Things to Do in Baltimore: A Local Guide to Art, Food, and Culture from Winkel Gallery
If you're planning a visit to Winkel Gallery—first, thank you. We’re not just a gallery. We see ourselves as part of a living, breathing creative ecosystem rooted in Baltimore. Our exhibitions are personal, often intimate, and intentionally grounded in the communities around us.
Right now, we’re proud to feature work by an incredible group of artists: Arvay Adams, Ainsley Burrows, Paris Lee Campbell, Tracey Halvorsen, Shawn Humes, Denzel Parks, Ricardo Roig, Justin Winkel, and Casey White.
Each artist brings something distinct—whether it’s narrative depth, bold experimentation, or a quiet power that speaks for itself. We encourage you to spend time with their work, and you can learn more about each of them in the gallery or on our website.
But we also know art doesn’t exist in a vacuum. So if you’re coming through, we’d love to share some of our favorite spots around the city. Places that, like us, are doing something with care, clarity, and heart. Here’s how we’d spend a day—Winkel Gallery and beyond.
Start With Art (Here, With Us)
Begin your day at Winkel Gallery. Our exhibitions are curated to make space for reflection, conversation, and connection—often showcasing artists whose work explores memory, identity, place, and transformation. We focus on elevating voices that don’t always get center stage elsewhere. Sometimes that means introducing you to someone new; sometimes it means reintroducing you to a voice you thought you knew.
Whether you’re here to look closely and think quietly or to talk it all out with us, we’re glad to have you. We want your visit to feel less like a transaction—and more like a conversation.
Coffee, Cats, and Community
After the gallery, take a short walk to Affogato, Baltimore’s new cat café. It’s light-filled and low-key, with thoughtfully made espresso drinks and adoptable cats quietly wandering the space. It’s a great spot to decompress—whether you’re alone with your thoughts or catching up with a friend. And if one of the cats chooses you? We wouldn’t be surprised if you left with more than just a caffeine buzz.
More Art, More Baltimore
Art is everywhere here. If you’ve got time to keep exploring, Baltimore has a number of museums we love for very different reasons:
The American Visionary Art Museum (Federal Hill): Across the harbor and truly one of a kind. A space dedicated to self-taught artists, eccentric thinkers, and big imaginative energy.
The Walters Art Museum (Mount Vernon): Always free, always worth it. Their permanent collection spans centuries and surprises you around every corner.
The Baltimore Museum of Art (Charles Village): A mix of historic holdings and bold contemporary programming. They’ve made real commitments to diversifying their collection, and it shows.
These places, together, offer a layered and generous portrait of the city’s creative and cultural spirit.
Catch a Show or a Set
If you’re staying into the evening, there’s more than enough to keep the inspiration going. We always recommend checking out:
Vagabond Players Theatre (Fells Point): The oldest continuously operating little theater in the country—intimate, homegrown, and full of heart.
Everyman Theatre (Westside): Actor-driven, contemporary, and focused on stories that hit close to home.
Center Stage (Mount Vernon): Baltimore’s flagship regional theater with ambitious productions and socially relevant themes.
Keystone Korner (Harbor East): A world-class jazz venue that keeps the music scene alive and swinging. Expect everything from Grammy-winning legends to rising stars, in a room that knows how to listen.
Ricardo Roig, Jazz Club, Collage on wood panel, 12 × 24in
Where We Go for Dinner
After a full day of looking, thinking, and wandering, it’s time to eat. Baltimore’s food scene has soul. It’s not about flash—it’s about flavor, story, and hospitality.
Here are a few places we personally love:
Little Donna’s (Upper Fells Point): Retro Italian-American dishes with warmth and charm. Cozy, nostalgic, and consistently excellent.
Peter’s Inn (Fells Point): A true Baltimore gem. Weekly-changing menus, flickering candles, and food that hits in all the right ways.
Thames Street Oyster House (Fells Point): A harbor-side classic. Go for the raw bar, stay for the lobster roll.
Charleston (Harbor East): If you’re in the mood for fine dining, this is the city’s crown jewel. Chef Cindy Wolf’s Southern-inspired tasting menu never misses.
Don’t Skip Dessert
If you’ve still got room—and we usually do—there are a couple of sweet spots we always recommend:
Pitango Gelato (Fells Point): Classic, high-quality Italian gelato made fresh daily. The pistachio is rich and earthy, the dark chocolate is almost fudgy, and the location (right by the water) makes it the perfect post-dinner stop.
Bmore Licks (Patterson Park): A Baltimore favorite with a huge rotating menu of soft-serve flavors and hand-dipped ice cream. Colorful, creative, and always worth the line—especially after a stroll through the park.
Stay With Intention
Whether you’re in town for one night or a long weekend, where you stay can shape how you experience the city. We’re partial to spots that feel personal, design-forward, and a little off the typical path.
We recommend:
The William Fell (Fells Point): A new boutique hotel tucked into a historic part of town. Elegant, quiet, and perfectly located.
Sagamore Pendry (Fells Point): Sleek and sophisticated, with a killer view of the harbor and a great bar scene.
The Ivy Hotel (Mount Vernon): Every detail is dialed in. A luxurious stay for travelers who appreciate craftsmanship and calm.
Revival (Mount Vernon): Bold interiors, rooftop drinks, and a strong connection to the city’s art and culture scene.
Hotel Ulysses (Midtown): Maximalist, cinematic, and full of personality. Designed by Ash NYC, it’s playful and theatrical in the best way.
Denzel Parks, The Same Old Way, Acrylic on canvas, 36 × 36in
Before You Head Out
At Winkel, we believe art should linger. We hope your visit does, too.
Whether you came to see a specific artist or just wandered in off the street, we’re grateful for your time and attention. Baltimore isn’t always loud about its beauty—but it’s here. You find it in old rowhomes, in the grit and humor of the people, in corner bars, and bookstores, and basement shows. You find it in the way our artists speak plainly and powerfully—whether they’re painting, cooking, performing, or dreaming up something entirely new.
Come visit us. Then go see the rest of it. This city has more to give than most people know.
You’re always welcome here.
Note: None of the places mentioned here are sponsored or affiliated with Winkel Gallery. We’re not being paid to promote any of these businesses—we just genuinely love them and think they add something meaningful to the city and to your visit.
Cannot wait to visit and check some of these places out