How to spend a date day in Baltimore

As parents of a toddler and teenager, weekend days alone with my husband are a rarity. So we were thrilled to hand our kids over to a friend on a recent Saturday and dash to Baltimore, one of our favorite places for a quick change of scenery. We find the architecture stunning, and it's steeped in history and culture. Like D.C., it’s a city of distinct communities, many of which are interconnected (so it’s pretty easy to travel between neighborhoods).

We arrived in Charm City around 1:30 p.m. and our first stop was, of course, food. Craving a sushi burrito, we beelined to iFusion Express, a fast-casual gem in the Inner Harbor. For me, a sushi burrito has to be sizeable with the perfect harmony of proteins, toppings, and sauce. iFusion hits those notes. 

We took advantage of the 80-degree weather and snagged a bench just steps away, outside of the Baltimore Aquarium. With the Patapsco River as our backdrop and a steady flow of people to watch, it was the perfect spot to enjoy our lunch. 

We (barely) walked off our food with a short stroll to the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture, which just opened a new exhibit called iWITNESS: Media & The Movement. Naturally, I was excited to see it. 

While the exhibit was housed in a small gallery, it packed a wealth of information about Black journalists' impact on the civil rights movement, especially in Baltimore. It was well worth the $12 museum entrance fee. On the way out, we stopped by the gift shop for a couple treasures: a poster of Adam Himoff’s modern reimagining of Fredrick Douglass and a sweatshirt from the museum’s spring exhibit Black Women Genius.

Always searching for a new coffee shop, our next stop was Artifact Coffee, located on the industrial end of our favorite Baltimore neighborhood, Hampden. I ordered the Lucky Penny, a specialty latte with notes of spiced molasses and gingerbread. While the drink was a bit bitter for my taste, the experience was still pleasant, courtesy of the cafe’s rustic, cozy ambiance and friendly staff. 

Fully caffeinated, we headed to Good Neighbor, another Hampden coffee shop and purveyor of curated home goods. We spent quite a while indulging in their book collection, stacked with tomes on cooking, artistry, and activism. 

At the top of Good Neighbor’s gorgeous outdoor patio sits Green Neighbor, a quaint and airy shop run by Baltimore-based plant stylist Hilton Carter. There, we chatted with staff who gave us tips on how to save our ailing monstera. Then, we made our way to Hampden’s main strip, 36th Street, where I hunted for fall clothing. 

After wandering in and out of several boutiques, we landed at Nifty Thrift, a consignment shop that was less than a month old. The shop’s owner, who introduced herself as Shay, curated an impressively eclectic selection of threads. I spent about an hour playing dress up before deciding on a new blazer, sweatshirt, and two pairs of earrings. 

At this point, we were famished, and I longed for my favorite Italian spot. But because he was an excellent shopping companion, I gave in to my husband’s ramen craving. Shay recommended Dashi Ramen, so we ventured to Federal Hill’s Cross Street Market. 

My dish, the classic Tonkotsu ramen with house-smoked soy sauce, had perfectly thick and chewy noodles. Though the broth was a bit oily and could have used more depth, it was topped with tender and flavorful chashu and bright toppings, which made for an overall satisfying bowl. 

We ended the evening around 8:30 p.m. with a scoop of honey graham ice cream from Taharka Brothers, another food stall at the market. It was the sweetest way to end our Baltimore date day.