Let’s face it: everyone loves to eat out. But what will the state of dining out be like in America in 2026?
We know that health-conscious dining will be a major focus, with many menus expanding their plant-based and allergen-friendly options, as well as still offering animal-based products.
But it all can get a bit confusing and disorienting. Certain phrases are thrown around a lot, defining dining choices as people in recent years have become more aware and concerned about what they put into their bodies.
Farm-to-table, of course, is the practice of sourcing food directly from local farms. But these days, alternative terminologies — such as locally sourced, home-grown, plant-based, plant-forward and artisanal — are used more frequently in restaurants and eateries.
There’s also the “food as medicine” movement, a fast-growing approach in health care that integrates nutritional food to prevent, manage and treat illnesses. Instead of viewing food only as sustenance, this movement recognizes that what people eat profoundly impacts their health and wellness.
Meanwhile, many restaurants continue to add carnivorous options to their menus, reflecting consumer preferences. Many diners still seek high-protein options, including meat. But this has led to the plant-forward trend, where the emphasis is on serving nutritious vegetables while meat, fish, eggs and dairy are included in smaller portions.
Of course, back when I was a kid, all these options weren’t available or even considered. But today, when you dine out with family and friends, how many times have you heard, “Do they have gluten-free?” or “I’m a vegan.” That’s why having different menu options is so critical these days. It’s called “the hospitality industry” for a reason, folks — because dining out should always be an all-inclusive, highly enjoyable experience.
In other words, give the people what they want. And the Baltimore area’s thriving and vibrant culinary scene is no exception.
Gobble It Up
Thanksgiving is coming up. Don’t feel like cooking all day and missing out on quality time with your family? Rye Street Tavern is celebrating the holiday with an à la carte menu available exclusively on Thanksgiving Day.
Enjoy a traditional turkey dinner, sliced white and dark meat, sausage—sage stuffing, mashed potatoes, glazed sweet potatoes, green beans, turkey gravy and cranberry sauce.
Located at 225 East Cromwell Street at Baltimore Peninsula, Rye Street is waterfront dining at its very best.
Mazel Tovs All Around!
Congrats to Nancy by SNAC, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary.
The Station North Arts Cafe is named after Nancy Haragan, a longtime supporter of the local arts scene. The café’s owner is Kevin Brown, also known as “Downtown Kevin Brown” because of his deep connections to Baltimore’s downtown arts and cultural scene. The anniversary is bittersweet as Brown’s husband and business partner, Bill Maughlin, passed away in September of 2023.
Nancy by SNAC serves all-day breakfast, including cornbread waffles, Chef Bill’s Jumbo Shrimp Salad Sandwich and North Carolina pulled BBQ.
Check out this unique gathering spot and support a small local business while raising a cup of their in-house iced lemon ginger tea with mint and lemon in memory of Chef Bill.
Also, congratulations to The Wren, a small pub in Fells Point recently recognized as the only Maryland restaurant named to The New York Times’ 2025 list of America’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Previously, Little Donna’s in Fells Point made the list in 2023 and Ammoora on Key Highway last year.
That’s three years in a row for Charm City eateries!
Get Hipp Again
Formerly the Hipp Café, the Hipp Club is located inside the Hippodrome Theatre at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center. It reopened and rebranded after being closed for more than five years.
The Hipp Club will serve an array of dishes including charcuterie boards, grilled summer salads, baked chicken cavatappi marsala and their popular “cro’gel” sandwiches.
Their cro’gel motto is, Croissants are delicious, bagels are tasty. So they shaped the croissant dough into a bagel and, voila! the cro’gel was born.
Desserts at the Hipp Club include the Smith Island Baking Company’s eight-layer cakes, petite sweets and a jumbo chocolate chip cookie platter. Specialty cocktails, beer and selected wines are also available.
FYI, Dustin Claypools, the Hipp Club’s director of culinary operations, works closely with Aaron Kushner, partner and general manager of MeatCrafters Inc. in Landover, to provide farmer-raised, chef-crafted products, including beef and chicken sausage, salamis, charcuterie and lamb.
In other local restaurant news, Liv’s Tavern recently opened at 1113 South Charles Street in the former spot of Mother’s Federal Hill Grille. Mother’s was a very popular hangout before and after Ravens games. New restaurant, same famous purple patio.
Meanwhile, Spike Gjerde, the James Beard Award-winning chef and restaurateur, recently opened La Jetée, a Provencal bistro in the waterfront Canopy by Hilton Baltimore Harbor Point hotel.
La Jetée is located in the spot formerly occupied by Cindy Lou’s Fish House. Menu items include Chesapeake crabcake frisee, bacon, fennel, hazelnuts and steak frites, as well as grilled and basted New York strip steak, charred shishito peppers, sauce verte, and frites, with mustard vinaigrette.
Randi Rom is president of RJ Rom & Associates. She is a freelance columnist and writer who represents some of the region’s top restaurants and food-related events. Contact her at randirom@comcast.net.
Stuffed vegetables invite creativity, but there are some "rules" when it comes to cooking. Vered Guttman shares six veggie-stuffing tips.
On this episode of "The Food Enthusiast," Dara Bunjon talks with Anne-Marie Bonneau, author of "The Zero-Waste Chef."
This roasted eggplant recipe from Elite Jakob is easy, quick and delicious, perfect as a side dish, for brunch or next to fish or chicken or meat dishes.
Dara Bunjon talks with wine aficionado Zena Polin, proprietor of Beauty Champagne and Sugar Boutique and co-host of the "When You Just Want a Glass of Wine" podcast.