Our Favorite International Restaurants in Baltimore
We’re Ray and Nancy from FooodandBrews. As avid travelers, we’ve had the luxury of trying some amazing cuisines from around the world. But you don’t have to be a world traveler to eat like one, especially if you’re visiting Baltimore, Maryland. With hundreds of unique restaurants to choose from, it seems our home base has almost every style of cuisine covered. While we love to travel as much as possible, we also love having tons of worldly cuisines to choose from right in our own backyard. Here are our favorite international restaurants in Baltimore that will take you on a culinary trip around the world.
La Cuchara
First, we’ll start in the Basque region of Europe. If you are not familiar with Basque Country, it’s the northeast corner of Spain that touches France. This area is known for its seasonally dependent blend of country and seaside cooking. La Cuchara in the Woodberry neighborhood does exactly that.
Their rustic menu changes with the season and emphasizes simple ingredients. In addition to the charming plates they serve, they have curated one of the most incredible wine menus in all of Baltimore.
We recommend a reservation as they tend to be crowded in the evening.
Cypriana
Heading east around the world we’ll land next in Greece. Located just off the Johns Hopkins University campus, Cypriana is a hidden gem of authentic Mediterranean cooking. Executive chef Maria Kaimakis is passionate about showcasing and elevating foods that her grandmother used to cook for her while growing up.
Their wide array of small plate options makes for an amazing family-style meal where everyone can share and enjoy their aesthetically beautiful dishes. Make sure you order extra pita, it’s so good you may eat more than you expect!
NiHao
Now let’s head even further east to China. NiHao, located in southeast Baltimore, is known for its traditional Szechuan cuisine. Award-winning chef Peter Chang has brought his traditional Chinese cooking to the Canton neighborhood.
Many of us tend to think of Chinese food as take-out, but you won’t be disappointed on your visit when you experience their cozy atmosphere, not to mention the amazing and beautiful cocktails!
Throughout the year, NiHao also hosts special events and tasting menus for various holidays including the Lunar New Year and Mid Autumn Festival.
La Barrita
Less than a quarter mile from NiHao, we’ll head to the other side of the world, Argentina to be exact. La Barrita offers an amazing mix of grilled meats, handmade pasta, and empanadas. This place has quickly become one of our favorite restaurants in all of Baltimore, with a menu that will make you want to try everything. For first-timers, we recommend the Parrillada, which translates to “barbecue”.
Designed to be split between two to four people, this massive plate includes three different types of steak, chorizo sausage, fries, and a salad. In addition to their amazing food, they offer a full bar with crafted cocktails, a great wine selection, and a full tap list of local beers. Seating is limited, so make sure to make a reservation a few days in advance.
Feature Photo: Cypriana dishes | Photo Credit: Cypriana Baltimore
About the Author
Ray and Nancy are food and craft beer lovers living in downtown Baltimore in the Fells Point neighborhood with their two cats, Nugget and Xeno. They enjoy traveling as much as possible in their spare time to new locations to explore local cuisine and beverages. Since 2019, they have been to over 300 different breweries together! You can follow their adventures on Instagram @fooodandbrews.
