Visiting Baltimore

Parks/Outdoors

  • Patterson Park – We love it for it’s wide open green spaces, Pagoda, and duck pond. We also live on the north side of the park and walk Tim here every day! Be sure to visit Bmore Licks or Pie Time if you go.
  • Fort McHenry – National Monument and Park. We love it because of the history and it’s views across the harbor (on a peninsula). Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner about the bombardment of this Fort by the British. Pack a picnic from Baba’s or DiPasquales that are both along the way.
  • Federal Hill Park – Though smaller than the others listed, we love the great views of the city! Close to American Visionary Arts Museum and you can walk to DiPasquales for lunch.
  • Waterfront Promenade – You can access the walkway along the water from any neighborhood in the Harbor. Inner Harbor or Fells are a great place to get there–both areas have lots of nearby restaurants. Consider parking at Caroline Street garage if in Fells. You can scooter along much of the Waterfront too! Be on the look out for Alex Brown & Sons Education Center –we got married on that quiet bend in the Promenade!
  • Cylburn Arboretum – A tiny bit up I-83 to the north part of town, this (free) arboretum and gardens are beautiful to walk around and has a couple cool old buildings/houses on the property.
  • Graffiti Alley – The name says it all; wall to wall graffiti. Not near much else on our list, but it’s on the way to Hampden from the hotel/Mt Vernon so you can go on your way north.
  • Under Armor Global Headquarters – Right on the water so a fun place to sit and watch the boats go by. There is a turf field and you can see into their huge membership gym where everyone who goes there must wear all Under Armor clothes. In Locust Point so very close to Ft McHenry, the Domino sugar sign/plant, Diamondback, LP Steamers, DiPasquales, American Visionary Arts, or Baba’s.

Restaurants

Walking from Hotel Indigo:

  • The Helmand – great Afghani food and great at take out . Indoor dining only.
  • Topside – Lovely bar and restaurant at top of boutique Hotel Revival; great views of city; beautiful Mid Century inspired decor; especially good for brunch. Indoor dining only.
  • Dooby’s – great for coffee and lunch and cookies/pastry snacks. Indoor dining or to go.
  • Wet City – A brewery and restaurant with great/creative food; menu is frequently changing. Great rotating tap. Indoor has been closed when I write this in May 2021 (but always has an art show on white walls when open), and there has just been take out and 2 outdoor dining tables.
  • Mt Vernon Market – Lots of great food stalls. Our favorite is Mi & Yu Noodle Bar.
  • The Bun Shop – light fair and coffee. Very “artsy” aesthetic; MICA art students work and study here. This and Wet City are the furtherest walks. Indoor seating only.
  • The Brewer’s Art – Brewery and restaurant (full alcohol service). As of May 2021, outdoor dining only. if open, check out the cellar bar downstairs and the swanky vintage dining room upstairs. Delicious traditional American fair.

A tiny bit further (but still in the city):

  • Ekiben – our FAVORITE chicken sandwich. Asian inspired flavors. Great vegan options (tofu is SO good). They are a Baltimore legend. Take out only. BIPOC owned/operated. In Fells and Hampden.
  • DiPasquales Italian Market – Great for Italian sandwiches and pasta salads; also is a small Italian grocery store. Try the arancinnis. Two locations in Brewers Hill and Fed Hill. Consider picking up food here and taking it to Fort McHenry to eat.
  • Baba’s Mediterranean Kitchen – A staple of our diet. Get the Medley Plate for 2 or 3.
  • La Barrita – Argentinian restaurant in a corner rowhouse in Bolton Hill with amazing meat and pasta. Down the street from our house. We’ve tried just about everything and can’t pick a favorite! Indoor/outdoor seating.
  • Duck Duck Goose – Right in Fells. Lovely interior. Lots of classics, cooked well. A tiny bit upscale in attire and price. Also great for brunch. Indoor/outdoor.
  • Dylan’s Oyster Cellar – A favorite of ours in Hampden. Be sure to get a few raw oysters if you take a break exploring the shops on the Avenue in Hampden. Indoor/outdoor seating
  • Woodberry Kitchen – in Hampden. Get a reservation. Farm to table dining in a shabby shic wearhouse.
  • Clavel – delicious [hipster] Mexican food. Indoor/outdoor/take out.
  • Snake Hill – Creative sausage restaurant (I know, it sounds weird). Very much a bar aesthetic inside; great craft beer list. Try the Greek Goddess sandwich. Mac&cheese is one of our favorite’s. Great for take out. The vegetarian sausages are good too!
  • Sally-O’s – Creative, rich American food. We always overeat here. Indoor/outdoor seating.
  • Old Boy. Fat Tiger – Our favorite take out burger and fries in the city. Located in Broadway Market in Fells. Delivery only (as of May 2021).
  • Golden West – So Hampden/so Baltimore. Diner with a lot of southwestern kitsch all over the walls. Vegetarian/vegan friendly. Also has a coffee and pastry window in the front, which is great for a treat while strolling the Avenue in Hampden. Indoor dining.
  • Thame Street Oyster House – Such great seafood on the cobblestones in Fells. Indoor/outdoor dining.
  • Papi Cuisine – Words do not capture how great this food is. It’s new in the pandemic and a huge hit. BIPOC owned/operated. They describe themselves as Caribbean fusion. Portions are generous and the food is RICH, so prepare to be rolled home. You need to have a reservation or order take out an hour or more before you want to pick it up. Indoor/outdoor dining.
  • Homeslyce – Sometimes you just need some good, local delivery pizza. This is your place.
  • Barcocina – Right on the water in Fells. Mexican inspired bar and restaurant. Indoor/outdoor seating.
  • Ampersea – Modern seafood restaurant on the water in Fells. Great views. Indoor/outdoor seating. Around the corner from the section of the waterfront promenade where we got married (in front of Alex Brown & Sons Education Center).
  • Food Market – Very creative menu. Lots of small plates to eat tapas style if you like. Some outdoor seating/mostly indoor.
  • Biroteca Baltimore – Yummy pizza, beer, and wine in a stonemill. Try the [not-fried] calimari starter.
  • R House – The site of our first date! there’s multiple restaurant stalls, a central bar, indoor/outdoor seating. Our favorites: vegan Mac&cheese from STEM, any sandwich from BRD, and Be.bim Korean bowls. Wash it all down with Taharka Brothers ice cream.
  • RA Sushi Bar – not quite traditional/authentic sushi, but yummy nonetheless. We do lots of takeout from here.
  • LP Steamers – If you need the whole “Maryland crab” experience, this is a great option (near Diamondback, Fed Hill Park, American Visionary Arts, Ft McHenry)
  • Bo Brooks – Another great option for the Maryland crab experience. Outdoor only in pandemic. On the water in Canton.
  • Koko’s Pub – If the crabcakes at the wedding reception aren’t enough, try Koko’s–touted as the best in the city.

Breweries / Bars

  • Max’s Taphouse -We love this old bar so much (and it’s great tap list), that we stopped by on our wedding day for a drink. Outdoor seating is great and on a beautiful square in Fells
  • Diamondback Brewery– Joe’s old haunt when he lived in Locust Point. Solid beer list, good outdoor space, house made pizza.
  • Peabody Heights Brewery– Site of our second date! One of Joe’s favorites. We love the IPAs. Indoor/outdoor seating.
  • Mobtown Brewery– best brewery in biking distance to our house. Usually has a food truck. Indoor/outdoor seating.
  • Union Brewery– classic Baltimore beer. They have a gorgeous HUGE space in Hampden with lots of outdoor seating under a giant mural, and they share their wear house space with a lot of other small/local businesses.
  • Wet City – great restaurant and brewery. The sours are SO good! (2 outdoor tables; otherwise all indoor if they decide to re-open the tap room this summer)
  • Nepenthe Brewing Co – in Hampden, Rachel’s old neighborhood. They were solid when they opened a few years ago, but their food and beer continues to get better with time. (Indoor seating only.)
  • Checkerspot – Brewery with lots of great beer, lots of outdoor dining space (under the highway overpass). Also, you can see Joe’s Straighterline office across the street.
  • Guinness Open Gate – a bit of a treck (consider doing this on your way to or from the airport). Guinness blonde is brewed here. HUGE brewery with lots of indoor and outdoor seating. They have (ok) food if you need to wash down your beer.
  • Ministry of Brewing – this is in a beautiful old, restored church down the street from our house. We go for the aesthetic more than the beer! They usually have a food truck on weekends. Indoor/outdoor seating.
  • The Brewer’s Art – Brewery and restaurant (full alcohol service). As of May 2021, outdoor dining only. if open, check out the cellar bar downstairs and the swanky vintage dining room upstairs. Delicious traditional American fair.

Coffee/Ice Cream/Desserts

  • Taharka Brothers – A local favorite. At R House, Broadway Market (with Fat Tiger), and they are next to Union Brewing in Hampden. BIPOC owned/operated.
  • Pie Time – Down the street from our house. Pie and coffee/cappuchino. Beautiful space. All take out.
  • Bmore Licks – Delicious softserve and ice cream on Patterson Park. Tim loves it too.
  • Vaccaro’s – Italian coffee, gelato, and cookies. Also you can eat lunch here. Attached to Rachel’s office in Harbor East, in Little Italy. Indoor/outdoor dining.
  • The Bun Shop – Very hipster coffee shop and light fair. Rachel has scoped out which coffee shop has the best couches, and it turns out this is one of the only places in Baltimore that has any at all.
  • Dooby’s – Walking distance from hotel; see above. Also lunch and pastries. Indoor seating or take out.
  • Artifact Coffee – One of Rachel’s favorites from her Hampden days. In a beautiful stone mill building. Indoor/outdoor.
  • Common Ground – Another Hampden favorite and right on the Avenue. Try the banana chai peanutbutter smoothie. There’s always art up and a smell of burnt bagels. As of May 2021, take out only.
  • 3 Bean Coffee – Site of many of our first dates because it’s half way between our two offices, in Fed Hill. Indoor/take out.
  • Daily Grind – Perfect for a pick-me-up if you are in Fells. Small front but lots of seating in the back; some outdoor dining.

Museums / Sightseeing

  • Walter’s Art Museum – Around the corner from the hotel/Engineer’s. Free. Lots of old stuff from Walters family collection.
  • American Visionary Arts Museum – Great modern art museum right by Fed Hill Park. Free under age 6, $16 adults, $10 for older kids. Grab a drink at Diamondback before/after or food at Baba’s or LP Steamers or DiPasquales, or go walk around Fed Hill Park or Ft McHenry after.
  • National Aquarium – No brainer if you are traveling with kids. Down the street from Rachel’s office. Get gelato at Vaccaro’s after, or walk/scooter along the water front to Fells, or get a coffee at 3 Bean.
  • Baltimore Museum of Art – Worth going just for the Cone Collection, if you see nothing else. Free entry. The Cone sisters have the largest Matisse collection outside of France. Hop over to walk around Hampden and get a bite to eat after. R House is also close by for a meal (across the street from Gready Reads and Cahoots Brothers).
  • Museum of Industry – Check if it re-opened. Great for kids who loves trains/planes/etc. Near Baba’s, LP Steamers, Diamondback Brewery, American Visionary, Fed Hill Park, Ft McHenry.
  • Start Spangled Banner Flag House– National Historic Landmark. 1793 house of the craftswoman of the flag the Start Spangled Banner is about. Across the street from Rachel’s office. Check out the rose garden at the house too. Head to Vacarro’s for lunch/gelato/coffee after, or hop on the Waterfront Promenade after (scooter or walk) or head to the Aquarium.
  • The Horse You Came In On Saloon – Fun to walk by if you are in Fells. Colonial style bar that claims to have served Edgar Allen Poe his last drink.
  • Baltimore Zoo – Worth considering if you are coming with kids. Near Hampden so you can eat/walk around that neighborhood after. In beautiful/huge Druid Hill Park–fun for picnics or wandering.

Local Stores We Love

  • Greedy Reads – Located in Remington or Fells. Well curated bookstores with all the new reads. Check out Cahoots Brothers, B Willow, and R House if you are in Remington, as well as the Baltimore Museum of Art.
  • Cahoots Brothers – Joe’s favorite store. Well curated collection of (mens) clothes, art by local artists, home decor, and trinkets. BIPOC owned/operated. Go to Greedy Reads, Baltimore Museum of Art, B Willow and R House all nearby. Hop over to Hampden after if you want to do more shopping.
  • Second Chance – This is an amusement park for adults. We wander around for over an hour every time we go. All items are donated or salvaged–building materials, home decor, and donated items from businesses closing or upgrading. This non-profit also serves as a job training program for the city, both for employees at the store and at salvage sites. The staff is so wonderful! Try to find: the Univeristy of Maryland gym floor, the Montgomery movie theater vintage sign, a go-cart hanging on the wall, and see if there are any of their 8 pedicure chairs/tubs left!
  • Shops on the Avenue in Hampden – Located on West 36th Street in Hampden. Books, trinkets, antiques, clothes, and jewelry. Rachel used to live down the street from this area and shopped here all the time. Don’t miss Wine Source, Wishbone Reserve, and Urban Interiors which are each one block off the main avenue and thus easy to miss if you aren’t looking for them. Lots of restaurants here too–any listed above as being in “Hampden” are walking distance or on the Avenue. Street parking which can take a bit to find. Consider looking for parking south of the Ave on Falls Rd or Chestnut Ave, or west of the shops across Falls Rd on W 36th (near the Rec Center).
  • B Willow– PLANTS! In Remington, near R House, Cahoots, and Greedy Reads.

Farmers Markets

  • Waverly/ 32nd Street Farmers Market – Saturday mornings. Close to Remington and Hampden so check out other items listed above that are in those areas. Farm stands, food trucks/stands, and flea market booths (clothes, jewelry, liquor, etc.) . You definitely can find a meal here. Street parking.
  • JFX/Baltimore Farmers Market and Bazaar– Sunday mornings. We go weekly. In the Inner Harbor under the 83 entrance to the city. Lots of food stalls, farm stands, and flea market stalls. You can park in Mercy Bunting Garage for free and get your ticket stamped at the Info Desk for free parking. Our favorites: pickles, olives, mushrooms, rugs, and pottery. Find a meal you want and/or a coffee then pick your place on the curb to eat! Our favorite food stalls: Ekiben (see more under restaurants), Pie Time (see more info under restaurants), La Bohemia (French pastries; try the caneles if they aren’t sold out!), Cafe Latte Da (coffee/pastries), El Taco Loco (the chorizo burrito is SOOO good and can feed two).