A Newcomers Guide to Food in Baltimore (2023 Edition)
...or if you just want a list of restaurants to try!
For the sake of this discussion, I’m only going to focus on restaurants in Baltimore City and not the greater Baltimore area.
Being close to Ellis Island as well as having its own immigration piers in Locust Point, the city of Baltimore has a rich history of immigrants dating back over a hundred years. Some of the largest ethnic groups include African Americans, Italians, Poles, Germans, Greeks, as well as European Jews. Additionally, there’s been a growing base of Hispanic people within Baltimore and the surrounding areas. Of course, there are many other ethnic groups, but this all means one thing that ties back to this here post:
A diverse restaurant scene!
While there are plenty of popular cities when it comes to restaurants in the United States, I’ve long contended that Baltimore is not only underrated, but deserves to be in the discussions for one of the best cities to visit if you’re a foodie - or if you just love a myriad of food choices!
So, without further ado, here are a list of restaurant recommendations categorized by the main style of food. Each location has the address. If you want the full list, you can access it and follow here on Google Maps. Also, please subscribe if you haven’t already. Here’s a quick way:
Afghan
The Helmand - 806 N Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21201
Kandahar Afghan Kitchen - 914 W 36th St, Baltimore, MD 21211
American
Charleston - 1000 Lancaster St, Baltimore, MD 21202
The Food Market - 1017 W 36th St, Baltimore, MD 21211
Gunther & Co. - 3650 Toone St, Baltimore, MD 21224
Johnny’s - 4800 Roland Ave, Baltimore, MD 21210
Asian Fusion
Ekiben - 911 W 36th St, Baltimore, MD 21211
Basque
La Cuchara - 3600 Clipper Mill Rd, Baltimore, MD 21211
Brunch
Chuck’s Trading Post - 1506 W 36th St, Baltimore, MD 21211
Gertrude’s - 10 Art Museum Dr, Baltimore, MD 21218
Little Havana - 1325 Key Hwy, Baltimore, MD 21230
Miss Shirley’s Cafe, Inner Harbor - 750 E Pratt St, Baltimore, MD 21202
Chicken Boxes
Chicken Bones - 400 W 29th St, Baltimore, MD 21211
Sunny’s Sub - 1518 Havenwood Rd, Baltimore, MD 21218
Coffee
Artifact Coffee - 1500 Union Ave, Baltimore, MD 21211
Bird in Hand - 11 E 33rd St, Baltimore, MD 21218
Ceremony Coffee Roasters - Mt. Vernon - 520 Park Ave, Baltimore, MD 21201
Vent Coffee Roasters - Union Collective, 1700 W 41st St #480, Baltimore, MD 21211
Crabs
Angie’s Seafood - 1727 E Pratt St, Baltimore, MD 21231
Blakes Crab House (Carryout) - 5005 Erdman Ave, Baltimore, MD 21205
Crab City Seafood - 2750 W Franklin St, Baltimore, MD 21223
L.P. Steamers - 1100 E Fort Ave, Baltimore, MD 21230
Crab Cakes
Faidley’s Seafood - 203 N Paca St, Baltimore, MD 21201
Koco’s Pub - 4301 Harford Rd, Baltimore, MD 21214
Dim Sum
NiHao - 2322 Boston St, Baltimore, MD 21224
Peter Chang Baltimore - 1923 Ashland Ave, Baltimore, MD 21205
Ethiopian
Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant - 1100 Maryland Ave, Baltimore, MD 21201
French
Petit Louise Bistro - 4800 Roland Ave, Baltimore, MD 21210
Marie Louise Bistro - 904 N Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21201
Greek
Ikaros Restaurant - 4901 Eastern Ave, Baltimore, MD 21224
Samos Restaurant - 600 Oldham St, Baltimore, MD 21224
Indian
Namaste Baltimore - 413 W Cold Spring Ln, Baltimore, MD 21210
Nepal House - Restaurant & Bar - 920 N Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21201
Italian Delis
Di Pasquale’s Marketplace - 3700 Toone St, Baltimore, MD 21224
Trinacria Baltimore - 406 N Paca St, Baltimore, MD 21201
Italian
Cinghiale - 822 Lancaster St, Baltimore, MD 21202
Cosima - Mill No. 1, 3000 Falls Rd, Baltimore, MD 21211
Cafe Gia Ristorante - 410 S High St, Baltimore, MD 21202
Daniela Restaurant - 824 W 36th St, Baltimore, MD 21211
Marta Fine Food and Spirits - 2127 E Pratt St, Baltimore, MD 21231
Jewish Delis
Attman's Delicatessen - 1019 E Lombard St, Baltimore, MD 21202
Mexican
Clavel - 225 W 23rd St, Baltimore, MD 21211
Cocina Luchadoras - 253 S Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21231
La Calle - 623 S Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21231
Tortilleria Sinaloa - 1716 Eastern Ave, Baltimore, MD 21231
Oysters
Dylan’s Oyster Cellar - 3601 Chestnut Ave, Baltimore, MD 21211
True Chesapeake Oyster Co - 3300 Clipper Mill Rd Suite 400, Baltimore, MD 21211
Thames Street Oyster House - 1728 Thames St, Baltimore, MD 21231
Pastries
Maillard Patisserie - 3528 Chestnut Ave, Baltimore, MD 21211
Vaccaro's Italian Pastry Shop, Little Italy - 222 Albemarle St, Baltimore, MD 21202
Pho
Mekong Delta Café - 222 N Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21201
Pho Bac - 700 S Potomac St, Baltimore, MD 21224
Pizza
Birroteca Baltimore - 1520 Clipper Rd, Baltimore, MD 21211
Isabella’s Pizza - 221 S High St, Baltimore, MD 21202
Matthew’s Pizzeria - 3131 Eastern Ave, Baltimore, MD 21224
Paulie Gee’s Hampden - 3535 Chestnut Ave, Baltimore, MD 21211
Zella’s Pizzeria - 1145 Hollins St, Baltimore, MD 21223
Seafood
Nick’s Fish House - 2600 Insulator Dr, Baltimore, MD 21230
Mama’s on the Half Shell - 2901 O'Donnell St, Baltimore, MD 21224
Rusty Scupper Restaurant & Bar - 402 Key Hwy, Baltimore, MD 21230
Soul Food
Crazy Down Home Chicken and Seafood - 2822 Edmondson Ave, Baltimore, MD 21223
Venezuelan
Alma Cocina Latina - 1701 N Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21201
Wings
iBar - 2118 Maryland Ave, Baltimore, MD 21218
Kisling’s Tavern - 2100 Fleet St, Baltimore, MD 21231
The Local Fry - 711 W 40th St Suite 152, Baltimore, MD 21211
Nice list. Inherently somewhat subjective but this is a nice diverse take with no aching clickthirsty oddball takes. Quibbles? Of course, but they are really only that.
Ekiben's in Fell's Point as well.
Check Marta for Italian in Butcher's Hill/Upper Fells if you haven't already -- strong contender.
A few blocks up from that, La Barata is excellent Argentinian food going well beyond beef extravaganzas.
If Pastries, why not Breads? I'd say Motzi (teo doors doen from the first home I ever owned, though alas not yet there when I sold it) and Ovenbird.
It's in the same quasi-suburbsn heckscspe as DiPaq (albeit in an old building) but Gunther is very solid on the Americsn farm-to-table front.
I'm a huge Zeke's supporter.
Cheers.