Seafood$$$fells-pointWed-Sun 11:30-14:30, Mon-Thu 16:30-21:30, Fri-Sat 16:30-22:30, Sun 16:30-21:30
Thames Street Oyster House in Fells Point runs Baltimore's deepest raw bar, with chef Eric Houseknecht's Eastern Shore crab cake and a lobster roll.
Signature: Eastern Shore crab cake, Raw bar oysters, Lobster roll
Order: The Eastern Shore crab cake, broiled with almost no filler, and a half-dozen from the raw bar.
Tip: Reserve the upstairs dining room for quiet; the downstairs bar takes walk-ins and pours through a deep oyster list.
Mexican$$hampdenMon-Sat 17:00-23:00
Clavel in Hampden is Carlos Raba's Sinaloa-rooted mezcaleria, where tacos sit on nixtamalized corn tortillas and the bar runs deep on mezcal.
Signature: Tacos al pastor, Ceviche, Mezcal flights
Order: Tacos on the house-nixtamalized tortillas with a mezcal flight to match.
Tip: No reservations for small parties; the line moves fastest if you arrive right at open or late in the evening.
Chesapeake$$$downtownWed-Fri 11:00-15:00, Wed-Fri 15:00-16:30, Wed-Fri 16:30-20:00, Sat 11:00-15:00, Sat 16:30-20:00, Sun 10:00-15:00, Sun 17:00-19:00
Gertrude's sits inside the Baltimore Museum of Art, where founder John Shields cooks the Chesapeake canon of crab cake and Maryland crab soup.
Signature: Crab cake, Maryland crab soup, Fried oysters
Order: The crab cake, plus a cup of the Maryland crab soup loaded with vegetables.
Tip: Lunch on the terrace overlooking the BMA sculpture garden is the quietest, prettiest seat in the house.
Afghan$$mount-vernonTue-Sat 17:00-22:00, Sun 16:00-21:00
The Helmand on Charles Street has cooked Afghan food in Mount Vernon since 1989, known for its kaddo borawni baby pumpkin and aushak dumplings.
Signature: Kaddo borawni, Aushak, Lamb kebab
Order: Start with the kaddo borawni; few first courses in the city are as well-loved.
Tip: It is a Mount Vernon institution and books up on weekends; reserve ahead for dinner.
Sichuan Chinese$$$cantonMon-Thu 11:30-14:30, Mon-Thu 17:00-21:00, Fri-Sun 11:30-22:00
NiHao on Boston Street in Canton is chef Peter Chang's Baltimore room, plating Peking duck, dim sum and dumplings in a busy waterfront rowhouse.
Signature: Peking duck, Dim sum, Dumplings
Order: The Peking duck and a spread of dumplings and dim sum.
Tip: Weekend dim sum brunch is the move; reserve, because the rowhouse seats fill fast.
New American$$$hampdenMon-Fri 10:00-15:00, Mon-Thu 16:00-21:00, Fri 16:00-22:00, Sat 10:00-14:30, Sat 16:00-22:00, Sun 10:00-14:30, Sun 16:00-21:00
The Food Market anchors Hampden's Avenue, where chef Chad Gauss turns out playful New American plates and his well-known Amish soft pretzels.
Signature: Amish soft pretzels, Crispy oysters, New American plates
Order: The Amish soft pretzels to start, then whatever seafood is running that night.
Tip: Brunch on The Avenue is busy; reserve, and ask for a booth away from the open door.