For anyone new to Baltimore, and for anyone who’s been around for a few years but wants to change up their food routine, here’s a tour of some of the restaurants you might have been missing near the off-campus stops of the JHMI shuttle route.
Medical Campus
Atwater’s Café – $$
855 N Wolfe Street
Atwater’s will satisfy just about any craving you could be struck with during just about any season. Full breakfast plates and cappuccinos give way to corn chowder, cheeseburgers, Scottish pies and ice cream. There are plenty of options for food on the go, including sandwiches served on Atwater’s’ homestyle breads (which they also sell by the loaf).
Peabody
Dooby’s – $$
802 N Charles Street
Dooby’s sits on the opposite side of the Washington Monument from the Peabody Institute and Library. This Korean-inspired café doesn’t cut any corners, either on quality or design, and the interior of exposed brick and local artwork is almost as inviting as the pork buns, ramen and avocado toast.
The Helmand – $$
806 N Charles Street
Right next door to Dooby’s, the Helmand has been a Baltimore staple for the last 25 years. Serving fine Afghan cuisine, the restaurant is ideal for date night or post-midterm celebration. Owned by Qayum Karzai, the elder brother of former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, The Helmand features dishes perfectly spiced with everything from cardamon to sun-dried apricot.
The Bun Shop – $
239 W Read Street
Come for the buns, stay for the Vietnamese coffee. The Bun Shop is open until 3 a.m. if you’re looking to get some serious studying done. Yes, the coffee is that strong (and smooth), and the ham and Gruyère pastries are that motivational.
Penn Station
Brewer’s Art – $$$ Upstairs,
$$ Downstairs
1106 N Charles Street
This dual-level restaurant has a bar on each floor, serving up their house beers on tap alongside delicious food both upstairs and down. Despite the name, Brewer’s Art isn’t just about the beer. Their rosemary garlic fries are the perfect bar food, and their creative entrées are just as delicious if you’re looking to splurge.
Tapas Teatro – $$
1711 N Charles Street
Tapas Teatro is a high-energy small plates restaurant directly adjoining The Charles Theatre. The small-plates format makes this a flexible place to stop for both light meals and hours-long conversations over ingredients as diverse as quail eggs and spicy croquettes. Plus, it’s a great late-night stop-off for anyone on the way back to campus from D.C. (especially on Tuesdays, when sangria pitchers are only $10).
Station North
Lost City Diner – $$
1730 N Charles Street
Only a few feet further toward North Avenue than Tapas Teatro, Lost City embraces and embodies the diner aesthetic, with great milkshakes, burgers, late-night pancakes and a chrome rocket ship hanging from the ceiling.
Red Emma’s – $
30 W North Avenue
The worker cooperative Red Emma’s is one of the jewels of the Station North area, describing themselves as “radical” and their food as “socially responsible.” More specifically, they serve vegan and vegetarian food like falafel platters and blackberry and cream cakes, along with monthly salad and pasta specials. Keep an eye on their calendar for events from poetry readings to discussions about mosquito biology.
27th Street
Charmington’s – $
2601 N Howard Street
Charmington’s is a wonderfully out-of-the-way place for coffee and to get work done. Communal tables and “Powerhouse” sandwiches will keep you going when the drink specials like Lavender Hot Chocolate just aren’t enough.
Parts & Labor – $$$
2600 N Howard Street
The butcher shop portion of Parts & Labor sells locally sourced, pasture-raised meats, and the quality comes through in their restaurant fare as well. Lunch is served through the butcher shop, and the restaurant side serves dinner, including a range of their best cuts and cheese boards.
