Woodberry Kitchen
The Enoch Pratt Free Library is one of
the oldest free public library systems in
the United States and its main branch,
the Central Library in Mount Vernon
(400 Cathedral St.), is reopening after
an extensive renovation of the nearly
100-year-old building. Upgrades and
into the current era, while the preserved
architecture stays firmly planted in
history. Conservators were able to for locally sourced, inventive seasonal
restore original painting and molding dishes in a rustic warehouse setting; or
on the ceilings of many rooms in the Petit Louis Bistro (4800 Roland Ave.),
building, including the central hall. for French classics (bonus: they have a
Artifact Coffee
After being abandoned for years, the
Warm up with a late afternoon soup.
is reopening to the public as a museum Head to Belvedere Square Market (540
dedicated to the life and legacy of the E. Belvedere Ave.) to get a dose of umami-
literary great. Mencken, who reported rich pork belly ramen at Ejji Ramen,
for The Baltimore Sun and was known or one of Atwater’s famous seasonal
for myriad essays and the three-volume soups (served with a hunk of their crusty
study “The American Language,” lived bread for dipping). In the Mount Vernon
in the three-story, Italianate rowhouse neighborhood, swing by the casual, quaint
for most of his life, from 1883 until his Soup’s On (11 W. Preston St.), which offers a
death in 1956. daily menu of homemade seasonal soups,
life of the “Sage of Baltimore,” head to
the H. L. Mencken Room in the Pratt
Central Library, which houses the most
{ READ } important Mencken collection in the
A reimagined Baltimore Book Festival on the Saturday closest to his birthday
comes to the Inner Harbor Nov. 1-10. Now (Sept. 12 this year) and includes books
dubbed Brilliant Baltimore, the festival from his personal collection, book
has been combined with Light City, the proofs and presentation copies from
annual celebration of light art, music and fellow authors such as Theodore Dreiser
innovation. Author book signings, Q&A
sessions and panel discussions will take
fireplace!).
H.L. Mencken House (1524 Hollins St.)
For a rare look at artifacts from the
world. It opens to the public once a year
and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
including vegan and vegetarian options.
{ DRINK }
After taking in the book festival, or
visiting one of the city’s many historic
libraries or cool bookshops, it might be
time for a drink—and where better to go
than one of our literary-themed watering
holes? Head to the historic Owl Bar (1
E. Chase St.) in the Belvedere, a former
haunt of famed writers F. Scott Fitzgerald
and H.L. Mencken, or stop by Hampden’s
Bluebird Cocktail Room (3600 Hickory
place throughout the day, while stunning { EAT } light art will illuminate the Inner Harbor Take in a long, leisurely meal at one at nighttime. For a glimpse at some of of Baltimore’s best spots. Try Ida B’s For speakeasy-style coziness, check out
the featured authors, see our feature Table (235 Holliday St.), which serves up Remington’s W.C. Harlan (400 W. 23rd
on page 14. a memorable brunch from “Chopped” St.), which serves 1920s-inspired craft
If you just can’t get enough page-turning,
swing by the George Peabody Library
(17 E. Mount Vernon Pl.) to admire the
champion chef David Thomas;
Gertrude’s (910 Art Museum Dr.), for
delicious Chesapeake cuisine
Ave.), a stylish bar that creates modern
cocktails inspired by literary greats.
cocktails in a chic, intimate
setting. And don’t miss The
Elk Room (1010 Fleet
set against the gorgeous St.), Harbor East’s
backdrop of the swanky cocktail room
tiers of ornamental cast-iron balconies Baltimore Museum that was voted one of
rising toward the skylight. While you’re of Art; Woodberry Esquire magazine’s “21
there, peruse the 300,000 volumes of Kitchen (2010 Best Bars in America”
mostly 19th-century books. Clipper Park Rd.),
spectacular architecture, including five
COURTESY OF ATLAS
RESTAURANT GROUP
new technology have brought the library
last year. Q
B A LT I M O R E . O R G
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