Acropolis
4718 Eastern Ave., (410) 675-3384,acropolisbaltimore.com
$$, L, D
All the classics are here: You got your lamb, your veal, your chicken souvlaki. It’s the lamb selections and the seafood menu where you’ll find what Acropolis does best.
Annabel Lee Tavern
601 S. Clinton St., (410) 522-2929,annabelleetavern.com
$$, D, Out, 10 p.m.
This little corner tavern named for an Edgar Allan Poe poem is a handsome space to enjoy a beer and good conversation. The menu has tasty upscale fare—duck-fat fries and Kobe beef sliders—without hitting your wallet with upscale prices. Brunch and lunch on Sundays.
Bay Café
2809 Boston St., (410) 522-3377,baycafecanton.com
$$$, L, D, BR, P, Out
Waterfront dining with a laid-back atmosphere and a solid selection of seafood, burgers, pizzas, and the like—a good spot for taking mom and dad when they’re in town.
Bistro Rx
2901 E. Baltimore St., (410) 276-0820,bistrorx.net
$$$, D, Br, Out, 10 p.m., R
With a list of more than 40 varieties of wine, both red and white, this is a great joint for oenophiles of all stripes. But the creative menu of pub fare will suit most anybody.
Blue Hill Tavern
938 S. Conkling St., (443) 388-9363, bluehilltavern.com
$$$, L, D, Out, R
Blue Hill, under the watchful eye of Mr. Boh on Conkling Street, features some pretty gourmet entrees for adventurous palates. We’re talking seared pork belly and foie gras and seared pecan-crusted tuna. But there’s also creative takes on staples such as the tavern burger and pork tenderloin.
Bo Brooks
2780 Lighthouse Point, (410) 558-0202, bobrooks.com
$$$, L, D, Out, R
With Obrycki’s shuttering, the number of great crab houses in the city is dwindling. Fortunately, you can get Maryland’s signature dish at Bo Brooks, along with terrific views of the harbor.
Canton Dockside
3301 Boston St., (410) 276-8900, cantondockside.com
$$$, L, D, Br, Out
This place is going to be super-slammed once the shopping center with the Target opens up nearby because the steamed crabs are legit. Better stop in while the getting’s good.
Captain James Crabhouse and Restaurant
2127 Boston St., (410) 327-8600, captainjameslanding.com
$$$, B, L, D, Out, 10 p.m.
In case you didn’t already know, this is that big, ship-shaped building on Boston Street. If you never ventured inside, you should, because the cap’n serves up generous portions all around—lobster tails, New York strip steak, uh, fake ships—you name it.
Claddagh Pub
2918 O’Donnell St., (410) 522-4220, claddaghonline.com
$$$, L, D, Br, Out, 10 p.m.
This Irish pub has standard bar food, highlighted by really good wings. But there’s also fancier fare, such as the New York strip au poivre and shrimp fra diavolo. Don’t sleep on the brunch.
Di Pasquale’s
3700 Gough St., (410) 276-6787, dipasquales.com
$, L
This real-deal Italian market and deli is full of treasures, including the salads, meats, cheeses, spreads, and especially the insanely good sandwiches, like the “old world Italian,” with soppressata, dry-cured capicola, prosciutto, fontinella cheese, tomato, and house-made olive spread on foccacia.
Eichenkranz Restaurant
611 S. Fagley St., (410) 563-7577, eichenkranz.com
$$, B, L, D
Sure, there are plenty of seafood, poultry, and beef entrees at Eichenkranz. But this is one of the few German restaurants in town! Be sure to go in on some of the schnitzel, wurst, or any of the other house specialties.
Fork and Wrench
2332 Boston St., (443) 759-9360, theforkandwrench.com
$$$, Br, D
The steampunk-themed decor and antique lightbulbs create a suitable ambiance for this edgy newcomer to the Canton scene. Adventurous appetizers include beef tartare-cum-quail egg as well as seared foie gras.
Geckos
2318 Fleet St., (410), 732-1961, geckosonline.com
$$, L, D, P, 10 p.m.
The Southwestern-inspired eateries on Hampden’s Avenue get all the attention, but this spot in Canton is not to be missed. The Santa Fe-inspired joint serves up fresh food and offers good options for vegetarians.
Ikaros
4901 Eastern Ave., (410) 633-3750, ikarosrestaurant.com
$$, L, D, Out, R
We named this the “Best Greek Restaurant” in 2010, and it hasn’t done anything to lose favor with us. They ace all the classics—Greek salad, stuffed grape leaves, braised lamb—and have killer baklava for dessert.
Jack’s Bistro
3123 Elliott St., (410) 878-6542, jacksbistro.net
$$$, D, 10 p.m.
This restaurant offers dishes with a bit of an eclectic feel, such as the ground-bacon BLT burger that contains no beef, and pasta with ground Colorado lamb.
Langermann’s
2400 Boston St., (410) 534-3287, langermanns.com
$$$, L, D, Br, P, Out
Located in the Can Company building, this restaurant shows its Southern bona fides with fried green tomatoes, shrimp and grits, barbecue spare ribs, cornbread, and more.
Looney’s Pub
2900 O’Donnell St., (410) 675-9235, looneyspubmd.com
$$, L, D, Br, Out, 10 p.m.
With outposts as far out as Bel Air and College Park now under the Looney’s umbrella, it’s clear they’re doing something right. You won’t find too much beyond the standard bar fare, but what they serve is cheap and pretty good.
Mama’s on the Half Shell
2901 O’Donnell St., (410) 276-3160, mamasmd.com
$$$, L, D, Br, Out, 10 p.m.
A classic-style oyster house where you can get your oysters grilled, fried, on the half shell, on horseback, or as part of peppercorn-flavored oyster stew. Also home to some of the best crushes in the city.
Matthew’s Pizza
3131 Eastern Ave., (410) 276-8755, matthewspizza.com
$, L, D
If heading to Matthew’s—the go-to spot for pizza in Baltimore—stick with the delicious thick-crust pie that established the restaurant’s legend.
MoonShine Tavern
2300 Boston St., (410) 327-6455, bmoreshine.com
$$, D, Br, 10 p.m.
Taking over the old Gin Mill space, this Prohibition-themed establishment adopts a New American-meets-Southern slant. Try the bread pudding-stuffed chicken with Belgian waffles. Lunch is served on weekends.
Morning Edition Café
153 N. Patterson Park Ave., (410) 732-5133
$$, B, Br
It may take a while to get a table at this breakfast/brunch spot, but the Benedicts, omelets, French toast, and pancakes are worth the wait.
Nacho Mama’s
2907 O’Donnell St., (410) 675-0898, nachomamascanton.com
$$, L, D, 10 p.m.
With shrines to both Elvis and Mr. Boh, this restaurant is charming, if not kitschy. Its menu—Mexican food with a Cajun twist—hits the spot, and the margaritas are not to be missed.
Of Love and Regret
1028 S. Conkling St., (410) 327-0760, ofloveandregret.com
$$, D, Br, 10 p.m.
This recent addition to Brewers Hill complements local brewer Brian Strumke’s ales with ingredient-heavy concoctions like duck confit mac and cheese, and curried chickpea chole. Lunch on Friday and Saturday.
Plug Ugly’s Publick House
2908 O’Donnell St., (410) 563-8459, pluguglyspub.com
$$, L, D, BR
Named for the 19th century, politically minded street gang, this pub actually has a welcoming atmosphere to go along with its long draft beer list and a menu that features pub favorites and house-made soup and sausage.
Portside Tavern
2821 O’Donnell St., (410) 522-7678, portsidetavern.com
$$, D, Br, Out, 10 p.m.
Enjoy tavern fare that takes cues from local flavors—including the Baltimore mussels, covered in Old Bay, garlic, herbs, and a broth cooked with a local IPA.
Rosina Gourmet
2819 O’Donnell St., (410) 675-9300, rosinagourmet.com
$, B, L
Rosina is a lunch spot that offers sandwiches you’ve come to know and love but with fancy accoutrements such as homemade tomato sauce, black-olive tapenade, and Jarlsberg Swiss cheese, to name a few.
Samos Restaurant
600 Oldham St., (410) 675-5292, samosrestaurant.com.
$$, L, D, BYOB
It can be tough to get a seat in this tiny joint, but the calamari, gyros, dolmades, and everything else—holy Greek salad, Batman!—is worth the wait, as you’ll see when you step foot inside and smell the aromas coming from the open kitchen.
Saute
2844 Hudson St., (410) 327-2883, sauteofbaltimore.com
$$$, L, D, Br, Out, R
We’re quite taken with the space this Canton restaurant calls home. The food? It’s a lot of fare you’ll see on menus across town, but with enough creativity to warrant repeat visits. Lunch on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday only.
Shiso Tavern
2933 O’Donnell St., (410) 276-8800, shisotavern.com
$$, L, D
Filling the sushi void in Canton Square, Shiso Tavern doesn’t have the most sprawling selection of rolls and sashimi in town, but its specialty offerings are carefully cultivated and by all accounts delicious.
Speakeasy Saloon and Dining House
2840 O’Donnell St., (410) 276-2977, speakeasysaloon.com
$$, L, D, Br, Out
Housed in a beautiful space, this bar and restaurant offers pub fare along with fancier entrees, including several veal dishes.
Tavern On the Square
2903 O’Donnell St., (410) 675-1880, tavernoncantonsquare.com
$$, L, D, BR
With a menu that travels all over the world, the sandwiches, paninis, wraps, soups, pizza, and entrees offer a little something for everyone.
Zorba’s
4710 Eastern Ave., (410) 276-4484
$$, D, 10 p.m.
Like most Greek restaurants, Zorba’s is not the place for vegetarians: You can see the hunks of crispy meat glistening on the rotisserie from the first-floor dining room. Order the kontosouvli and watch them shave off succulent slices of pork.
