Overview
Midtown is a district of Baltimore.
5 sights · 8 things to do · 15 places to eat · 5 bars & cafés · 4 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Midtown
Francis Scott Key Monument
Bolton Hill is a beautiful neighborhood, but probably the single most impressionable and beautiful section is the square immediately around this huge memorial of the composer of the U.S. National Anthem. Key, cast in bro…
Washington Monument
At the turn of the 19th century, Baltimorians lobbied for a monument dedicated to the United States' first president, and in 1829 Washington's first monument finished construction. It was designed by architect Robert Mil…
The Walters Art Museum
An excellent museum donated to the city by father-and-son railroad tycoons William and Henry Walter, fervent collectors who purchased much of its massive and diverse collection as well as the buildings that host it. It i…
Maryland Center for History and Culture
Where you can see the manuscript of "The Star-Spangled Banner" among other things related to Maryland history.
Maryland Film Festival
Takes place during May of each year, three days of film screenings in the Midtown/Belvedere and Charles North neighborhoods.
Artscape
America's largest free festival dedicated to the arts is held every July in Mount Vernon. You'll have the opportunity to experience and purchase arts and crafts produced by Baltimore artisans and tailors, as well as conc…
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct. Summer highs reach about 90°F; winter lows dip to about 30°F. Very hot (Jul) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Jul and Sep. (climate data from nearby Baltimore)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- BWI Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Baltimore — 9 mi away (major hub). Directions
- DCA Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington — 39 mi away (major hub). Directions
It's easy enough to find the neighborhood by car—you can take Martin Luther King Blvd straight from Exit 53 off I-95N, or go straight up Charles St from Downtown. I-83, the Jones Falls Expressway, leads right into the district and has exits at North Ave and Maryland Ave/Charles St/St. Paul.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
- Places to stay listed here: about $100–$150 a night (typical $150), from 4 listed prices.
- Typical meal: about $10 per person at listed restaurants.
- Estimated daily budget per person (room, two meals, local transport and an activity): budget ~$130, mid-range ~$200, comfortable ~$270.
Options are grouped as Budget, Mid-range, Splurge in the Sleep guide ↓.
Sample 3-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Francis Scott Key Monument, Lyric Opera House, Theatre Project
- Lunch Soup's On
- Afternoon Baltimore Improv Group, Mobtown Ballroom and Café
- Dinner Sofi's Crepes
- Evening Mount Royal Tavern
Day 2
- Morning Washington Monument, Hackerman House, The Walters Art Museum
- Lunch Indigma
- Afternoon Maryland Center for History and Culture, Artscape
- Dinner Helmand
- Evening The Brewer's Art
Day 3
- Morning CenterStage
- Lunch Iggie's Pizza
- Afternoon Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
- Dinner Kumari Restaurant
- Evening Metro Gallery
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
You can visit Baltimore without visiting Midtown, but you will be missing out. Midtown is arguably Baltimore's most beautiful section of town, having housed the city's wealthy and fashionable starting centuries ago. The Mount Vernon neighborhood, especially Mount Vernon Square, is the principal destination for visitors, as it is the lovely setting for the city's Washington Monument, predating the larger obelisk in D.C., and for the Walters Art Museum.
Just north of Mount Vernon is what has become known as Baltimore's Station North Arts District which spans the neighborhoods of Charles North, Greenmount West, and Barclay and is the hippest part of town. Great restaurants, great bars and clubs both sophisticated and offbeat, tons of local artists including those at the eccentric Maryland Institute College of the Arts, the prestigious Peabody School of Music. Then there's The Lyric Opera House, art galleries, and the beloved art-house film Charles Theatre. This area is also home to Penn Station and the light rail cuts right through it, so you don't have much of an excuse to skip a trip here!
Bolton Hill, to the northwest of Howard St and Martin Luther King Blvd, has far less as far as tourist sights go, but is an absolutely beautiful place for a stroll or drive—stately tall 19th century rowhouses and mansions, gilded statues, huge old churches, and so on. It sports a couple of nice restaurants as well, and a few houses (not open for visitors) of famous former residents such as F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Just west of Mount Vernon, charming Seton Hill's eclectic mix of large and small row houses are centered on the beautiful Saint Mary's Park. Strolling through this quiet green space with its large trees and small fountain, you could quickly forget that you are just a few blocks from all the amenities Baltimore offers. The State Office Complex and Downtown Baltimore's towers are visible above the roofs of Seton Hill's historic homes, but are far enough to be quickly forgotten when you leave work behind. And every October the neighborhood puts on the Seton Hill French Fair and Flea market, bringing the community together for some fun and showcasing the neighborhood.
Get in
By car
It's easy enough to find the neighborhood by car—you can take Martin Luther King Blvd straight from Exit 53 off I-95N, or go straight up Charles St from Downtown. I-83, the Jones Falls Expressway, leads right into the district and has exits at North Ave and Maryland Ave/Charles St/St. Paul.
Parking is another matter, with often limited metered parking in the busy sections around Charles St, and two hour zone restrictions in residential areas. The zone restrictions are pretty poorly enforced, but the ticket prices can be high.
By train
Amtrak as well as the MARC commuter rail Penn Line from D.C. serve Penn Station, which is a fairly easy walk from virtually anywhere in the district.
By light rail
The light rail leads through Mount Vernon and Station North, stopping at Centre St for Mt Vernon Square and historic Seton Hill, Cultural Centre for the Opera House, Penn Station, and North Ave for the eccentric bars, clubs, and pizza places at the northern edge of the district.
By metro
The metro subway has a convenient stop at State Center (near the Cultural Centre light rail stop), but it's not terribly clear whether anyone uses the Baltimore metro, nor whether you should either.
By bus
Bus #11 has a remarkably useful route leading north on Charles St from Downtown and the Inner Harbor, and on to the Baltimore Museum of Art and Johns Hopkins' main campus in North Baltimore. On the way south back to the Inner Harbor, it follows Maryland Ave to Cathedral St, before heading east all the way to Fells Point and Canton.
The Charm City Circulator's purple route is a really useful loop for any visitors. It runs a loop from Penn Station through the district, Downtown, the Inner Harbor, and even on to Federal Hill. Just remember that it doesn't run that late!
See
See Francis Scott Key Monument
Bolton Hill is a beautiful neighborhood, but probably the single most impressionable and beautiful section is the square immediately around this huge memorial of the composer of the U.S. National Anthem. Key, cast in bronze, stands in a boat returning from captivity on an English ship along with a soldier, presenting a manuscript of what would become the Star Spangled Banner to a figure of "Columbia," who stands tall atop a marble temple, raising the flag to the sky. The enormous domed church on the square is a Masonic building, home to the "Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Maryland," and is not open to the public.
See Washington Monument
At the turn of the 19th century, Baltimorians lobbied for a monument dedicated to the United States' first president, and in 1829 Washington's first monument finished construction. It was designed by architect Robert Mills who later designed that other Washington Monument in D.C. It is now the focal point of the Mt. Vernon neighborhood. Visitors can climb to the top (more than 160 feet high) with admission to see a panoramic view of the city.
See The Walters Art Museum
An excellent museum donated to the city by father-and-son railroad tycoons William and Henry Walter, fervent collectors who purchased much of its massive and diverse collection as well as the buildings that host it. It is best known for its collection of 19th century European masterpieces (top floor), however, the ancient and medieval collections are excellent as well. Be sure to enter or exit from its Charles Street entrance, where you'll pass through a magnificent indoor courtyard modeled after the Palazzo Baldi in Genoa.
See Hackerman House
An elegant late-classical-era home built in 1850, it was donated to the city of Baltimore by its last owners, Willard and Lillian Hackerman, in 1984. The city renamed the house in their honor and took advantage of its location to expand the adjacent Walters Art Museum. It now hosts the Walters' collection of Asian Art, but is open only on the weekend, and can only be accessed from within the museum. From the front rooms on the third floors you can sneak a bird's-eye view of the monument plaza.
Do
Performances
Buy
Midtown a shopping district is not, unless you're looking for art supply stores, of which there are plenty, serving mainly the MICA students.
Eat
Budget
Eat Iggie's Pizza
Gourmet, creative, thin-crust, wood-fired pizzas here are easily right up there with the best in the city. The atmosphere is extremely casual, where you will take care of getting your pizza and extra water yourself. Likewise, BYOB.
Eat Land of Kush
Vegan soul food in the rough model of Soul Vegetarian, but with extremely friendly service and a convenient location. Regardless of your dietary needs, they will likely be able to accommodate you. Big portions.
Eat On the Hill Cafe
Bolton Hill, with its critical shortage of places to eat in the neighborhood, is well served by this little cafe. The pastries and coffee are good, but the specialty burgers and sandwiches are what really shine. Nice outdoor seating in the summer.
Eat Sofi's Crepes
Sofi's does an easy trade on being the one truly tasty spot right by the Charles Theatre. The crepes come with cutsy, often theater-related names (like the "Kevin Bacon"), and are designed strictly for take out, to be eaten like a sandwich.
Eat Soup's On
The only real downside to this place is the danger that that awful Heat is on song might get stuck in your head (sorry). There are meat, veggie, and vegan soups available—the menu is actually huge, with options ranging from borscht to Maryland crab to curried persimmon!
Eat Station North Arts Cafe Gallery
This cafe keeps in with the general trend of art galleries residing in bars, restaurants, and cafes. This is one of the cafes. It's a real cheerful sort of place, with an especially great breakfast. Dirt cheap.
Mid-range
Eat Aloha Sushi
Baltimore is a little short on good sushi restaurants, but this is very much a good place for fresh sushi at reasonable prices with a casual atmosphere. Both lunch and happy hour see great deals both on the sushi, including a dollar sushi menu, and the drinks. The cheap BBQ wings are also surprisingly well done. Karaoke in the lounge downstairs F-Sa nights.
Eat Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant
D.C.'s U Street mainstay for Ethiopian food has opened a location in Baltimore, and it easily surpasses the original: prices are a bit lower, the atmosphere is more relaxed and friendly, and some would even say the food is a notch higher! As in D.C., Dukem excels in the meat category, with wonderful beef tibs especially, as well as great raw dishes. If you haven't had Ethiopian food before, this is a great place to start—just remember that you'll be eating with your hands, and that you can wind up with some spicy dishes! They roast their own coffee beans daily in an elaborate, traditional, and very elaborate Ethiopian coffee ceremony, down to the white dresses, scented grasses, frankincense, etc. It's incredible.
Eat Indigma
"Grand Lunch Buffet" available six days a week. In the evening, South Indian, North Indian, and Indo-Chinese specialties.
Eat Joe Squared
Iggy's rival to the north has gourmet-ish pizza just as good. And, unsurprisingly, given its location on the hippest strip in town, has really cool atmosphere with local artists exhibiting on the walls and regular live jazz even on weeknights. It's more of a restaurant than its southern rival, with table service and a full bar. Outdoor patio seating is great in nice weather.
Eat Kumari Restaurant
Nepalese finds its home on the eclectic jumble of Charles St, with a tasty lunch buffet, and a nice but casual dinner.
Eat Marie Louise Bistro
A somewhat upscale French bistro with typical bistro fare plus a few Maryland/American favorites. But the standout is the sybaritic dessert menu, making this a great nighttime spot for a fancy drink and slice of chocolate cake or a tart.
Eat Minato
While there isn't anything terribly special about the sushi at this college student-friendly place, it's a fun, casual restaurant with good prices and great happy hour specials.
Splurge
Eat Helmand
The city papers love it, the locals love it, even the Karzai family loves it—this truly may be Baltimore's favorite restaurant. The decor is urbane and fairly upscale, but it's fine to wear jeans. The food, despite the restaurant's popularity, is remarkably well-priced. Focus on the appetizers; it's not a bad idea to order a bunch of them, and only one entree to share. Aushak is a specialty here, but if you haven't had kaddo (sauteed pumpkin with a garlic yogurt sauce), order it.
Eat The Prime Rib
This is the original of the three Mid-Atlantic locations, with what is regularly trumpeted as some of the best steak in the country. The restaurant is a beautiful traditional steakhouse, with high backed black leather chairs, black lacquered walls, white tablecloths, and a bar that looks ready for Frank Sinatra to come in and have a martini. The signature dish is an excellent prime rib (and this is the only place you will find it every day on the menu in the city). The restaurant is also renowned for its excellent service—this is a great upscale option in Baltimore. Suit jackets not required, but... wear a jacket.
Drink
Drink The Brewer's Art
The Brewer's Art won the reader's poll in Baltimore Magazine and the City Paper for best bar in the city, and Esquire<nowiki>'</nowiki>s pick for best bar in the United States. No one is too sure what to make of that wild superlative, but it is clearly a good bar. Their house brews are almost always great and offered at ridiculously low prices, and they have an excellent selection of liquors (especially scotch and brandies) and wines by the glass. The old Mt Vernon townhouse it is housed in is beautiful, with a swanky upscale seating area upstairs and a perfect dark brick dive ambiance downstairs. And even the food, upscale American, is outstanding, making the place a worthy dinner choice, or just an extra good place to get some bar food. Mains run in the $20s, light fare: $8-14.
Drink Club 1722
Check out those hours! What the heck sort of club is open from 2AM-6AM? And BYOB? This is a wild sort of place.
Drink iBar
This is basically a run-of-the-mill dive bar in North Charles, but, and it's a big but, the Buffalo born-and-bred owner has brought his special recipe to Baltimore, offering great wings.
Drink Metro Gallery
An art gallery, club/lounge, live performance venue, and bar, this is one of the cooler places in a very cool city for a night out. Not open every night, you will have to settle for waiting for an event night.
Drink Mount Royal Tavern
MICA students know this "Dirt Church"—that should give you a basic idea of what to expect. Some artist painted a reproduction of the Sistine Chapel's ceiling if you look up, the bathrooms reek with the stench of death, dirts are mind-bogglingly cheap, you would probably be thrown out the door if you request a martini, etc. There is a good mix of neighborhood folks, heavily tattooed drug abusers, and art school students. This is real Baltimore, and while the masses might hate this sort of place, a true lover of the city will be in a special sort of heaven. Order a shot of rye and a Natty Boh, and you'll find yourself in good company.
Sleep
Budget
Stay The Empire House
This stunning, historic Victorian mansion has been opened as a B&B. It's owner-occupied and offers a 1000-sq ft, 1-bedroom corporate apartment for extended stays, a two-bedroom, one-bath suite, and two bedrooms with private baths. The rooms are large and decorated nicely without the usual B & B clutter. Wifi and off street parking is included. Not yet serving breakfast.
Mid-range
Splurge
Stay Hotel Indigo Baltimore Downtown
A very attractive, large historic building just south of the monument. Open since 1907, originally as the Baltimore YMCA. Operated for years after that as the Mount Vernon Hotel, until reopening as the Hotel Indigo in 2015 after a renovation. Despite the name, it's a little north of what's usually considered Downtown, on the southern edge of Mount Vernon.
Stay safe
The areas north of Penn Station can be legitimately rough, but the main roads, especially Charles St and North Ave, are well traveled and fine. If you have your car on the street anywhere in Midtown, make sure there is nothing lying in plain view, lest someone smash your window and take it.
Go next
While the obvious direction from here is back south through Downtown to the Inner Harbor, some creativity and preferably a car can make for some interesting jaunts farther afield.
If you are enjoying the slightly gritty, but very eccentric areas around North Ave, head a little further north and watch the grit factor soar! Also that way is Baltimore's Korean neighborhood, with some great little BBQ places and the odd karaoke bar, and a couple famous punk bars/venues.
Now you'll definitely need a car in this direction, but heading west will bring you to the Baltimore Zoo and the original location of "The Roost" for some fine fish fry.
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