Another well-known Federal Hill nightlife spot will soon be rebranded.
On Nov. 11, the first floor of Stalking Horse will debut as Whiskey Hill, a renovated space concentrating more on food than the bar, said the building's owner Marc McFaul. (McFaul, a restaurateur who owns the Ropewalk restaurants in Ocean City and Fenwick Island, said he's consulting Stalking Horse's owners — his brother, Bill McFaul, and Jen Reda — on the rebranding. As of Friday morning, Bill McFaul could not be reached for comment.)
Marc McFaul said a rebranding had been considered for the past two years. After Ropewalk Federal Hill, another restaurant owned by the McFaul family, refocused on its food a few years ago, it saw its food sales rise 50 percent, he said. The hope is to achieve something similar with Whiskey Hill, since "Stalking Horse sales have declined a little bit," he said.
"It'll be more than bar food but not fine dining," Marc McFaul said. He gave examples of kale salads, burgers made from meatloaf, and truffle fries as indicators of what to expect. Executive chef Kevin Medvecky has collaborated on the new menu with chef Frank Campanella of Ropewalk Fenwick Island.
With Whiskey Hill also comes country music, and all three floors (but especially the first) will notice more twang over the speakers, he said. When Federal Hill's Cowboys & Rednecks Pub rebranded to Wayward Southern Bar and Kitchen in May, and discarded its country music soundtrack in the process, Stalking Horse's owners saw an opportunity to pick up where they left off.
An updated bar program will offer a range of bourbons and other whiskeys.
Marc McFaul doesn't want to alarm longtime fans of Stalking Horse, which is best known for its alcoholic slushies and active dance floors on weekends. While the first floor will feel and look different (new furniture and bar tops, hardwood floors, renovated bathrooms), the top two floors will maintain their party vibes.
"We don't want to lose the business we have, but we want to evolve and create more than just late-night business on Fridays and Saturdays," he said.
Stalking Horse, which opened its doors in July 2007 in the former Green Olive space, will debut Whiskey Hill at 8 p.m. on Nov. 11.
Read more about Baltimore bars rebranding this year here.