Pazo Restaurant
Pazo Restaurant is a swanky, trendy establishment that features Mediterranean-style cuisine from chef Michael Costa. The ambiance is lively and casual, with an interior decor featuring a white marble bar and a lounge area with plush sofas. The airwaves are filled with soft jazz music. The Baltimore City Paper awarded the restaurant a "Critic's Pick" in 2008, calling it "one of the coolest spaces in Baltimore." Also, Baltimore Magazine said in 2008, "There's probably no more stylish dining room in Baltimore than the one at Pazo." Some of the chef's specialties include the wood-grilled lamp chop, hanger steak and tapas such as ceviche, pork confit and lamb meatballs.
Pazo Restaurant
1425 Aliceanna St.
Baltimore, MD 21231
410-534-7296
pazorestaurant.com
Akbar Restaurant
Akbar Restaurant was on the Baltimore City Newspaper's "Best of Baltimore" list in 2007. Some of the positive feedback from the paper included, "Akbar is a perennial favorite thanks to its attention to detail ... and the delicious meal they set on your table." The ambiance is comfortable and low key and the restaurant is in the basement of an old house in historic Mount Vernon. The interior features plush couches, Indian artwork adorning the walls and soft Indian music. The menu focuses on northern Indian cuisine, with specialties including chicken vindaloo, tandoori chicken and channa masala.
Akbar Restaurant
823 North Charles St.
Baltimore, MD 21201-5387
410-539-0944
akbar-restaurant.com
Rusty Scupper Restaurant
Rusty Scupper Restaurant is located above the Inner Harbor Marina and offers panoramic views of the harbor. The seasonal menu focuses on fresh seafood, much of it caught in local waters. The ambiance is casual and elegant, with frequent live piano music, floor-to-ceiling windows, white linens and wood chair rails. There is a wraparound outdoor patio that offers an elegant outdoor eating experience when the weather permits. Menu specialties include Maryland crab cakes, yellowfin tuna with wasabi aioli sauce, coconut curry cod, Caribbean mahi mahi and bouillabaisse.
Rusty Scupper Restaurant
402 Key Highway
Baltimore, MD 21230-3990
410-727-3678
selectrestaurants.com/rusty/
Samos Restaurant
Samos Restaurant first opened in 1977 and is named after a Greek island in the eastern Aegean Sea. In case that didn't give it away, Samos serves authentic Greek and Mediterranean cuisine in a casual, unpretentious atmosphere. The restaurant is located in Baltimore's Greektown and has earned several distinctive accolades--Critic's Pick from the Baltimore City Paper in 2008 and an 84 percent consumer approval rating on Urban Spoon (as of March 2010), to name a few. The interior is simple and cozy and the restaurant operates as a "BYOB" establishment, meaning you're welcome to bring your own alcoholic beverages. Some of the "must-tries" on the menu include the hummus or tzatziki spreads, gyro platter or moussaka.
Samos Restaurant
600 Oldham St.
Baltimore, MD 21224-4530
410-675-5292
samosrestaurant.com
