5 Great Baltimore Eats

Baltimore doesn’t get enough credit for being a great food destination. I never tire of trying new places, but here are the things that I want to eat again when I’m in town.

5.TEN TEN

I’ve had some nice meals at this American bistro in Harbor East, but it’s the fried brussels sprouts in a chili vinaigrette that keep me going back. I seriously dream about these brussels sprouts, they are that good! TEN TEN also has some interesting cocktails. Matcha Mule anyone?

4.  Faidley’s Seafood

Faidley’s is a Baltimore institution, known for having the best crab cakes in town. Andrew Zimmern, Anthony Bourdain, and Adam Richman have all filmed here. Established in 1866, the place has been continually run by the same family. It is located in the 235 year old Lexington Market, one of the longest operating markets in the world. The Jumbo Lump is huge – full of fresh crab meat with hardly any binding and just barely cooked. It goes well with Baltimore’s hometown National Bohemian beer, locally known as “Natty Boh.”

3. Ekiben

My only beef with Ekiben in Fells Point is the name, because they don’t actually serve Ekiben (an awesome Japanese boxed meal served at rail stations or on trains). The menu consists of buns or bowls, with a few sides. The tempura broccoli is tossed with fresh herbs, red onion, and rice vinegar. It’s not traditional tempura, but it packs a serious flavor punch. Eat it pipping hot, before the sauce makes the batter soggy. You can’t go wrong with any of the buns. On our most recent visit we enjoyed the Tofu Brah – tofu, spicy peanut sauce, slaw, and herbs; and the Original – chicken meatballs, coconut peppercorn sauce, herbs, and slaw. Everything here strikes the perfect balance of hot, salty, sour, and sweet.

2. Diablo Doughuts

You know a place is great when there is a line out the door in otherwise quiet Fells Point at 7am on a Sunday. This place always has fun new flavors. Everything we’ve tried has had the perfect balance of sweet with either tart or savory. Our most recent selection was honey lavender, blueberry basil, blackberry lime, maple bacon, blood orange pistachio, and Old Bay caramel. Yes, Old Bay on a doughnut – this is Maryland after all. Gather some friends so you can share and try multiple flavors!

1. Spoons Cafe and Coffee Roasters

If I lived in Baltimore, I would be a regular at Spoons Cafe in Federal Hill. Try The Beast, a biscuit with buttermilk fried chicken, bacon, american cheese, fried egg, sausage gravy. Just make sure you have some friends to help you eat it!  It’s seriously decadent, I definitely can’t order this alone – or very often. Healthier options like the 3-grain porridge with steel cut oats, quinoa, and brown rice are also very good. The excellent coffee is roasted in-house. I don’t usually order flavored lattes, but the vanilla lavender latte here is one of my favorite things. It figures that a place this serious about coffee would also make seasonal syrup from scratch, it’s delicate and not overly sweet.