10/07/2026
Baltimore has some big restaurant openings on deck! 👀
These are the three I’m watching closest right now: Jamaican fine dining with reggae and Asian influences, a seafood-heavy spin on one of Baltimore’s best Italian restaurants, and the return of wood-fired pizza to a familiar Hampden address.
Blü Cā. Marta Al Mare. Viale Hampden.
Which one are you trying first?
🌊 Marta al Mare
Marta is going to the water, and seafood is getting a much bigger role.
Marta Al Mare is the new coastal Italian restaurant from MARTA | Fine Food & Spirits and Chef Matthew Oetting, a 2026 James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic.
You’ll still find the hand-shaped pastas Marta is known for, but this menu heads toward the sea with dishes including Lobster Saltimbocca, Toro Arancini and Whole Grilled Turbot.
Then there’s brunch. It’s planned for six days a week, with caviar omelets, croissant waffles, a fork-and-knife burger and, because Marta apparently knows exactly what Baltimore wants, a caviar and martini cart.
The 3,050-square-foot restaurant will also have a large patio overlooking Point Park and the Inner Harbor.
📍 1307 Point St., Baltimore
Marta already knows how to make dinner an occasion. I’m very ready to see what happens when they add a waterfront and a whole lot of seafood.
🌴 Blü Cā • “Blue-Cay”
Baltimore is getting a very different take on Jamaican dining.
Blü Cā (pronounced “blue kay”) comes from One Love Restaurant Group, the team behind KŌNŌKŌ and Island Spice, with Jamaican fine dining, Reggae-Asian flavors and Chesapeake seafood all coming together on one menu.
The 4,600-square-foot restaurant will focus on shareable small plates, with indoor and outdoor dining plus a dedicated space for live reggae and global music. Inside, blue and gold details are meant to give the room the polished look of a cruise ship.
This is definitely not your typical island restaurant, and I’m very curious to see what they do with it.
📍 Rye House at Baltimore Peninsula
🗓️ Opening October 2026
