OPEN
Remington Wine Company: It’s been a great month for the Remington dining scene. On the heels of R. House’s grand opening earlier this month comes the debut of a new wine shop behind the trendy food hall on W. 29th Street. Local oenophiles might recognize the owners, as husband-and-wife duo Mitchell Pressman and Debbie Jones previously operated Chesapeake Wine Co. in the Canton Can Company for 17 years before deciding to downsize last year. After plans fell through to launch a smaller location in Hamilton, the duo came across the Remington property last summer. In a swift, 10-week turnaround, the team managed to transform the dilapidated former home of Sav-It Liquors into a gourmet shop featuring exposed brick and a sizeable selection of international wine, beer, cheese, and charcuterie. Pressman tells us that customers, both old and new, are enthusiastic about the shop’s opening: “We’ve built up a lot of trust,” he says. “It seems like the term of the moment is ‘carefully curated,’ but that’s what we’ve been doing all along.” 329 W. 29th St., 410-624-5732
Butchers Hill Society: Columbia native and former Food Network contestant Malcolm Mitchell is no stranger to the spotlight, but when it comes to opening restaurants, he likes to stay under the radar. Not long after unveiling Ryder’s gastropub in the former Cockey’s space in Upper Fells Point, Mitchell has quietly debuted a new hybrid concept in Butchers Hill. The building at 32 N. Chester Street houses prepared foods to-go shop The Kitchen Market downstairs, as well as upscale wine bar Butchers Hill Society on the top floor. “I want to create that feeling of it being this secret society for people who are really in-the-know,” Mitchell explains about the restaurant’s quiet unveiling. Focusing on made-from-scratch ingredients, the menu pairs wines from boutique vineyards with dishes such as pheasant ragout, bacon-wrapped lamb chops, and lobster tempura with truffle oil pomme frites. 32 N. Chester St.
Honeygrow: This Philadelphia-based DIY salad and stir-fry chain made a big mark on Charm City in 2016. Soon after opening a location in Charles Village last month, Honeygrow rolled out its second Baltimore shop inside the Exelon Building in the new Harbor Point development last week. Joining other retail tenants West Elm and yet-to-open Ceremony Coffee Roasters, the eatery features local artwork by Baltimore Love Project creator Michael Owen, and serves Honeygrow’s signature bowls and salads that diners can customize via touch screen. Among the health-conscious dishes on the menu are sour cherry barbecue noodles, roasted tomato miso kale salads, and fresh fruit bowls topped with honey and housemade whipped cream.1309 Dock St., 667-212-3934
COMING SOON
CineBistro: Come 2017, locals will be able to experience dinner and a movie all in one spot. Slated to join recently debuted MOM’s Organic Market at The Rotunda in Hampden next month, this swanky new multiplex will feature seven auditoriums, a full bar and lounge, and a chef-driven kitchen. Guests will be able to enjoy films from a leather recliner while being served upscale American fare like Wagyu beef sliders, crispy spare ribs, and hearty steak and seafood entrees. 711 W. 40th St., 404-333-0744
NEWS
Charm City Meadworks: These South Baltimore-based mead makers recently threw on some bee costumes, strapped their barrels onto a truck, and made the move to a larger production space in Mt. Vernon. Starting next week, all of Charm City Meadworks’ fermented honey beverages will be crafted inside a 6,500-square-foot former postal garage on East Preston Street, which will provide more space for the brand’s fermentation, canning, and labelling operations. 407 E. Preston St.
Greg’s Bagels: Owner Greg Novik was forced to close his beloved Belvedere Square bagel shop last summer after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. But regulars will be happy to hear that Novik and his wife, Kathy, have recently sold the business to a former employee who is vowing to keep the shop’s neighborhood-friendly feel alive. A handwritten note posted on the front door of Greg’s earlier this month says that new owner, Tommy Hearn, is hoping to change “as little as possible”, and that the shop is slated to reopen in January. “We want to keep the smiles smiling and the bagels rolling,” the note reads. 519 E. Belvedere Ave., 410-323-9463
Zeke’s Coffee: This Hamilton-based coffee institution will settle in larger digs in 2017. Owner Thomas Rhodes recently landed a 4,000-square-foot space just up the street from the roaster’s current location along Harford Road, which will serve as the new home base for Zeke’s laid-back coffee shop, as well as its baking and grinding operations.Expected to premiere in the spring, the cafe will feature Zeke’s custom brews alongside a variety of pastries, bagels, and breakfast sandwiches. 4719 Harford Road
SHUT
Canton Dockside: Amid rumors of financial struggles and accusations of unfair employee wages, this seafood stalwart shuttered its doors in Canton earlier this week after 12 years in business. Regulars have been taking to social media to lament the sudden closure, sharing memories of the restaurant’s jumbo crabs and spacious outdoor patio. There’s no word yet on what will become of the now-abandoned crab house. 3301 Boston St.
Luna Bella Ristorante: In a message posted to Facebook last week, husband-and-wife owners Celeste Gebler and Joe Iacia announced that they would be closing this beloved Italian trattoria tucked inside Columbia’s Hickory Ridge Village shopping center. Property owners Kimco Realty have instated a massive redevelopment plan for the retail complex, which doesn’t guarantee a renewed lease for Luna Bella. After months of failed negotiations, the owners have decided to move on: “With the future of the village center being so fragile, we have decided it is in our best interest to close our doors on a high note,“ the message reads. “We are tired of putting up with a huge corporation that does not have their tenant’s best interest at heart. A corporation where phone calls are not returned and questions are never answered.” The restaurant’s last day in business will be December 31. 6430 Freetown Road, Columbia, 410-531-0250