Hampden has gone full-on island pub. Chamorro cuisine (that’s Guam, baby) meets English tavern in a moody, fireplace-lit space that’s giving cozy-luxe. Must-tries: shrimp + corn cakes and the katsu-drenched tomahawk pork chop. You’ll feel like royalty.
Hidden just off Thames Street, EMPA511 is pure Peruvian comfort. Flaky empanadas stuffed with everything from ham-and-cheese to wok-fried beef, plus sauces you’ll want to bottle up and take home.
The definition of “global chic.” Midlina blends intercontinental flavors – duck ramen, lobster pot pie, short ribs with truffle and black garlic – and has a moody speakeasy upstairs behind a bookshelf (Poe’s Tower, obviously). It’s giving Bond villain hideout energy, in the best way.
Chef Chris Amendola takes farm-to-table to the vineyard. Parked at Black Ankle, his food truck serves roasted chicken, sourdough focaccia with ricotta and peaches, and fresh seasonal salads, all best enjoyed with a glass of rosé and mountain views.
Vegan burgers so good they’re NSFW. Atlanta-born and Baltimore-beloved, Slutty Vegan is spicy, saucy, and proudly plant-based. Pro tip: get the fries dusted in “slut dust” and chase it with a slutty lemonade. You’ll thank me later.
