The city of Baltimore can make it difficult for restaurants and bars to get outdoor seating. You have to deal with neighborhood associations, zoning, liquor board, fire department and more and more hoops.

10 seats took me two years and $20k in legal fees. Ouch!!

A rooftop deck would probably cost $50k, probably in another year or so, I will get the courage up to do it.

Smoking on the roof. Now, there's a genius idea. Some drunk tossing a lit cigarette that sets the building ablaze from the top down. Or, throws a burning butt over the side to land 3 stories below on a pedestrian. Good thinking, there.

I've only been on 2 rooftop decks. Both had really steep, really narrow stairs. I think I had to go out through a window to get up one set. It was as creepy as going up my pull-down attic stairs, but with the possibility of a downward plunge onto concrete instead of just the dog. And, as I think of it, the view was only "lovely" when I held my head 'way up and looked 'way out. There is some really nasty stuff behind some trendy neighborhoods.

One major concern would be whether an older building's roof would have sufficient reinforcement to support a load of bar/restaurant equipment and furnishings (all of which would likely be far heavier than the patio table and plastic chairs on your neighbor's rooftop deck).

the ghetto doesn't look any different from above than it does at street level. i can see annapolis rooftop restaurants as there is nice scenery, but not baltimore.

Corrupt Byzantine liquor board. Same reason outdoor seating is hard to find.

Doesn't LP Steamers have roof top dining in warmer weather?

I thought Arcos had a rooftop terrace - yesno?

Great question! When I lived in D.C., Adams Morgan had three restaurants where you could eat on the roof: the Spaghetti Garden, a sushi restaurant, and an Ethiopian/Eritrean place. The architecture in Adams Morgan isn't so different than Fell's Point or Federal Hill...converted little rowhouses.

Baltifoodie - Sounds like we used to be neighbors. Local 16 snatched up the SG I believe. The Reef on 18th St. had an amazing rooftop terrace where you could go ingest fabulous bison hangar steak with nice craft brews on the cheap with distant views of the monuments. Restaurants around here could capitalize on views of the skyline, the Domino Sugar sign, the night sky... There's obviously a draw, or else rooftop decks wouldn't be spreading around here like .

The old Highlandtown Middle School is in the middle of an RFP process right now, but neither includes plans for a rooftop restaurant. Shame, because the building has two flat spaces, several stories up, that would be perfect for such a thing. At least one side would have an amazing view of Patterson Park and the downtown skyline.

Bill,

Nice use of code words- George Wallace and Strom Thurmond would be proud of you.

As a former resident of Annapolis, I could drive you through some less than desirable neighborhoods within the city limits- you'll be surprised at how they stack up against some bad Baltimore neighborhoods. And by "bad", I mean neighborhoods where the local Annapolis newspaper and Domino's Pizza won't not deliver.

Rooftop decks pwn your face.

LP's is money.

I'm pretty sure that Nick's Fish House also has a roof deck. I seem to recall eating on it once.

Not in Baltimore, but the Main Street Tower in Bel Air has an outdoor, rooftop area, as well as indoor seating.

Now I understand why alteast some of the outside tables at Miss Shirley's in Roland Park had signs on them saying they weren't for dining only waiting was allowed.

hmpstd: Roof decks *built to code* are typically built above a roof and not on it. Residential roofs aren't typcially built to support more than the roof itself - materials and labor $avings. When roof decks are built to code, it is essentially like adding a floor to your house without bringing the walls up and making a new roof above it. They often tie into the brick parting walls in row houses. Done right, they are as safe as an interior floor.

Didn't the former Mama Cellina's (across from La Tavola) in Little Italy have a rooftop deck/eatery? I know that someone is back in there doing work.

I think L.P. Steamers in Locust Point has a rooftop deck. I haven't eaten up there yet. Hopefully this summer. I agree that the zoning is probably the reason why there are so few places here with rooftop dining.

I will not eat outdoors - rooftop of not.

Even if built to code, with handicap access, and a lovely view, a rooftop dining area would be usable, at most, half the year.

Chris,

It's never been open as a restaurant in the 5 years I've lived here, but I can tell you that Mama Cellina's is being redesigned to be retail. There's also a Stop Work order posted for not having the proper permits. Sadly, I think the neighborhood is going to be stuck with another big empty building for a while.

A friend of mine bought a rowhouse in Canton several years ago. He said many of his neighbors have roof-top decks but he never sees anyone on them. Granted, these are not restaurants, but I wonder: maybe the weather here is just not that conducive for rooftop dining.

I can see several reasons why there won't be new rooftop dining available in the area anytime soon. Besides the actual cost of building the deck area there are additional insurance costs and an elevator or other device to be ADA compliant. As was mentioned before the costs of battling with the zoning boards, neighborhood associations, liquor board and health department. A restaurant would have to make a very large profit to justify the costs to put in a rooftop deck dining area.

Oh, and isn't there a Helen's Garden with a rooftop seating in Canton Square?

I thought I posted this yesterday...

Mama Cellina's building hasn't had a roof at all in the past ten years that I've lived here.

When this topic appeared my immediate thought was roof top as in the rotating thing on the Holiday Inn, downtown. All most all comments have assumed some sort of open air arrangement. Are you people nuts? Has no one been in Baltimore in July or August? Much of June and September too. RiE is generous when he suggests a six month season. As much as I love Baltimore, we have about 12 weeks of perfect weather. Outside of the Spring and Fall periods static outdoor activities (sitting and eating) are not pleasant.

Mt. Washington Tavern has a great rooftop bar (haven’t been there for a while though) and I believe Woody's Rum bar in Fells has an outdoor deck as well. It would be great if more restaurants had outdoor areas. There is only so many happy hours/meals you can eat at Bay Café.

Point to RtSO.

RtSO - don't knock it until you try it. A summer night on a roof is actually quite nice. There's almost always a breeze up there. Now, in the dead heat of the day you better have some shade but the breeze really makes it happen. 80 degrees with a breeze, watching a sunset, drink in hand, food on the table - it doesn't get much nicer. You can almost forget you are even in a city when you are above it. It's quite quiet and tranquil.

CiH - I think people don't use their personal roof decks that much because they are too lazy to climb the extra stairs :D

Carol: as a Canton resident with a roof-top deck, I can assure that mine is used frequently. We dine, drink, lounge and laugh at Baltimore's obession with fireworks weekend-long, once the weather warms. We were up there the first weekend in March, but it's usually "roof season" after Easter. Even in the heat of the summer, there is enough breeze that it is comfortable. We always see others up on their decks as well.

FLIRV: Helen's does not have a roof deck or roof seating. I wish it did though...

EL: I've been to the now-defunct Metropolitan in Annapolis. I recall dining on the lower floors, but only a bar on the roof deck. Perhaps I always arrived after the kitchen closed.

Woody's in Fells and Grumpy's on Cross Street are probably the closest to rooftop bars we can claim, though Woody's is more of a balcony. Nick's Fish House opens their roof to diners in the summer.

"Mark Twain" on the Midnight Sun blog once claimed to be purchasing a bar in the heart of Canton with a rooftop deck, but I don't know if that venture has progressed.

I would say that Baltimore really doesn't have a tradition of outdoor dining unless it is on the water. If you go to a place like Quebec City, which has far fewer outdoor days than Baltimore, you will see an abundance of outdoor seating. And if there is a nice day in March, they will drag out the tables for a day only to put them back the next day when temps drop.

The owner of The Black Olive is building an inn on Caroline St that is going to have a rooftop restaurant and bar. The last time we dined there our server told us that it's supposed to open this Fall.

I grew up in DC, where rooftop dining and outdoor seating was plentiful. It's one of the areas where Baltimore sadly falls short. I always took advantage of being outside when I could, and eating outdoors is wonderful. I can assure you that the summers in DC were also very hot, but really, people didn't mind. Shade was available, and a slow meal on a hot day is relaxing. As for only being able to use a roof deck half of the year, it's simply not true. Most of the restaurants had the lamp heaters for cold weather. They really did work. Of course, the decks wouldn't be open in snow or rain, and I don't recall a single one of them being ADA compliant. There was seating available in the main level of the restaurant for that.

I certainly wish the city would make things a big easier and allow more outdoor seating. Sometimes Baltimore feels so far behind the times, and I swear the city is doing everything they can to stop it from being a nice place.

mcg,

you can say what you want about me. unfortunately, i call it like it is. i don't think many city-dwellers will refute my previous comment.

I'm a former resident of both Baltimore and Annapolis.
Baltimore and Annapolis both have their bad (or at least less than desirable) spots. Annapolis just does a little better job of hiding them, for the most part.

Bill, your post just seemed a little snarky.

I will leave it at that.