Ahead of Valentine’s Day two years ago, I wrote a 5 & Dine story about what a romantic city Baltimore is — the waterfront, the atmospheric dining, the oysters. In actuality, most of the featured restaurants, and many of the favorite dinners I’ve had since, were experienced with friends.
Galentine’s Day, brought into the cultural vocabulary by Amy Poehler’s character in “Parks and Recreation” and typically celebrated Feb. 13, is arguably as worthy of commemoration as Valentine’s Day. The chance to gather, commune, and unload stress with women can be less pressure than the traditional holiday, especially if brunch or a bottle of wine is on the table.
In honor of Galentine’s Day, here are five Baltimore restaurants with fun atmospheres for enjoying female friendships:
The Duchess
The stage for live music, the cozy fireplace, the communal table for starting or maintaining friendships, even the name — it all works for Galentine’s Day at the new Tony Foreman outpost, The Duchess, in Hampden. The restaurant marries the warmth of a British pub aesthetic with a menu that draws from chef-owner Kiko Fejarang’s family roots in Guam.
“The food culture in Guam—” Foreman started to say during an interview.
“—is all about togetherness and family,” Fejarang finished. Hence, much of the food is inspired by family dishes and lends itself to sharing.
On the brunch side, a mochi waffle is accompanied by ube maple syrup, and muffins and scones regularly change flavors. “That stuff is like crack,” Foreman said of them.
For dinner, stir-fried lotus root and bok choy tastes both fresh and fatty with truffle-sesame vinaigrette. Corn and shrimp patties were a fixture of every fiesta Fejarang attended in Guam. They showcase that those two ingredients have similarly succulent textures, a pop of savoriness as the tooth pierces the skin, and they play off each other beautifully with dinache aïoli.
Foreman said with this menu, he’s stepped back more to “play editor.” “While a very well-informed chef, [Fejarang] cooks with so much heart,” he said. 1002 W. 36th St., 410-525-7000, theduchessbaltimore.com
The Empanada Lady
Downtown’s The Empanada Lady is brimming with girls’-night-out energy, with its R&B music, pop-art look and fruit-forward cocktails, some of which are customizable with a choice of 10 house syrups.
The menu is built around owner Elisa Milan’s thick-fried empanadas, replete with meat and/or veggies, whisps of cheese and plenty of spice. But they also take the form of nada bowls, nachos or the apple-fritter-like dessert empanada to make the most of a good product. The white rice and bean stew is chest-warming for winter with olives, peppers, onions and potatoes, the most popular side for a reason. As the menu reads, the restaurant champions “togetherness, talent, and the joy of good food.” 10 South St. Ste. 100, 443-377-1133, theempanadalady.shop
The Madison 801
New to Baltimore’s Middle East neighborhood, The Madison 801 is “gourmet but comfortable,” says co-owner Sydne Shaw, citing farm-to-table ingredients, a great playlist and a feeling that the space is “for everyone.” For brunch, the eatery puts spins on classic fare. The banana pudding crème brûlée French toast, for example, is a surprisingly balanced dish for a dessert-like breakfast because of its textures. Think fluffy brioche, whipped mascarpone, thick caramel, a cookie crumble and bananas with a brûléed crack you can hear, though Shaw said plate presentations are still in flux. Steak and eggs are uplifted with certified Wagyu, and don’t skip the sides. Crab rangoons have golden shells of just the right thickness, full jumbo lumps instead of being mostly cream cheese like at some restaurants and a creamier version of sweet and sour sauce. Guests can warm up with a host of specialty coffee drinks like the Bischoff butter frappe and spiced caramel latte, plus house-made pastries. 801 N. Chester St., 443-202-1322
Prima Dopo
Prima Dopo in Fells Point is hosting a Galentine’s brunch party Feb. 8 at noon, complete with espresso martinis, a DJ and a Champagne tower, according to a flier provided by the Italian restaurant. It’s also a short walk to the Fells Point Corner Theatre, where Forevermore Sketch Comedy is performing “The Galentine’s Day Sketch Show” on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.
But all year long, Prima Dopo has the trappings of G-Day with its girly branding and shareable menu. The cocktail program is especially strong, with options like the Chartreuse-tinged take on an old fashioned, the Luck of Lucien, and the jalapeño-spiced tequila and cantaloupe In the ‘Loupe.
All three of the toasts, crab, stracciatella and bruschetta, are worth trying, and squid ink chitarra pasta with crab and clams tingles with a spicy kick. Duck confit pizza was a standout, the tender meat accentuated by caramelized onions and white sauce. But for better or worse, the food tends to lean heavy on the garlic, so it’s preferred for Galentine’s over a date anyway. 1724 Thames St., 443-449-5605, primadopobaltimore.com
Silver Queen Cafe
Silver Queen Cafe in Waltherson is offering 20% off sparkling wines, $10 cosmos and a specialty drink — a Galentine’s margarita with cara cara orange, blanco tequila, and Caffo Red Bitter liqueur — on Feb. 13, the cafe said. Food specials, such as oysters, a charcuterie board with smoked and cured duck breast, petite filet mignon and rum chocolate mousse, extend to the 14th, allowing friends to treat each other just as specially as the couples.
The usual menu veers toward elevated comfort food, like shrimp and grits and mushroom carbonara. The crab dip is made with J.O. seasoning and gruyère, so it almost tastes like queso, and although the crab pieces aren’t as big as some in the area, you get them in every single bite and get their flavor. The pizzas are loaded with stringy, brown-speckled cheese, and the honeynut squash pizza, in particular, had a nice push-and-pull of acid and fat with spinach, red onion, mozzarella, goat cheese, balsamic and garlic oil.
My gal pal and I shared a slice of peanut butter pie, her request because I thought it might be too sweet. But the saucy strawberry jam brightened it up, and the Oreo crust added a slight bitterness. The peanut butter itself had the creamy consistency of the inside of a buckeye cookie, pure delight. 5429 Harford Road, 443-345-2020, silverqueencafe.com
Have a news tip? Contact Kendyl Kearly at kkearly@baltsun.com or on X as @KendylKearly.