As we wrap up the year, it’s time to reflect on the memorable moments – both highs and lows – from the Baltimore dining scene in 2025.
Throughout the year, our appetites were satisfied with an abundance of pizza and Asian cuisine. The iconic Old Bay seasoning made its way back into retro tin containers, and the beloved Orange Crush was officially recognized as the state cocktail of Maryland.
But that’s just the beginning. We enjoyed meals at established favorites, explored new dining options, and celebrated the collaborations between restaurants through festivals, special dinners, classes, and more.
While we bid farewell to some beloved eateries and chefs, the joyful news outnumbered the sad in 2025. Let’s dive into the events that made this year unique:
New Openings
January brought a cascade of new restaurants, including Midlina in the newly launched Poe’s Tower in Canton, a fresh Kneads location in Cross Keys, The Undefeated in Fells Point, and Union Hill Kitchen, which took over the former Blue Hill Tavern. February saw the launch of The Wren, a trendy establishment from the creators of Le Comptoir du Vin in Fells Point, followed by Forno, which opened in the recently vacated DiPasquale’s.
In April, Luna Oaxaca opened its doors in Cross Keys, along with Pink Flamingo in the previous location of The Dizz. By June, the Costa’s family had assumed management of the restaurant at the Timonium Fairgrounds.
July continued the trend of new eateries, unveiling the Tavern at the Admiral (after much anticipation), Waiting to Oxtail, Bodega & Vino in Locust Point, Pusser’s Landing replacing Bo Brooks in Canton, along with a new Ovenbird location at The Rotunda and Nine-Tailed Fox, a new Chinese restaurant in Cross Keys operated by the Atlas Restaurant Group.
August welcomed Raffy’s on 36th, while late September saw the grand opening of Liv’s Tavern in the old Mother’s location in Federal Hill.
October was eventful too, with the debut of a new concept from Spike Gjerde, La Jetée, in Harbor Point, La Maison by the Café Dear Leon team taking over JBGB’s, and another Kneads situated in Canton, along with Animal Boy in Lauraville.
November wrapped up the year with new spots like Charm Thai Corner in the former Nana location, Vivian’s near Patterson Park, and Dimples in Locust Point.
Shifts in the Scene
The most noteworthy story of the year was the split between Tony Foreman and Cindy Wolf in January. This duo oversaw one of the region’s top restaurant groups, but as of January, they parted ways. Chef Wolf continued her journey at Charleston in Harbor East, while Foreman remained at the helm of the other restaurants, some of which he co-owns with their executive chefs.
In October, long-established brewery Heavy Seas announced its collaboration with three out-of-state breweries to streamline operations, forming B3 Beverage Company; however, the Heavy Seas brand will remain independent.
This year also featured several businesses settling into new homes, such as Doppio Pasticceria and Equitea, both making Remington their permanent residence, while Culinary Architecture relocated from Pigtown to Little Italy.
Milestone Celebrations
January marked the first anniversary of Costiera, while February saw Catalog Coffee celebrating their first year. Love, Pomelo joined the celebration in April.
Additionally, Dutch Courage celebrated five years in January with a spirit-free cocktail competition against their neighbors Fadensonnen. August saw Sally O’s reach its fifth anniversary, while Kitsch Café marked its five-year milestone in November.
Several venues celebrated a decade in business, including La Cuchara in April; Clavel, The Local Fry, and Manor Hill Brewing, all celebrating in June; Blue Moon Too in October; followed by Old Westminster Winery, Baltimore Spirits Company, Snake Hill, and Silver Queen Café, all honoring ten years in November.
Miss Shirley’s marked a significant 20-year milestone in May with a range of specials, while SNAC celebrated its 20th anniversary in September. In June, Petit Louis threw a big party for its 25th anniversary.
Restaurant Closures
Despite many joyous occasions, not all news this year was positive.
At the close of 2024, it was announced that Nacho Mama’s would be shutting down its Canton and Towson locations. Those closures happened in early 2025, accompanied by the auctioning of their famous memorabilia.
January also brought bad news regarding several closures in the Fells Point district, including Riptide, Bondhouse Kitchen, and Cocina Luchadoras (the latter still remains active through pop-ups around town).
February saw the closure of Lost Ark Distilling, a pioneer in the local distilling scene after state legislation changed. That same month, Hampden lost another beloved eatery as Paulie Gee’s shut down its pizza operations.
Spring brought a string of unfortunate closures, with The Tilted Row shuttering after six years, Souvlaki in Hampden calling it a “temporary” closure that turned permanent, Sunset Cove announcing it would not reopen for summer, and Nana closing shortly after celebrating its first birthday.
In June, Café Campli closed for a heartfelt reason: its owners decided to pursue their dream of opening a restaurant in Italy. Later in summer, Papi’s Cuisine and Mt. Vernon Marketplace closed, along with Crust by Mack halting its retail operations.
Fall particularly dealt a tough blow; in September, beloved spot Teavolve closed after nearly 20 years, followed by the October announcement of Tersiguel’s closing after 50 years to allow the family to retire.
Remembering the Greats
This year, we also had to mourn the loss of several influential figures in Baltimore’s culinary scene.
In late January, we lost Josef Gohring of Josef’s Country Inn in Fallston, followed by the shocking passing of The Smoking Swine’s Drew Pumphrey in early February.
March brought the unfortunate news of the passing of Costa’s owner Costas N. Triantafilos. In August, we also lost Michael Alvin Shores, Jr., a beloved figure at the Baltimore Farmers Market, along with renowned football and BBQ expert Andy Nelson in September.
November saw the passing of yet another cornerstone of the food community, Pappas owner Mark Pappas.
Exciting Collaborations
A hallmark of Baltimore’s restaurant scene is the camaraderie among chefs and restaurateurs, who consistently support each other and seek collaborative opportunities.
Several local institutions excel in this area. In 2025, Clavel hosted multiple collaborative dinners, including one with Ekiben, another restaurant that embraces joint ventures. They also expanded their offerings with a co-created coffee blend from Sophomore Coffee and a wine partnership with Old Westminster Winery.
HEX Ferments also ramped up its collaborative events, including the popular Baltimore Fermentation Festival, which highlighted local experts in fermentation, cheesemaking, and cocktail creations (thanks to the team at Clavel).
Golden West and The Land of Kush have a longstanding partnership, promoting Baltimore’s vegetarian and vegan scene through joint events like Maryland Vegan Month and the Maryland Vegan Eats Summer Fest at Power Plant Live!
Ekiben is outstanding in orchestrating collaborations, uniting food businesses for special events and larger initiatives, such as the Night Market hosted in August on Thames Street featuring various food vendors.
Other notable collaborators include The Corner Pantry, Blacksauce Kitchen, Cane Collective, True Chesapeake, Foraged, Black Ankle Winery, Baltimore Spirits Company, and The Charmery. Whenever these establishments organize events, you can expect a strong sense of community involvement.
Dining Beyond the City
While the city and its suburbs are home to exceptional dining experiences, 2025 also encouraged diners to venture outside city limits for unique meals.
Beginning in April, Roseda Farm introduced a series of Sunday suppers, collaborating with various businesses such as Ryleigh’s Oyster, Old Westminster Winery, and Farmacy Brewing.
On a related note, Old Westminster welcomed Chef Tae Strain as its Culinary Director and launched Burnt Hill Farm, enticing food enthusiasts to embark on a journey to the country.
Another captivating farm supper series, To the Table, rotates through various farms, pairing culinary talents like Zack Mills of True Chesapeake at Loveland Farm.
Throughout the year, Juniper Farm hosted seasonal picnic brunches, featuring events like a tomato brunch in July and a fig picnic in early autumn.
Foraged, already handling food at Black Ankle Winery in Mt. Airy, is soon set to take charge of culinary offerings at Patowmack Farm in Lovettsville, Virginia, promising even more compelling events in 2026.
Creative Feasts
Baltimore’s restaurant scene is bustling with wine, spirit, and beer dinners, along with food-focused festivals and classes sprinkled throughout the calendar. The creativity of Baltimoreans found expression in various events that elevated typical dinners into captivating experiences.
Spike Gjerde from Woodberry Kitchen continued his intriguing events, reintroducing his Origins series featuring dinner discussions with notable figures from the culinary realm, including Maryland’s Secretary of Agriculture, Kevin Atticks, and food historian Kara Mae Harris, the voice behind Old Line Plate.
Other prominent cultural and historical activities that gained attention this year include H3irloom Food Group’s pop-up event at the Nordstrom Café celebrating Black History Month, as well as Alma Cocina Latina’s launch of its Diasporas at the Table initiative along with several cross-cuisine dinners.
Cinghiale upped the ante with events like a masquerade dinner for Carnevale and began hosting Opera Nights, similarly embraced by Sotto Sopra. Over in Harbor East, Azumi showcased extravagant whole bluefin tuna carving dinners – a dining experience that merges spectacle with remarkable culinary excellence.
In Fells Point, Pierpoint Restaurant kept up the tradition of themed dinners, organizing a Cowboy Dinner in August inspired by Texas Roadhouse.
Even farther east, Sally O’s shined with its themed holiday brunches, including celebrations honoring the birthdays of Notorious B.I.G. and Anthony Bourdain.
Community Spirit
The local restaurant community has long stood out for its commitment to giving back, and one establishment shines particularly bright: Gertrude’s.
This art museum restaurant consistently hosts charitable events such as the Regel Keg Party benefiting Moveable Feast, Mulberry Madness supporting the Baltimore Orchard Project, and Flavors of Maryland in conjunction with TasteWise Kids. Gertrude’s regularly features multiple charitable events on its calendar each month, showcasing their dedication to community engagement.
Baltimore in the Spotlight
In 2025, Baltimore’s culinary scene received a multitude of accolades from the national press.
At the end of 2024, Barstool owner and pizza enthusiast Dave Portnoy visited Baltimore, later releasing reviews that highlighted several local establishments, including a particularly commendable mention of Frank’s Pizza and Pasta.
June illuminated Baltimore at the James Beard Awards when Charleston secured the honor of Outstanding Wine and Other Beverage Program.
In July, BLK Swan executive chef Saon Brice made waves by winning on Guy’s Grocery Games. Then, in September, The Wren gained national recognition by securing a spot on the New York Times list of 50 best restaurants.
Come December, the Times honored Baltimore once again by featuring the shrimp and corn patties from The Duchess as one of the best dishes in America.
Looking Ahead
While 2025 was a bustling year, 2026 holds even more promise with the impending openings of Café Fili at Anthem House, a members-only supper club called Rosewater from the Atlas team, Bar Alice Anne (from the owners of The Local Fry), and the arrival of a Baltimore branch of the Philadelphia cheesesteak institution Geno’s, set to open at Power Plant Live! next year.
Anticipate many more openings, collaborative efforts, and fresh takes on meals of all kinds. As we close this year, we extend a heartfelt thank you to all the restaurant staff and owners who graciously fed us in 2025 – and we remain eager for what’s ahead.
