The Food Market is a new american restaurant in Hampden, Baltimore.
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 dishes: Amish soft pretzels, Crispy oysters, New American plates
Must 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.
Address: 1017 West 36th Street, Baltimore, MD 21211
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.
Signature: Jerome Creek oysters, Jumbo lump crab cake, Raw bar
Order: A dozen Jerome Creek oysters and the jumbo lump crab cake.
Tip: The oysters come from the restaurant's own farm; ask the bar which harvest is freshest that day.
Little Donna's in Upper Fells Point is Robbie Tutlewski's Eastern European kitchen, on the New York Times best list for its pierogies and tavern pie.
Signature: Pierogies, Tavern pie, Shrimp toast
Order: The pierogies and the tavern pie, with a side of tomato hot honey for dipping.
Tip: It is small and reservations vanish fast; the bar seats are walk-in and worth the wait.
The Dara in Fells Point is chef Jeff Wannapithipat's Thai room, drawing crowds for khao soi and Hatyai-style fried chicken on South Wolfe Street.
Signature: Khao soi, Hatyai fried chicken, Curries
Order: The khao soi and the Hatyai fried chicken.
Tip: Much of the menu is gluten-free; ask the kitchen to flag the dishes that are not.
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.
Signature: Jerome Creek oysters, Jumbo lump crab cake, Raw bar
Order: A dozen Jerome Creek oysters and the jumbo lump crab cake.
Tip: The oysters come from the restaurant's own farm; ask the bar which harvest is freshest that day.
Petit Louis Bistro in Roland Park is Foreman Wolf's Parisian-style bistro, plating a duck-fat roasted chicken and trout amandine on a Left Bank corner.
Signature: Whole roasted chicken, Trout amandine, Steak frites
Order: The whole roasted chicken polished with duck fat.
Tip: Weekday lunch is the under-the-radar bargain; the prix fixe is the value play.
Costiera in Little Italy marks chef Brian Lavin's return, a coastal Mediterranean bistro plating swordfish meatballs over house-milled polenta.
Signature: Swordfish meatballs, House-milled polenta, Coastal Italian plates
Order: The swordfish meatballs over house-milled polenta.
Tip: It sits where Little Italy meets Harbor East; the patio is the seat to ask for in warm weather.
Peter's Inn in Fells Point is a former biker bar turned chef's favourite, with a weekly-changing menu around a famous garlic bread and a New York strip.
Signature: Garlic bread, New York strip, Weekly-changing menu
Order: The garlic bread is non-negotiable; the strip steak is the menu anchor.
Tip: It does not take reservations and the room is tiny; arrive early or expect a wait at the bar.
