The 5 Best Restaurants in Baltimore, According to a Local

After living in Baltimore for five years, these are the city’s best restaurants, according to yours truly!

Thames Street Oyster House is a Baltimore classic. This waterfront eatery serves Mid-Atlantic seafood inside a historic rowhouse in charming Fells Point. It has an à la carte raw bar featuring 10+ kinds of oysters daily. In addition to menu staples, including their famous lobster roll, crab cake, and dulce de leche bread pudding, Thames offers seasonal and daily specials, like bouillabaisse on Fridays and whole fish on Saturdays, using the highest-quality, local ingredients. You don’t have to be a seafood lover to enjoy this place. I don’t like oysters or raw seafood (sadly), yet Thames is still one of my favorite restaurants in Baltimore. I love their meat dishes on Mondays, desserts, and the highly-trained staff.

The Helmand is an Afghan restaurant in Mount Vernon that’s been one of the best restaurants in Baltimore for three decades. It’s decorated with art, textiles, and antiques from Afghanistan and owned by the brother of former Afghan President Hamid Karzai. The dishes are incredibly flavorful and always consistent. Everyone loves the pan-fried pumpkin in a garlic yogurt sauce as an appetizer. My favorite dish is the Lamb Lawand, served with a knock-out cilantro sauce. Most of the servers and bussers at The Helmand have been there for many years, which is always a good sign, and provide excellent service.

Clavel is a crazy popular taqueria and mezcalería in an industrial area of Baltimore. People have been lining out front to snag a table at this no-reservation eatery for years. I’ve never been blown away by their tacos (I am a total Mexican food snob from California!), though I do love their fried cheese with chorizo. But Clavel is about the sum of its parts, unlike the other restaurants on this list. The bar’s been nominated several times for a James Beard award and features an extensive list of quality mezcals (you can do a tasting!). On top of that, the space is beautifully designed by local powerhouse Lane Harlan. With a trendy vibe and dim lighting, Clavel is a top spot for good food and drinks with friends or a date.

Local Tip: One of the reasons Clavel has been so successful despite its out-of-the-way location is that it’s a block from WC Harlan, also owned by Lane Harlan. WC Harlan is the best cocktail bar in the city. Its 1920s-style interior is absolutely gorgeous. The Clavel and WC Harlan combo is the perfect night out.

Little Donna’s opened recently in 2021 and became famous locally after the New York Times featured it on its 2023 list of the nation’s most exciting restaurants and 2024 best pizza places in the country. Little Donna’s hasn’t yet stood the test of time, but it’s a neighborhood gem so far. A big part of Little Donna’s charm is its intimate setting inside a beautifully decorated 120-year-old rowhouse. The owner and seasoned chef, Robbie Tutlewski, lives upstairs with his family. He serves Eastern European small plates inspired by his Yugoslavian grandmother, who taught him to cook, and Midwestern-style taverna pizzas.

Ekiben is an Asian-Ethiopian eatery with bold flavors. It started with three chefs selling their food from a hotdog cart in 2014. Ekiben now has three locations in Baltimore and a food truck that serves its dishes at the city’s farmers markets. Ekiben offers steamed buns, rice bowls, and side dishes, like tempura broccoli and tofu nuggets. In 2023, one of Ekiben’s chefs was a James Beard semifinalist in the Mid-Atlantic category. With limited high-top seating, Ekiben is ideal for a quick bite to eat or takeout.