Julekha Dash

The post-pandemic years have brought brilliant additions to Baltimore’s food scene. Intimate neighborhood bistros, where everyone knows your name, have proliferated over the last few years, following the age of social distancing when small restaurants and tight quarters didn’t fare as well.  These are the type of establishments Baltimore does best, and for that reason, we featured several of them in this list of the top 10 restaurants in Charm City. Whether you’re eating pierogies, pastas, or a smashburger, you’re getting fresh, local ingredients from knowledgeable waitstaff that treat first-timers as regular guests.  The selection also includes a beloved fine-dining institution and prominent seafood joints where you’ll find that other thing that Baltimore does well: oysters, crabs, and fish from the Chesapeake Bay. We also incorporated eateries that have expanded the city’s global offerings to include Lebanese liqueurs, mezzes of whipped walnut and red pepper dip, and Asian fusion fast-casual. Whittling the list down to just 10 is a tall order. These are the places in Baltimore our editors recommend right now, along with tips on what to order, snagging a reservation, and more.  August 2025: The city’s food community is still buzzing from Charleston’s James Beard Award win in June. After numerous nods in the Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic category, the nearly 30-year-old restaurant won for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program. It’s a win that the entire city celebrated as it

We get it, one of the best TV shows ever created was filmed right here in Baltimore, and that’s what most people go to when they think of this fantastic city. But trust us, there’s plenty more to Charm City than its glamorous credentials.  The best things to do in Baltimore bridge the divide between fascinating American history and modern boutique shopping, as well as a great restaurant scene, bars, markets, and of course the picturesque Inner Harbor (and the steamed crabs). For classic attractions and local delights, here are the best things to do in Baltimore right now.  RECOMMENDED:🍽️ The best restaurants in Baltimore⛰️ The most beautiful cities in the US🧳 The best weekend trips in the US Sarah Medina is the North America travel editor at Time Out. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. 

When Guinness debuted its Baltimore brewery in 2018, it was the iconic brand’s first American outpost in over 60 years. Bringing Irish beer to Maryland has proven to be a winning recipe as just last month Guinness Open Gate Brewery welcomed its one millionth customer. The signature harp symbol greets guests as they enter the three-story beerhouse, which offers tours, sells Guinness swag, and serves food and a variety of brews to suit every kind of beer lover. If you haven’t already been among the million customers so far, here are five reasons to get your butt down to Guinness Open Gate.

Irish immigrants arrived in Baltimore in the 1800s and their presence can still be felt today with social clubs and museums honoring their heritage. The city is also home to many Gaelic bars overflowing with Guinness, corned beef sandwiches and shepherd’s pie. While the city recently lost several prominent watering holes hailing from the Emerald Isle during the pandemic, there are plenty of spots to wet your whistle and fill your belly. And there’s nothing like a festive Irish bar to lift the spirits, be it a celebration for St Patrick’s Day or any old random weekday. A tour and tasting at the Guinness Open Gate Brewery would make for a tempting chaser too, but to get you started, check out our six favorite Irish bars in Baltimore.

Baltimore diners heaved a heavy sigh when the beloved restaurant Gnocco closed in 2019 after three years. However, last year, the duo behind that concept brought Mediterranean fare back with the opening of Costiera, the Italian word for "coast." Brian Lavin and Sam White, friends who traveled together through Italy, Spain, and France, bring the food and drinks from these regions to a corner space in Baltimore located, appropriately enough, on the edge of the city’s Little Italy neighborhood.  On a recent Tuesday night, the diverse crowd contained a mix of med students, families, and groups of friends of varying ages. It’s a place where you can wear jeans (or scrubs) or a chic new dress. For a restaurant with just 52 seats, the menu is varied, featuring a range of pastas, meats, seafood, and a wide selection for vegetarians. The melt-in-your-mouth fried squash blossoms are filled with goat cheese and ricotta on a bed of spicy tomato aioli that packs a surprising amount of heat for this diner, who didn’t need to ask for sriracha or crushed pepper flakes. Mop up the garlic and tomatoes in the toothsome gnocchetti sardi, a Sardinian pasta, with Swiss chard, garlic, shrimp, and sausage with their dense whole-wheat focaccia.  The Caesar salad incorporates fennel and celery, which add an extra crunch to your standard formula. You’ll plot your next trip to the restaurant immediately after taking a bite of the dense chocolate Basque cheesecake with Nutella and whipped cream. The drink

While Baltimore is often associated with its seafood, the city’s dining scene has expanded to embrace cuisines from around the world. Ammoora, which presents the cuisines of Syria, Iraq, Turkey, and other regions of the Mediterranean and Middle East, is among its most exciting recent additions.  An Arabic term of endearment, Ammoora’s rich, rose-tinted fabrics serve as the perfect backdrop for a date night. With 174 seats and multiple spaces (lounge, main dining room, and courtyard), it can also accommodate larger groups. Going with a crowd allows diners to dig into the dizzying assortment of spreads and mezze served with an endless supply of warm, fluffy pita bread. The muhamara, a walnut and red pepper spread, contains spicy and sweet notes from red chili paste and pomegranate molasses. The most unique dip, the beet mutabal, relies on labneh and tahini to flavor the root vegetable. Under the guidance of Dima Al-Chaar, the kitchen prepares meat and seafood dishes with equal aplomb, offering a variety of vegetarian options as well. Cocktails, both with and without alcohol, utilize the dates, cardamom, and pomegranate featured in their dishes. With half a dozen zero-proof cocktails, non-drinkers have plenty of options as well. For dessert, opt for the selection of nutty, phyllo-pastry baklava sampler or Dubai chocolate crunch bar, featuring that winning viral combo of chocolate, pistachio butter, and crunchy knafeh. The vibe: Levantine chic: a sumptuous interior and a well-dre

Snagging a Friday night reservation for two at Little Donna’s feels like winning the lottery. Baltimore has few restaurants that diners need to book weeks in advance, but this 55-seat spot in Upper Fells Point is one of them; even at 9pm, every seat, including those at the bar, was taken.  If it feels like eating in someone’s home, that’s because it is: Chef owner Robbie Tutlewski and his family live upstairs. It’s a place where you gingerly slide into your seat so you don’t knock over your neighboring patron’s sparkling orange wine, but by the end of the meal, you’re engaged in conversation with them. The drink menu also features creative cocktails like Granny’s Meds, which is much more refreshing than it sounds. Yuzu adds a tart edge to gin, Lillet blanc, green tea, and honey in the refreshing summer tipple, Granny’s Meds. The wine list features a diverse selection, ranging from Italian Chiantis to Washington State Sauvignon Blanc, while local IPAs from regional breweries are well-represented on the beer list.  Two of the restaurant's specialties, pierogies and tavern-style pizzas, reflect Tutlewski’s Yugoslavian grandmother and his Midwestern upbringing. Topped with sautéed onions, sour cream, chives, and an ample topping of garlic chili crunch, the pierogies pack sour, crunchy, and spicy flavors in every bite. Using just a few, simple (but the freshest) ingredients, the pizzas’ thin, crispy crust is reminiscent of those found in Italy. Tangy and aromatic tomato sauce, top