Experience Baltimore

Heading to Baltimore for 2023 IPF? Take time to explore the city’s restaurants and attractions. Business Network for Offshore Wind staff shared their favorite recommendations below:  

Restaurants

Italian

Baltimore is bursting with fantastic Italian restaurants, so you’re sure to find one that fits your mood. 

For fine dining you won’t soon forget, pay a visit to Tagliata, where squid ink pasta, steaks, and fresh seafood are accompanied by nightly live music performed on a 1926 Steinway piano. Tagliata features an outdoor courtyard and piano lounge in addition to its main dining room.

If you’re looking for a more casual dining experience, La Scala offers that while still maintaining an elegant atmosphere. In addition to authentic Italian dishes, La Scala also features an indoor bocce ball court if you’ve got an itch for some friendly competition.

In the mood for pizza? Zella’s is a gourmet pizza restaurant located in West Baltimore near many popular museums. It’s the perfect spot if you want to grab a bite before exploring the city. They have a bar and even feature their own art gallery.

American

Many restaurants in Baltimore offer both classic and unique takes on popular American dishes.

Woodberry Kitchen focuses on food sources from the local area. They have some of the best food in the city and a community orientation that will make you feel right at home. It’s also home to the only chef in Baltimore to win the James Beard award for “Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic. Reservations are required and Woodberry is only open Wednesday through Sunday, so plan ahead!

The Food Market in Hampden offers unique takes on classic American comfort food. Mozzarella sticks, steak frites and caesar salad accompany more adventurous selections like tuna meatballs, cheesesteak steam buns and shrimp & corn doughnuts. At The Food Market, you’re sure to get a dining experience you won’t find elsewhere.

Dessert

Crust by Mack is a family-run bakery that began as a small pop-up. Their crab pie often steals the show, but they also offer a delicious selection of cookies and donuts. You can also feel good about stopping by; they actively support the Maryland Food Bank and have raised funds to support several minority-owned businesses in Baltimore and elsewhere.

True pie lovers will want to visit Dangerously Delicious Pies. They serve dozens of varieties of pies both sweet and savory, as well as quiches. Drop in and grab a slice or take a whole pie home. Either way, it’s sure to be delicious. 

Other

Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, or just want to try something new, Golden West Café is worth paying a visit. This restaurant serves a wide selection of vegan takes on popular American food like burgers and wings. If you’ll be accompanied by a picky eater, they even serve meat!

Ekiben is also a must-visit in Baltimore. This Asian fusion restaurant serves steam bun sandwiches that take influence from a variety of cultures. One of their popular options is “The Borrego,” which contains slow cooked lamb and is served with a salsa roja dipping sauce.

Named “Best BBQ in Maryland” by Southern Living Magazine, Blue Pit BBQ is sure to satisfy your meat craving. They’ve also got a variety of classic BBQ sides like baked beans and potato salad, along cocktails made with fresh-squeezed juices and homemade syrups.

For dinner AND a show, make a reservation at Azumi. Their expert hibachi chefs will prepare food right in front of you, making for quite the performance. If you can’t take the heat, Azumi also offers authentic Japanese sushi and one of the largest selections of Japanese whiskey and sake in the region.

Bars

Fancy a drink? Baltimore has lots of great bars and you’re sure to find one that suits you.

If you’re an avid reader, you’ll want to check out The Bluebird Cocktail Room. It’s located outside of Baltimore proper, but it’s well worth the trip for its beautiful décor, sophisticated small plates, and a unique cocktail menu based on the Brothers Grimm fairytales.

For something a little more casual, Fadensonnen has you covered. This open-air beer garden focuses on beer, wine, and sake from small producers, so you’re sure to find something you haven’t tried if you’re feeling adventurous. 

In addition to a large outdoor courtyard, Fadensonnen features a more intimate indoor space upstairs. It’s also right around the corner from Angels Eat Lemons, a natural wine store that sells much of the wine offered at Fadensonnen if you want to take a bottle or two home.

Gin fans will also want to visit Dutch Courage. Located in Baltimore’s historic Old Goucher neighborhood, this bar offers a dizzying variety of gin and gin cocktails that are sure to satisfy even the pickiest drinkers.

Baltimore is also home to America’s oldest continually operated saloon, The Horse You Came In On. Known locally as “The Horse,” this saloon opened in 1775 and is rumored to have been one of Edgar Allan Poe’s favorite spots.

Finally, Mustang Alley’s Bar, Bowling and Bistro is sure to give you a fun experience. This establishment is home to both standard and duckpin bowling lanes along with elevated versions of standard bar fare and a large selection of beer, wine and cocktails.

Attractions

Along with its great selection of restaurants, Baltimore has many great places to sightsee. 

If you want to learn more about the history of Baltimore and the rest of Maryland, visit the Maryland Center for History and Culture. The Center features a library of over 7 million books, documents and photographs and a museum with 350,000 objects. 

The Edgar Allan Poe House is also located in Baltimore. There’s no better stop for fans of poetry. You’ll get to see his former Baltimore home as well as his gravesite. It’s also home to the annual International Edgar Allan Poe Festival & Awards, where the organization that maintains the Poe House recognizes art and writing inspired by Poe.

Baltimore also houses the American Visionary Art Museum, dedicated to fresh thought, humor and creative intuition. This museum prominently features the work of self-taught artists from all walks of life, from mathematicians to prison inmates. Described as a “creative urban wonderland,” AVAM features unique architecture and unusual art is meant to make you rethink your definition of “art” and experience new things.

If museums aren’t your thing, you might enjoy a trip to Guiness Brewery. On their guided tour, you’ll learn about the history of Guiness as well as the beer brewing process as you explore their Experimental Brewery. Alcohol is not included in the tour price, but are you really going to leave without having a pint?

Visiting Baltimore will also give you a chance to visit Fort McHenry, whose flag Francis Scott Key witnessed as he wrote “The Star-Spangled Banner” in 1814. Visitors get a chance to see that same flag. The fort also regularly hosts living history events and reenactments. 

Baltimore’s National Aquarium also presents a great sightseeing opportunity for visitors. It’s located right on Baltimore’s inner harbor, which is a must-see, and is also the largest tourist attraction in Maryland. They have over 17,000 specimens from over 750 species on display, making them one of the best aquariums in the United States.