the village of Tain L’Hermitage in the south of France. 10751 Falls Road, Lutherville, 410-821-1358

Teavolve: While checking things off of your holiday shopping list in Harbor East, be sure to swing by this staple cafe for the “Chocoholics Choice.” The rich drink will warm your soul with Belgian-style semi-sweet cocoa powder and a requisite dollop of whipped cream. 1401 Aliceanna St. 

“Sugar, flour, and eggs have taken me places,” Yassmeen Haskins Jackson says. 

It’s true. Before Jackson launched her online boutique pastry shop, Cocoa & Nuts, three years ago, the staple ingredients led the Baltimore born-and-raised baker into local kitchens at the Royal Sonesta Harbor Court hotel and Sacré Sucré in Fells Point. More recently, they helped the seasoned pastry chef score her very first TV gig.

This Monday, May 3 at 9 p.m., Jackson will face off alongside nine other pastry chefs in the season four premiere of Food Network’s Best Baker in America, hosted by Carla Hall of Top Chef and The Chew fame. We recently caught up with Jackson to learn more about her love of baking and her first big TV break.

How did you get started in the local baking scene?
I decided to go to Johnson & Wales University for culinary school and came out a baker. I’ve worked at multiple places all over Baltimore City—from hotels to catering companies to smaller businesses—and now I have my own online pastry shop.

As the owner and executive pastry chef of Cocoa & Nuts, you specialize in cakes, cookies, and other treats. What inspired your love of baking?
It started really, really young. On Saturdays, Maryland Public Television would have all the cooking shows, and I would just be up watching them all day when everyone else was playing outside. When it came down to deciding what I wanted to do with my life, I found out that my local high school, Edmondson-Westside High School, offered a baking and culinary program. I went with baking, and I’m so glad I did.

Your pastries are known for being customized for any occasion, from baby showers to retirement parties. How does it feel to be able to add a personalized twist for your clients?
In a nutshell, it’s joy. You might become my client for a wedding, right? And then it might turn into your bachelorette party. Then, it turns into your bridal shower. Then, it turns into your gender reveal party, and that turns into the actual baby shower. And then we have the first birthday party. So I’ve been with people for years, and that’s fantastic. 

I have the privilege of touching people and their lives in so many facets. I had clients who lost their loved ones during COVID, and, since there were no more homegoing services, they were having [gatherings] at their homes. So I started making bread pudding for my clients. They would call and say, “It’s been a tough day, but you put a smile on everyone’s faces.” When I do stuff like that, I know I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing.

Is there a particular favorite custom cake that you’ve made for a client?
I made a cake in the shape of an avocado for a young lady whose name was Ava, so they called her “Ava-cado.” That was just hilarious to me! And then I did the Maryland Preakness cake. That was an achievement. I’m from Baltimore, and all my life, I had never been to the Pimlico Race Course. But when I finally stepped onto that property, I was bringing my work, you know? I was showing up for me. But I’d probably say any dessert that makes my mother, or my family, smile is my favorite. Sometimes it’s not a cake. It might be a pie, because I love pie. I’m a pie girl.

What was it like to find out you’d be competing on Best Baker in America?
I got the phone call and I was like, “Of course—I mean, wait…me?” I was super excited. This just happens to be in my wheelhouse given everything that I’ve done. I’ve always worked for hotels and catering companies, and usually when you work with those types of establishments, you’re doing a little bit of everything. You have vegan clients, you have gluten free clients—you really never know who could walk in the door. I knew Best Baker in America would give me the opportunity to showcase my talents. 

Carla Hall hosts the show alongside judges including Food Network personality Jason Smith and cookbook author Gesine Prado. What was it like to bake for them?
Can we just talk about Carla Hall? All of the beautiful goddess and queen chefdom that she is bringing to this kitchen. I mean, this Brown girl right here was like, “Wait, Carla Hall is a judge? Oh my god, how’s my hair?” Just to meet all three of the judges in itself was kitchen gold, you know? But to meet Carla Hall? I felt like I found the prize in the bottom of a Cracker Jack box.  

As a Baltimore native, what does it mean to be able to represent for local viewers?
Everything. It means everything to me. I’m so proud of where I’m from, and I’m so proud of the community in which I live. When people turn their television on Monday night and tune in to Best Baker in America, they’re not only going to see Carla Hall. They’re going to see Yassmeen Haskins Jackson, and they’re going to see my other competitor, Felicia [Mayden of Chicago.] The cast is diverse. I’m hoping someone from my city or from my state can watch and say, “You know what? Someone from where I’m from did that. She’s trying. And if she can try, why can’t I?”

[Editor’s Note 4/28/21: After this story was reported and published, Perennial announced that it had entered into a partnership with Atlas Restaurant Group, which will “put into place the final details to ensure a successful opening” in summer 2021, according to a press release.] 

Chef Jay Rohlfing takes a lot of pride in living seasonally. Aside from being known for incorporating local ingredients into his rotating menus, he and his wife, Lisa, embrace the environmental changes at their “mini farm homestead” in Parkville—where the two forage for mushrooms, raise baby chickens and ducks, and tend to their own gardens.

“We live our lives within the seasons, and with that comes an excitement for what comes next,” says Rohlfing, who headed up the kitchen at Cunningham’s in Towson for four years before plans for a rebrand were announced in January 2020. “So we build our gardens and are able to say, ‘Okay, this one is an annual, and this is a perennial that will come back year after year.’ It’s something to look forward to when it starts to come out of the ground after the frost.’”

That philosophy was part of the inspiration behind Perennial—a locally sourced restaurant in a garden-like setting that will be unveiled in the former Cunningham’s space in the coming weeks. A spring opening seems fitting for the concept—owned by MileOne Holdings, the group behind the Towson City Center development where the restaurant is located—which will make its debut as vaccinations continue and more diners begin to feel comfortable venturing out in the wake of the pandemic. “Spring is a rebirth of many things,” Rohlfing adds.

When the restaurant reemerges—after more than a year since it served its last guests—it will offer a traditional dining room, casual bar, and private area inside, as well as a courtyard and a wrap-around veranda with built-in heaters that can accommodate 75 people. Rohlfing sees it as a happy coincidence that the team was already planning for the rebrand to emphasize outdoor dining (the new space presents a nearly 1:1 ratio of outdoor to indoor seating) before the pandemic hit.

“We did have outdoor seating before, but it was more of an ad hoc style of outdoor dining,” he says of Cunningham’s. “With Perennial, the thought and design of the [concept] itself was very much focused on creating this outdoor space.”

With decor imagined by local designer Patrick Sutton, Rohlfing says that Perennial evokes the ambiance of New York City’s Tavern on the Green in Central Park. Sutton sets the tone with an Instagrammable wall covered with botanical prints near the entrance, as well as lavender and green touches, soft wooden panels, lime plaster walls, marble topped banquettes, hanging lanterns, and lots of foliage sourced from local nurseries throughout the space.

“My dad used to say, when you play sports, you want to play with the better person because you play up to them,” Rohlfing says. “If you want to be an A, you surround yourself with A’s. Patrick Sutton is an A. Through his vision, I started to morph what I thought about the food that would go out into the space. He was here the other week and, when he looked at the menu, he said, ‘This works. This fits.’ It was one of the best attaboys I had received in a long time.”

Unsurprisingly, the menu continues the chef’s commitment to local sourcing—he works closely with Chesapeake Farm to Table and purveyors everywhere from Finksburg to Monkton—while also showcasing his creative spins on regional classics. Case in point: the Maryland Frosted Crab Soup—a chilled country club favorite that is typically made with half-and-half, Old Bay, and tomato juice.

Rohlfing crafts his own version by slow-roasting plum tomatoes with fennel pollen, shallots, garlic, and herbs. He then purees the mixture with fresh citrus and charred jalapeño, and garnishes it with lump crab meat and a dehydrated tomato powder. For the chef, a Food Network Chopped champion, it’s an example of the familiar dishes that he hopes customers will appreciate at Perennial.

“We’re talking about food that evokes emotion,” he says, “So, what type of food can we serve that, when people come in, they’re like ‘I recognize this,’ and it tugs at a heartstring? We have dishes on the menu that range from nouveau cuisine to comfort dishes, but nothing so crazy that you don’t get it.”

Other plates featured on the opening lineup include an Utz potato chip-crusted flounder with chow chow slaw, fried lobster tails with local honeycomb, a pork chop with blue crab fried rice, Ocean City scallops over a spring pea salad, and a sirloin burger topped with roasted garlic mayo. The beverage program will lean into the seasonal approach with cocktails like “The Gardener’s Basket” (vodka, basil, watermelon, and sparkling wine), and the “Wrangler,” which combines bourbon with clementine, bitters, and ginger beer.

Rohlfing says he’s looking forward to getting back into the routine of regular service with his team in the redesigned kitchen, which was previously shared with the adjoining Cunningham’s Cafe + Bakery. “We’ve been brainstorming for a year and a half,” he says. “The first iteration of the menu looks nothing like the last.”

Most of all, he says he hopes that Perennial will live up to its name—becoming a favorite that locals constantly come back to.

“I think of other stalwarts in the county like The Valley Inn,” he says. “When my wife and I went there for the first time, we saw generations of families sitting together. I bet the mothers remember going with their mother before. That’s built over time, but also built by creating nostalgia while you’re there. I think flavors can do that.”

Currently, there’s no shortage of places where Baltimoreans can find quesabirria tacos—a dish that has seen a major boom in places like Los Angeles and New York City.

So what are they, exactly? It all starts with birria: a traditional Mexican dish of slow-cooked goat or mutton in a flavor-packed stew. Variations have abounded since its inception in Jalisco, Mexico, and now it’s popular to see birria made with beef or lamb.

“I grew up eating birria,” says Jimmy Longoria, owner of local food truck Mexican On the Run. “It’s a wedding kind of food. It’s also traditional for baptisms and quinceañeras.”

Tijuana-style birria—which typically stews beef in a chili adobo sauce to give it that reddish, dark brown color—has been famously served there in the form of tacos. Los Angelenos of Mexican descent, Longoria says, added cheese to create quesabirria tacos. Tortillas are either dipped or drizzled with the birria’s broth (or consomé), then loaded with cheese, birria, cilantro, and onion before frying. Any remaining consomé can be served on the side like an au jus for dipping.

A Los Angeles native himself, Longoria returned home for a visit in 2019 after a few years of being away.

“I spent three or four days there just kind of figuring out what had changed in Los Angeles, and my cousins and family members were telling me how birria had taken off,” he says, “and how the style from Tijuana, which borders California, had really taken off, not just in the birria but in the tacos and how they’re prepared.”

Longoria added quesabirria tacos to the menu at Mexican On the Run in September 2020 and says that they have been a gamechanger, with 20 or more people now typically waiting in line for them during the winter months. Some customers have even traveled from D.C. and Philly just to get their hands on the crispy tacos. “It’s changed my business,” he says.

Below, we round up five local spots—including Mexican On the Run—where diners can indulge in quesabirria:

Cocina Luchadoras

Cocina Luchadoras owner Rosalyn Vera began serving quesabirria tacos at her Fells Point restaurant at the end of January, and since then orders “have taken over,” she says.

The first day Vera offered them was a Wednesday, and she soon sold out: “I did not know that it would get to the point where I would have to close several times for a few hours because it was way too many orders for my small kitchen,” she says.

Now, customers must pre-order them online for pickup on Fridays. “I want to be able to offer customers a good product and not get too busy,” Vera says. “That’s why we have to do pre-orders…I just want to bring the best food that I can bring to Baltimore.”

Vera had been thinking of adding birria to her menu for some time, but had to tinker with her recipe first. Now, her quesabirria tacos feature slow-cooked birria of beef (seasoned with cinnamon and different types of chili peppers), Oaxaca cheese, onion, and cilantro. All ingredients are tucked into her handmade tortillas and served with consomé for dipping.

Be on the lookout, too, for Vera’s new quesadilla birria and birria burritos, both of which come with consomé.

La Food Marketa

At La Food Marketa in Pikesville, birria-seekers will find executive chef John Bedingfield’s take on the dish with pork. “It was something different,” he says, “I had been seeing a lot of beef, and pork just has so much depth and flavor. It can taste more moist and tender.”

Bedingfield’s pork quesabirria tacos debuted on the menu in November 2020 as a Taco Tuesday special, and the demand quickly skyrocketed. They’re now available daily, and Bedingfield says he doesn’t see the dish leaving the menu anytime soon.

“The trend has definitely spiked,” he says. “It’s great seeing how people can make it their own.”

La Food Marketa’s variation consists of slow-braised pork in a broth of different dried chili and chipotle peppers. Bedingfield saves the fat cap from the meat to dip the corn tortillas in before frying, which he says “takes it to the next level.” The tortillas are also loaded with cheese, onion and cilantro. The braising liquid, which is saved for dipping, is made with cinnamon sticks and poured over fresh cilantro, scallions, and basil. 

Mexican on the Run

The food truck, currently parked for the winter outside of its commissary kitchen in Towson (6318 Sherwood Road), serves up its quesabirria tacos for a six-hour duration, typically three days a week. (Follow the truck on Instagram and Facebook for the most up-to-date hours.)

Longoria works alongside his mother and brother to prep the Tijuana-style quesabirria tacos, which are made with different cuts of beef—such as short rib or chuck roast—and seasoned with chili peppers and other spices, plus garlic and onion. The beef is marinated for 24 hours, then braised for four to six hours on a low heat.

The corn tortillas are dipped in the consomé, then loaded with the birria, cheese, cilantro, and onion before frying. They’re served with a cup of consomé for dipping. Longoria also offers his birria in the form of burritos, quesadillas, tamales (during the holiday season), and mulitas—a Los Angeles delicacy which Anthony Bourdain once referred to as a “taco sandwich.” 

“I told my mom and my brother that I thought the best choice that we had to survive, not just COVID, but to survive the winter as a food truck, was to see how far we can take the birria,” Longoria says of adding the dish to Mexican On the Run’s menu back in September. “And obviously it’s been a really big blessing.”

Nacho Mama’s

Although its Canton location is still temporarily closed, Baltimoreans can find quesabirria tacos on the menu at Nacho Mama’s location in Towson, where Mama’s On the Half Shell has also merged. 

For its birria, Nacho Mama’s follows a traditional Mexican recipe and serves the tacos with an avocado verde sauce and consomé for dipping. The birria can be served as a taco or quesadilla and also comes with rice and black beans.

“They have that comfort food factor that other dishes might not have,” says Jen Fedeli, Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer for Mama’s Restaurant Group. “They’ve taken off right now because, not only are they still tacos and they’re fun, but they also have that slow-roasted, comfort food taste.”

Papi’s Tacos

At both its Fells Point and Hampden locations, Papi’s quesabirria tacos have been on the menu as a special since January. They highlight the slow-cooked beef, Oaxaca cheese, cilantro, and onion, which are loaded in handmade corn tortillas that are dunked in consomé before frying on a flat top. They’re then topped with avocado and served with the consomé and a jalapeno crema. 

“We had been getting four or five calls a day asking if we had these kinds of tacos,” says manager Sara Ghavidel Asgari. “We were getting high demand for tacos we didn’t have. So we wanted to fulfill that need for people… As long as there’s a demand, we’ll keep it on as a special.”

To all of the Valentine’s Day skeptics out there: hear us out. During a time that has caused so much stress, we could all use a day to stop and feel the love. And what better way to treat your loved ones—and yourself—than with a few decadent dishes from a local eatery? Restaurants, bars, bakeries, grocers, and even entertainers (see The Takeout Getdown) are showing their devotion to Charm City by offering tons of amorous options for takeout, delivery, and distanced dine-in on February 14. Here are some of the many dishes, drinks, and desserts worth falling for:

AMOROUS À LA CARTE

Cafe Dear Leon: The expert pastry chefs at this Canton bakeshop have crafted a special mousse cake for the occasion. Filled with flavors of vanilla panna cotta, strawberry gelee, and white chocolate pistachio, the sweet treat is available for preorder now. 

The Charmery: Swing by one of The Charmery’s four locations to sample a scoop from the shop’s special V-Day lineup. Among the flavors is a collaboration with Baltimore’s own winemaker Montfleur Duvin—which fuses a slow-roasted peach base with caramel and Montfleur’s signature Yvonne Gewürztraminer. 

Miss Shirley’s: All locations of this beloved breakfast-and-lunch spot are extending their hours until 8 p.m. to make sure fans have time to pick up their comforting, cupid-inspired fare. The special of the day will be “Shirley’s Affair with Oscar”—a five-ounce filet topped with asparagus, crab meat, hollandaise, fried green tomatoes, and grits. Aptly themed breakfast-all-day options will include red velvet pancakes and strawberry chocolate chip cheesecake-stuffed French toast. 

Sacré Sucré: Ditch the heart-shaped boxes and enjoy an edible work of art from this Fells Point pastry shop. A lineup of special sweet endings includes heart danishes filled with raspberries and chocolate cream, almond praline truffles, a heart-shaped red velvet cake with mascarpone mousse, and, of course, the signature macarons. 

Scratch Made: Known for its focus on local ingredients, this meal delivery service makes use of purveyors such as Karma Farm in Monkton and Liberty Delight Farms in Reisterstown. For Valentine’s Day, expect offerings such as red wine-braised short ribs, roasted herbed chicken with mushrooms, spaghetti with Atlantic clams and garlic, spinach and herb lasagna, and an olive oil cake with local pears. 

BELOVED BUNDLES

Aldo’s: While this Little Italy haunt remains in hibernation mode for the winter, chef Sergio Vitale is prepping meal kits to help diners celebrate with their favorites from Aldo’s. Available for curbside pickup, each kit comes with fully cooked dishes that you can reheat and finish off at home. Try the eggplant parmigiana, gluten-free meatballs, osso bucco, or Valentine’s Day brunch that highlights eggs benedict for two. Sauces by the quart, as well as garlic bread, tiramisu, and the restaurant’s famous limoncello, will also be available for pickup. 

The Bluebird Cocktail Room: Executive chef Bri White and bar manager Ben Poole put their heads together to create the perfect boozy Valentine’s Day gift: a box of chocolate-covered Luxardo cherries that are soaked in bourbon and cherry liqueur before being dunked in dark chocolate. Another Bluebird special on offer is the “Old Fashioned Romance” box, which includes a 12-oz. bottle of the bar’s signature Old Fashioned and two individually wrapped boxes of the chocolate-covered cherries. 

Bird in Hand: This Charles Village coffee shop is offering the perfect gift for the chocolate-loving bibliophiles in your life. A special holiday box includes a small bouquet arranged by Caesura Floral, a $30 gift card to Bird in Hand, and a four-piece truffle box from Pure Chocolate by Jinji at Belvedere Square. (Or, if your loved one is more of a wine person, you can opt for a bottle hand-picked from the Bird in Hand team.) 

Faidley’s Seafood: This Lexington Market staple has partnered with Catonsville’s J.W. Treuth butcher shop to deliver a magnificent meal deal. The all-inclusive feast includes two of Faidley’s signature jumbo lump crab cakes, two four-ounce cuts of filet mignon from J.W. Treuth, two cups of Maryland crab soup, one side of whipped potatoes, one order of steamed spinach, and three classic Berger cookies. 

Firefly Farms: Get fancy with curated wine, cheese, and chocolate packages from this Whitehall Market vendor. Firefly is offering bundles that include goat’s milk cheese, manchego, aged gouda, Chardonnay blends, bean-to-bar chocolates, and decadent bonbons. 

Greedy Reads: The beloved book browsing spot—which has locations in Fells Point and Remington—is putting together curated gift bags that include a personal greeting card, a book, a candle from 228 Grant Street Candle Co., and an order of macarons from Fells Point neighbor Sacré Sucré. 

Gundalow Gourmet: What’s more romantic than cooking together? Throw on an apron and crack open a ready-to-cook date night box from this gourmet caterer and cafe at Whitehall Market. Each will come complete with heart-shaped meatloaf, brie mac and cheese, roasted asparagus, and chocolate-covered strawberries. Pro tip: Add a few chocolate-covered rice krispy treats with sprinkles to your order for good measure. 

Charlsie’s Bakehouse: If you haven’t had a chance to check out this bakery inside Rooster + Hen at Cross Street Market, treat your sweetheart to a package that includes a dozen roses from The Baltimore Florist, ingredients to make your own Italian feast (including charcuterie, pasta, meatballs, and salad), and a red velvet roll for two—which comes filled with flavors of white chocolate, orange, and buttercream. Charlsie’s will also offer à la carte sweets including whole blood-orange cheesecakes and rose pistachio shortbread cookies. 

Sagamore Pendry: If you’re hoping to go all out with a staycation for Valentine’s Day weekend, the Sagamore Pendry is offering a package that includes a bottle of Champagne, a dozen roses, and a $60 breakfast credit for two—which is can be used for in-room dining or at the Rec Pier Chop House downstairs. 

ENDEARING EVENTS 

2/13: Galentine’s Day: Digital Edition 
Baltimore blogger Alysha January’s annual Galentine’s Day event might be going virtual this year, but it’s still highlighting some fabulous local eats and drinks and supporting a great cause. Here’s how it works: Choose to order takeout from one of four participating woman-owned restaurants including Fishnet, Sally O’s, The Point in Fells, or Golden West Cafe. Then, register online to guarantee a free Jägermeister cocktail when you bring a female hygiene product to donate to the Helping Up Mission while picking up your meal. After settling in with your food at home, log on for a virtual toast hosted by January and organizers with Jägermeister and Sentimental Fools Events. 

2/13-14: The Takeout Getdown
After a successful launch on New Year’s Eve, organizers Kathleen Overman and Aaron Brown are bringing back this innovative program that has one golden rule: your takeout is your ticket. Grab sustenance from No Land Beyond, Crust by Mack, Cane Collective, Dylan’s Oyster Cellar, Dutch Courage, The Land of Kush, Namaste Baltimore, The Bluebird Cocktail Room, The Urban Oyster, Grano Pasta Bar, Peabody Heights Brewery, Sentimental Fools, Heritage Kitchen, Sally O’s, or the vendors of R. House and receive a link that will grant you access to a virtual show. This time around, the entertainment lineup—which will be streamed on both Saturday and Sunday evenings—features live music spun by DJ James Nasty and hilarious sets from local comedians with the Baltimore Comedy Festival. Talk about the perfect date night. 

2/14: Virtual Valentine’s Day Cocktail Class at Golden West Cafe
Join the bar team from this Hampden go-to for a virtual class will place an emphasis on rum. Pick up all of the tools and ingredients from Golden West ahead of time and log on to learn how to craft signature spins on a Mai Tai, spiced hot cider, and a winter daiquiri.

2/14: Ekiben x Miss Carter’s Kitchen Pop-Up
We get excited every time Ekiben announces a pop-up. But with chef Cia Carter of Miss Carter’s Kitchen on board, this one is sure to be spectacular. Collaborative dishes on deck for Feb. 14 (pre-orders are live now) include crab-stuffed lamb chops, Chinese spinach hot water noodles topped with alfredo sauce, wok-charred broccolini, and Carter’s famous banana pudding. 

PASSIONATE PRIX-FIXE MENUS

Atwater’s: In addition to the scratch-made products at this local cafe chain (think iced heart-shaped cookies and raspberry rose jam), fans can choose from three fixed menus that will be available for pre-order and takeout. Main courses include roasted filet mignon with green peppercorn sauce, grilled chicken with rosemary and mushrooms, and butternut squash lasagna.

Bar Vasquez: Break out your best dinnerware to enjoy a take-home feast from this Brazilian steakhouse in Harbor East. The three-course menu includes options such as potato saffron gnocchi, roasted beet salad, wood-grilled filet mignon, bucatini with pesto and pecorino, and chocolate-covered strawberries with mascarpone whipped cream. 

The Capital Grille: The prix-fixe dinner for two from this swanky steakhouse highlights surf and turf with hand-cut filet mignon and butter-poached lobster tails. End on a sweet note with flourless chocolate espresso cake or the restaurant’s classic cheesecake. 

Charleston: While indoor and outdoor service will be a la carte, chef Cindy Wolf is preparing a three-course fixed menu for takeout Feb. 12-14. Look out for her famous she-crab soup along with roasted red beet tartare, grilled shrimp over spaghetti, lamb tenderloin, and a chocolate strawberry heart for dessert. 

Cosima: At this Hampden hotspot, chef Anthony Franklin is presenting a three-course menu with suggested wine pairings—which will be available for dine-in or takeout. Expect rustic Italian recipes including lemon caper crab cakes, salumi fritters with salsa verde, fennel-crusted pork chops, filet with crab, and white chocolate raspberry cheesecake in a chocolate-hazelnut biscotti crust. 

Duck Duck Goose: Chef Ashish Alfred is going all out with a charming carryout menu that includes an appetizer, protein, two sides, dessert, and a bottle of house wine. Decadent dishes to choose from include beef tartare, cote de boeuf, honey-glazed duck, whole-roasted cauliflower with tahini and dates, truffle mac and cheese, pomme puree, and chocolate mousse. Dine-in service at the Fells Point spot will also be available at 25 percent capacity. 

Eddies of Roland Park: Dig in to a chef-prepared menu for two that incorporates Eddie’s classics, as well as some new recipes. (Mushroom and leek risotto, anyone?) Available for delivery and pickup at both Eddie’s locations Feb. 11-14, the four-course feast features dishes such as lobster bisque, shrimp cocktail, crab cakes, pan-seared bronzino, fingerling confit with herbs, roasted-asparagus, and lots of heart-shaped desserts. Optional add-ons include sparkling beverages, red roses, and a “Chocolate Cravings” basket filled with local goodies. 

Gunther & Co.: Though there will only be a limited number of tables available at this Brewers Hill restaurant on Valentine’s Day, chef Jerry Trice is offering a virtual experience that allows diners to cook along and enjoy his dishes from home. Ingredients for the five-course tasting menu will come with video links for preparing each dish. 

H3irloom: Husband-and-wife team Dave and Tonya Thomas are spreading the love with to-go menus that highlight smoked sweet potato ravioli, pan-seared golden tilefish with collard and white bean ragu, and sous-vide jerk lamb with caramelized plantain rice. Don’t miss out on a beautiful “With Love” gift box that places Tonya’s cognac-dipped Chocolate Chess Pie Truffles in the center of 13 red roses. 

Heritage Kitchen: Chef Rey Eugenio is flexing his Filipino flavors in a four-course prix-fixe that includes shitake mushroom and snow pea shoot-stuffed dumplings, his famous coconut crab soup, spiced tamarind-glazed duck leg confit, and ube cheesecake with jackfruit whipped cream. 

Johnny’s: Roland Park locals will be happy to hear that this neighborhood mainstay is showcasing a three-course takeaway menu with optional add-ons like boozy chocolate-covered strawberries. Romantic dishes include lobster and fennel bisque, brown sugar-brined pork chops, and red velvet cupcakes. Also not-to-miss: The Cinghiale Pop-Up Market at Johnny’s will highlight a DIY holiday dinner box that includes lobster agnolotti rosso, lobster cream sauce, confit yellow tomatoes, fresh tarragon, and an arugula frisee salad. 

Magdalena: Treat yourself to chef Mark Levy’s three-course menu, which will be available for pickup from the restaurant inside Mt. Vernon’s Ivy Hotel. Start off with housemade caramelized onion and rosemary focaccia before moving on to crab and lobster spring rolls, prime rib with a twice-baked potato, smoked mushroom tortellini, and a dark chocolate and passionfruit tart. 

Ouzo Bay: The three-course menu at this Mediterranean mainstay in Harbor East kicks off with house favorites including flaky spanakopita, lamb meatballs, Wagyu-stuffed grape leaves, charred calamari, or mussels swimming in white wine. Savor main dishes such as lobster truffle risotto, pan-seared Dover sole, and locally roasted lamb shank with fava beans.

The Prime Rib: This white linen tablecloth spot at Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland is offering a fixed menu of fan favorites in honor of the Hallmark holiday. Indulge in a classic Caesar, chilled shrimp cocktail, surf and turf, Amish roasted chicken, Asian king salmon with miso glaze, and a chocolate cake with fresh berries. 

Sally O’s: Chef Jesse Scanlin is whipping up seared scallops with pistachio brown butter, wild mushroom lasagna, lobster pot pie, and her take on surf and turf with filet and jumbo head-on prawns. Call ahead to place a pickup order, which comes complete with a link to attend The Takeout Getdown.

Tagliata: Surprise your sweetie with chef Julian Marucci’s “San Valentino” menu at this Italian chophouse in Harbor East. The three-course prix fixe features potato soup with black truffle, king crab bruschetta, chicken parmesan, squid ink campanelle, tiramisu, and a lemon meringue tart.

SWOON-WORTHY SPIRITS AND BREWS

Dutch Courage: It should come as no surprise that the team at this Old Goucher gin bar has bottled a special cocktail for the occasion. The “Parisian Silk” combines Hennessy with creme de cacao, St. George pear brandy, strega, and lemon bitters. Pair the cocktail with the bar’s four-course dinner featuring roasted beets and burrata, rockfish and crab imperial, and house-made bon bons with brandied cherries. Another option is the curated “Box of Romance” that comes filled with a bottle of bubbly, tiramisu, bon bons, rosemary caramel corn, and dark chocolate-covered espresso beans.
 
Febrewary: In celebration of Maryland Craft Beer Lover’s Month in February—which was proclaimed by Gov. Hogan in 2015—breweries across the state are highlighting warming winter releases in their taprooms. If you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day with a cold one at your favorite brewery this weekend, look for the “Love Thy Beer” logo on the draft list to find seasonal styles. Plus, check out the Brewers Association of Maryland’s site to spot tap takeovers and other events happening throughout the month. 

Guinness Open Gate Brewery: Not only is the Halethorpe facility celebrating with a sentimental screening of You’ve Got Mail in its heated outdoor tent on Feb. 11, but the team has also created a curbside pickup menu that pairs perfectly with Guinness Baltimore Blonde. Available Feb. 11-14, the three-course meal showcases shrimp cocktail, braised short ribs with lobster ravioli, roasted vegetables, and a chocolate tart with candied orange and pistachio. 

Old Line Spirits x Fuzzie’s Dinner Pairing: The team at Old Line is joining forces with chef Josh Vecchiolla of Fuzzie’s Burgers to offer two bottled cocktails with a selection of heat-and-eat dishes for two. Choose from a 32-oz. dry-aged cowboy ribeye, New York strip with a crab cake, or two jumbo crab cakes—all of which will be accompanied by burrata, Sicilian citrus salad, and potatoes au gratin. All meals will come with a “Perfect Form” bottled aperitif (vodka, sour cherry liqueur, aperol, fresh lemon juice, and housemade liqueur) and the “Out of Hand” after-dinner dessert cocktail—which combines Old Line’s Aged Caribbean rum with creme de cacao liqueur, chili poblano liqueur, and Aztec chocolate bitters. 

Sugarvale: An aptly themed cocktail will be available for pickup at Sugarvale’s sister-restaurant, Dooby’s, in Mt. Vernon this week.The pink-colored “Too Much Heaven” fuses tequila with rose water, guavaberry, lime, and cocchi rosa. 

Wet City: If you and your significant other—or BFF, roommate, or anyone else in your quarantine pod—are Aperol aficionados, go for the Aperol Date Night Flight at Wet City in Mt. Vernon. Among the many creative to-go cocktails that the bar features, this set comes with four drinks that all spotlight the bright-orange aperitif. They include the bourbon-forward “Paper Plane,” mezcal-infused “Mercury in Retrograde,” gin-based “Skøl,” and rum-focused “Jungle Bird.”

Throughout the first few months of the COVID-19 lockdown—as people began picking up pandemic pastimes like putting together puzzles and baking bread—The Local Fry owners Kevin and Elizabeth Irish started meal swapping with friends. 

“For the first two months, one of my best friends cooked everything at home and was tired of eating her own food, so we decided to do a swap and made a Korean barbecue set for her,” says Elizabeth, who has also been putting together different types of banchan (side dishes that accompany a traditional Korean meal) for her friends. “It’s sometimes people’s first time having banchan outside of kimchi and pickled onions, so it’s exciting to be able to get creative with different dishes and see what people like.”

Aside from being a fun way to connect with friends during quarantine, the meal swaps have also provided an opportunity for Kevin and Elizabeth to test out some of the recipes for their forthcoming concept, Toki Tako, which will open its doors at the Rotunda in Hampden (just a few doors down from The Local Fry) in early January. 

The fast-casual eatery will feature many of the traditional Korean barbecue meats that diners would recognize at a sit-down spot, but serve them tucked into handheld tortillas or ssam (lettuce wraps). 

“Some people might think it’s Korean-Mexican fusion, but the flavors are very authentic Korean,” says Elizabeth, whose Korean-born mother was part of the inspiration behind the concept. “I love Korean food, and one of the things I say to my mom all of the time is that, when she’s gone, that connection to Korea is going to be lost. So I’ve been asking her for recipes. When we cook together, she teaches me things that I enjoyed eating as a child, but never knew how to make myself.”

Among the signature wraps that will incorporate those classic flavors will be a spicy pork belly taco with pineapple kimchi, white onions, and yuzu cream. Other dishes to look out for will include a rotating banchan menu, a vegetarian grilled King Oyster mushroom taco, galbi (grilled short rib marinated in a garlicky soy sauce), spicy tteokbokki (rice cakes) topped with melted cheese, and bossam—aromatic steamed pork belly that is traditionally eaten during the late-autumn Korean kimchi-making festival known as Kimjang. The owners will also offer DIY meal kits that allow diners to mix and match different proteins and vegetables. 

Paired with the food, the design of the space is meant to transport visitors to an urban setting similar to modern-day Seoul. The husband-and-wife team worked with Baltimore’s PI.KL Studio to fill the restaurant with a pink and white color scheme, light woods, interior greenery, and custom furniture by local maker Luke Works. As a nod to the eatery’s name (Toki means rabbit in Korean), the interior also features arched doorways in the shape of bunny ears. 

“When we were first talking about the space, [PI.KL] had inspiration pictures of Korean streetwear, and there was this image of a bright pink puffer jacket that just immediately caught our eye,” Elizabeth recalls. “We wanted something that was very bold and pop-in-your-face that Baltimore hasn’t seen. It sets this mood where it’s very intimate, but cool.”

The Irishes plan to open with a contactless carryout model while city restaurants remain shut down. But when indoor dining eventually resumes, service will be similar to The Local Fry—allowing patrons to order at the counter and hang out at one of Toki Tako’s five bar stools or its eight-seat communal table.

Elizabeth says that she and Kevin are looking forward to having both of their restaurants operate within such close proximity to one another. 

“We’re very hands-on owners,” she says. “When people come in they see us on the line prepping food at The Local Fry, and when we open Toki Tako we’re going to be just as hands-on.”

As they approach The Local Fry’s six-year anniversary in January, Kevin and Elizabeth are looking forward to introducing the concept to their current regulars and new customers alike. 

“I’m really looking forward to people trying the food,” Elizabeth says. “Koreans are known for barbecue and meat, but their daily meals are very vegetable and fish heavy—especially through banchan, which incorporates a lot of vegetables. I really want to showcase that side of the cuisine. We want to push that there’s more to Korean food than just meat and kimchi.”

COMING SOON 

Sammy’s Trattoria II: Baltimore County residents will no longer need to venture to Mt. Vernon to get their fill of pizza, pasta, pesto, and prosciutto from this authentic Italian eatery. Come spring, Sammy’s Trattoria will debut a second location in Hunt Valley Towne Centre. Featuring both indoor and outdoor service, the restaurant will offer its curated wine selection and dishes that celebrate owner Sammy Curreri’s familial roots in the regions of Sicily and Abruzzo. Among favorites are a burrata caprese salad, classic margherita pizza, duck ravioli with brown butter and sage, and Petro’s Veal Involtini in a marsala mushroom sauce. For Curreri, the mission of the restaurant is all about family: “Family is very important to me, which is why I’m proud to share the vision of this new restaurant with my wife and six children,” he said in a statement. “We are excited to bring the food, service, and welcoming atmosphere to Baltimore County.” 

Fuzzie’s: The latest local purveyors getting in on the ghost kitchen trend are brothers Josh and Brad Vecchiolla, Bel Air natives who have more than 20 years of combined experience in the hospitality industry. This weekend, the two are launching a pop-up burger concept that will operate out of Old Line Spirits in Highlandtown. “Old Line was the perfect match for us,” chef Josh Vecchiolla said in a statement. “In an unusual time in the world and with even more COVID restrictions, we wanted to offer a little piece of comfort.” The nostalgic menu—available for curbside pickup and delivery Wednesday-Sunday—will do just that with eats including beef and vegetarian burgers, fried chicken sandwiches, footlong hot dogs, and orders of fries topped with housemade sauces. Another perk: diners will also be able to add Old Line bottles (the American Single Malt whiskey is an ideal winter warmer) to their to-go orders.  

HalfSmoke: Baltimoreans will soon be able to get a little taste of D.C. by way of Canton. This Shaw-based eatery puts its own spin on the Capitol’s classic delicacy—a smoked sausage that is traditionally split down the middle before being thrown on the grill—with iterations that are topped with everything from beer cheese to peanut brittle. And founder Andre R. McCain has even added a few odes to Charm City (think crab fries and deviled eggs topped with Old Bay shrimp) to the menu in honor of the new spot’s debut. To pair with all of the eats, diners can indulge in a full bar and signature milkshake station. 

OPEN

Franklin’s Market and Mulberry’s Bar: Vendors at the recently updated Hollins Market officially welcomed some new stalls this week. Neighborhood resident Lara Sumerson, who co-owns The Back Yard bar and restaurant across from the B&O Railroad Museum, has unveiled two new concepts inside the community hub. The first, Franklin’s Market, will highlight local artisan products from the likes of Dear Globe Coffee, Cane Collective, and Trial by Fire Candle Co. Another tenant, Mulberry’s Bar, will feature wine, cocktails, and craft beer to accompany a menu of seasonal soups and sandwiches. Both of the stalls serve as a way for Sumerson to support the community that she loves. “My partner, Mike Cavanagh, and I are committed to providing for our Hollins Market neighborhood,” she said in a statement, “and to enhancing its vitality and the quality of life for residents.” 

HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS

Atwater’s Offers Cookie Kits for a Great Cause: From chocolate brittle to eggnog cappuccinos, Atwater’s is pulling out all of the stops this month. And, in the spirit of the holidays, one of its most festive offerings is giving back to a great cause. A new DIY cookie decorating kit—which is available for pickup or delivery via online ordering—features a mix of 18 gingerbread, snickerdoodle, and sugar cookies with all of the requisite frosting and sprinkles. The best part? Five dollars from every box sold will be donated to Promise Heights—a University of Maryland School of Social Work program whose team has been working tirelessly to organize food distributions and essential services for children and families in West Baltimore during the pandemic. 

The Charmery’s Christmas in Mexico: Speaking of take-home kits for a great cause—buddies David Alima of The Charmery and Carlos Raba of Clavel are teaming up for their fifth-annual collab honoring Raba’s Christmas traditions in his native Sinaloa, Mexico. Instead of whipping up their fan-favorite fried ice cream this year, they’re featuring to-go boxes that include two buñuelos (fried dough fritters) dipped in chocolate and cinnamon sugar, one quart of The Charmery’s famous hot chocolate, and two Mexican-spiced marshmallows. Proceeds from the boxes, available for pickup from all of The Charmery’s locations beginning Dec. 18 at 5 p.m., will benefit Guardian Gym—Raba’s Brazilian jiu-jitsu center that offers free classes to Baltimore youth. 

SHUT

Eddie’s Market of Charles Village: After 58 years, this St. Paul Street staple is closing its doors for good on Dec. 30 as owner Jerry Gordon prepares to retire. Gordon has agreed to sell the property to Charles Village-based developer MCB Real Estate, whose principal David Bramble told the Baltimore Business Journal earlier this week that the firm is “looking forward to being involved in its next iteration.” Throughout the years, generations of residents have relied on the store for their grocery, bakery, deli, seafood, coffee, and prepared food needs. As councilwoman Odette Ramos summed up in a tweet: “This store is a staple in our family and in our community.”

Few things signal the start of the holidays like Food Network’s series of sweet competitions. Each year, shows like Holiday Baking Championship and Christmas Cookie Challenge pit hopefuls against one another to craft tinsel-filled treats and festive confections in cutthroat settings. This time, among them are two of Charm City’s own.

Last month, Aubrey Shaffner, Executive Pastry Chef for Foreman Wolf Restaurant Group, competed on the seventh season of Food Network’s Holiday Baking Championship, while Alexis Nicole, owner of Alexis Nicole Cakes in Ellicott City, remains in the running in the network’s premiere season of Candy Land, hosted by Kristin Chenoweth.

We caught up with Shaffner and Nicole about what it was like to compete on the shows, holiday memories, and their favorite winter baking recipes. 

Aubrey Shaffner, Executive Pastry Chef at Foreman Wolf Restaurant Group

How long have you been working in the Baltimore food scene?
I was born and raised here in Baltimore. I left for school and then came back with my then-boyfriend, now-husband who is also in the industry and we just really wanted to re-invest what we had learned at school and from other jobs back into our city. So I’ve been back for about six years. I worked my way up from a pastry cook to a pastry chef at the Four Seasons Baltimore and Cinghiale—and now work as the Executive Pastry Chef for four properties for Foreman Wolf [which operates locals spots including Charleston, Petit Louis Bistro, and newly opened Cindy Lou’s Fish House.] 

How did you find out you’d be competing in this season of Holiday Baking Championship?
It was kind of a long process. I actually interviewed last year and unfortunately didn’t make it the first time. But I was so beyond excited when they called me this year. It was like, “it’s happening!” I was in quarantine when I got the phone call. And then, of course, the way the timing worked out, I had just started this job at Foreman Wolf two weeks prior to leaving to go shoot the show. It was kind of a whirlwind of being furloughed because of COVID, then getting on a Food Network show, starting a new job, and then the show happening. It was such a crazy, crazy experience, but also a nice bright light despite all the chaos of 2020.   

On the show, you raced against the clock to make holiday treats like quick bread wreaths and winter hat cakes. What were some of your favorite and most challenging moments throughout the competition?
I really like being challenged in general, so that was really cool to keep pushing myself. Learning the kitchen and how to work with all the cameras around you was definitely a little more intense than I had given it credit for. There are so many cameras looking at you and everyone is asking questions and it’s like, “Wait, what am I making again?” It’s such an intense environment, but that’s what made it exciting.  

One of the judges is fellow Charm City sweets master Duff Goldman—who also got his start working in a Foreman Wolf kitchen. What was it like having the chance to bake for Duff and represent Baltimore?
Duff and I joked a lot because we realized that we had a lot of similarities. Our birthdays are both near Christmas, we’re both from Baltimore, we’re both Jewish, we hate white chocolate—it was so funny how we just had so much in common. But it was also intimidating because we know a lot of the same people and we’ve been through similar circles in the industry. So it was really important to me to not only represent those other professionals that we know really well and that we’ve both worked with, but to also represent the city really well.

Absolutely. He sounds like a super easy-going guy.
He definitely takes stuff very seriously and he’s not afraid to tell you what he’s thinking, which I respect. But it was really funny—one of the times that I was serving one of my dishes to the judges, somehow Duff and I started talking about baking with our Jewish grandmas. It was just really funny to reminisce about, not only where we both live and people we know, but also the culture that we both came from. It was really fun to just kind of joke and be people—to be professionals together.

In the show’s first episode, you shared that your family celebrates both Christmas and Hanukkah—not to mention your birthday, which falls on Christmas Eve. Growing up, what was a typical holiday season like?
Oh my gosh. Holidays were truly insane. Hanukkah overlapped with Christmas was—I don’t wanna say the worst—but like, the most intense. There’d be some years where it was like “Okay, we’re gonna light the menorah. Now we’re gonna blow out the birthday candles. Now open your Christmas Eve pajamas so we can get ready for Santa Claus.” I was just mind blown, but it was fun. It kind of sucked as a kid, you know, not being able to have birthday parties or take cupcakes to school for your friends. But my mom and my dad always did such a great job trying to separate the holidays and make my birthday still feel special.

Tell us a bit about your favorite holiday dessert recipe?
For me, Christmas dinner dessert was a birthday cake. So I’m pulling a little bit more from my in-laws’ side. I remember when I first became part of the family, there were a couple of years where we’d actually go to my in-laws’ super late on Christmas Eve and spend the night so we could be there for Christmas morning. So we would wake up at my in-laws’ and do Christmas morning there. And every year, my sister in-law made cinnamon rolls for the whole family. 

Aubrey’s Favorite “Cinnabon” Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

For the rolls:

• 1 ¼ ounce package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm milk (105 degrees)
• ½ cup sugar
• ⅓ cup margarine, melted
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 4 cups flour

For the filling:

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 ½ tablespoons cinnamon
• ⅓ cup margarine, softened

For the icing:

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) margarine, softened
• 1 ½ cup powdered sugar
• ¼ cup (2 ounces) cream cheese
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
  

Instructions

1. Dissolve yeast in warm milk in large bowl.
2. Mix together sugar, margarine, salt and eggs. Add flour and mix well.
3. Knead the dough into a large ball using your hands, dusting lightly with flour. Put in a bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place about one hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.
4. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface until it is approximately 21 inches long, 16 inches wide, and about ¼ inch thick.
5. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 
6. For the filling, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Spread the softened margarine evenly over the surface of the dough and then sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar evenly over the surface.
7. Working carefully, from the top (21-inch side) roll the dough to the bottom edge.
8. Cut the rolled dough into 1 ¼ inch slices and place six at a time, evenly spaced, in a lightly greased baking pan. Let the rolls rise again until doubled in size (about 30 minutes.) Bake for 10-15 minutes or until light brown on top.
9. Combine icing ingredients. Beat well in a mixer until fluffy.
10.  Coat rolls with icing.

Alexis Nicole, Owner of Alexis Nicole Cakes in Ellicott City

Tell us a bit about yourself and what inspired you to enter the competition
I’m from Ellicott City, Maryland and I own Alexis Nicole Cakes. I really was inspired to go after Candy Land. I mean, I always dreamed of being on the Food Network, so any opportunity I saw to apply and get in there, I took. But this one kind of fell into place and obviously, candy and sweets are my shtick. Just having the opportunity to be around all that candy was pretty appealing to me. 

I know a lot of the contestants mentioned that they played Candy Land growing up. Was that you as a kid, as well?
Me and my sister used to play Candy Land all the time. I wasn’t very good at it, so I was hoping to be a little bit better at cooking it.

Did the game prepare you at all for what you were about to step into?
Absolutely not. It prepared us to know the lands, I guess. But the amount of twists and turns that this show has thrown at us is a lot. I don’t think that anything could have really prepared us for that.

For the competition, real candy was used to recreate Candy Land’s whimsical regions, like Gumdrop Mountains and Lemon Lime Springs. How did it feel stepping onto a set that’s completely edible?
It was pretty magical. The amount of work that went into that set—it was incredibly immersive. You could just walk around and pick things up off of the ground and eat them. It felt kind of Willy Wonka-ish. You watch the movies and stuff growing up, and then to have that experience in real life is pretty incredible. I’m definitely a snacker, and a stress eater, so having snacks on hand 24/7 in stressful situations was a huge plus.

On the show, teams are challenged to craft sugary confections inspired by the board game. What have been some of your favorite and most challenging moments throughout the competition thus far?
In the first episode, a lot of it was just about adapting to the situation. It was my first time being filmed, so overall the stress of it being new, being in this land, and then also having to dive into a working environment, it was  challenging. I was working with people that I had never worked in a kitchen with, and six hours is not a lot of time to complete a big thing. You get very overzealous with what you’re going to do, and you think “Okay, I’ve got four very talented people working with me. We can definitely whip out this crazy thing.” And time gets away from you very fast.

But then there’s also that fun, exciting competition aspect there, too.
Yeah. I mean, the entire thing was just a blast. We tried not to take it all too seriously. We wanted to put all of our imagination into it and to dive back into this kind of childlike place in our minds. 

The show brings 20 of the world’s best bakers and sugar artists together. What was it like being able to work with The Pink Team?
I absolutely love every single person on my team. We became like family throughout the entire experience. I noticed that, in this industry, when you’re thrown into stressful situations, you rely on those people that are closest to you, and it makes it so that you become a lot closer a lot faster. We kind of like to think of ourselves as a little bit like The Breakfast Club because we were just so opposite in so many ways. But at the end of the day, we knew that we were each other’s support system. We knew that it was stressful and that everybody deserved to be there for a reason, so when one person was falling behind, we tried to pick them back up. In that regard, I could not have asked for a better team. 

They made my first Food Network experience incredibly enjoyable. I know that in a competition, and in this industry, that’s not always the case. You can get a little bit taken over by that competition and the stress, and it makes it not as enjoyable. But with them, it was every single second—we were laughing and we were just having a good time. Andrew [Fuller] was my best buddy. We were complete opposites on the exterior, but we clicked. Every single thing that came out of his mouth, I was like “Oh my gosh. Me too!” We were like fraternal twins.

What did it mean for you to have the chance to represent for Ellicott City?
It was really fun. I have a lot of people rooting for me in Maryland, so when that first episode came out, my phone was blowing up. I don’t really think that I would be where I’m at without the support of my hometown, so I’m glad that I can give them something back [in the form of] an entertaining show.

The Holiday season wouldn’t be complete without sugary treats like the ones found in Candy Land. Tell us about your favorite holiday dessert recipe.
I would probably say my apple cider bread pudding. I know that it’s not cake, and I do dwell towards cake, but I’m a big sucker for bread pudding and I’m a big sucker for apple cider. I just take a regular old bread pudding recipe, add some diced Granny Smith apples to it, and then drizzle it with an apple cider reduction. It is to die for.

Alexis’ Apple Cider Bread Pudding

Ingredients

For the pudding:

• 3 eggs
• ½ cup milk
• ¼ cup sugar
• Vanilla bean
• ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• Cubed brioche (about half a loaf)

For the apple cider reduction:

• 3 cups raw apple cider
• 1 cinnamon stick
• About 5-6 cloves

For the eggnog mascarpone topping:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• ¼ cup eggnog
• 1 ½ tablespoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• ½ cup mascarpone
• Vanilla bean

Instructions

For the pudding:

1. Whisk eggs, slowly add milk while continuing to whisk.
2. Whisk in sugar, vanilla bean, and pumpkin pie spice.
3. Place cubed brioche in separate ramekins.
4. Pour egg mixture over the brioche.
5. Allow bread to soak up the mixture.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

For the apple cider reduction
Place all ingredients in a pot. Simmer until thick

For the eggnog mascarpone topping:

1. In a mixer, whip heavy cream, eggnog, sugar and spice together to get a soft peak.
2. Add mascarpone and vanilla bean. Whip to stiff peak.

To finish the dish: 

1. Remove cinnamon and cloves from reduction.
2. Top bread pudding with mascarpone cream.
3. Pour apple cider reduction over the dish.
4. Serve immediately.

If there was ever a year to ditch the oven mitts and let a local chef do the Thanksgiving cooking, it’s 2020. With health officials discouraging large gatherings, many holiday celebrations are undoubtedly going to look a bit different this year. So why not break with tradition and order in? It’s a great way to give yourself a break from dish duty and stay safe with individually packaged meals that will avoid crowding around a buffet table. And, perhaps most importantly, it’s an ideal opportunity to support your favorite restaurants, caterers, bakeries, bars, and bottle shops when they need it the most. Here, we break down some of the best options to enhance your holiday table: 

Catered Classics

Atwater’s: Whether you’re in need of breads, sides, or a full turkey dinner, this local cafe chain has you covered. Choose from seasonal offerings such as smashed potatoes, Maryland-style sauerkraut and apples, plum-vanilla jam, and sausage and cornbread stuffing. And don’t forget to add on a few of owner Ned Atwater’s signature cheeses.

Braglio Farms: In addition to free-range smoked or roasted turkeys, the menu from this Woodstock farm includes country-style maple sausage stuffing, ham hock green beans, bacon-braised collard greens, and pumpkin pies.  

Chef Cat x Wilde Thyme Baltimore: With chefs Catina Smith of Just Call Me Chef and Kiah Gibian of Wilde Thyme Baltimore at the helm, we’re sure this collaborative menu is going to be nothing short of spectacular. Choose to order pre-made pies and sides, or opt for DIY kits that come with step-by-step instructions for making maple-sage root vegetables and roasted Brussels sprouts. 

The Classic Catering People: No matter what your celebration looks like, this Owings Mills-based caterer has a menu to meet your needs. The list of offerings includes three different prix-fixe packages, a vegetarian spread, and plenty of a la carte options. Among them are bite-sized pear and ricotta appetizers, three-cheese baked macaroni casserole, roasted root vegetables, and loaves of pumpkin bread.  

Eddie’s of Roland Park: Let the team at this Roland Park staple take care of the food prep with their “Holiday in a Box” offerings. Available for curbside pickup and contactless delivery, the convenient dinners include turkey, stuffing, cranberry-orange relish, and other classics. If a rosemary-apricot martini sounds like the ideal accompaniment, Eddie’s is hosting a virtual cocktail class with Nikki Davidson of Cocktail Crafty on Nov. 19. 

Four Seasons Baltimore: Treat yourself with the quintessential fall fixings from this Harbor East institution. The Four Seasons’ culinary team will be prepping slow-roasted turkey with herb gravy and cranberry-orange relish, whipped potatoes, cinnamon-marshmallow sweet potatoes, roasted root vegetables, and more. 

Gourmet Girls: This Baltimore County go-to, which recently expanded into new digs in Pikesville, is offering local Albright Farms turkeys, Sugar Bakers’ sweets, and arrangements from Flowers & Fancies. Plus, look out for gourmet sides including Yukon Gold mashed potatoes, candied sweet potatoes topped with pecans, honey-roasted butternut squash, and sausage, apple, and cornbread stuffing. 

Gundalow Gourmet: Chef Dana Sicko is on casserole duty this year. Her shop inside Whitehall Market in Hampden is offering mushroom leek sourdough stuffing, white cheddar scallion corn pudding, sweet potato gruyere gratin, a classic mac and cheese, and more. In addition, the shop is featuring vegetable dishes, baked goods, charcuterie platters, wines, and mixers like Cane Collective’s spiced pear punch. 

Santoni’s Marketplace & Catering: If you’re feeding a small crew, look no further than the experts at this Glyndon standby. A traditional Thanksgiving dinner package includes a 12-pound turkey, green beans almondine, mashed potatoes, gravy, herb stuffing, cranberry relish, dinner rolls and two large apple or pumpkin pies. 

New and Noteworthy

Bin 604: Now settled at its new location above Whole Foods on South Central Avenue, this local bottle shop will be open from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Stock up with a special “Turkey Pack” that includes six wine varieties (both reds and whites) for $74.99. 

Cafe Dear Leon: Expect the usual out-the-door lines at this wildly popular Canton Square bakery on the days leading up to Thanksgiving. Cafe Dear Leon is offering bourbon apple pecan, pear almond, and classic pumpkin pies for pre-order and pick up Nov. 24-26.

Charlsie’s Bakehouse: This sweets shop inside Rooster + Hen at Cross Street Market is all about new takes on old favorites. That motto certainly translates to its holiday offerings, which include pumpkin hand pies, smoked paprika cornbread, apple spice cake, and pumpkin buttermilk pie with rosemary caramel and creme fraiche cream. 

England Eatery: This Southwest Baltimore newbie is whipping up an all-out seafood spread in honor of the holiday. Each order comes with crab-stuffed salmon, fried garlic butter shrimp, two sides, and a whole sweet potato pie or banana pudding cheesecake for dessert. 

H3irloom Food Group: Since stepping away from Ida B’s Table last year, husband-and-wife duo David and Tonya Thomas have created this umbrella concept for their catering and food education projects. And they’re kicking things off with a drool-worthy Thanksgiving menu that includes traditional recipes such as candied sweet potatoes, spiced pecan pie bread pudding, sauerkraut with smoked meats, green beans, and roasted Brussels sprouts. All orders can be picked up from the H3irloom kitchen at soon-to-open event venue, The Sinclair, in Northeast Baltimore. 

Sally O’s: Chef Jesse Sandlin is celebrating the first Thanksgiving at her new Canton spot with 12-18-pound turkeys, Velveeta-style shells and cheese, creamed spinach, braised greens, and deep-dish apple cobbler pie. Pre-orders are open through Saturday, November 21. 

Thacher & Rye: Chef Bryan Voltaggio’s new Frederick restaurant is highlighting a holiday box complete with buttery mashed potatoes, orange-cranberry compote, fall greens with walnuts and sherry vinaigrette, braised kale with smoked turkey tails, and pumpkin pie with whipped vanilla cream. 

Reliable Restaurants

Charleston: Though it’s not available for takeout, chef Cindy Wolf’s annual holiday feast is a great way to switch up your typical Turkey Day routine. The three-course prix-fixe offers options such as shrimp bisque, fried green tomatoes, braised beef short rib, and roasted turkey breast with pecan stuffing and sweet corn. 

The Corner Pantry: Though they’ve already sold out of whole turkeys, the team at this Mt. Washington standby has put together a mouthwatering menu with plenty of other holiday eats. Indulge in dishes such as roasted chicken with lemon and herbs, wild mushroom tarts, caramelized onion dip, scallion and nutmeg mashed potatoes, and a pumpkin s’mores pie.

The Choptank: Not only is Atlas Restaurant Group carrying on its tradition of distributing free turkeys to staff this year, but the team is also giving away 1,000 additional turkeys to those in need. First-come, first-served distribution will be held at the group’s Fells Point crab house on Monday, November 23 beginning at 11 a.m.

 Duck Duck Goose: Chef Ashish Alfred and his team at this Fells Point hotspot are doing the cooking so you don’t have to. Choose from proteins such as honey-glazed turkey, tenderloin roast, herb-roasted chicken, or cote de boeuf. Unique family-style sides include radicchio salad, pomme puree with gravy, honey-roasted beets, and truffle mac and cheese. 

Dutch Courage: The hospitality professionals at this Old Goucher gin bar have whipped up a four-course prix-fixe menu that will be available for dine-in or carryout on Thanksgiving. Guests can choose from dishes such as butternut squash bisque, pit-roasted ham, vegetarian mushroom “crab cakes,” sweet mashed potatoes with garlic and maple butter, and pecan peanut butter pie.

Dylan’s Oyster Cellar: The “Everything But the Turkey” menu at this Hampden hangout features something for everyone—from local oysters to oven-ready sides. In addition to classics such as corn pudding, butternut squash soup, and glazed sweet potatoes, the restaurant is offering Maryland specialties like crab dip and oyster stuffing. 

Forno: If you’re planning a small Friendsgiving shortly before or after the holiday, this downtown destination is a great option. While Forno will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, the restaurant will be offering a full Turkey Day feast with wine pairings for dine-in and carryout Nov. 19-28. 

Gertrude’s Chesapeake Kitchen: Pull up to the Baltimore Museum of Art to grab curbside meals from this Chesapeake-inspired staple. The list of holiday offerings includes prix-fixe meals for four, a la carte sides, and a DIY kit that includes all of the ingredients for a massive leftovers sandwich. Plus, don’t miss out on themed to-go cocktails including the “Thankful Saint” (mulled wine, elderflower liqueur, mango, and peach juice) and the “Apple Angel,” which combines apple pie whiskey with cider and apple brandy from Baltimore Spirits Co.

Gunther & Co.: From to-go hot toddies to chocolate bourbon pecan pie, this Canton restaurant has all of the essentials for a full-blown feast. Check out the holiday takeaway menu, which also features a half-turkey, shrimp cocktail, house rolls, and a seasonal flower arrangement from Flowers & Fancies. 

Johnny’s: Look no further than this Roland Park mainstay for holiday classics. Available for dine-in or carryout, the restaurant’s three-course prix-fixe menu features dishes including a mushroom tart, turkey platter, stuffed acorn squash, and pan-seared blackened rockfish. Plus, the pastry team is offering apple, pumpkin, cranberry-cherry, and pecan pies for pre-order through Nov. 20. 

La Food Marketa: No one does comfort food quite like the team behind this Pikesville haunt and its sister-spot, The Food Market, in Hampden. Place orders by Nov. 22 to get in on sous-vide turkey breast, roasted Brussels with cranberries and pecans, acorn squash with honey and pumpkin seeds, pumpkin pie with torched marshmallow, and more. 

Little Havana: This South Baltimore favorite has plenty of options to help you eat and drink your way through the holiday. To-go drinks include boxed wine, seltzers, beers, and house-mixed cocktails. But be sure to line your stomach with meal packages that include turkey, mashed potatoes, dinner rolls, cranberry sauce, and slices of pie. 

Rye Street Tavern: Elevated takes on American classics is what this Port Covington favorite does best. Feeding up to six people, the tavern’s takeaway feast includes an autumn greens salad, curried pumpkin soup, Amish turkey with confit stuffing, chipotle scallion cornbread, blood orange cranberry sauce, Sagamore rye-spiked gravy, sweet-and-sour collard greens, and roasted pumpkin pie on a gingersnap crust. 

Soul Kuisine: Choose from a la carte sides or an all-inclusive dinner at this Station North spot. The aptly named restaurant will highlight soul food specialties such as turkey wings, cornbread stuffing, sweet potato pie, rum cake, and vanilla pound cake. 

Twist Fells Point: Head to this Fells Point spot to pick up a family meal for four that highlights slow-roasted turkey, herbed gravy, sweet potatoes with marshmallows, and fresh handmade pies. 

Woodberry Kitchen: Woodberry has been updating its market menu with prepared meals for carryout throughout the pandemic, and Thanksgiving is no different. Dishes for the table include buttered cabbage, cast iron cornbread, old-school mashed potatoes, simmered sauerkraut, and dry-brined whole turkey. Plus, the restaurant is offering individually packaged plates for optimal safety, as well as an option to pay it forward and feed someone in need this holiday. 

Delectable Desserts

Bramble Baking Co.: Chef Allie Smith’s scratch-made pies are surefire potluck pleasers. Pre-order varieties such as apple cheddar rye, cranberry chamomile buttermilk, or whiskey maple pecan to pick up at Local Color Flowers on Nov. 25. To raise awareness about the origins of the holiday, Smith is donating ten percent of all proceeds to the International Indigenous Youth Council, which creates safe spaces for indigenous youth through education, spiritual practice, and civic outreach. 

Cake by Jason: Swing by this Timonium bakeshop to pick up sweets from local pastry chef extraordinaire Jason Hisley. A special holiday menu lists Thanksgiving-themed cupcakes (think everything from cherry pie to pumpkin chocolate chip), scratch-made pies, and take-and-bake pie kits that families can assemble together at home. 

The Charmery: In what should come as a surprise to absolutely no one, The Charmery is going all out with festive dessert options for the holiday. Among them are the shop’s signature ice cream pies in flavors such as spiced pumpkin caramel, brown sugar molasses pecan, “Nanner Puddin’” cheesecake, and a vegan harvest cranberry pie with pear and pistachio. Orders are available for delivery or pickup from the Hampden, Towson, or Federal Hill locations.  

Little Fig Bake Shop: If you’re in search of dishes for a plant-based spread, this local vegan pop-up has you covered. Sweet and savory goodies to look out for include chai chocolate chip cookies, bake-at-home cinnamon buns, pumpkin roll, potato and leek puffs, cashew mac and cheese, and fried chik’n pieces.  

Motzi Bread: Order delicious pies while supporting good causes with the help of this Charles Village bakeshop. All proceeds from Motzi’s apple whiskey, purple sweet potato, and chocolate pumpkin pies (minus ingredient costs) will be donated to Black-led and indigenous organizations this year.

Against the backdrop of the Patapsco River, with the iconic Domino Sugar refinery sign in the distance and boats bobbing against the horizon, Cindy Lou’s Fish House—the latest restaurant from Tony Foreman and chef Cindy Wolf of Foreman Wolf Restaurant Group—has finally come to fruition after many years in the making.

The Harbor East restaurant is situated inside the new Canopy by Hilton Baltimore at 1215 Wills Street (part of the Harbor Point development across the Central Avenue Bridge) and is set to open on October 27. 

The project is a partnership between the hotel’s co-owner Michael Beatty, President of Beatty Development Group, and Foreman and Wolf—who are all longtime friends.

“Cindy and Tony have been close friends of ours for almost as long as my wife and I have been in Baltimore,” Beatty says. “It’s been exciting to see them develop this new concept at Harbor Point—their passion is contagious.”

Cindy Lou’s Fish House will be Southern focused, highlighting regionally inspired staples such as chicken fried steak, fried chicken with buttermilk biscuits, and seafood chowder. The menu also offers a nod to the mid-Atlantic with jumbo lump crab cakes and crab fluff. (“The chicken fried steak has been in my head for years,” says Foreman.)

In many ways, the project is a full circle moment for Foreman and Wolf, who first opened Savannah inside the Admiral Fell Inn in Fells Point after working together at Southern spot Georgia Brown’s in Washington, D.C. “That’s a connection between us as human beings,” says the James Beard-nominated Wolf, who first researched the food and folkways of the South for the menu at Georgia Brown’s. “Tony and I both love things that are Southern.”

“This is not hotel food in any way,” she adds. “And, hopefully, that’s the beauty of it.”

For his part, Foreman’s family also has deep ties to the South. His great-grandmother, Annie Ross Harrison, hailed from Zebulon, North Carolina (not to mention she was crowned Miss North Carolina in 1908). “I love it, I grew up on it,” he says.  “I still have my grandmother’s quilt and chicken-frying pan.”

Foreman’s great-grandmother, whom he called “Nanny,” was a true southern cook. “She was the third child of 17,” he says, “so her mother was very busy, and she did all the cooking. She made the basic stuff. Pan-fried fish—it could be perch or trout whatever she found at Lexington Market—collard greens, always rice, always cornbread. I remember visiting her on Saturdays and helping her cook dinner, which was always from 3-4 p.m., shucking corn or oysters, depending on the season, or helping make pickles.” In fact, Nanny’s pickles make an appearance on the menu (for sale by the jar and also as part of a shared snack plate).

“I am a Southerner, and I love the history of the cooking. They understand the joy of the table there.” —Chef Cindy Wolf

For the Richmond-born Wolf—who got her start as a garde-manger in Charleston, SC at Silks, a high-end Low Country cuisine restaurant inside the legendary Planter’s Inn—Southern cooking is the regional cuisine that’s nearest and dearest to her heart.

“This region is extremely important to me from a family standpoint,” says Wolf, whose family moved to Charleston when she was 19. “I am a Southerner, and I love the history of the cooking. They understand the joy of the table there. It is truly American food, but it is influenced by West Africans and Western Europeans—there was a huge French presence in Charleston due to the Huguenots fleeing France.”

The stunning space—refined, yet relaxed—designed by San Francisco-based BraytonHughes Design Studios is meant to mirror what Foreman calls “a relaxed happiness in the food.” When Foreman first discussed the décor with the design firm, his edict was to invoke the idea of “a friend who has this great apartment on the water where you can sit in the dining room, get a drink at the bar, go watch TV, go to sleep upstairs, or go out on the patio,” says Foreman. “That’s what this is. You walk into the space and you know you’re going to feel cared for, even if you don’t go anywhere afterward.”

To that end, the dining room—with its wooden touches, dark metals, and copper light fixtures that act as deliberate nods to the industrial history of the waterfront neighborhood—is comfortable and inviting. Bookshelves lined with books, leather chairs, upholstered banquettes, oversized fireplaces, TV’s, a billiards table, and command views of the water also encourage lingering.

The duo is hoping that the restaurant, which will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, will appeal not only to tourists, but also act as a community gathering space for locals.

“When they said, ‘What do you want it to look like and feel like?’ I said, ‘I want it to feel like I want to live there,’” says Foreman. “Every hotel that I’ve ever gone to where the food is good, where the service is good, where they make me feel welcome, makes me want to live there. That’s what I wanted here.”

To staff Cindy Lou’s, Foreman Wolf positioned many familiar faces from their other properties. Among them are chef Ryan Shaffner, the former executive sous chef at Cinghiale; bartender Andrew Dissen, previously of Charleston; and dining room managers Jamila “Jimi” Jefferson and Andrew Bernstein, who both most recently worked at Cinghiale.

And as for the restaurant’s moniker of “Cindy Lou’s,” a reference to the protagonist in Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, it started as a placeholder.

“I called Cindy and told her the name, and that it was just a working title until I could think of something better,” Foreman says, with a laugh. “But I never came up with anything better than that. It’s an homage to Cindy.”

Those hoping to start their day with a delicious egg sandwich in Tuscany-Canterbury will soon need to look no further.

Kitsch, a cafe offering griddled egg sammies, La Colombe coffee, a small selection of pastries, and locally sourced snacks, is aiming to open the week of October 12 on the ground floor of The Carlyle Apartment Homes on West University Parkway near the Johns Hopkins University Homewood campus. Owner Jacqueline Mearman, former executive pastry chef for Atlas Restaurant Group, and her team will serve up quality egg sandwiches—as well as some non-traditional specials.

“We’ve got a few surprises,” Mearman says. “It won’t just be all egg and cheese.”

The cafe is using bread from Stone Mill Bakery that will be griddled (instead of toasted) using Made In cookware on induction burners, “so that we have a really consistent product,” Mearman says. “With our experience in fine dining, that’s the goal, even if it’s an egg sandwich, it still needs to be a quality product.”

Customers can build their own sandwiches and select different cheeses, meats, and veggies. A rotating specialty sandwich will always be on the menu, and will probably be “a little over the top,” according to Mearman.

Although Mearman has previously worn many hats within the restaurant industry—including working as a sous chef and even a distiller—most of her career thus far has focused on pastry. In keeping with that background, there will, of course, be a limited selection of sweet treats.

“I am doing a very small pastry offering because I don’t think I’d be able to get away with not doing it,” she says with a laugh.

Expect desserts such as a to-go cheesecake trifle made with local chutneys and a fudge-like chocolate bar filled with butterscotch, pretzels, and marshmallows.

Speciality coffee roaster La Colombe, out of Philadelphia, will provide the coffee, but Mearman says just about everything else will be sourced from around the region—including the hand sanitizer, which comes from Mount Royal Soaps in Remington. Wild Kombucha products, from Mobtown Fermentation, will also be available. Other locally sourced snacks include Capitol Kettle Corn out of College Park and beef jerky from Landcrafted Food out of Southwest Virginia. (Mearman says the Cajun-flavored sticks are a can’t-miss.)

All will be easy to grab-and-go out of Kitsch’s 400-square-foot space, which Mearman is renovating herself.

She says that the cafe’s inception was nothing short of serendipitous. The concept came after seeing the space, which went up for rent at a low price while Mearman and her partner, also a chef, were quarantining in their home—which is very close by—this spring and summer. The size and location of the space, coupled with the makeup of the neighborhood, called for something easy and efficient, but still delicious.

When the space became available, it was also a time when the restaurant industry was very much in flux due to shutdowns from COVID-19.

“We knew and accepted that we were going back into an industry that was going to be a complete 180,” Mearman says. “And it was very disheartening.”

She made it one month back at her previous job before she realized it wasn’t nearly the same, and some of the issues facing the restaurant industry were more prominent than ever.

“This is something that [famed Momofuku founder] David Chang is talking about a lot right now—that our industry, in more recent years, even before COVID-19, is kind of going off the rails,” Mearman says, “We have employees that don’t make livable wages. A lot of times they don’t really have training available to them to move up. It’s just something that’s been talked about in the restaurant industry for the last few years. Why are we working 70 hours a week? Why don’t we have lives? Why don’t we have time for our families and our kids, if we have them?”

Mearman sees Kitsch as a place to start changing the narrative, and to create a better work-life balance for herself and her staff. She supports raising the federal minimum wage to $15, and plans to pay that rate to her employees. Her workers will also all begin at the same level and learn every task required to make Kitsch run smoothly.

The cafe also has a community-focused mission, with one percent of proceeds benefitting two local organizations dedicated to health education.

“We really believe in the city,” Mearman says. “If I can just create five jobs for people that don’t have them right now because of what’s happened [with COVID-19], or give a little bit to these organizations so they have just some way of growing and improving our community, then I’m happy. That’s the most important part to us.”

Kitsch will be open 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. But Mearman hints that once breakfast gets rolling, she won’t stop there. She has plans to host an evening pop-up inside Kitsch down the road. Stay tuned.