Late April is a busy time in Charm City and Baltimore restaurants have a full dance card this week, including appearances at festivals, wine and cocktail dinners, and new menus. Here’s a look at what’s coming up:
Openings & announcements
Earlier this week, the owners of Canton’s Verde announced it will open a Federal Hill outpost, operating out of a food truck on Key Highway. The pizza spot will open in the former home of the On Brazilian Time food truck, and is partnering with Crushed Velvet, a shaved ice concept, which will operate out of the former gas station building on the same property.
Ouzo Beach has reopened for the season – just in time for gorgeous spring temps and sunny weather.
Woodberry Tavern, the new spin on Woodberry Kitchen, continues to tweak its approach. The Clipper Mill restaurant has lowered some pricing and added the burger to the dinner menu, instead of just making it available during earlier hours.
Changes are afoot at JBGB’s. The butchery aspect of the Remington restaurant, which is about to celebrate two years in business, will have limited hours (Friday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.) through May 2. After that, JBGB’s Butchery will reopen with a new name and menu options, including sandwiches currently offered at John Brown’s, JBGB’s sister butchery. JBGB’s will continue to offer meats in the case and via special order and the sit-down restaurant menu will also still be available.
Beloved South Baltimore institution Baba’s Mediterranean Kitchen announced this week that it will close after service on May 14. The restaurant’s owner cited “business changes in a post-COVID world” and expressed his sadness at the news, while also announcing that the kitchen staff would be moving on to positions at other local spots, Café Campli and EAT.
Hotel drinks
Mid-spring is such a great time to get out of the house for a drink or two. This month, local bars are providing some additional incentive, with new cocktail menus and venues.
LB Skybar, the rooftop bar at the Lord Baltimore Hotel, will reopen on April 28 – for the first time since 2019. The Skybar offers excellent views of downtown, plus fun specialty drinks, beers and light fare.
B-Side Cocktail Lounge in the Hotel Revival, is celebrating its first anniversary with a new drinks menu including some beautiful new choices, like the “Don’t Say Goodnight,” a mix of gin, Aperitivo Bianco, Velvet Falernum, plum bitters and lime oil.
Happy birthday to Mr. Trash Wheel
Inner Harbor icon Mr. Trash Wheel turns nine this weekend – and the city is celebrating with a party at Pierce’s Park. The family-friendly party starts at 1 p.m. and features a performance by Fluid Movement, a trash “birthday cake” that will be fed to the wheel, and the opportunity to purchase Peabody Heights Brewery’s Mr. Trash Wheel beer and its brand new Mr. Trash Wheel Hard Selzer (a strawberry-mint flavor).
Lock House Craft Beer & Wine Fest
On Saturday, the Lock House Craft Beer & Wine Fest returns to Havre de Grace for its fifth year. The festival, which takes place on the grounds of the Susquehanna Museum at the Lock House, features food, beer and wine from tons of great local companies, including Taco Bar Food Truck, Delisha Peruvian, Red’s Smokehouse, The Abbey Burger, Shell & Barrell Oysters and Havre de Bakes.
Ramps & Rosé at Foraged
This week, from Saturday to Saturday, Foraged Eatery is showcasing the best of spring with its annual Ramps & Rosé menu. Multiple menu items will feature delicately-flavored ramps, which are only available for the briefest of windows in early spring in Maryland.
Black Ankle Earth Day dinners
Speaking of Foraged, chef/owner Chris Amendola will pop up at Black Ankle Vineyards on Sunday evening for a chef’s dinner hosted in honor of Earth Day. Black Ankle is busy this weekend, with another dinner planned for Saturday night – that one featuring Ggoma Supper Club’s Chef Tae Strain and JBGB’s Chef Tyler Johnson.
Feastival
Rash Field welcomes one of the city’s best food-related fundraisers on Saturday afternoon. Feastival, benefitting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, features a terrific lineup of food and beverage companies, including Dutch Courage, Taharka Bros., The Urban Oyster, Kora Lee’s, Black Acres Roastery, James Joyce, Marta, Clavel, Guardian Baltimore, RA Sushi, Café Fili, The Tilted Row, Guilford Hall Brewery, Union Craft Brewing, Baltimore Waffle Co., True Chesapeake Oyster Co., The Local Oyster, The Capital Grille, Groundwork Kitchen, Italian Disco, BLK Swan, Baltimore Spirits Company, Copper & Shark, The Waterfront Hotel, La Cuchara, CAnE Collective and more.
Oysterfest season
The Manor Tavern kicks off a long weekend of oyster specials and fun events on Wednesday, April 26. The celebration, which will raise money for the Oyster Recovery Partnership, culminates in a big ticketed Oyster Festival featuring live music, an oyster bar and more on Sunday, April 30.
Fells Point is also getting in on the oyster action, with Fells Point Oyster Fest starting on Friday, April 28 and running through the weekend. The festival, which takes place throughout the neighborhood, is organized with the help of Kooper’s Tavern and Max’s Taphouse, and will feature live music every day, crafts, oysters and more food – and a chess tournament.
Tucán, a cocktail dinner
On Thursday, Alma Cocina Latina, Don Q Rum and Baltimore Spirits Co. team up for a three-course cocktail dinner featuring Venezuelan dishes paired with drinks made with ingredients from Don Q and Baltimore Spirits Co.
Laotian learning
Charming Elephant is leaning into the “charm” part of its name with an online series sharing education about how to eat traditional Laotian dishes. The Canton restaurant celebrated Lao New Year this week and is a great resource not just for good food but also for learning about the culture of Laos.
Planning for the future
Mark your calendars for:
April 28: Fells Point Oyster Fest
May 3: Afro Mexican Pop-Up at Clavel
May 11: Bourbon & Bowties
