Sometimes, Rich Auntie just wants a different setting, without pulling out a passport or having to go through Digital ID clearance at the airport. I’m still craving views, vibes and vacation mode, but getting there should be a breeze—in under three hours.
So I booked the Business class train from New York City to Baltimore, Md., for a three-day getaway. And I would quickly find out why “Charm City” is a mecca for Black pride and joy.
Baltimore has a significant African American presence, making up 63% of the population. It’s something that’s felt, proud and unapologetically, from the street fashion, the artists’ showcases, the diverse culinary delights and the cultural experiences brimming with enrichment.
These are just a handful of the exquisite Black-owned places and spaces in Baltimore, which made RIch Auntie certain of one thing: it’s always the right time to visit.
Mama Koko’s
Mama Koko at Hooper House. Image: Shae L. McCoy.
An eclectic cafe and bar space in the historic Hooper House, this is where you gather with chosen family over coffee or cocktails. General manager Angola M. Selassi named it after his mother, K. Zauditu-Selassie—better known as Mama Koko. Up in her culture shop on the second floor, she readily imparts baubles and pearls…of wisdom. She’s reading Toni Morrison’s work with a group of women to explore how “women heal one another in community,” she shared. But when the music started pumping downstairs and they “were playing my tune,” she was dancing right next to me.
Rooted Rotisserie
Who would have thought that Chef Joseph Burton and his wife Amanda selling soups out of their home during the pandemic would turn into this cozy nook in Baltimore’s Hollins Market neighborhood. Discovering a love of rotisserie chicken while honeymooning in Paris, Chef Jospeh has remixed the menu with his own heritage dishes for a major taste explosion. “Joe is classically French-trained, so a lot of the techniques used to prepare your dishes are French. But the flavors are totally of his and our experiences,” Amanda shared. Rich Auntie loved the photo gallery wall, which made me feel like I was sitting down to dine with family.
The Garden Rooftop
Nestled in the vibrant Bromo Arts District, with its lush green decor and sleek modern design, this is where you go for a crafty cocktail or mocktail. Rich Auntie indulged. But it’s the second-floor Garden Lounge where things get really classy, with a cigar and hookah lounge, often accompanied by a DJ and live entertainment.
Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture
Our history will not be erased, thanks to spaces like the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture. Named after the first African American to build a billion-dollar company, the museum houses our history dating back to 1784. The interactive exhibition Titan allows young guests to sit in the very chair where Lewis brokered his multi–million dollar deals and learn how he toppled the corporate ladder. It’s a needed contrast to “The Lynching in Maryland” installation, which remembers 38 victims of documented racial terror lynchings that occurred in the state between 1854 and 1933.
The Urban Oyster
Chef Jasmine Norton, the owner and visionary behind The Urban Oyster, the nation’s first Black female-owned oyster bar, wanted to present oysters in a way that our people might have an appreciation for.” For her presentation with the James Beard Foundation, she created “the OB and J. It’s an oyster with onion, bacon jam, goat cheese and fig glaze. You really can do just about anything with an oyster.” Inside her restaurant’s calm, tranquil setting, I chowed down on inventive dishes like the Volcano oyster, taking note of her instruction to “be open-minded and try new things—you can say that you didn’t like it after actually trying it.” No need; every bite was delicious.
Teavolve Cafe, Papi Cuisine, Yebo Kitchen
Rich Auntie has set you up for breakfast, lunch and dinner with these three Black-owned establishments. Located in East Harbor, Teavolve Cafe serves hearty breakfast fare and delicious teas, coffees and lattes. Papi Cuisine was a mix of Afro-Latin fusion, serving up sensations of flavors rooted in Dominican and African American cooking. An enticing mix of Asian/American dishes with a Southern influence, Food Network Chopped Winner Chef Sammy Davis heads up this restaurant’s delicious combos.
Mess In A Bottle
Rich Auntie loves inspirational and empowering sayings, and entrepreneur Khalil Wright delivers them on bags, t-shirts and other items that should be read. She makes her products at her shop in the Mount Vernon district. Starting the business with just $500 and turning it into a million dollars-plus enterprise, she’s got words (of course!) for those who are afraid to take the risk to make something their own: “You tell yourself ‘I can’t do this, or it’s not gonna be perfect.’ I would just say, start and make a mess with it.”
Creatively Black Baltimore
Oh, Black art, where art thou? In the corridors of Creatively Black Baltimore. This former amusement space has been reimagined as a mega art gallery, featuring Black artists from Baltimore of every age and level. Each weekend, it hosts the Light Street Pavilion pop-up, the region’s largest exhibition of Black art. The city is committed to their work being seen and, more importantly, purchased by the gallery’s visitors.
The Empanada Lady
You know you hungry after a late night out. Elisa Milan, The Empanada Lady, has taken her family’s empanada recipes and turned them into a full-time venture inside her colorful restaurant and bar space. And she’s got ’em on a late-night menu. Try the beef. You’ll thank me later.
