After a year spent ordering takeout and firing up Netflix, diners in Baltimore are eager to gather face-to-face and support their favorite restaurants. Baltimore City lifted its state of emergency July 1, which ended indoor masking requirements and repealed to-go cocktails. Restaurant owners continue to grapple with staffing shortages while they aim to meet the rush, but that hasn’t stopped outsiders from expanding into Baltimore. Los Angeles-based celebrity chef Matthew Kenney opened two vegan restaurants, pizzeria Double Zero and local-sourcing Liora, in a luxury apartment building downtown. Chef Ashish Alfred (Duck Duck Goose) is opening a French place for small plates and seafood in the former Bookmakers Cocktail Club space in Federal Hill. And Baltimore’s oldest public market, Lexington Market, is adding new tenants as it prepares to reopen in a new building. These 20 restaurants offer everything from steamed crabs and chicken boxes to Lao sausage, Peking duck, arepas, and more.
The latest CDC guidance for vaccinated diners during the COVID-19 outbreak is here; dining out still carries risks for unvaccinated diners and workers. Please be aware of changing local rules, and check individual restaurant websites for any additional restrictions such as mask requirements. Find a local vaccination site here.
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