It’s another weekend, which means Baltimore will become livelier than the ordinary weekdays. For some reason and a bit of tradition, weekends in Baltimore is something people, both locals and tourists in the city look forward to. Well, can’t blame them though, for weekends are the times where events, discounts, and promos usually happen city-wide.
Rodlyn-Mae Banting of Baltimore Magazine made a list of the weekend line-up, the best things to do in Baltimore over the weekend. If you’re looking for some great place to eat, drink, relax, this recommendation might just be for you.
Weekend Lineup: March 15-17
The best things to do in Baltimore this weekend.
Image Courtesy of DuClaw Brewing Company
Between the parades, restaurant specials, and pub crawls in our St. Patrick’s Day Roundup, it might be hard to come out the other end of this weekend without feeling a bit green. If you want to avoid the shamrock-clad crowds, check out these alternative events happening around town.
EAT March 16: Drag Me To Brunch
El Bufalo Tequila Bar & Kitchen, 2921 O’Donnell St. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. $20
We can’t think of a better way to start the St. Patrick’s Day weekend shenanigans than with a good ol’ fashioned drag brunch. After noshing on Tex-Mex brunch dishes like spicy chorizo omelets and breakfast tacos, dance along with local queens like Sarah ‘Nade, Virya Shavasana, and Victoria Bohmore as they sashay around El Bufalo Tequila Bar & Kitchen. With bottomless mimosas, tequila sunrises, and Bloody Marys flowing throughout the show, you’re guaranteed to be dragging your feet once it’s time to go back out to the Canton Square.
This weekend marks the release of DuClaw Brewing’s unicorn-themed beer in support of the city’s LGBTQ community, and their team of brewers is kicking off the celebration (literally) with an ode to Baltimore Pride’s annual high-heel race. Venture out to Rosedale to participate in a one-of-a-kind 20-meter dash to honor the brand-new glittery ale, Sour Me Unicorn Farts, and then spend the rest afternoon enjoying live music and eats from local food trucks. Show the crowd of onlookers what stilettos are made for and trade in your sweat for 16 ounces of shimmer at the finish line.
SEE March 16-April 13: Louie’s Cafe Bookstore Exhibition
Before Station North’s worker-owned Red Emma’s Bookstore Coffeehouse, there was Louie’s, a beloved bookstore cafe which was the first of its kind when it opened in 1981. This Charles Street staple served as a hub for Baltimore’s artist community, and now, 20 years after its closing, 25 of Louie’s previously featured artists are hanging their masterpieces on the walls of the Creative Alliance to revive the glory of this cultural epicenter. Whether you’re a former patron or just want to revel in this piece of local history, experience its opening on Saturday night and stick around for eats by James Beard Award-winning chef Spike Gjerde and tunes by Ava Oelke with Swing Theory.
Whether you’re looking for someplace to eat, drink or entertainment then the above-mentioned places in Baltimore are the best place to go. There are also other important events in Baltimore that will commence over the weekend. Kit Pollard listed some of these events in her article at Baltimore Fishbowl.
Hot Plate: St. Patrick’s Day Festivities, Epoch Rye Release, New Chefs at Michael’s Cafe and Hotel Revival and More
Photo Courtesy of Baltimore Fishbowl
Whether or not you’re a fan of corned beef and beer, this week should be a fun one. From St. Patrick’s Day festivities to Italian wine to a magical meal, there’s a little something for everyone.
Openings and announcements
Sometime around late spring/early summer, Boiler Room will open in the Baltimore Highlands area near Highlandtown. The restaurant, which will be located in a historic old boiler room, will be located near Monument City Brewing Company.
Have you heard about Il Palio? It opened quietly last summer and has recently started to kick into high gear. The Owings Mills restaurant, which specializes in Italian fare, including pizzas, has a lot of fun events coming up, so now’s a good time to check it out.
Michael’s Café’s new White Marsh-Middle River location in Greenleigh at Crossroads has opened and the restaurant group, which also includes the original location in Timonium, has a new executive chef: Josh Vecchiolla. Chef Vecchiolla is terrific, and most recently helmed the kitchen at Towson Tavern; before that, he was a sous chef at Parts & Labor. It’ll be exciting to see what he brings to the Michael’s establishments.
Hotel Revival also has a few new announcements, including bringing Lindsay Chapon on as the new director of food and beverage and the highly talented chef Scott Hines, who has recently been appointed executive chef. Both oversee the hotel’s three dining and drinking establishments: Topside, Square Meal and B-Side Cocktails and Karaoke.
St. Patrick’s festivities
Though the festivities started weeks ago, St. Patrick’s official day of celebration is finally here on Sunday. The holiday means that local bars and restaurants have big, green plans all weekend long. Click here to read the rest of this post…
A lot of these activities are among the most looked forward to events by Baltimore locals and tourists as well. St. Patrick’s Day celebration may have started a week ago, but its official day of celebration will be on Sunday, so expect a huge number of people to flock in Baltimore and local bars and restaurants to have big green plans throughout the weekend.
Lauren Cohen of Baltimore Magazine also shared a couple of interesting stories about popular restaurants in Baltimore and what’s the latest trends about these awesome restaurants. Read the article below to learn more.
Open & Shut: Mason’s Lobster Rolls; The Pikes is Back; Chef Changes
The latest restaurant openings, closings, and recent news.
Image Credits: Baltimore Magazine
OPEN
Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls: This Annapolis staple changed the game when it brought its signature lobster rolls to Belvedere Square in 2017. The Northern expansion was so well received, that Mason’s has now debuted a second Baltimore outpost in the Inner Harbor. Founder Dan Beck, a veteran seafood buyer who spent more than 20 years getting to know New England lobstermen, packs Mason’s buttery buns with hearty chunks of meat hauled from the waterways of Maine. The new Harborplace eatery features rolls served both classic (warm with melted butter) or salad (chilled meat with mayo, celery, and lemon) style, along with lobster mac and cheese and classic clam chowder. Mason’s adds a much-needed dining option to the Inner Harbor area, which lost Five Guys, M&S Grill, Noodles & Co., and Brio Tuscan Grill all within the past year. 201 E. Pratt St. 443-453-9664
NEWS
Bmore Licks: As temperatures creep up into the 60s this week, we couldn’t have asked for a better time for this Patterson Park sweets shop to reopen for the season. Bmore Licks took its annual winter hiatus after the holidays to test new recipes and spruce up the interior. Now, it’s back just in time for spring with plenty of soft-serve, snowballs, donuts, dessert nachos, and ice cream scoops to go around. Among the new featured flavors to look out for is the St. Patrick’s Day-inspired “Magically Delicious,” made with a sweet cream base and lots of colorful Lucky Charms marshmallows. 2437 Eastern Ave. 410-732-5425
NextAct Cinema at The Pikes: Pikesville locals were ecstatic when the landmark Pikes Theatre, one of the oldest in the area with roots dating back to 1938, reopened in full force earlier this month. Now operating as NextAct Cinema, the renovated facility boasts two intimate screening rooms, stadium seating, accompanying plush blankets, a full lobby bar, and updated concession areas with digital menu screens. Perhaps the greatest perk: guests who arrive 30 minutes prior to showtime can order wine, beer, popcorn, candy, or a full meal from the adjacent Pikes Cinema Bar and Grill to have delivered straight to their seats. The menu at includes quick-turnaround bites such as sliders, personal pizzas, quesadillas, soups, salads, and chicken tenders. The first wave of showings includes Captain Marvel, Us, and How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. 921 Reisterstown Rd. 443-548-3783. Learn more here…
These and many more events are to be expected this weekend in Baltimore. For tourists who have been to Charm city a couple of times, this place is a food haven because of its wide selection of restaurants to eat and chill.
