#9 Breakfast at Bonaparte Breads

Bonapart Breads is a fabulous authentic French cafe on the water in Fells point. Also a perfect spot for a leisurely breakfast by the water. I like the plain croissants, quiche, fruit tarts. Vickie loves the pain au chocolat. Best breads in Baltimore. This place will remind you of a typical french bakery.

#8 Lemongrass restaurant

A few days before Graham was born, Vickie and I went out on Date Night to Lemongrass, a relatively new Thai restaurant in Baltimore, although the original Annapolis location has been around for over eight years. I can't say that this place serves the best Thai food in town, but it more than makes up for any shortcomings with an amazing ambiance. A great bar scene, and a very hip, very cool dining area. Its the kind of place that makes you say, ' Hey, I need to come back here just to hang out at the bar' Vickie and I enjoyed our psuedo Thai dinner. It was actually quite good. Lemongrass is a great example of the New York style, new wave of cool dinner spots in Baltimore.

#7 Cafe Hon

Ah.... the Baltimore Hon, what the hell is a Hon? "Hon," a term of endearment used by Baltimoreans. According to the Cafe Hon Website, "Hon, short for Honey, embodies the warmth and affection bestowed upon our neighbors and visitors alike by historic working-women of Baltimore. "

The Hampden neighborhood in Baltimore supposedly has a very high concentration of Hons. The neighborhood is home to the annual "Hon Festival" or "Hon Fest"

Hons can often be seen with horn rimmed glasses, and beehive hairdos, speaking fluent Bawlmerese.

Cafe Hon is an excellent diner, not a cafe. Probably typical of the types of diners you will find all over Baltimore. This one is probably a bit more touristy. As evidenced by the on-site gift shop, its also probably a bit more commercial. However, the food and environment has quite an authentic feel. Vickie and I went there the other day for breakfast. Yes, there were probably a few Hons there. I had my typical 'hungry man' special. Even Michael Phelps would be very impressed with my caloric intake.

A great place to visit to get a true taste of Baltimore culture and some solid food.

#6 Desserts at Vaccaro's

Yesterday I took the little cousin's to Vaccaro's. One of the best dessert spots in Baltimore. I remember that Vickie and I practically rejoiced when the Canton location opened about two years ago. Great Italian ice cream, great cannoli, and probably the best pignoli cookies in town.

#5 Soup and Sandwiches at Belvedere Market

This collection of gourmet shops is not to be confused with one of the old traditional markets of Baltimore City. Instead, its a rather new, semi upscale, semi pretentious foodie's paradise. However, its still a great place to go for a meal on a weekend morning or afternoon. The other day, Vickie and I had amazing sandwiches, soup, and desserts at Atwaters Deli.

You can also get farm fresh milk from Ned Atwater's Farmstead Cheese counter, Italian delicacies, seafood and sushi , and smoothies from a earthy natural food stall. Although this place (and the people there) are on the verge of taking themselves to seriously, its still a great place to get some good food.

#4 The Wine Source in Hampden

The best wine store in Baltimore. The Wine source is pretty darn amazing. Its organized geographically, and also has a great selection of beer and cheeses. In my attempt to become a wine connoisseur, frequent trips to this Hampden store has become almost mandatory.

#3 Authentic Mexican food at Arcos Restaurant

Vickie and I 'stumbled' upon this gem of a restuarant one morning while running errends in Fells Point. We decided to come back for dinner. The first thing that impressed us about Arcos was the setting. The large, brick-paved courtyard in the back is perfect for a summer evening dinner. With the piped music, and grotto-like feel, we quickly felt very far from upper Fells Point, or Baltimore for that matter. We quickly ordered margaritas, thinking that any Mexican place worth its weight in Cuervo Gold would have good drinks. Well, we were not dissapointed...at all. Woooh! Anyway, dinner was excellent: home made torillas, fresh salsa, amazing enchilladas and tender barbacoa beef. By far the best Mexican food in Baltimore. We will be back, we will tell our friends. What a great find.

#2 Fun Times at Claddagh Pub in Canton Square

My favorite Irish Pub in Baltimore. Over the last decade, I've been to Canton's Claddagh pub in O'donnell square more times than I count. Of course, it helps that this bar is less than two blocks from my house. Most recently, Vickie and I were there with Sean and Fabienne for lunch on a scorching, 100 degree, summer day.

There, you'll find consistently good pub food, suprisingly tasty dinner selections, great drinks (including Sangria), as well as plenty of non-crowded space. The perfect spot for an after work happy hour, a casual dinner with friends, or a sporting event. Back in the day, lets say, 6-7 years ago, it was a guaranteed fun time on a Thursday night. Now, I prefer to frequent this establishment during the 'off peak' hours: lunch, Sunday evenings during an NFL game (wings and beer), or for midweek carryout.

#1 Tacos and Margaritas at Loco Hombre

I have only been to Loco Hombre twice, most recently for Cinco de Mayo with Dana, Noyan, and Alara. This restaurant on Coldspring Lane is quite a cool little spot and I enjoyed an amazing meal. I was not at all disappointed by the flavorful tacos, and potent 'Margies', as my brother-in-law likes to call them. This is the first place I've decided to log on my tour of memorable Baltimore places and experiences. I am not quite sure if it will make the final cut. However, I am hard pressed to to find a place that combines such tasty Tex Mex food with top notch drinks.