Alma Cocina Latina

Alma Cocina Latina feels like part restaurant, part Chesapeake Bay zen garden—there’s monstera everywhere, light pours in, the staff is calm and friendly, and everything smells so damn good. This was one of the first Venezuelan spots in Baltimore, but their dishes go far beyond the classics: there’s latin gyoza, pescado frito, and a hamachi tiradito with brushes of squid ink and pops of salmon roe that could get an impressionist hyped.

The bar spans the length of the entire restaurant, and commuters come for Happy Hour before catching the MARC or Amtrak at Penn Station (yes, we have one too) across the street. Bring a date, a group of friends, or your favorite plant daddy to hang out in the jungle vibes and share the Cacao 7 dessert. It’s so rich with chocolate sorbet, fudge, mousse, and glaze, it might as well have a Swiss bank account.