# Baltimore's Little Italy: Is it worth visiting? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 24, 2007, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baltimores-little-italy-is-it-worth-visiting/401412 "2007-04-24T03:17:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baltimores-little-italy-is-it-worth-visiting/401412/1 "2007-04-24T03:17:30Z")
We are going to be at the Inner Harbor on May 4th to 6th. I just noticed Little Italy is right next to the Inner Harbor. Is it worth a visit? Any great Italian Restaurants or Bakeries? Should we pass on it? We are already meeting with \*\*Twickster \*\* and other Dopers for the [Ladew Gardens](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=412307) on Saturday, we plan to visit the National Aquarium, Science Museum and the Constellation. In past trips we have done all three and Camden Yards and the Babe Ruth Museum. I have hopes that Little Italy might be fun to walk through. Jim ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baltimores-little-italy-is-it-worth-visiting/401412/2 "2007-04-24T04:52:37Z")
Any great Italian Restaurants or Bakeries? Oh yeah, lots of them. It’s pretty much the definition of great Italian Restaurants and Bakeries. Fun to walk through? Eh, no, not in my opinion. Not much to see, except the menu boards of lots of restaurants. It’s been a long time since I’ve been down there, so I’ll let someone else recommend a good place to eat. Fort McHenry is worth a visit if you’ve never been there. It’s just a short drive from the harbor. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baltimores-little-italy-is-it-worth-visiting/401412/3 "2007-04-24T12:41:53Z")
[QUOTE=engineer\_comp\_geek] Any great Italian Restaurants or Bakeries? Oh yeah, lots of them. It’s pretty much the definition of great Italian Restaurants and Bakeries. Fun to walk through? Eh, no, not in my opinion. Not much to see, except the menu boards of lots of restaurants. It’s been a long time since I’ve been down there, so I’ll let someone else recommend a good place to eat. Fort McHenry is worth a visit if you’ve never been there. It’s just a short drive from the harbor. [/QUOTE] I will look up Fort McHenry, sounds like something I would enjoy. Thanks, Jim ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baltimores-little-italy-is-it-worth-visiting/401412/4 "2007-04-24T13:26:51Z")
Eat at Amicci’s. Everyone else will tell you some other place that starts with “S” (which I can’t obviously remember the name of right now, and it only a block up from Amicci’s) but trust me on this. And get the Panne Rotundo as an appetizer. Gingy, Bawlmer Couny rezdent ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baltimores-little-italy-is-it-worth-visiting/401412/5 "2007-04-24T13:32:56Z")
[QUOTE=GingerOfTheNorth] Eat at Amicci’s. Everyone else will tell you some other place that starts with “S” (which I can’t obviously remember the name of right now, and it only a block up from Amicci’s) but trust me on this. And get the Panne Rotundo as an appetizer. Gingy, Bawlmer Couny rezdent [/QUOTE] Sabatino’s? ---
**Author:** ![Figaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ea666f/32.png) [@Figaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Figaro)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baltimores-little-italy-is-it-worth-visiting/401412/6 "2007-04-24T13:59:07Z")
[QUOTE=BiblioCat] Sabatino’s? [/QUOTE] That was my guess too. My experience is the same as **engineer\_comp\_geek’s** : Balmore’s lil’Ittly is great place to eat, but an unremarkable (mostly because it’s very small and consists only of restaurants) place to visit. Minor hijack…I’m pretty sure it’s closed now (can any b-more doper fill me in for sure?), but for my money the most interesting eating in Baltimore used to be Hausners. THey served everything from turtle soup to hassenpfeffer to prime rib, had a selection of pies that would make you drool, had hundreds of random oil paintings crammed onto the walls, and only took cash. Eating there was an experience. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baltimores-little-italy-is-it-worth-visiting/401412/7 "2007-04-24T14:10:25Z")
I will look for Amicci’s when we are there. One place I plan to eat Friday night is in the Mall on the Inner Harbor. It was a Brew pub and restaurant and had some very good food and beers. Hopefully it is still there. I cannot remember its name. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baltimores-little-italy-is-it-worth-visiting/401412/8 "2007-04-24T14:23:22Z")
Damn, I loved Hausner’s! What a trip that place was! We always hit Little Italy when we pass thru Bawlmer (all to infrequently in recent years). Is Vellegia’s still there? How’s Chiapparelli’s doing? Is Ikaro’s still on the east side near Baltimore City Hospital? ---
**Author:** ![Whiteknight](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whiteknight/32/4962_2.png) [@Whiteknight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whiteknight)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baltimores-little-italy-is-it-worth-visiting/401412/9 "2007-04-24T14:24:30Z")
FWIW, I’ve found Baltimore’s Little Italy to offer good, but not great Italian food at moderate, but again, not great prices. I grew up in northern NJ and between my immediate area and NYC, I’ve eaten in a lot of mom and pop type Italian joints. Maybe I’m just spoiled, but Bawlmer’s Little Italy just hasn’t measured up in the half dozen or so times I’ve eaten there. Again, it’s by no means bad and I’d say worth a visit, but don’t be too bummed if you have to skip it. It’s a shame that you won’t be here on a Monday, as Vaccarro’s has all you can eat desert then. A glutton’s paradise. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baltimores-little-italy-is-it-worth-visiting/401412/10 "2007-04-24T15:03:19Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] I will look for Amicci’s when we are there. One place I plan to eat Friday night is in the Mall on the Inner Harbor. It was a Brew pub and restaurant and had some very good food and beers. Hopefully it is still there. I cannot remember its name. Jim [/QUOTE] I don’t remember any brew pubs in the mall itself, but across Pratt Street from the Inner Harbor is the [Wharf Rat](http://www.thewharfrat.com/) and Oliver Brewing Company. They brew the beer at Pratt Street, but they have a second location in Fell’s Point if you want to get away from the tourists and baseball crowds at the harbor. Is that the one you were thinking of? You can get between Fell’s Point, the Inner Harbor, and Fort McHenry on a water taxi. All-day tickets run about $5 each, if I remember right. On a nice day, they’re well worth it. And Haussner’s restaurant is spelled with two "s"es. It closed down around ten years ago, I think. Last I heard, they were selling off all the paintings one at a time. -Enginerd Hausner (with one “s”) ---
**Author:** ![Figaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ea666f/32.png) [@Figaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Figaro)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baltimores-little-italy-is-it-worth-visiting/401412/11 "2007-04-24T15:59:20Z")
[QUOTE=Enginerd] And Haussner’s restaurant is spelled with two "s"es. It closed down around ten years ago, I think. Last I heard, they were selling off all the paintings one at a time. -Enginerd Hausner (with one “s”) [/QUOTE] I wondered about that but was too lazy to google it 🙂 Sorry to hear that news of its demise was true. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baltimores-little-italy-is-it-worth-visiting/401412/12 "2007-04-24T17:39:59Z")
[QUOTE=Enginerd] I don’t remember any brew pubs in the mall itself, but across Pratt Street from the Inner Harbor is the [Wharf Rat](http://www.thewharfrat.com/) and Oliver Brewing Company. They brew the beer at Pratt Street, but they have a second location in Fell’s Point if you want to get away from the tourists and baseball crowds at the harbor. Is that the one you were thinking of? You can get between Fell’s Point, the Inner Harbor, and Fort McHenry on a water taxi. All-day tickets run about $5 each, if I remember right. On a nice day, they’re well worth it. And Haussner’s restaurant is spelled with two "s"es. It closed down around ten years ago, I think. Last I heard, they were selling off all the paintings one at a time. -Enginerd Hausner (with one “s”) [/QUOTE] The Wharf Rat is Canadian owned. A group of us went to the Fell’s Point location on St. Patrick’s Day and had a riot. Not kid-friendly (it’s a bar) at all and very smoky. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baltimores-little-italy-is-it-worth-visiting/401412/13 "2007-04-24T17:46:24Z")
[QUOTE=Figaro] Minor hijack…I’m pretty sure it’s closed now (can any b-more doper fill me in for sure?), but for my money the most interesting eating in Baltimore used to be Hausners. THey served everything from turtle soup to hassenpfeffer to prime rib, had a selection of pies that would make you drool, had hundreds of random oil paintings crammed onto the walls, and only took cash. Eating there was an experience. [/QUOTE] _sigh_ It’s true, it’s gone. ☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹ ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2007, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baltimores-little-italy-is-it-worth-visiting/401412/14 "2007-04-24T19:41:01Z")
Water taxi tickets are up to $8/day, I believe. My sweetie was one of their captains some years back, but now that we live 2 hours from Balto, it’s not worth the drive for a part-time gig. But I agree, it’s a great way to get around. Heck, it’s fun just to take a boat ride and look around. ---
**Author:** ![krisolov](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/krisolov/32/3724_2.png) [@krisolov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/krisolov)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baltimores-little-italy-is-it-worth-visiting/401412/15 "2007-04-25T00:28:59Z")
[Brewers Art](http://www.belgianbeer.com/) is good, and [Ixia](http://www.ixia-online.com/menu.htm) is pretty good as well if little italy is not your thing. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baltimores-little-italy-is-it-worth-visiting/401412/16 "2007-04-25T00:53:08Z")
The place I was thinking of in the Harborplace was the [Capitol City Brewing Company](http://www.capcitybrew.com/baltimore.html). It was pretty good and a decent value. Jim ---
**Author:** ![david\_of\_verdant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ba8739/32.png) [@david\_of\_verdant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/david_of_verdant)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baltimores-little-italy-is-it-worth-visiting/401412/17 "2007-04-25T01:22:20Z")
I’ll second (or third) Sabatino’s. Try their ‘home mades’ pastas. Plus a hijack - take the water taxi to Fells Point and visit Bertha’s (and get the mussels) and go the The Horse You Came In On for a drink. A go way to start off or finish an evening. I’m going to Baltimore in July and all this is on my list. ---
**Author:** ![SlickRoenick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@SlickRoenick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlickRoenick)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baltimores-little-italy-is-it-worth-visiting/401412/18 "2007-04-25T01:49:42Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] Is Vellegia’s still there? [/QUOTE] It was back in the fall. I assume it’s still there now. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baltimores-little-italy-is-it-worth-visiting/401412/19 "2007-05-07T18:22:54Z")
I wanted to thank everyone again. We ended up having one less day than I wanted, so we passed on Little Italy. We did visit the Aquarium (again), Fort McHenry which was great and the Maryland Zoo which was nice. I did not even get back on the Constellation. I will be back in September for a Yankees game at Camden Yard with 3 other baseball fans. I should be able to talk them into the Constellation along with the Babe Ruth Museum. BTW: This time the Capitol City Brewing Company was terrible. The service was terrible, the menu had less choices and my Babe Ruth Burger that was suppose to be a medium was desiccated. They even brought me the wrong beer. Jim