Top 10 Upscale Cafes
When I first did a post on upscale cafes, I had only three to put on this list. With your help I've almost come up with 10.
In some cases, I've had to stretch the definition a bit; but basically I stayed with the criteria Other Reviewer Richard suggested:
...to qualify the place would have to have a) have a cappuccino machine, and accommodations for someone who just wanted a cup of coffee b) not be a place anyone would insist is really a bar c) have table service 4) also have a beer/wine list. ...
It goes without saying that the upscale part means something beyond soup or a sandwich on the menu. I may have been misunderstood in my earlier post when I quoted Richard as saying they had to have "at least the veneer of quality food" and then I said, "That lets Cafe Hon out."
I meant that upscale cafes are stylish and a bit high-falutin' (in a nice way), and Hon doesn't try to be.
I'm not totally happy with my list. For instance, a couple of them have soda cases on display, which goes against the spirit of the category. But I did my best.
* 49 West in Annapolis. Yes, it calls itself a coffee house and wine bar, but it's open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, which makes it a good candidate to be an upscale cafe.
* Artful Gourmet in Owings Mills offers imaginative food in a small storefront with an open kitchen. The name refers to fine art; it's not the owner bragging. The dishes are all named after artists.
* City Cafe in Mount Vernon has been recently renovated and is more of a restaurant than some on this list, but you'll still feel perfectly comfortable just ordering a coffee here.
* Donna's (area locations) introduced the concept of upscale cafe to Baltimore, with its stylish interiors, olive oil for dipping rustic breads into, specialty coffee drinks, roasted vegetables and no ranch dressing to go on the salads.
* Marie Louise in Mount Vernon is a serious restaurant at night, but as the Web site says, "Stop in for a meal or just a cup of coffee." And while you're at it, pick up one of those French pastries from the bakery counter.
* Sascha's 527 in Mount Vernon is a bit of a stretch in this category, but it is a place where no one is going to kick you out because you want to sit around reading with a cup of coffee and one of the big cookies.
* People may think of Spoons in Federal Hill as just a coffee house if they haven't been there, but it has an elaborate menu of good things, a beer and wine license, and to solidify its reputation as an upscale cafe, a wonderful collection of latte art photos on its Web site.
* Teavolve in Harbor East epitomizes the genre: It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner in a chic setting where you can have a coffee or a pot of tea and work on your laptop or get a drink after work.
* Village Square Cafe in Cross Keys has food ranging from pancakes and roasted vegetable pizza with goat cheese. It also has a great place to eat outdoors when the weather is good again -- always important for a cafe.
* I simply can't come up with a tenth upscale cafe, so I'm going to have to say that I have high hopes for the soon-to-be-opened Falls where Freda's Kitchen was in Mount Washington. It meets all the criteria, and I liked the Evergreen a lot, which was the owner's last cafe/coffee house.
(Gene Sweeney Jr./Sun photographer)
Comments
Another of my favorites is The Main Ingredient Cafe in Annapolis. It is my go to for great omletts in the morning, creative sandwiches and salads at lunch, and a light but sophisticated dinner menu...with wine. Plus their cakes are amazing!
Posted by: GrayGirl | December 8, 2009 7:41 AM
I know, I know...learn to edit before I hit the post button. Sorry.
Posted by: GrayGirl | December 8, 2009 7:44 AM
Artful Gourmet is delicious!
Posted by: nic | December 8, 2009 8:18 AM
Metropolitan Coffee House and Wine Bar in Federal Hill. The name says it all.
Posted by: gibby | December 8, 2009 8:59 AM
too bad the coffee at donna's is undrinkable
Posted by: NoThanks | December 8, 2009 9:11 AM
How could you possibly leave out Stone Mill in Brooklandville. While the prices are very high, the food is very high quality and the ambiance great. That many customers can't be wrong.
Posted by: robert | December 8, 2009 9:23 AM
gibby,
this is the list for the top 10 cafes, not the worst 10 places to go in all of baltimore. metro falls into the latter category.
Posted by: bill | December 8, 2009 9:47 AM
robert, does Stone Mill Bakery Cafe have a beer/wine list, one of the four criteria required in order to be considered for inclusion on this list? All I could find from an online search was a reference to its offering orange juice, tea, and coffee at breakfast -- nothing more.
Posted by: hmpstd | December 8, 2009 9:51 AM
Stone Mill doesn't meet the criteria. Wasn't Freda's Kitchen in Mount Washington (however briefly it existed)?
You are absolutely right, and I knew that. Thanks for the heads up. I was thinking about how many of these on the list were in Mount Vernon, and stupidly wrote Mount Vernon instead of Mount Washington. Corrected now. EL
Posted by: terpfan | December 8, 2009 10:02 AM
What about Stonemill Bakery & Cafe in Greenspring Station in Brooklandville, MD? I would say it tops all of these in terms of atmosphere, service, and food! I highly recommend it!
No beer or wine, one of the conditions. Otherwise, you're right. EL
Posted by: Katherine | December 8, 2009 11:55 AM
What about Village Square Cafe? A really great addition to the neighborhood at Cross Keys.
It's on the list. EL
Posted by: MPL | December 8, 2009 12:39 PM
I think Sorso in the Harborview community strictly speaking meets all four criteria (they will bring your order to your table--does that qualify as table service?). Nothing I would call terribly upscale about it, but given its proximity to the water and the intimate ambience of the neighborhood, maybe it makes up in atmosphere what it lacks in cuisine.
Posted by: out-of-towner | December 8, 2009 12:48 PM
I don't much care for XS in Mount Vernon, but it meets all your criteria.
Posted by: Above the Park | December 8, 2009 1:26 PM
Just had lunch with a friend at the Village Square Cafe in Cross Keys and the place was doing a very good business. Freshly made food, nice atmosphere--I will be back.
Posted by: Dahlink | December 8, 2009 2:17 PM
Village Square Cafe seems to be doing pretty well, which is somewhat surprising considering that many of the stores in Cross Keys are having problems. I find the food there to be ok. I'm not wowed by anything I've had, but I do like having something in the neighborhood.
City Cafe used to be one of my more frequent dining stops when I lived in Mt. Vernon. I'm not big on the changes they made. You used to be able to order off the full menu in the casual cafe section, but now dining is on available in the dining room/bar area.
Posted by: Robert of Cross Keys | December 8, 2009 2:28 PM
XS is loud and overly active. While that might qualify as a cafe setting for some, it makes me twitch.
Posted by: Lissa | December 8, 2009 3:06 PM
If they have a "cappuccino machine" instead of an espresso machine, that should disqualify them right there.
Posted by: greg | December 8, 2009 4:16 PM
4:16 comment is a shill, and btw, I don't like espresso, I like cappucino. so there.
Not anymore. :-) It is annoying to have a shill drop in and make a snarky comment. EL
Posted by: Joyce W. | December 8, 2009 5:11 PM
What about Golden West Cafe? It even has 'Cafe' in it's name. And it also has the 'hipster' vibe in abundance? What gives???????
Posted by: ASH | December 8, 2009 6:44 PM
do you know of a restaurant opening on December 8th in the Baltimore area that might be associated with Sascha's 527?
Nope. Tell us more. EL
Posted by: cookie | December 8, 2009 7:13 PM
Nice try, ASH.
Wow, really long captcha! Gap 1.40 pt tawdry
Posted by: Joyce W. | December 8, 2009 7:32 PM
I was hoping you might know. I overheard someone who works at Sascha's talking about preparing for the restaurant opening on tues. 12/8. Searched google - can't find anything.... oh well a mystery...
Posted by: cookie | December 8, 2009 8:01 PM
regarding golden west, i would think cleanliness would be a minimum standard to be considered even slightly upscale. golden west fails that test. it's simply a greasy spoon.
Posted by: unbelievaboh | December 9, 2009 7:38 AM
Thank you for including Sascha’s in your Top Ten Upscale Cafe’s even if it is, like you said, “a bit of a stretch.” (We have to admit that “a bit of a stretch” at first sounded like a negative…. But we knew how you meant it. We were just a little concerned that readers who didn’t know us would not get much of a positive impression.)
We realize that Sascha’s 527 is a little uncategorizable, and a little eclectic (like its owners)… a restaurant café with global food where cuisine and drink run the gamut of cookies to filet, cappuccino to martinis, and casual dining to a sexy and sophisticated time.
We really do appreciate your thinking of us.
Sascha Wolhandler and Steve Suser
Posted by: sascha Wolhandler | December 10, 2009 2:10 PM
The Falls opened on/around December 4, although its days, hours and menu are all pretty ragtag so far. Our office members have already checked it out; we think it will last 6 months, tops. Too many employees, not enough food options, and their prices make Starbucks look frugal.
Posted by: Gonzai | December 16, 2009 10:45 AM
Spam at 6:33 AM! (This one is from the UK branch of the same European family of websites which have shilled vitamin pills in the past. I doubt that the alleged poster gets to Annapolis very often.)
Posted by: hmpstd | December 18, 2009 7:42 AM
Went to Artful Gourmet last night partially on the recommendations here. I took issue with it being called a cafe, but then I reread the criteria here and see that the defining word is upscale. Yes, it fits that bill. It is upscale somewhat and somewhat formal. Everyone was pretty dressed up, not really a place for jeans which I was in. It's pretty formal and stiff. They have a separate bar though and I would have much preferred that. You don't see a whole lot of plumbers and painters and auto mechanics there. If I'd paid enough attention to the categorization of upscale; I probably would not have gone and been far the happier for it. I'm not a fan of upscale and definitely despise high falluting. I don't really call this place high falluting though.
Posted by: potpie | January 24, 2010 9:40 AM
potpie, you seem to be contemptuous of every restaurant you try. whether it be because it's a chain, or now because3 it's "upscale". Did you enjoy your food and service? or was that too formal and stiff for you too?
I am certainly not shilling, but I've gone to the Artful Gourmet many many times and have never had a bad experience there - food or service. And, my partner and I not upscale, and do in fact wear jeans there.
Posted by: Joyce W. | January 24, 2010 12:11 PM