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.
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.
Okay, it’s not technically Baltimore – but it’s worth the drive. Located inside a restored monastery, this restaurant turns local ingredients into edible art. Funnel cake beet salad, dry-aged steak, warm cookies – need I say more?
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.
Cross Keys goes south of the border, way south. Luna Oaxaca brings mezcal, mole, and the kind of Oaxacan recipes that turn dinner into a cultural trip.
