My spouse and I dined at Woodberry Kitchen for brunch on a
Saturday morning in early June 2018. The restaurant is open for weekend brunch
and daily dinner. You can make a reservation
using the online Open Table system. (Reservations are highly recommended
at this popular dining spot.)
Woodberry Kitchen opened in 2007 in a former flour mill that
is part of a repurposed 19th century industrial complex. It is
located in the Woodberry neighborhood, about a 10-minute drive from Downtown
Baltimore. (We took an Uber, and it cost about $20 each way.) The restaurant
offers valet parking if you drive yourself.
The restaurant occupies a multi-story brick building and offers
several places to dine: at its long bar, in its main dining room on the ground
floor (with a view of the open kitchen) or on an upper balcony, in a side
dining room, or outdoors. We chose the outdoor option, so we only had a brief
glimpse of the interior, but we noticed high rafters, lots of wood, and rustic
touches. Even the restrooms at Woodberry are thoughtfully designed and
decorated. The outdoor space was serene, positioned higher than the street and
protected by a line of tall shrubs and trees, some of which were strung with
white lights. Wood-burning chimineas and an outdoor circular fireplace add
unique touches that would not be available in a city restaurant. As we were
dining, we caught a glimpse of the fantastically-designed outdoor swimming pool
that belongs to the nearby loft-style apartment building.
Woodberry Kitchen has garnered many awards over its 11+ years of operation,
including 3 stars from the Washington Post, one of 50 best restaurants from
Baltimore Magazine, best wine restaurant by Wine Enthusiast, Martha Stewart’s
American Made award, and Best Chef Mid-Atlantic by James Beard.
The restaurant serves New American food. Because we visited for brunch, we
ordered from a special menu, although some of the restaurant’s regular dishes
were available me. As appetizers, we shared the cornbread and the
deviled eggs, followed by entrees of a banh mi sandwich and pork belly
bibimbap. We were disappointed that no true desserts were offered at brunch;
our waitress could only offer the donut or breakfast-y pastries on the
appetizer menu.
We enjoyed our brunch at Woodberry Kitchen; the food and
service were great, and the location is attractive and interesting.
