Baltimore is too often overlooked as the dynamic tourist destination that it is. Known as "Charm City," Baltimore is steeped in history with many culturally diverse neighborhoods that Edgar Allen Poe and Billie Holiday once called home. With its prime location on the Chesapeake Bay, Baltimore is no stranger to fresh seafood. The city is home to many restaurants that feature the freshest catch that the local waters can provide.
Faidley's has been serving award-winning crab cakes to Baltimore locals from its home in famed Lexington Market since 1886. Somewhere between a restaurant and lunch counter, Faidley's offers a no-frills culinary experience. Diners order their food from several different stations, and then eat standing up at one of the restaurant's pub-style tables. Fresh Chesapeake oysters, clams, home-style macaroni and cheese and cucumber salad take a back seat to the fresh jumbo lump crab cakes that are seasoned to perfection and lightly fried. New York Times food critic R.W. Apple Jr. calls them "the best single crab dish in Baltimore, if not the Western Hemisphere."
J.W. Faidley
203 North Paca
Baltimore, MD 21201
(410) 727-4898
faidleyscrabcakes.com
Kali's specializes in fresh Mediterranean-inspired seafood. The bi-level restaurant is romantic and elegant with dark woods, rich fabrics, exposed brick walls and over-sized windows. Diners can select comfortable banquette or table seating, or choose to dine al fresco on the ground-level patio or second-floor balcony. "Baltimore Magazine" named Kali's the "Best of Baltimore: Special Occasion Spot" in 2009, and Zagat awarded the restaurant a food rating of 25 out of 30.
Only the freshest available seafood is served at Kali's, so menus may change daily. The four-course prix fixe menu may include bouillabaisse with lobster, Gulf shrimp, green-lip mussels, calamari and seasonal fish in a saffron-tomato broth or baked West Coast halibut in a tomato, olive and feta crust with roasted mushrooms and braised leeks. A three-, four- or five-course brunch is available on Sundays. Reservations are strongly recommended.
Kali's Court Restaurant
1606 Thames St.
Baltimore, MD 21231
410-276-4700
kaliscourt.com
"Food and Wine Magazine" named The Black Olive one of "America's 50 Most Amazing Wine Experiences," and "Baltimore Magazine" calls it "the best place in town for simple, beautiful, fresh fish." The restaurant, opened in 1997, is located in Baltimore's Fells Point neighborhood. The decor is simple and sophisticated and the atmosphere casual. Upon arrival, diners are escorted to a large display case to make their selections from the day's catch that is held on ice. The restaurant's philosophy is simple--serve only the freshest fish available and pair it with locally sourced organic ingredients. The menu offers a variety of appetizers, soups, salads and entrees including fresh whole fish grilled, filleted table side and served with a house-specialty sauce. Other popular choices include char-grilled sea scallops, sushi-quality grilled yellow fin tuna steak or fresh filet of the day sautéed in corn meal. Beef, lamb and vegetarian entrees are also available. Reservations are strongly recommended.
The Black Olive
814 S Bond St.
Baltimore, MD 21231
410-276-7141
theblackolive.com
