Not sure what had us more excited about Baltimore– the sights, the sounds, the impeccable views, or the food. When we got to Baltimore we sought out the BEST food joints. Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. was our first night choice. I am in love with Forrest Gump (easily in my top 5 favorite movies of all time) and wanted to eat there solely because of that. Ashley had been to another Bubba Gump location in St. Pete Beach, FL, but entertained my obsession. If you have never been to a Bubba Gump location, be prepared for tons of movie memorabilia and quotes. It is totally worth it, not just because of the Forrest Gump quotes on the tables, or even the friendly staff, but the food is amazing. The shrimp… ohhh the shrimp, it is delicious (did you know “you can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it…pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried” – – you get the picture). I would definitely recommend using the No Wait app it makes dining so much easier. I had the jambalaya and Ashley had the crab-stuffed shrimp!
Saturday morning rolls around and it is time for breakfast. I am a HUGE Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives fan, so when looking for a breakfast joint Ashley and Richie looked for one that had the Guy Fieri stamp of approval (so far, I have managed to get to 6 locations that he has visited, 2 of them on this trip alone, 1 of them with Ashley in Boston). Anytime I go to a Triple D location I always order what Guy ordered, it’s one of many things on my “bucket list.” We chose Miss Shirley’s, one of the most popular breakfast places at the Inner Harbor. A piece of advice to anyone visiting this joint: be prepared to wait in line; people are literally lined up out the door just to get a table at Miss Shirley’s– and now we know why. It was a chilly morning so the staff offered us a seat in an upstairs waiting room where we could review the menu! The wait seemed to fly by as we sat and chatted about the delicious things on the menu. Ashley and Richie ordered Monkey Bread– it was delicious (they let me sneak a bite). I ordered the Coconut Cream Stuffed French Toast (that’s what Guy had). As delicious as it was, on a typical day, I would have saved it for a dessert. It was super rich! But hey, we were on vacation, right??? The portions are large so be prepared to feast. This is definitely a spot you need to visit when going to Baltimore. They also have a Snapchat, if you send them a picture of yourself they feature you on their story! We had Ashley show off her Monkey Bread (it’s one of her favorites).
After such a large and decadent breakfast, we weren’t even hungry until later in the day. Our hotel was literally in the perfect location; we were only about a 7 minute walk to Baltimore’s own Little Italy. We made reservations for a place called La Tavola. This was a recommendation from a friend of Ashley’s who had visited the area before. Our reservations were for 7 o c’lock; we arrived right on time and were seated as soon as we got there. The tables were dressed with small decorations and it was a very relaxed atmosphere (this would be a perfect place for a couple to visit on an anniversary, birthday, etc.). It definitely had that quaint Italian vibe. The staff was amazing. Our waitress was kind, extremely helpful, and offered some lovely recommendations of things to do in the area. The food was delicious, authentic Italian, and perfectly portioned. If you are looking for a relaxed atmosphere, friendly staff, and amazing food, you have to visit La Tavola. We both had the Portabella Ravioli and side Caesar salad with homemade Caesar dressing. The chef was from Venice, so it was so authentic and yummy! On a side note, Ashley and I chose to dress up, however there were people there in jeans too!
After dinner, we decided to treat ourselves to Gelato and Coffees. Our waitress at La Tavola recommended we visited Vaccaro’s. You can tell this is a prime spot for dessert and pastries in the area. There were people from all over (and many locals) visiting this teeny, tiny little place and a line that was out the door (which didn’t seem to keep people away). They had a ton of Italian desserts and treats from varieties of Cannoli, Pizzelles, and Gelato; they also had coffees and fresh biscotti. I tried the Salted Caramel Gelato.. mmmmm.. and Ashley had an iced Nutella latte, which she said was excellent. That night we took a late night stroll around the harbor; I would like to think we walked off every calorie we consumed that day. 😉
Our weekend was coming to an end, but we wanted to eat breakfast before we headed back toward Pittsburgh. We finished at one more Triple D location called Blue Moon Cafe, which was about a 10 minute walk from our hotel. WOW. Hands down our favorite place we ate all weekend (and everywhere we ate was phenomenal)! It was a small little “hole-in-the-wall” and very narrow inside, but there was a line out the door for that place too! This place, too, was full of locals. If you are planning on visiting, be prepared to stand outside. It was a beautiful day, but make sure to dress accordingly! When we got our menus I was sure to choose, again, what Guy had. I had a meal named “Sweet Baby Jesus.” Because this was my favorite meal of the weekend I am going to take you on a very detailed journey of my plate. Imagine, if you will, fresh hash browns, add a layer of extremely fresh crab meat, your egg of choice (I chose over-medium), roasted tomatoes, and all smothered in golden cheese, browned just a little. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. It was a huge portion and definitely the most expensive meal at the table but it was so worth it. I had a lot leftover and had we not had a 3.5 hour drive back home I would have doggy bagged that and savored it as a treat when I got home. Ashley had the other Guy Fieri special– the Cap’n Crunch French Toast. This French toast is encrusted in Cap’n Crunch cereal, giving it a sweet, unique taste, and buried in tons of fruit and chantilly cream. Both were amazing and what the little restaurant is famous for.
When visiting Baltimore, don’t waste your time eating simple meals, go all out! While we did spend a little more on food than most, it was totally worth it. I also want to add that all of the places we dined at had kid-friendly meals, as well as meals directed toward specific eating preferences. Baltimore is full of culture and fun things to do, why not let your tastebuds join in!
Happy feasting!
xo,
Er
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