These New Restaurants Symbolize Rising Investor Interest in Baltimore
Consumer spending patterns have undergone significant transformations since the beginning of the pandemic, with specific retail sectors, such as restaurants, experiencing notable expansions. Retail establishments in the food and beverage industry constituted nearly 20% of all leasing activity in the past year, according to CoStar Research. This surge is attributed to increased dining out among Americans post-pandemic and the rising popularity of mobile pre-ordering and food delivery services.
Downtown Baltimore is witnessing an uptick in restaurant and quick-service food expansions, primarily fueled by shifting consumer behavior since the pandemic. This trend reflects a broader reassurance in the local economy, and food services businesses are capitalizing on this momentum, contributing to the growth of downtown Baltimore's dining scene.
Several new restaurants are open or set to open in Baltimore’s downtown area, a promising sign of progress four years after the pandemic’s initial devastation to the industry.
Section 771
OPEN: Section 771
504 Washington Blvd
Formerly known as Sliders, Section 771 opened in Spring 2023. The sports bar, located directly adjacent to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, offers a variety of food and drink options. While it caters to a game-day crowd, the restaurant is open year-round.
OPEN: Caribbean Dynasty
647 W Pratt St.
The restaurant and lounge, opened in Spring 2023, serves meals inspired by Jamaican and Trinidadian flavors. Dishes include oxtail stew and spicy jerk chicken.
OPEN: Dunkin’
300 W Pratt St.
This Dunkin' location, formerly a Subway Restaurant, opened in early 2024. The return of a chain restaurant to the Pratt Street corridor indicates increasing investor confidence in the area since the impacts of COVID-19.
Boots & Brats Biergarten
OPEN: Boots & Brats Biergarten
367 W. Camden St.
Located directly adjacent to Camden Yards, the Biergarten serves German-inspired light fare and a variety of beers, wines, and ciders. The establishment opened on the first Orioles home game day (March 28th) and will be open on game day weekends throughout the season.
Prim & Proper
OPEN: Prim & Proper
206 E. Redwood St.
Prim & Proper opened in February of 2024, offering upscale French-American selections such as foie gras and salmon en croute. The hospitality groups responsible for the restaurant (Outkrowd Restaurant Group and Clark Hospitality) own other popular Baltimore spots, such as BLK Swan and Papi Cuisine.
OPEN: The Buttonwood
*527 N. Charles St.
Under the same ownership as The Bun Shop, a popular downtown coffee shop, the Buttonwood opened in late 2023. The restaurant offers various Vietnamese-inspired dishes such as banh mi and katsu curry.
PARTIALLY OPEN: Maryland Yards
511 W Pratt St.
511 W Pratt was once home to Frank and Nic’s West End Grille, which shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic. Maryland Yards opened for bar service on March 28th. The restaurant's owner hopes to open the kitchen in Spring and “[provide] an elevated version of the usual bar food,” with options such as rockfish, crabcakes, and oysters.
OPENING SOON: Mad Chicken
*21 S Calvert St.
Wisconsin-based fast-casual restaurant Mad Chicken will open two Baltimore metro locations in 2024, one in Downtown Baltimore and the other in Towson. The chain offers a variety of chicken wings, wraps, sandwiches, tenders, and salads.
*Denotes HSA Investment Sale