OPEN
Ginger’s Hot Chicken: This ghost kitchen out of RegionAle in Canton—which officially debuted a few years back—recently celebrated a relaunch. RegionAle owner Kevin Curley says the idea for the hot chicken concept sprung from the fact that the Nashville hot chicken sandwich continues to be his shop’s No. 1 seller. “There are so many brands nowadays, like Dave’s Hot Chicken and Hattie B’s,” he recently told us. “It’s kind of blowing up everywhere, but there’s really not a hot chicken spot in Baltimore.”
Ginger’s specializes in hand-breaded chicken tenderloins, sliders, and curly fries (cheekily labeled as “curley” fries on the menu as a nod to the owner.) The chicken—which can be ordered in three different spice levels: Gingerly, Daywalker, and the ultra-hot Agent Orange—is brined in buttermilk overnight. The sliders arrive topped with garlic aioli, pickles, and a mayonnaise and red wine vinegar-based coleslaw on a Martin’s potato bun. Another, well, hot, menu item that Curley says has been popular: the Freckled Fries, which are loaded with chopped chicken tenders, pickles, ginger ketchup, and garlic aioli.
The name Ginger’s is a reference to Curley and his brother’s hair—they’re both redheads—and the menu is full of tributes to famous gingers. (To name a few, the hot honey sauce is dubbed Sheeran, after Ed Sheeran, and the salt and vinegar dry rub is named Ms. Frizzle, after the iconic children’s cartoon character.) For now, the spot will remain a ghost kitchen, but Curley says a standalone brick-and-mortar isn’t out of the question in the future.
Baltoz Bakery: Anneslie locals have given this new sourdough shop a warm welcome—and its popularity is catching on with pizza purists in the surrounding area, too. From owner and MICA grad Vlad Petrovski, the York Road cafe (open Wednesday through Sunday evenings) specializes in dough made with three ingredients: organic flour, sea salt, and water. From there, it’s accentuated with toppings like tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, grano padano, and pepperoni. Specialty pies include the Spicy Margherita (arrabbiata sauce, garlicky cherry tomatoes, and green chilis), the Sweet Corn and Cherry Tomato, and a vegan pizza topped with red pepper pesto and a Tuscan white bean sauce. The spot also offers an array of rotating daily breads and pastries like chocolate babka and blueberry lemon cream tarts.
The Spice & Tea Exchange of Fells Point: There’s a new storefront open on Fells Point’s main thoroughfare. The Spice & Tea Exchange of Fells Point opened in mid-February, offering loose leaf teas, handcrafted spice blends, salts, peppers, sugars, and other pantry staples. The concept is a franchise (you may have seen other Maryland locations in Annapolis or Frederick), and the Fells Point iteration comes from husband-and-wife co-owners Matt Morris and Laura Mattingly. “We have been customers for many years,” Mattingly says. “The first store we ever went to was in Asheville, North Carolina. We’re big tea drinkers—it’s something very practical that everyone enjoys.”
The store also offers its own tea bar, with many to-go options that can be made hot or iced. Mattingly says the most popular varieties so far have been Mango Tango and Lady Grey a la Creme. Salt blends on offer include Florida Sunshine made with orange, lime, lemon zest, rose petals, and peppercorns (great on seafood, Mattingly says). Patrons can also expect 30 different types of sauces, peppers, and sugars. “If you’re a home cook, love to bake, or are a tea enthusiast, there’s something here for everyone,” Mattingly says. The store is open seven days a week.
NEWS
Banditos Expands in Federal Hill: Banditos Tacos & Tequila has long been a hit in the Fed Hill neighborhood—so much so that the owners at White Oak Hospitality have announced that the flagship location is ready to expand its South Charles Street space from 3,000 to 5,000 square feet. The expansion plans, expected to be completed by late spring, call for Banditos to take over the adjacent space previously home to sister-spot 101 Baltimore, which closed on Feb. 13. When completed, the bar will feature a larger front patio and a dog-friendly patio out back. The renovation will also involve an interior facelift so that this location aligns with newer Banditos outposts in Maryland and Virginia (and one soon to open in Florida). “This location has been open since 2012, and it’s time to raise the level of experience to match our six other Banditos,” White Oak founder and CEO Sean White said in a press release. He added that Banditos Fed Hill will remain open during construction, which will “occur in phases to eliminate as much disruption as possible.”
EPICUREAN EVENTS
3/9: Atwater’s Pizza Pop-Up
This local cafe chain is (deep?) dishing out something new. On Friday, March 9, Atwater’s in Catonsville will host a pizza pop-up from 6-9 p.m. Diners can expect live music from Mallow Hill, a peek at the cafe’s renovated bar area, and—of course—scratch-made pies. Atwater’s shared a sneak peek of the menu on Instagram, which includes varieties like the Three Cheese with mozzarella, parmesan, and provolone; the Roni Pie with uncured pepperoni and hot honey; and the Kale Parmigiana with dinosaur kale and ricotta. No tickets are required.
SHUT
Full Tilt Brewing: Sad news out of Govans: Full Tilt Brewing, from cousin co-owners Nick Fertig and Dan Baumiller, announced on social media this week that March 12 will be its final day of operation. “We did everything we could, but sadly we are closing our doors,” Fertig and Baumiller wrote, adding: “We wouldn’t recommend anyone open a taproom right before COVID-19 and crippling inflation, but we fought as hard as we possibly could because we love this company, and we love you all.” Although Full Tilt’s taproom opened in 2019, Fertig and Baumiller have been brewing together since 2008. The duo spent six years contract brewing out of Peabody Heights’ facility before they opened a taproom of their own. In the next two weeks, they advise Baltimoreans to “drink our beer, eat our food, play our games, listen to our music, and tip our staff. That’s all we ask.”