For the past few years, Baltimore, Maryland has been the home of CIAA, the oldest African-American athletic conference in the United States. As part of its multi day festivities of sports, music, and entertainment, Visit Baltimore, the city’s tourism management office, invites media from around the country to participate in covering the championship games, as well as see what else the city has to offer, and along the way, negate the oftentimes negative depiction Charm City gotten over the years. This year’s initiative highlighted the Black-owned eateries throughout many of its famous neighborhoods.

“Baltimore’s Black-owned restaurants and artists are the heart of the city’s culture. They’re setting trends, preserving history and building something that’s entirely their own. Our chefs aren’t just cooking—they’re innovating, blending flavors with stories that reflect generations of tradition and creativity,” says Visit Baltimore‘s President and CEO . “Our artists are doing the same, using their poems, books, visual art and music to celebrate, challenge and inspire. This city has always been a place where Black excellence thrives and right now, that energy is stronger than ever.” 

He told the truth. Baltimore is home to some of the country's top restaurants, many of which are award-winning and critically acclaimed. 

The media welcome dinner was held at Rooted Rotisserie, owned by and his wife, Amanda. It is known for appetizers like their LIB wings, charred shrimp, and southern inspired sides like macaroni and cheese and cabbage that’ll melt in your mouth. But they are famous for their Parisian-inspired rotisserie chicken. 

The Burtons’ journey to becoming restaurant owners began after they were laid off from their hospitality jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. They turned to cooking at home for comfort, and began selling soups out of their home, which turned into selling them at pop-up shops. An anniversary trip to Paris gave them an idea. “We had so much fun eating in Paris. Everything there is cooked so fresh, but it’s so tasty. And believe it or not, they make the best rotisserie chicken,” Amanda told BET.com. “My husband [Joseph] is classically trained in French cuisine. So we decided to blend our love of French and southern cuisine, and we opened the restaurant in 2023.”

From there, we headed over to an after-sip at Mama Kokos. This local hub houses a coffee shop and cocktail bar, an outdoor garden, culinary options, rental space for beauty and art businesses. It serves as a meetup for creatives where all can enjoy live music, poetry, and entertainment, as for how the establishment can house so many different offerings, because it lives in the historic James E. Hooper House in the Old Goucher section of the city, a mansion built in 1886. Conceptualized by Compton native turned Baltimore transplant, Kokahvah Zauditu-Selassie, the eclectic menu has something for everyone. Guests can sip everything from an old fashion to pinot grigio, and throw down on bar bites infused with African, southern, and French cuisine. 

Papi Cuisine, located in the bustling Fells Point section of the city, hosted a delicious lunch. Popular for its creative seafood dishes, media attendees dined on crab cake egg rolls, fries, fried lobster, and more. Its Afro-Latin infused menu started out as a food delivery service, helmed by Chef Alex Perez, before a brick and mortar. Other fan-favorites include its lamb chops and seafood pasta.

The evening was capped off with a multi-stop food tour. Yebo Kitchen was first on the ride. Their dishes are inspired by Asian and American cuisine. Food Network Chopped winner curated the menu, as he previously noted to Baltimore Magazine, the vision was “Asian influence with a Creole twist.” Their weekend brunch has proven to be a hit with their waffle offers. The space offers an enclosed outdoor terrace in the back. In the Spring and Summer months, guests can dine in the front courtyard when the weather permits. Their must-haves include crab egg rolls, lobster pasta, and Chinese ribs. 

Next up was The Garden Rooftop. Known as Baltimore’s hidden gem, downstairs boasts a finely decorated restaurant that serves dishes like stuffed crab salmon, jerk salmon, and catfish nuggets. The specialty cocktail menu is nothing of the ordinary, offering twists on classics, like the champagne margarita. Travel upstairs into a different oasis where guests can dance and sip libations at the lounge. Buy bottles at a section or mingle with others during their themed nights. 

Topping the night off was The Empanada Lady. Owner began the restaurant based on her grandmother’s empanada recipe. Located in Downtown Baltimore, outside of their mouthwatering empanadas - their Nada Bowls, equipped with a protein of choice, peppers, onions, rice, cheese, and more -  are also a staple. The Afro-Latina infused restaurant offers cocktails and margaritas with Latin flair.

, who Visit Baltimore’s Al Hutchinson calls a standout because she is a self-taught chef, owns the county's only Black-owned oyster bar, The Urban Oyster. Norton was named a 2025 James Beard Award semifinalist in the Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic category this year. And for good reason. Who knew you could eat flavored oysters?!

The menu boasts oysters flavored with barbeque sauces, teriyaki sauces, cheeses, spices, and beyond. Some are raw, some are charred. Norton told BET.com she wanted Black diners to be able to enjoy oysters at an elevated level. There’s a reason Visit Baltimore chose to host its CIAA Media farewell dinner at The Urban Oyster, as they saved the best for last with its savory entrees that included buttery branzino, seafood flatbread, and seared scallops. 

The final stop was a farewell brunch at Teavolve Cafe. Open daily for breakfast and brunch until 4 pm (except Mondays), guests can relax with various assorted hot teas, coffees, and lattes. But the real treat is their famous Bananas Foster French Toast. There are classic comforts like sausage and bacon. But for brunch, most like to get creative with their omelet menu.

For more information on Baltimore’s Black-owned restaurants, check out Visit Baltimore’s guide.