Neighborhoods such as Fells Point, Federal Hill and the Inner Harbor have a huge concentration of fantastic restaurants. Everyone knows that. But there are dining gems sprinkled throughout the metropolitan area that offer the same level of gastronomic delight without the hype. Find a spot close to home for your next big night out.
Set in an old Catonsville manor house with a sprawling yard and a wooded patio, this beloved establishment’s menu is as elegant as its atmosphere. The continental cuisine with Maryland flair includes dishes like maple glazed ducking and pan-seared trout topped with crab meat and a white wine sauce.
Sometimes here in America, French cuisine is equated with a stuffy setting and intimidating waiters. Not at Chef Cindy Wolf's uptown outlet for her culinary creativity. The bilingual menu offers hearty classics like Beef Bourguignon and cassoulet.
The name (pronounced "vine") is the dead giveaway that wine is the star here, but the food deserves the limelight as well. The decor's funky sophistication of zebra prints and cherry-red upholstery complements the European panache of the menu.
It's tough to choose whether to dine inside this beautifully renovated old stone farmhouse or on the lush patio. And then there's the menu followed by the wine list. Decisions, decisions. The good thing is you just can't go wrong – all the choices are wise ones.
The rustic elegance of white linen-draped tables clustered around a stone fireplace is just one part of the long-time appeal of this culinary institution. While the traditional French influence on the menu is strong, creative plates like the wild mushroom phyllo and the raspberry and pine nut-topped green salad keep things fresh.
It's more than just Salt's monochomatic, blocky exterior amid the area's gracious, 19th-century townhomes that makes this Butchers Hill bistro stand out. Salt's originality extends beyond its façade to its menu of New American cuisine with entrees like sugarcane-skewered pork tenderloin or gingered beef short ribs.
Naturally, Maryland seafood is on the menu at this waterfront spot. When you’re gazing out on picturesque Hopkins Creek, what else would you want to eat? Crabs, oysters, shrimp, clams and more are served just about any style you could imagine. Steaks, burgers and a few pastas round out the menu.
At first glance, the imposing fireplace, oak paneling and leather seats give this Glen Burnie restaurant a much more formal air than it deserves. Once you've settled in to one of those oversized chairs and studied the menu a bit, you'll realize that this is a more elegant version of the classic Baltimore fish house. Artfully prepared steaks, pastas and seafood fill its multi-page menu.
