If hosting Thanksgiving and Christmas felt like enough to fill your holiday entertaining quota for a while, the spring feasts are a great time to give yourself a break. Thanks to the local dining scene, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the holiday without having to fire up the oven. As always, a number of area restaurants are hosting bountiful brunches on Easter Sunday, and local caterers are offering Passover platters for those looking to lighten their load for this year’s seder. Whether you’re hoping to make a reservation or order unleavened eats to take home, here are a few suggestions.
Easter Brunches
Cosima: Say ‘Buona Pasqua’ with the Sicilian specialties at this picturesque spot overlooking the Jones Falls in Hampden. Chef Donna Crivello will be offering an a la carte menu of corn pancakes, beet-cured salmon, poached-egg polenta, slow-roasted pork belly, pancetta pizza, and berries topped with whipped mascarpone. 3000 Falls Rd. 443-708-7352
Four Seasons Baltimore: Although this will be the first Easter since Wit & Wisdom closed inside the Four Seasons Baltimore, the Harbor East hotel is still celebrating with a brunch blowout in its Cobalt Ballroom. Bring the kids for live music, a massive egg hunt, and the chance to grab a selfie with the Easter Bunny. The buffet-style brunch will highlight prime rib, carved ham, raw bar eats, a gelato station, and DIY s’mores. 400 International Circle. $45-110. 410-576-5800
Gunther & Co.: Spend the spring Sunday in the presence of the living green wall at this Brewers Hill beauty. Chef Jerry Trice is preparing a two-course fixed menu including dishes like crispy Thai-barbecue pork belly, spring avocado salad, brown sugar-glazed banana pound cake, crab and goat cheese quiche, and an everything-seasoned smoked salmon flatbread. 3650 Toone St. $28. 443-869-6874
La Cuchara: Celebrate the spring growing season with the farm-to-fork fare at this Basque-inspired hotspot in Woodberry’s Meadow Mill. Chef Ben Lefenfeld will be whipping up a three-course feast with dishes including patatas bravas, saffron shrimp with tomato and fennel, house-smoked salmon with pumpernickel and crème fraîche, skirt steak with scallions, and a chocolate caramel ice cream sandwich. At La Cuchara’s sister-restaurant Minnow in Riverside, enjoy a fixed menu that highlights shrimp ceviche, avocado toast, spinach omelettes, crispy chicken and biscuits, and a sweet berry trifle. 3600 Clipper Mill Rd. 443-708-3838
Lord Baltimore Hotel: Seasonal staples will fill the buffet at this downtown celebration. Look out for leek and asparagus-filled garden omelets, roasted chicken with spring onion jus, herb-crusted lamb in a mint glaze, and an assortment of house-made desserts. Before digging in, let the little ones run free in the kid-friendly egg hunt that kicks off at 12:30 p.m. 20 W. Baltimore St. $15-38. 410-539-8400
The Milton Inn: Easter is a great time to experience this fine-dining destination inside a historic fieldstone building in Sparks. This three-course meal will offer baked half pink grapefruit, crab meat omelettes, challah French toast, wild mushroom phyllo, and a crispy-skin salmon florentine with parmesan risotto. 14833 York Rd., Sparks. $26-52. 410-771-4366
The Manor Tavern: There’s no better way to celebrate spring than with the farm-to-fork fare at this Monkton community spot, which uses ingredients grown in its own gardens. In keeping with tradition, the tavern will offer two brunch and dinner seatings on Easter Sunday. Bottomless brunch options will include fruit salad, applewood-smoked bacon, and brown sugar-glazed ham, while dinner dishes will range from crab tortellini to roasted lamb with orzo salad. 15819 Old York Rd., Monkton. $18.95-44.95. 410-771-8155
The Owl Bar: This dimly lit speakeasy inside the Belvedere Hotel will have a brighter feel on Easter Sunday. Sip bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys before partaking in annual adult egg hunt. (Of course, kids are also welcome.) Unwind from the fun with endless eats including Canadian bacon, muffins, pastries, breakfast potatoes, hand-carved roasted turkey and prime rib, and an omelette station with all the fixins’. 1 E. Chase St. $29. 410-347-0888
Sagamore Pendry: Forget the chocolate. The egg hunt at this swanky hotel on the Fells Point waterfront will give kids age 12 and under the chance to win luxe prizes for mom and dad. Three of the hidden eggs will include free pool passes, dinner for two at the hotel’s Rec Pier Chop House, and a complimentary one-night stay. In addition to the hunt, Rec Pier will host a special brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. featuring blue crab benedicts, ricotta pancakes, and a brunch spaghetti dish with poached egg and sausage. 1715 Thames St. 443-552-1400
Sweet 27 Cafe & Bakery: Bring the whole family to this Remington staple for a buffet that fuses its signature multicultural dishes with mid-morning classics. Fill your plate with eats ranging from pancakes and bacon to jerk chicken and goat curry. In keeping with the restaurant’s holistic mantra, there will also be plenty of vegan and vegetarian fare (think spicy scrambled tofu and lentil-quinoa chili) to go around. 123 W. 27th St. $7-20. 410-464-7211
Topside: Make your way up to the 14th floor of Hotel Revival in Mt. Vernon for a brunch buffet with a side of panoramic views. Take in the (hopefully) sunny skyline while feasting on house-made pastries and eats from a massive seafood display. 612 Cathedral St. $15-50. 410-727-7101
The Turn House: Throw on your Sunday best and head to this New American spot on the Hobbits Glen Golf Course in Columbia. The elegant clubhouse restaurant will be offering complimentary glasses of champagne to pair with its all-you-can-eat spread. Highlights will include a ham carving station, fresh-baked biscuits, a cheese display, raw oysters, and a yogurt parfait bar with fruit and granola. 11130 Willow Bottom Drive., Columbia. $25-50. 410-740-2096
Catered Seders
Balducci’s: Whether you’re in need of matzo balls or macaroons, this cafe and caterer on the Johns Hopkins Hospital campus has got you covered. In addition to traditional beef brisket, the market offers outside-of-the-box Passover dishes including parmesan-crusted artichokes and a matzo lasagna layered with sauteed spinach and ricotta. 1800 Orleans St. 443-687-7659
The Classic Catering People: Flourless desserts can feel daunting to make by yourself. Luckily, the chefs at this Owings Mills kitchen are whipping up kosher-for-Passover pine nut rolls, coconut custard pies, espresso truffles, and chocolate matzo brittle with dried cherries and pecans. Aside from the desserts, Classic Catering is also known for its holiday sides, salads, starters, and entrees ranging from glazed corned beef to potato-crusted Atlantic cod. 99 Painters Mill Rd., Owings Mills. 410-356-1666.
Eddie’s of Roland Park: Spice up your seder with the cauliflower pilaf, roasted Brussels sprouts, matzo stuffing, roasted chicken, and famous stuffed cabbage from this mainstay market. To end the meal on a sweet note, add Eddie’s Passover apple cake, chocolate chip mandel bread, flourless chocolate brownies, or almond macaroons to your order. Multiple locations including 5113 Roland Ave. 410-323-3656
Gourmet Again: This Pikesville market has thrown a few new recipes onto its holiday menu this year, including savory chicken matzo blintzes. Of course, there are also traditional staples such as grilled spring lamb racks, crispy fingerling potatoes, sweet-glazed carrots, and house-made chopped liver. 3717 Old Court Rd., Pikesville. 410-484-9393
Seven Mile Market: This famous kosher grocer offers a pages-long Passover menu that covers all of the classics—from gefilte fish to tzimmes. Seven Mile also offers 10 different sweet-and-savory kugels, and featured proteins include pastrami, pepper steak, teriyaki chicken, beef marsala, and mango salsa salmon. 201 Reisterstown Rd., Pikesville. 410-653-2000