Top Rated Restaurants & Cafes in Baltimore

This elegant restaurant features floor-to-ceiling murals of cafe scenes and gilded mirrors. The owners redecorated the dining room in the mid-90s; only the cracked tile floor is original. To start, try a half-order of the gnocchi in red pepper sauce or sample from the tapas Bar. For a main course, the thin-crusted pizza is a nice choice. Made with homemade sauce and topped with mozzarella, it is a gourmet delight. For dessert, choose from truffles, fresh fruit served with ice cream and Profiteroles with chocolate sauce.

This trendy coffee shop boasts an enormous selection of coffee accouterments and beans, as well as a fine selection of pastries and snacks. Come in for a tasty breakfast croissant or a tempting sandwich. There is a wide variety of pita wraps sporting tasty combinations of ham, turkey and cheese with alfalfa sprouts and avocado. Each sandwich is named for a prominent Baltimore street or neighborhood. For dessert, sink your teeth into a homemade pastry.

Giant crab cakes made from fresh Maryland blue crabs greet the never-ending crowds that flock to Faidley Seafood. What sets apart the restaurant is that the food is straight-forward, without fancy names or add-ons. Other favorites include succulent clams, oysters, shrimp, and decadent fish dishes. The fare can seem pricey for first-timers but regulars don't seem to mind. Faidley's also offers office deliveries, catering and ships the delicious crab cakes across states.

After a tiring day of sightseeing, a visit to the Power Plant is exactly what you need. The multiplex offers an array of dining and entertainment options. For dinner, choose from steak, Italian, Cuban and more. Several bars line the venue, tempting you to hop in and out. Some clubs hold stand up comedy shows too. Parties and concerts featuring popular bands are held on sunny summer evenings. Most of them have free entry! Come and experience the energy at this entertainment powerhouse.

For more than 30 years, this downtown restaurant has been Baltimore's benchmark for upscale steakhouses. The signature dish shows why. The Prime Rib Steak is a tender 24-ounce behemoth, a full three inches thick. The rest of the offerings, including several fine seafood dishes, are just as good, if not as weighty. It's hard to believe, but the decor - black walls, gold curtains and leopard-print carpet - is somehow just right. Side dishes are a la carte, and the wine list is great.

No pub going music lover worth his salt, could have missed the famous Hard Rock Cafes around the world. Situated in a historical building of Baltimore, this cafe embodies the vibrant mix of the old and the contemporary. Get into the retro mood with the checkered table cloths and the 1960s Cadillac gleaming proudly over the bar. Feel happy and high, as light streams in through the music inspired stained glass window and rock blares through the speakers. Catch the live music performances and shake a leg! Try the Original Hard Rock Onion Rings with their famous Pulled Pork sandwich. Dig into burgers or popular Maryland seafood. Choose from a huge list of beverages and party the night away. You can also pick up cool tees and memorabilia from the gift shop.