Fells Point

Everyone's favorite frozen yogurt shop has a great location in the center of Fells Point, but somewhat less great hours; you'll need to get there before it closes as early as 9PM! Fresh fruit for toppings.

Great gelato—even a step up from Vaccaro's—in a friendly shop. They take their ingredients quite seriously, ordering milk and eggs fresh from a local farm, and using only organic fruit.

Jimmy's Restaurant

Jimmy's is a no-nonsense greasy-spoon diner right in the middle of Fells Point. There isn't much to distinguish it from any other good greasy-spoon, with the big exception being, of course, its location—a great spot for a cheap breakfast in the neighborhood.

Blue Moon

A kitschy-trendy all day breakfast restaurant, know best for its audacious Cap'n Crunch french toast and long lines for weekend breakfast. The lines are actually bad enough to the point of ruling it out as a good weekend option. Unsurprisingly, the place is also very popular with the late-night after-bar crowd on weekends.

"EAT BERTHA'S MUSSELS." The famous slogan is mostly true, the mussels at this would-be tourist trap are indeed really good, while the rest of the menu is a little weak. Perhaps the number one reason to come, besides the magnetic fame, though, is simply for the famous bumper stickers that come with every meal! Frequent good live jazz—check the website for dates.

A nice upscale tapas bar, with great food, but somewhat hurried service and a lot of noise—it's a big, crowded place with vaulted ceilings. The restaurant is quite fashionable, so be sure to dress nicely. If you don't mind the noise, you'll have a great meal.

This is an excellent upscale seafood restaurant that nary a tourist has heard of. Classy, but not formal. There is a light Greek influence, like the delicious hummus and olives up front, but you'll find the regular upscale Baltimore seafood dishes on offer as well.

Profoundly cozy, this pub serves up big portions of comfort food, including surprisingly well prepared steak. Friendly bartenders seal the deal. But be sure to make reservations on weekends if your group is five or larger, or simply get there early, as the place gets packed.

An upscale, dressy, Mediterranean-centric seafood restaurant with a menu much more diverse than the usual Baltimore seafood fare. Expect romantic atmosphere, attentive service, and great bronzino.

An upscale, trendy gastro pub of sorts in an unusual location in Upper Fells Point. The goat cheese donuts and duck fat french fries are the stars of the show, garnering rave reviews from all over the city. Parking is a bit of a pain, so taxis may be in order, if you are not up for a longer walk.

Aldo's has a good claim to best Italian in Little Italy, but the world-class quality of cooking and service and the beautiful interior come with a very high price tag. The seafood in particular is excellent, but it is hard to go wrong here. If you want to leave Baltimore feeling that the high end cuisine in the city is just as spectacular as its low-end, this restaurant is an excellent choice. Also a good bet for private dining several rooms, the largest seating up to 40 guests.

Cafe Gia

This small, colorful restaurant's food is universally well received. Portions are small and modern, so don't skip the appetizer. The one misstep is pretty clearly the service, which, while knowledgeable and pleasant, is slow.

It is all too easy to walk into an overpriced tourist trap in Little Italy, but that's why you brought this travel guide, right? Amiccis is one of the clear favorites, having won "best Italian restaurant" categories in various years across multiple Baltimore journals/websites. The setting seems somewhat fancy, but the atmosphere is decidedly casual and informal. Portions are enormous, wine flows plentifully, prices reasonable, and those mixed drinks are stiff. They also have a nice new bar, which is a solid after hours option in the area.

If you are looking for the best authentic Mexican tacos in Baltimore, you've found them. It's worth wondering, though, why a Sinaloan tortillería wouldn't have tacos with birria, but it's not worth complaining about when the tacos are so good. This is also just about the only place in the area to get pancita aka, menudo, Mexican tripe soup, if you're either craving it, or just have a Fells Point induced hangover to cure.

Restaurante El Trovador

Skip the mediocre Mexican menu entries, and head straight for the Salvadoran pupusas and soups. The soups in particular are wildly popular with the local Latino community, and are the more adventurous, foodie-friendly option. This is also pretty clearly the most gringo-friendly Latino restaurant in the area, with white tablecloths inviting those a little wary of the divier cantinas and carryouts, as well as some stiff margaritas.

Carolina's Restaurant

Carolina's is an odd mix of this and that, but primarily dubbed Tex-Mex. That's often a sign of poor quality, but this is absolutely not the case here. The Salvadoran pupusas are a great cheap option for take out or dine in fantastic comfort food—thick maize tortillas stuffed with cheese, meat, beans, etc. and topped with pickled cabbage and mild red salsa, and the Cuban sandwiches are the best in town. Again, a little surprising for a "Tex-Mex" restaurant, their signature dish is baby back ribs!

Cabanita's Chicken

Succulent, moist-to-the-bone Peruvian pollo a la brasa spiced roast chicken, served fast and cheap, is more than reason enough to come by. It's also a healthier option for the Fells Point area, with especially good salad with aji homemade spicy salsa and ceviche assorted raw fish "cooked" in lime. It's a simple little hole-in-the-wall, replacing the famed Rinconcito Peruano.