KristinB...are you going to pay with one credit card or want the bill split on to multiple ones?

(OK...I'll shut up. I know I have nothing to add to this thread, which is a serious inquiry. I just couldn't resist...)

What about "b"? I just printed out their RW menu today, and a fishetarian/vegetarian could put together a very nice meal from it. It doesn't get much more Baltimore, from a certain point of view, than Bolton Hill. You could regale your guests with stories of the Cone sisters, MICA, etc. etc. The downside, of course, is that "b" is small, so make those reservations now, if this appeals!

My shaky memory tells me Rusty Scupper got an okay review not too long ago. You can't beat the view, even if the food may only be marginal (again I don't know). My point is that for out of town folk, Baltimore is the Inner Harbour. To best show the City, I would pick a place with an Inner Harbour view. That adds McCormack and Schmick (mini-review from my Christmas dinner: its very good) and Grille 700 just got a recommendation in the Sandbox, I just don't know about the view.

I see this request as having more to do with Baltimore and less to do with food. Having said that, Phillips is never an option. Please save the attacks concerning chains for another time. You can not beat the RS view of the city.

Have they been to Baltimore before? It sounds like you want to go fancy, but if they like seafood, taking them out for a real Baltimore-style crab feast is an experience in and of itself! I'd suggest Mr. Bill's Terrace Inn. Of course, if they've been there and done that with crabs (or if you want something a little fancier) Oceanaire is nice for seafood?

While I quite like b, I think, given the parameters that Helen's Garden may be a better choice. It fits in the cuisine and that way you can walk around the square afterwards and they can see part of Baltimore other than the Harbor. The only caveat is that I do not know their restaurant week situation.

How about One World Cafe? Their whole menu is vegetarian. For lunch, Liquid Earth, in Fells Point. Also, Zia's Cafe in Towson.

Although I am not a vegetarian, I do enjoy the type of food and used to be. I enjoy my meat products now. However, there is a website. www.happycow.net that lends a selection of local restaurants in the Baltimore area. Check it out.

As a strict no-land-animal person, I would say you can pretty much satisfy your needs in most of the Baltimore neighborhoods and most restaurants. If you want to go moderately fancy in Northern Baltimore I would suggest: Gertrudes, the Dogwood, the Ambassador, the Carlyle or Woodberry Kitchen. If you want casual (and less expensive), I would go for Rocket to Venus or Golden West. On the waterfront (for seafood), you might try John Stevens, the Bay Cafe or Bo Brooks. Each of those would satisfy your dietary and monetary needs. Mid-town, I might suggest Robert Oliver (kind of pricey but very good), or the Helmand. You need a reservation.

Black Olive or Pazo affords you the option of taking a walk near the water without going to an uber-tourist place.

Peter's Inn- Fells Point

My daughter is a non-fish-eating vegetarian with a super picky palate, and her favorite places in Baltimore are the Helmand (lots of vegetarian options there), B, Tapas Teatro (all kudos for the Karzai family), and Peitit Louis. The Ambassador would serve them well for Indian food, as would Lebanese Taverna. Mezze is another good option - they can graze, it's friendly, and Fells Pt is always good for out of towners. But if they eat fish (and therefore aren't vegetarians at all) and you want to show off your city, Charleston is the only place to take em.

I think the Zodiac across the street from the Charles Theater is ideal: much of the menu is vegetarian/vegan, much of it is not. And it's one of the best seafood restaurants in town. There's almost no seafood on the menu, but there are several seafood specials every night, and I've never had a bad one.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure, but it may be closed this week.

All of these suggestions are good ones; I guess you have to decide which aspect of Baltimore you want to show your friends.

Last winter a friend (who'd never been to Charm City) was mesmerized by Bolton Hill. She kept pulling out her camera to take a picture of a rowhouse with one of those blue historical plaques, exclaiming "Really? F Scott Fitzgerald lived here"?

So I am agreeing with eating at "b" in Bolton Hill.

I agree with B More Sweet- Fells Point is ALWAYS a draw with my out of town friends; the history is just oozing along Thames st. Mezze is definitely pleasant, especially on a nice day and you can sit outside and people watch. Then you can finish it off at Pitango for seriously the best gelato ever!

I knew I could count on the Sandbox to come through for me - thanks for all the great suggestions! Sounds like there's a bit of a consensus coalescing around b so far. (Plus, our trusty leader gave it 3 1/2 stars for food, right? And I've always loved Bolton Hill.) But being RW, I'll have to cross my fingers and hope for a reservation. So I'm glad to have so many great options presented here, in case I need to try, try again. Many thanks!

For vegetarians:
Helmand
Ambassador Dining Room
La Tavola
b

I believe the correct description of your friend's food lifestyle would be pescetarian.

I recently cooked a big meal for pescetarian friends of mine in Chapel Hill, and it was FUN.

I hadn't realized what a crutch meat products can be. I normally rely heavily on schmalz, bacon (in its various forms) and animal stocks.

M&S is always good chow, and not incredibly expensive, and depending on how haute your friend likes her cuisine, Phillips food and an Oryuls game fits the tourist bill. I always try and remember that not everyone wants to eat like I do.

Lebanese Taverna has the same walk-around-the-Harbor option and has loads of vegetarian-friendly food and lots of atmosphere in what I think is one of the nicest new neighborhoods in town. Ditto for Lemongrass and Tsunami.

Gotta stress the Helmand recommendation - great prices, amazing food, excellent vegetarian options. It's very easy to get an appetizer, main dish, drink & dessert for less than $50. And it's in Lovely and Historic Mt. Vernon, one of the nicer faces Baltimore has to offer. A stroll up (or down) Charles Street to the monument, the parks, etc is a great way to show visitors something other than the Inner Harbor.

And Mezze, as mentioned above, is also a great idea - great veggie & seafood, great location in Fells.

I'll echo most of the suggestions above: Helen's Garden, Fin, Mezze, Kali's, Meli, Pazo, Charleston, Helmund and will even throw in Tabrizi's, Sascha's, Minato, Woodberry Kitchen and Mama's on the Half Shell (way more laid back than any of the other suggestions). I don't think that Helen's or Mama's is participating in Restaurant Week.

I hope you write back to let us know where you went and how it went!

Gertrudes!

Lots of great suggestions here--something for everyone. Makes me appreciate how far Baltimore has come (speaking in a culinary fashion) since we moved here several decades ago!

Just about anywhere in little Italy.

Thanks again, everyone, for all the great suggestions. I've taken notes for next time. As for last night, we went to b in Bolton Hill and had a very nice meal. My pescetarian friends found plenty to like on the menu (octopus, roasted vegetable ravioli and nectarine tart for one; fried oysters, halibut and profiteroles for the other), and said everything was delicious. I enjoyed my sausage ravioli (drawing a blank on the fancy name for them), branzini and bread pudding. I could have used another refill of my water once my glass of wine was gone. We were so busy catching up that our server had to come by several times to nudge us to order. It seemed a bit intrusive at the time, but since my friends only just made their train back to DC, it was a good thing she kept us moving along. The atmosphere was great - I love to have good food in a relaxed atmosphere.

Since I called late for reservations, we weren't seated until 8:30, which gave us time to wander in Fells Point and a bit in Bolton Hill before dinner. (alas, no Pitango gelato before dinner). They really liked Baltimore. It draws a sharp contrast, apparently, with Charlotte NC, where they live and everything is apparently much newer.

Mission accomplished! Thanks!