Eat in Hampden, Baltimore

Clavel

• ★ 4.8
• Mexican
• $$

Order Tacos on the house-nixtamalized tortillas with a mezcal flight to match.

Clavel in Hampden is Carlos Raba's Sinaloa-rooted mezcaleria, where tacos sit on nixtamalized corn tortillas and the bar runs deep on mezcal.

The Food Market

• ★ 4.2
• New American
• $$$

Order The Amish soft pretzels to start, then whatever seafood is running that night.

The Food Market anchors Hampden's Avenue, where chef Chad Gauss turns out playful New American plates and his well-known Amish soft pretzels.

True Chesapeake Oyster Co.

• ★ 4.3
• Chesapeake
• $$$

Order A dozen Jerome Creek oysters and the jumbo lump crab cake.

True Chesapeake Oyster Co. in Whitehall Mill is chef Zack Mills's bay-to-table room, serving its own Jerome Creek oysters and a jumbo lump crab cake.

Cosima

• ★ 4.3
• Italian
• $$$

Order A plate of house-made pasta and whatever seafood is running.

Cosima in Mill No. 1 is a Sicilian and southern Italian room above the Jones Falls, plating house-made pasta and seafood with views of the old textile mill.

Woodberry Tavern

• ★ 4.5
• Seasonal American
• $$$$

Order Whatever the wood fire is turning out that night.

Woodberry Tavern is James Beard winner Spike Gjerde's small Clipper Mill room, the successor to Woodberry Kitchen, cooking off Maryland farms and waters.

Golden West Cafe

• ★ 4.1
• Southwestern
• $$

Order The green chile, ladled over eggs or a breakfast burrito.

Golden West Cafe on Hampden's Avenue is a longtime counter for green chile, breakfast burritos and Southwestern plates with strong vegetarian options.

Artifact Coffee

• ★ 4.8
• Café
• $

Order Pour-over coffee

Artifact Coffee sits in a historic stone building on Union Avenue, a Hampden daytime cafe and bakery pouring careful coffee with breakfast and lunch.

Common Ground

• ★ 4.3
• Café
• $

Order Drip coffee

Common Ground in Hampden is a worker-owned cafe of more than 25 years, pouring coffee and serving scratch sandwiches and baked goods just off The Avenue.

Harmony Bakery

• ★ 4.2
• Bakery
• $

Order Vegan gluten-free cakes and cookies

Harmony Bakery in Hampden is Baltimore's vegan and gluten-free bakery, turning out dairy-free cakes, cookies and pastries from a small Chestnut Avenue shop.

Vent Coffee Roasters

• ★ 4.3
• Coffee roaster
• $$

Vent Coffee Roasters is a small-batch Hampden roaster inside the Union Collective, running a full espresso bar plus slow-bar Aeropress and Chemex alongside.

The Bluebird Cocktail Room

• ★ 4.3
• Cocktail bar
• $$$

Drink Literary-themed seasonal cocktails

The Bluebird Cocktail Room in Hampden is a literary-themed upstairs cocktail bar, mixing hyper-seasonal drinks in a book-lined room above the Avenue.

Union Craft Brewing

• ★ 4.3
• Brewery
• $$

Union Craft Brewing in Woodberry is the city's flagship craft brewery, pouring Duckpin pale ale and Old Pro gose in a big taproom shared with a food hall.

Waverly Brewing

• ★ 3.9
• Brewery
• $$

Waverly Brewing on Union Avenue in Woodberry is a small neighbourhood brewery, pouring ales, IPAs and lagers in a low-key taproom near the Jones Falls.

Baltimore Chef Shop

• ★ 4.4

Baltimore Chef Shop in Hampden is an award-winning teaching kitchen running hands-on classes in knife skills, handmade pasta, baking and a long list of world.