Killer garlic bread, table side martinis, pickle plates and more...

Here's my list of restaurants that – to me – make Baltimore special.

When I started this Substack almost six months ago, I thought it would be a continuation of the weekly food newsletter that started in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. I loved writing that newsletter, I think mostly because it was Baltimore-focused and I was walking people through the ever-changing dining landscape of my beloved hometown. Soon after I began to write here on Substack, I realized that this platform and the things I wrote about here would be different — not just food, not just Baltimore — a bigger picture of life. So far, I’ve written about food and cooking, yes, but also the ups and downs of mental health, the joys of rescuing senior pets, travel, cocktails and more. All of that said, this post in particular is about BALTIMORE and the restaurants I love here. This one’s for my readers in Baltimore and those who might be planning a trip to our beautiful, often misunderstood city.

I’ve been eager to write a piece for Substack about the restaurants I love here in Bmore. These are often the places I think of first when asked the inevitable “what’s your favorite restaurants?"question when people find out I write about about food in Baltimore. These are also the places I personally crave most often.

This list is short, just seven places. There are lot of restaurants I like a lot (lot, lot) that are not covered here. For a myriad of reasons, these are the places where the stars seem to align and where I feel happy every single time I experience them. I hope you do, too.


Peter's Inn
This place is quintessential Baltimore, period. It’s only open Thursday through Saturday and you have to email for reservations. I once described it to a friend like this, “kinda like a dive bar vibe with strong drinks and creative, seasonal cooking”. Even though I try to order something new, almost always it’s this: start with a Manhattan (the best one in the city in my opinion) or a martini, then the green salad to share, garlic bread (no, not to share, it’s outrageous), NY Strip and mashed potatoes with a nice glass of wine recommended by the server. One other thing I always love to get is the “one-bite scallop”, which is a seared sea scallop with ever-changing accompaniments. Honestly, I have had fish and meat dishes, pasta dishes, crudos and more over the years and they’ve all been winners. I feel like the chefs at Peter’s (led by co-owner Bud Tiffany) are very skillful and also restrained, which is so important. Nothing feels over the top just for effect and I admire this sort of restraint. If my dinner companions are dessert people (I’m more of a glass of rosé for dessert person), we get the house specialty — chocolate pot de crème to share. A little spoonful or two of that and I am very happy. Once for my birthday, Bud sent out a huge bowl of pot de crème and he came out and said, Amy, it’s POT de crème!” and we cracked up and proceeded to nearly finish it. Things I also love: it’s in a rowhouse in Historic Fell’s Point, they have always had a handwritten menu, the ladies room has lots of toiletries and cheeky art on the walls and the most of all —the surly, yet friendly staff. They are the best. And the fact that owners, Karin and Bud, are always there working makes my Baltimore-loving heart happy. I’ve been going to Peter’s for almost 30 years. There is truly no place like it.

The Helmand
This warm and welcoming Afghan restaurant owned by the Karzai family has been open for since 1989, so they’re currently in year 36 and that is astounding in itself. But The Helmand is not on this list for its longevity, but because it is a consistently wonderful place that has not changed in years and yet is NEVER boring. The decor, the music, the servers and the comforting food all make this place so inviting and the dinners memorable. The iconic Helmand dish Kaddo Bowrani “aka that pumpkin thing” — as many people refer to it— is perfectly roasted local pumpkin served with a garlicky yogurt sauce and it is absolutely not to be skipped. That is a last bite I am never too polite to grab for myself. And there are so many entrees featuring lamb, fish, beef and chicken and more. Two of my favorites are Mourgh Challow: sautéed chicken in yellow split peas and fresh tomatoes with challow and Aushak: Afghan ravioli filled with leeks, served on yogurt and topped with ground beef and mint with pallow. And, there are lots of excellent vegetarian choices. So many so I often recommend The Helmand to people specifically looking for veg options. I also am late to the game on this, but they do classic cocktails quite nicely. On my last few visits, my friends and I have been quite impressed with the drinks. Very sadly, Helmand’s owner Qayum Karzai died in 2024. He was a true gentleman, very quietly confident and always kind to me, even though we didn’t know each other well, and he is so much missed. But despite Mr. Karzai’s passing, the restaurant marches on, just as he would have wanted.


Dylan's Oyster Cellar
I know I say this a lot, but it’s true— the people make a place great. It could be a shop, a restaurant or maybe even your place of work. This is 100% true at Dylan’s. And yes, it’s actually run by a guy named Dylan and his wife Irene and it started long before they had a brick and mortar restaurant. I enjoyed freshly Dylan-shucked oysters at many, many pop-ups for years around the city. And now, as they approach their 10 year anniversary, I’d say that enjoying a meal or even just a drink and snack at Dylan’s is one of the most coveted evenings for me. Whether it’s the juicy smashburger (complete with those perfectly crispy edges), a kale or Caesar salad, potato skins (omg) or a special of the evening, the entire menu is hit after hit. The oyster menu changes daily and I love having Dylan or one of the shuckers (hi, Toni!) gift me a particular oyster or clam that they wanted me to try. That’s the kind of thing that lets you know you’re at a neighborhood place with real, nice people. If it’s a beautiful evening, sit outside and watch the sun set over 36th Street. Or do what I do and get a booth with friends or hang out solo at the bar near the shuckers. I almost always get a martini or a house cocktail and couple of oysters. Then, who knows. Just depends on the season (ah, oyster stew in winter and soft crabs in early summer), my mood and my budget. Like I said, friendly people make all the difference. Dylan and Irene have created an incredibly special spot.

Little Donna's
For a new place — especially relative to some of the longstanding places on this list —Little Donna’s is well on its way of becoming a Baltimore classic. Big words, yes. But Little Donna’s just feels good and feels very Baltimore. First, the pizza pie is next level. But then, owner Robbie Tutlewski spent several years working with Chris Bianco in Phoenix (Bianco is the closest thing the US has to pizza god status) so it makes perfect sense that the pie is so damn good. The crust (hi, crispy edges) is perfection in both flavor and texture, which to me is not very common. The Tavern Pie is my favorite —tomato sauce, a blend of cheeses, crumbled sausage and banana peppers —and the first time I had it, it was one of those “close-your-eyes-clapping” situations. What can I say, really good food should be celebrated, even if it’s just you doing a little dance in your chair. Yes, get have to a pizza but you should not skip apps. My favorite starters are the Pickle Plate, which has deviled eggs and perfectly tangy pickled vegetables and the Serbian Palacinke, a crab pancake with a warm cheese filling, apple-fennel slaw and pepper jam. (I have to medicate due to the cheese but damn, it’s worth it.) The pierogies are excellent, as well and you need to order them with the side of sausage and kraut (I just eat the kraut!). Robbie is from the Midwest and named the restaurant after his Yugoslavian grandmother, so the pierogi perfection and easygoing vibe make sense. One thing I really love is that Little Donna's keeps a lot of tables open for walk-ins. So give it a try when you see they're booked up online. For best results, though, book ahead. When The New York Times includes you on their list of top 10 restaurants in the entire country, you're going to get noticed, even in a town like Baltimore that's pretty unfazed by accolades like that. To me, Little Donna's has created their own thing in Upper Fell's Point and considering that it took the place of a beloved place like Henninger's Tavern, that part alone is huge. Every so often a new place opens and it feels new and fresh, but at the same time it feels like it has been there for years. It’s hard to describe in words. For me, it's all about having great food and drinks and professional, yet warm and attentive service from good people without pretense. Little Donna's has all of that. And, the owner lives upstairs with his wife, kiddos and dogs, so that makes it even better. A true neighborhood spot.

Petit Louis
When people ask me about my favorite restaurants, I will often mention Petit Louis, or Louie, as I call it. Like that sign in Love, Actually. “Louie, to me, you are perfect.” And just because it is probably (okay, it is) the most consistent restaurant experience you can have in Baltimore, by no means does that make a visit ever feel routine in any way. Not by a mile. Louie is extremely special to me because every part of your meal— from the beautiful space to service, food, wine, cocktails — all come together so gracefully. Owner Tony Foreman and his team have it down. They make it seem effortless, which is part of its mystique, you know what I mean? Steak frites, French onion soup, the trout, whole roasted chicken, cucumber salad and for goodness sake, the simple green salad is so lovely. The table side martini pour is just so civilized, so if you drink, you must experience it at least once. Applause, applause, applause. Speaking of civility, try the Civilized Lunch sometime, it’s three courses for $35 and the menu changes weekly. For dessert at Louie, I always ask what sorbets they have that day, as they are all made in-house using locally sourced seasonal ingredients and I can enjoy a little dairy-free treat. It feels celebratory. Gah, I love this place so, so much. At first blush, Louie seems fancy (I’m not always comfortable with fancy), but once you’re seated and talking with the lovely staff, you’re at ease and can forget your troubles for a little while. Treat yourself.

La Cuchara
La Cuchara just celebrated 10 years of business. I always joke that restaurant years are like dog years and damn if it isn’t true. Many, many more restaurants fail than thrive, so just reaching three years is a big deal. Five is like “oh, we’re doing this, huh”? Ten years for a small local restaurant is very few and far between and needs to be celebrated and supported. My favorite thing to do at La Cuchara is to pop in by myself or meet up with a friend, sit at the bar, and order a martini, get the incredible complimentary house-baked bread and soft beautifully salted butter and whatever looks good on the tapas menu. I prefer sitting at the bar because La Cuchara has the absolute best bar crew there (they have very low staff turnover) and you always feel like you’re in good hands and they genuinely want you to have a nice experience. Owners Ben, Jake and Amy Lefenfeld are three of my favorite people in Baltimore hospitality, extremely nice and caring people. The last time I stopped in, Ben was showing me photos of his son, smiling from ear to ear, so happy. Let’s see…what should you order? Anything cooked over the open fire like roasted oysters, shrimp, steaks, fish —everything is so good. Maybe start with some Spanish classics like pan con tomate, boquerones and jamón croquettes. Patatas Bravas are always a good idea, too. One thing I really love: they are so good about updating the menu online everyday, so you can see what’s on. Cooking here is super seasonal, too. Oh and at happy hour, selected bottles of wine are $23 and there’s always a new daily gin & tonic for $6 and several beers (including NA) for just $5. Go, sit, relax.

Thames Street Oyster House
First, don’t say “I don’t like oysters, so there’s no reason for me to go there.” You are incorrect. (Same for Dylan’s Oyster Cellar.) Where do I start? Let’s see: ahhhh, the perfectly cooked burger served on brioche bun, the buttery, delicious, award-winning lobster roll, the scallops, the crab cake (and a crab cake is something I almost never order out anywhere) and lots more. If you do enjoy raw oysters, Thames Street does them right, with an always-changing oyster list from Virginia, Maryland, Maine and all the rest. I especially like trying West Coast oysters and they’re ofen on the menu, too. There is one menu for both lunch and dinner and it’s not too big, not too small. I think it may be the smartest menu in the city — something for everyone and nothing more. A tight menu to me, says, “this is what we do really, really well”. I think that sitting at the bar is the move here, if you can snag a seat. Tip: they are open between lunch and dinner, so if you’re in mood for just oysters and drinks, there’s a very good chance for bar seats. It can be little frustrating at times how hard it is to get a reservation, but when you’re as busy as they always are at Thames Street, that’s just how it goes. And I have to add that even on a busy weekend night, when the place is packed to the gills, the energy never feels overwhelming. It’s an organized kind of chaos, almost meditative. Food runners, bartenders and shuckers move in a rhythm that feels more like a dance than a dinner rush — a hum of motion that’s unexpectedly calming. At Thames Street, the food is why you go, the service and experience are why you return. One thing I’ve never done is sit outside in their little backyard patio and hopefully, I will correct that on some lovely summer night soon. Wish me luck.

God bless Baltimore.