OPEN
Wye Oak Tavern: When we last wrote about celeb chef Bryan Voltaggio in July, he had announced the closure of his Frederick fine-dining destination Thacher & Rye. He shared that the space had become The Ordinary Hen with new ownership at the helm, and that he was helping the restaurant transition while simultaneously working on a new project. Now, that new project, Wye Oak Tavern, has come to fruition.
Billed as a modern tavern and seasonal steakhouse, Wye Oak is now open inside the new Visitation Hotel Frederick—the first hotel in downtown Frederick in 50 years. The concept comes from Bryan and his brother Michael Voltaggio (both Top Chef alums), marking their first joint project in their hometown. Expect a menu featuring Mid-Atlantic flavors and ingredients that focuses on steaks (including dry-aged cuts), pastas, seafood, and local game.
Although the food is certainly the star at Wye Oak, the interior design is not far behind. Originally an 1800s convent and Catholic school for girls, the building that houses the hotel has been transformed by real estate developers into a 65-room property. There are, of course, updates to the structure, but the goal was to preserve its grandeur.
That’s easy to see at Wye Oak, which features soaring ceilings, stained glass windows, and a decades-old church organ on the balcony. The design also showcases pewter accents, tree-ring details, and nature-inspired paintings from local artist Jenny Wilson that serve as a nod to the name. (Wye Oak derives from what was once the country’s largest white oak in Talbot County.)
“When we started seeing people come from different parts of the country to dine in the restaurant [Volt, which became Thacher & Rye], the one thing that was underserved was the full experience—like a place to stay,” Bryan recently told The Washington Post.
And yes, he confirmed to the paper that Volt/Thacher & Rye’s signature golden sage ravioli made the journey to the Wye Oak menu. Whew!
GoatBar: ICYMI—social media recently sent this new(ish) speakeasy into local virality. GoatBar opened in September and comes from the minds behind Bondhouse Kitchen in Fells Point. The new bar is even located adjacent to Bondhouse on Aliceanna Street. Expect a menu of curated cocktails inspired by the 1920s, including a vanilla vodka espresso martini; a spicy paloma; and a Harbor Mule with vodka, velvet falernum, lime, and ginger beer. There’s an extensive list of mocktails, too.
The bar has two specials starting today running until Dec. 28: the Spiced Pear Delight with spiced rum, pear nectar, lemon juice, and cinnamon simple syrup; and the Cozy Citrus with fresh grapefruit juice, rosemary honey syrup, and tonic water.
COMING SOON
Slutty Vegan: The time has almost come. Popular vegan burger bar Slutty Vegan is set to hold its grand opening at Baltimore Peninsula in South Baltimore on Saturday, Dec. 21. The concept will anchor Rye Street Market, the mixed-use office, retail, and food vendor space located in the center of the 235-acre community. For years, owner Aisha “Pinky” Cole has blessed diners throughout New York, Georgia, and Alabama with her wildly popular plant-based burgers, which have been lauded by the likes of Snoop Dogg and Tyler Perry. But for the East Baltimore native, this new location serves as a special homecoming. It will also feature Slutty Vegan’s Bar Vegan concept, which offers a sit-down model (compared to Slutty Vegan’s classic fast-casual service) and serves up vegan lunch, brunch, and dinner. Stay tuned for more details.
NEWS
Dave Portnoy Visits Baltimore Pizza Spots: We love nothing more than when the local food scene gets some well-deserved attention. On the heels of Keith Lee’s TikTok-amplified tour of Baltimore restaurants (which gave lots of love to Rooted Rotisserie in Hollins Market) in September, Barstool Sports‘ Dave Portnoy—famous for his viral one-bite pizza critiques—came through town last week. He was spotted pulling slices at favorites like Angeli’s Pizzeria in Little Italy, Pizza John’s in Essex, Franks Pizza and Pasta on Belair Road, and Matthew’s Pizza in Patterson Park. Although his reviews haven’t dropped just yet, owners of the local pie joints were grateful for the visits, sharing photos with Portnoy on their social pages.
EPICUREAN EVENTS
12/23: Schola’s Feast of the Seven Fishes
This popular holiday cooking class returns to Schola’s educational kitchen in Canton next week, and it still has a few spots left. Join in on the Sicilian tradition of cooking seven different fish dishes, including roasted oysters, whipped baccala and garlic toasts, fried calamari, cioppino, linguine with white clam sauce, and shrimp in salsa verde. Italian cookies are on deck for dessert. Tickets run $103. Classes are BYOB.
(SOON TO BE) SHUT
Nacho Mama’s: It’s safe to say many Baltimoreans were blindsided when news dropped last week that Nacho Mama’s would close both its Canton and Towson locations after 30 years in business. January 12 will be the last day of service at the quirky Bawlmer classic—famous for its hubcap margs, Tex-Mex fare, and Elvis decor.
“Although this decision has not been easy for us, our family is grateful to our community that we have been blessed to serve for over three decades,” owners Jackie, Darby, and Finn McCusker said in a statement. Despite the closure, they say they still plan to grow their Mama’s Restaurant Group, which also operates Mama’s On the Half Shell—whose two locations in Canton and Owings Mills will remain open. “We hope that you will visit us one last time for our famous hubcap margarita or a Natty Boh or to share a meal from our special Maryland-Mex menu,” the owners said.
Perennial: Atlas Restaurant Group will close one of its restaurants for the first time by the end of this year, according to The Baltimore Banner. Perennial will shutter in Towson after service on Dec. 28. Company co-founder Alex Smith told the paper that weak sales led to the decision. Perennial, serving up farm-to-fork fare, opened in 2021 after taking over the space once home to Cunningham’s. There’s no word yet on what will replace it.