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.
Cross Keys got a serious glow-up. This sleek Chinese restaurant has a rooftop wrapped in floor-to-ceiling windows and a menu that swings from delicate dim sum to a truffle whole duck that demands a celebration.
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.
The name says it all: halal-friendly smash burgers and fiery Nashville hot chicken in a casual spot where flavor is the only thing over the top.
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.
