Food & Dining - Baltimore

Faidley's Seafood, Lexington Market, Baltimore (photo by Jennifer Yin)
Baltimore is full of far too many fun spots, nooks, and hidden gems to list them all here! For more detailed lists, you should definitely check out Baltimore Magazine's Best of Baltimore Food or just peruse Yelp Baltimore or your favorite food review network. (Edit this page to add it)

Online Ordering: As of 2023, local restaurants support food delivery and carryout pre-order services, including Grubhub and Uber Eats. To support the restaurants, often they note their preferred service on their website. Ordering directly from a restaurant typically helps them mitigate their fees associated with food apps.

Reservations: Many restaurants accept online reservations at OpenTable.

Hours: While there were many late night options before 2020, many dining options have remained on limited hours in 2023.

Local Food

Blue crabs are a prominent part of Baltimore's distinctive flavor, with numerous restaurants serving steamed hard shell crabs, soft shell crabs, and lump backfin crabcakes. Baltimoreans typically steam crabs in rock salt and Old Bay Seasoning, a favored local spice mixture, and traditionally eat them on tables spread with old newspaper.

Pit Beef: Open pit barbecued meat served on a Kaiser roll,Berger Cookies are shortbread cookies topped with a thick layer of chocolate fudgeAnother classic Baltimore dish is "snowballs," which are a shaved ice dessert that comes in a paper cup and is typically flavored with sweet syrup. The most popular flavor is egg custard, which has a unique taste that is hard to find anywhere else. "Berger Cookies" are another local favorite, which are shortbread cookies topped with a thick layer of chocolate fudge. For a more savory option, "pit beef" is a traditional open pit barbecued meat served on a Kaiser roll, typically found at small stands in and around Baltimore. And for those seeking seafood, "crab cakes" are a must-try, consisting of steamed blue crab meat and Old Bay seasoning, served either broiled or fried. Finally, "Natty Boh" or "National Bohemian" is a popular local beer, brewed in Baltimore since 1885 and known for its iconic one-eyed mascot.

Other traditional Baltimore foods include sauerkraut, pit beef, bull and oyster roasts, lake trout, and the "chicken box," which consists of chicken wings served in a fast food carry out box with French fries.

Rheb's Homemade Candies has become a staple in the Baltimore community, known for its high-quality, hand-dipped chocolates and other sweets. The small family business has grown significantly over the years, with a garage converted into a store that now serves as their main location. Similarly, Goetze's Candies, which also originated in Baltimore, is famous for its chewy caramel creams with a creamy center that can be found in most corner stores and markets throughout the city. Another popular Baltimore treat is the lemon peppermint stick, which is traditionally sold at the mid-spring Flower Mart. These refreshing drinks are easy to make at home and are a favorite summer treat for locals.

Finally, National Bohemian, affectionately known as "Natty Boh," is a beloved beer brand that has been a part of Baltimore culture for many years. While it was once discontinued in Baltimore, it has made a comeback and is now served at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, much to the delight of locals and visitors alike.

Here are some fun and particularly Baltimore spots:

Breaksfast / Brunch:

Miss Shirley's Cafe
Evergreen Cafe
Spoons Cafe

Lunch

Grilled Cheese and Company
Tambers--Half 50's diner, half Indian Restaurant
Dangerously Delicious Pies--Sweet and Savory Pies
Blue Moon Cafe--Breakfast
Samos--Greek (Cash only)
Nacho Mama's
Mama's on the Half Shell
Chaps Pit Beef
Bop Brick Oven Pizza (Fells Point) -- put a pinch of salt on top of their four cheese pizza - oh man! -- Jenika
The Essen Room (Pikesville) -- will make a Reuben sandwich lover out of you even if you’ve never been one. -- Jenika