Peninsula south of the harbour with Fort McHenry at the tip, LP Steamers for crabs and a cluster of breweries near Fort Avenue.
LP Steamers in Locust Point is a classic two-storey crab house, steaming blue crabs heavy with Old Bay and serving a rooftop deck above Fort Avenue.
Signature: Steamed blue crabs, Crab cake, Old Bay shrimp
Order: A dozen heavy steamed crabs and a pitcher, eaten with mallets on the deck.
Tip: The rooftop deck is the seat to ask for; bring cash and patience in peak crab season.
Koba Cafe on Fort Avenue is a Locust Point coffee shop with bagels, sandwiches and a study lounge upstairs, a neighbourhood favourite near Latrobe Park.
Signature drink: Espresso and bagels
Tip: The upstairs lounge is the work-friendly seat; the bagels sell out on weekend mornings.
Bodega & Vino in Locust Point is a small grocer, cafe and wine bar in one, pouring small-producer bottles by the glass alongside snacks and pantry goods.
Signature pour: A by-the-glass pour off the rotating list
Wine focus: Small-producer bottles and by-the-glass
Food: Cafe plates, snacks, grocery
Tip: It works as a daytime cafe and grocer too, so you can shop the shelves and drink a glass at the counter.
Rye Street Tavern in Port Covington pours cocktails built on Sagamore Spirit rye, a waterfront tavern with an open hearth and a Chesapeake-leaning kitchen.
Signature drink: Sagamore Spirit rye cocktails
Food: American tavern menu
Tip: The rye cocktails use the next-door Sagamore distillery's spirit; the waterfront patio is the seat.
Diamondback Brewing in Locust Point pours hazy IPAs and lagers from a Fort Avenue taproom, a short walk from the crab houses and Fort McHenry.
Tip: It is in the old foundry near LP Steamers; pair a flight with a crab-house dinner nearby.
Heavy Seas Beer in Halethorpe is one of Maryland's oldest craft breweries, pouring Loose Cannon IPA and its pirate-themed lineup just south of the city.
Tip: Loose Cannon IPA is the flagship; the taproom runs brewery tours on weekends.