The Woodberry Kitchen - Farm-to-Table meets Fine Dining

Located in the heart of north Baltimore’s hot new Clipper Mill community in a stylishly renovated former mill building, the Woodberry Kitchen has maintains itself as one of Baltimore’s hottest (relatively) new restaurants. Sadly I can’t remember exactly when this swanky farm-to-table restaurant originally opened – I feel like it’s been there about two years – but I will not forget each of the delicious meals I’ve enjoyed there.

If you’re in my income bracket, the Woodberry Kitchen might serve best as a special occasion venue, with its prices in the $25-$50 per plate range; but I have also known many to make a weekly trip to their bar for a burger and a beer. The place is a perfect date restaurant, with its charming and intimate dining room that accentuates the historic character of the historical structure. And your date will also be impressed by your progressive and eco-friendly dining decision – the Kitchen’s farm-to-table concept ensures that all of its products were naturally and locally grown or raised.

Admittedly, the entire Bob Ganoosh team has not made an official trip out to Woodberry Kitchen, so I cannot write about a specific visit; but I have been there enough times that I believe I have a pretty well-rounded impression of the place. My first visit to the Kitchen involved grabbing a quick burger with some folks from my community. After all, their burger is relatively inexpensive ($13), and one usually can’t go wrong with such a decision. Little did I know that I was ordering one of the best burgers I would consume in my 26 years as a food fanatic. The beef was top quality, filled with flavor, and incomparably juicy. And they give you about a half-pound of it, too! And even though the burger alone could fill me up, it is generously accompanied by the Kitchen’s homemade fries – which are as good as any other homemade fries, but I certainly had no complaints.

Later visits allowed me to try a sample of their menu items and specials (both of which change regularly based on what’s in season). One of my favorites involved a rib eye steak (which was a special of that evening and I believe was about $30), accompanied by sides of cheddar potatoes gratin and roasted zucchini and squash. The fresh cut potatoes were dressed in delicious homemade-tasting cheddar cheese, and the zucchini and squash were roasted and seasoned to perfection, with the seasoning complementing the flavorful veggies, not overpowering them.

In addition to its unique top-notch dinner entrees, the Kitchen also has a nice variety of snacks, cheeses, and small plates including popcorn grown in Lancaster County, PA. It is also important to note that no fountain sodas are served here, but rather, they serve bottled sodas made with natural sugar cane. And let me tell you, Pepsi Throwback has nothing on this stuff!

One last thing to note is that when you do decide to check it out for yourself – plan ahead! It is very difficult to get a table without a reservation. Even when we (2 of us) visited on a Tuesday night this past spring, the only table available was in the bar section. It worked for us, but was a little cramped for a special occasion dinner.

The Woodberry Kitchen is located in the new Clipper Mill development in the Woodberry neighborhood, down the hill from Hampden and walking distance from the Woodberry Light Rail stop. Check it out, and let us know what you think!

The Woodberry Kitchen
2010 Clipper Park Road, # 126
Baltimore, MD 21211
410-464-8000
http://www.woodberrykitchen.com/

5-Star Rating

Food: ****1/2

Service: ***1/2

Ambiance: ****

Price: $$$$ ($35-$50)