Baltimore eats off the Chesapeake. The crab cake here is jumbo lump blue crab bound with almost no filler and broiled, not fried, and arguing the city's best one is a local sport: Faidley's at Lexington Market and Gertrude's both have defenders. Summer means steamed blue crabs buried in Old Bay on brown paper, cracked with wooden mallets across long tables. The seasoning, born in Baltimore, lands on crabs, fries and the rims of drinks. Beyond the water there is pit beef, charcoal-grilled rare top round piled on a kaiser with tiger sauce and raw onion out on Pulaski Highway, and lake trout, which is whiting, fried and folded into bread at corner shops. Little Italy still runs on red sauce and bocce, Greektown on souvlaki along Eastern Avenue. Newer rooms like Clavel, Ekiben and Alma Cocina Latina pull the city past the bay without leaving it.
Where to eat in Baltimore
All 14 restaurants-
Thames Street Oyster House
- ★ 4.7
- Seafood
- $$$
- Fells Point
Order The Eastern Shore crab cake with Maryland blue crab, the New England lobster roll and raw bar oysters.
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Clavel
- ★ 4.8
- Mexican
- $$
- Hampden
Order Tacos on the house-nixtamalized tortillas with a mezcal flight to match.
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Gertrude's Chesapeake Kitchen
- ★ 4.5
- Chesapeake
- $$$
- Downtown
Order The crab cake, plus a cup of the Maryland crab soup loaded with vegetables.
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The Helmand
- ★ 4.6
- Afghan
- $$
- Mount Vernon
Order Start with the kaddo borawni; few first courses in the city are as well-loved.
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NiHao
- ★ 4.4
- Sichuan Chinese
- $$$
- Canton
Order The Peking duck and a spread of dumplings and dim sum.
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The Food Market
- ★ 4.2
- New American
- $$$
- Hampden
Order The Amish soft pretzels to start, then whatever seafood is running that night.
Book food experiences in Baltimore
Food festivals coming up in Baltimore
All Baltimore food festivals- Baltimore Restaurant Week
- Baltimore Street Food Festival
- St. Nicholas Greek Folk Festival
- Light Up Little Italy Festival
Going to Baltimore Restaurant Week? Hotels for 23 Jan to 1 Feb 2027, from USD 134 a night.
Hotels for these datesWhere to stay in Baltimore
All Baltimore hotels-
Holiday Inn Express Baltimore At The Stadiums, an IHG Hotel
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Midtown Inn
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Comfort Inn & Suites BWI Airport
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Comfort Inn & Suites Baltimore Inner Harbor
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Americas Best Value Inn Baltimore
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Baltimore Plaza Inner Harbor
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Candlewood Suites Baltimore - Inner Harbor, an IHG Hotel
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La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Baltimore Downtown
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Springhill Suites Marriott Baltimore Downtown/Inner Harbor
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Radisson Hotel Baltimore Downtown - Inner Harbor
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Holiday Inn Baltimore - Inner Harbor, an IHG Hotel
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Staybridge Suites Baltimore - Inner Harbor, an IHG Hotel
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Hotels are listed by our booking partners, not picked by our editors. We earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.
Getting there and around Baltimore
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Signature dishes in Baltimore
All 12 dishes
Where to eat by neighborhood
All neighbourhoods- Fells Point19 places
- Harbor East11 places
- Hampden14 places
- Mount Vernon11 places
- Little Italy2 places
- Canton10 places
Also in Baltimore: tickets for the sights
Tickets are sold by our booking partners. We earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.
Map of Baltimore
Every restaurant, cafe, market and bar we cover in Baltimore, pinned. Click a pin for the page.
Everything in Baltimore
- Restaurants
- Fine Dining
- Casual Dining
- Cafés
- Bakeries
- Coffee Roasters
- Wine Bars
- Bars
- Street Food
- Breweries
- Markets
- Food Tours
- Festivals
- Cooking Classes
- Dietary
- Budget Eats
- Signature Dishes
- Hidden Gems
- Brunch
- Late Night
- Food History
- Seasonal
- Food Day Trips
- Itineraries
- Nightlife
Plan your eating trip
When to come hungry in Baltimore
- Peak food season
- Steamed crab season runs April to November and peaks July to September, when the blue crabs are heaviest. Spring and autumn are best for restaurant dining.
- Local dining hours
- Lunch 11:30-14:00, dinner 17:30-22:00. Crab houses open earlier and run all afternoon in summer. Many kitchens hold Monday or Tuesday as the dark night.
- Tipping
- 20 percent on the pre-tax total at sit-down rooms, 15 percent at counter service, $1 to $2 per drink at bars. Service is not included on the bill.
Baltimore food, FAQ
What food is Baltimore known for?
Baltimore's signature dishes include Maryland crab cake, Steamed blue crabs, Baltimore pit beef, Lake trout, Maryland crab soup. See our signature dishes chapter for where to eat each.
What are the best food neighborhoods in Baltimore?
TableJourney editors map Baltimore by district. Fells Point, Harbor East, Hampden, Mount Vernon are among the strongest for food, each with its own guide.
Where should I eat fine dining in Baltimore?
Editor picks in Baltimore include Charleston, Magdalena, Cinghiale, plus the full fine dining chapter on TableJourney.
Are there food tours in Baltimore?
TableJourney covers 6 editor-picked food tours in Baltimore, with what each shows you and how much to budget.
Does Baltimore have good vegetarian or vegan food?
TableJourney's Baltimore dietary chapter covers vegan, vegetarian, gluten_free, halal venues, each editor-picked with what to order and how to ask.