Top 9+ Best Restaurants in Baltimore for Seafood and Beyond

What are the best restaurants in Baltimore? Once known primarily for steamed crabs and seafood generously dusted with Old Bay, Baltimore has quietly transformed into a dining destination making big waves in the food world. Over the past decade, I’ve watched the city build on its celebrated staples while embracing bold and exciting concepts. Now it feels like a new restaurant or café is opening its doors every day. But it's the mix of old and new that's most exciting. One way to locate and enjoy Baltimore's charm is by eating here—from historic public markets and food halls to hyper-local tasting menus and intimate dining rooms that, no matter how buzzy they become, still feel like your own special place. Whether you are in the mood to splurge on dining or looking for something more affordable, there’s a restaurant with exceptional fare and warm hospitality for you. Here are our picks for the best restaurants in Baltimore right now.

Le Comptoir du Vin is an unassuming bistro in the Station North Arts District.

Le Comptoir du Vin

If you’re not looking for Le Comptoir du Vin in Baltimore’s Station North Arts District, you might miss it, but once you step inside the candlelit European bistro adorned with hundreds of bottles of natural wine, you’re in for a dining experience centered in comfort, outstanding ingredients, and thoughtful attention. Their menu rotates weekly and is handwritten on a board placed in the center of the restaurant. Start with the sourdough bread and Normandy butter, then the Castelfranco salad tossed in a peppery house-made Caesar dressing. If available, you must try Cheddar + Green Onion Toasty, a melty grilled cheese with sharp cheddar and peppery green onions or the Chicken, Leek + Morel Pie, a golden brown, chicken pot pie with shredded chicken, mushrooms and veggies. Their beef cheeks dish is among my favorite entrees I’ve had in Baltimore: tender, savory, and rich. Le Comptoir du Vin's new sister restaurant, The Wren, is also earning national recognition, so it’s safe to say Will Mester, Millie Powell, and Rosemary Liss know how to excite diners from everywhere.

The Urban Oyster is where you want to go for Baltimore seafood.

The Urban Oyster

Chef Jasmine Norton began shucking oysters at local pop-ups and farmers’ markets around Baltimore. Now, she is one of the state’s most recognized chefs, having opened the country’s first Black woman-owned oyster bar just over a year ago. If you’re visiting Baltimore looking for seafood but want something more elevated than the traditional crab decks, this is the place to be. Get the oysters raw or chargrilled (or both)—Norton’s chargrilled oysters are a Baltimore staple, topped with different cheeses, sauces, and spices. The red snapper nuggets are another crowd-pleaser: crispy and meaty, tossed in a Thai chili sauce, as is the classic Maryland crab cake. Seafood is not all that’s worth trying here, though. The steak frites come cooked a perfect medium rare, and the sweet potato chess pie for dessert is the perfect way to finish.

The chicken at Rooted Rotisserie is inspired by the poulet rôti that you'll find at street markets around France.

Rooted Rotisserie

Inspired by the poulet rôti at street markets around France, husband-and-wife team Joe and Amanda Burton opened Rooted Rotisserie in Southwest Baltimore. Dining at this restaurant feels like attending a dinner party at someone’s cozy home, with family photos covering the walls and a focus on Southern hospitality. While the rotisserie chicken is exceptionally juicy with crispy skin, it’s worth adding on some of their other options. Their Duck Confit Gumbo is worth the reservation; it's aromatic, hearty, and beautifully plated. Vegans will love the smoked mushroom bowl with rice and Brussels sprouts, a winning dish with earthy, savory notes; a touch of sweetness; and bright acidity. In the fall and winter months, their sweet potato purée topped with house-made granola is seemingly simple but utterly unforgettable. Reservations fill up quickly, so plan ahead if you want to dine here.

The yellowtail crudo at Marta comes with delicate slices of apple and is topped with a hibiscus sauce.

Marta

Chef Matthew Oetting describes his menu at Marta as “stylish American cuisine with a thick Italian accent.” Reservations for his charming restaurant, covered in floral wallpaper and lined with small white tablecloth-topped tables, fill up quickly, so book well in advance. Begin with a cocktail or mocktail paired with their yellowtail crudo with green apple, pickled ginger, jicama, Calabrian chili, basil, and apple-hibiscus sauce—it is complex and an absolute joy to taste. All of their pastas are made from scratch: the Campanelle Zafferano, a lobster pasta, and the Ziti alla Bolognese, with sauce made from beef and veal, are among the fan favorites. Entrée-wise, the Ossobuco Milanese with bone marrow au jus is ideal for chilly weather. It’s the kind of restaurant that feels familiar yet refined.

Flaky, French-style pastries share the stage with Japanese-inflected sandwiches at La Maison.

La Maison by Café Dear Leon

La Maison is the new café-bakery from the team behind the trending Café Dear Leon, and it's the perfect place to stop for breakfast or lunch. Think flaky, French-style pastries, Japanese-inspired sandwiches, and a creative espresso menu featuring Baklava and carrot cake lattes. If you’re in the area in search of crab dishes, there's something for you by way of their Crab Dip Bagel—a warmed, soft bagel overstuffed with crab dip, Cajun butter, cheddar cheese, and corn. It's a viral treat beloved by locals and visitors alike. Their Crab Tamago Sando, with its mustardy, creamy egg salad and lump crab meat on Japanese milk bread, showcases the range of this bakery’s menu. For sweets, try the flaky pumpkin tart with decadent pumpkin filling.

Favorites at Neopol Smokery include the Smoked Salmon BLT, the tossed salmon salad, and New Zealand smoked mussels.

Neopol Smokery

Neopol Smokery is the kind of family-run sandwich and salad shop that makes you fall in love not only with the food but also the kind, generous people who make it. Owned by German immigrant Barbara Lahnstein and her Baltimore-native son, Dorian Brown, the concept launched at Baltimore’s farmers markets more than 30 years ago and was inspired by the smoked fish Barbara remembered from her childhood. The smoked salmon BLT and New Zealand smoked mussels are probably their most popular items, and go well together. Neopol uses their old-world style of smoking to enhance all of their meats, seafood, vegetables, and cheeses, which are sustainably and locally sourced whenever possible. I recommend stopping by their Belvedere Square Market location to explore one of Baltimore’s iconic food halls or visit their production kitchen in the Hollins Market neighborhood, where all the food is made (you may meet the owners here, smoking alongside their team).

Following a philosophy that there are 52 seasons in a year, the menu at Foraged changes on a weekly basis and may include scallops, other seafood items, and other contributions from Maryland's foodways.

Foraged

Led by chef and owner Chris Amendola, this low-lit, rustic restaurant celebrates the art of foraging and sustainable farming. Foraged’s hyper-local menu is created in collaboration with more than 15 nearby farms and foragers. Guided by the belief that there are 52 seasons in a year, the menu changes weekly. If it’s your first time visiting, I highly recommend the three- or five-course prix fixe menu to sample a range of dishes. If you have hours to spare, the nine-course Chef's Table overlooking the kitchen offers an immersive connection to Maryland’s foodways. Watch your dishes being prepared, then hear the chef describe them by your side. A must-try dish here if they have it is the Maryland blue catfish. It’s lightly crispy, served with dinosaur kale, escarole, and roasted kohlrabi in a bright lemon butter sauce.

Coastal Mediterranean by way of the Mid-Atlantic is the name of the game at Costiera, where seafood dishes reflect the coastal cuisine.

Costiera

Costiera, from chef Brian Lavin and his partners, offers a coastal Mediterranean menu using Mid-Atlantic ingredients. The restaurant space is open and bright before sunset, then the atmosphere completely shifts to moody and romantic. The whipped ricotta is fluffy, nicely salted and a great place to start. Next, get the grilled Spanish rock octopus tender, which is tender on the inside but with a slightly charred, crispy exterior. The seafood entrées reflect “coastal cuisine” and are executed beautifully, but do not miss their pastas. The roasted apple and ricotta agnolotti with braised wild boar ragù and Parmigiano, and the lumache, a mushroom bolognese with Swiss chard and Parmigiano, are both dreamy and will leave a lasting impression.

The Duchess is an English-style tavern with pink accents feminizing the otherwise woody palette.

The Duchess

The Duchess invites its guests to grab a pint, pull up a chair, and stay a while. The concept is distinct; it's an English-style tavern, woody and bustling with pink accents that feel both playful and sophisticated. Part of legendary restaurateur Tony Foreman’s portfolio, The Duchess brings together chef and co-owner Kiko Fejarang’s take on Chamorro cuisine with Foreman’s signature flair for creating transportive dining experiences. You’ll want to begin with their snacks: the garlic chili cucumber salad is beautiful and crisp, while the Spam musubi with furikake rice, soy glaze, and nori is wonderfully umami-rich. On the dinner menu, the Short Rib Kare Kare stands out—sliced, marinated short rib in a ginger-peanut sauce with chili peanuts and pickled red onion. While dining here, you might even hear the sounds of a live band adding to the tavern’s charm, and if you’re lucky, a charting artist personally flown in by Foreman himself.