07-16-2023 Baltimore's Best - Flipbook - Page 4
4 The Baltimore Sun | Sunday, July 16, 2023
BALTIMORE SUN’S BEST READERS’ CHOICE 2023 FOOD & DRINK
BEST BAKERY, GLUTEN-FREE
FLAVOR CUPCAKERY
118 N. Tollgate Road, Bel Air. 443-371-6664. flavorcupcakery.com
Shelley Stannard, the owner of Flavor Cupcakery, isn’t a baker “by passion
or trade,” she said.
The mom of three, who once worked in advertising and marketing, originally wanted to open a home décor store. When she noticed that people
weren’t inclined to spend as much on their homes in 2008 and 2009, during
the recession, she ran with her sister’s idea to open a cupcake shop instead.
“We did not have a good high-end bakery in the area,” Stannard, 56, said.
“We needed that go-to place that was local.”
It was a “huge learning curve” opening the bakery in 2010, Stannard said.
Prior to launching her business, she baked to formulate the recipes. Now,
Flavor Cupcakery has 11 full-time pastry chefs, whipping up favorites including a “black bottom” chocolate cupcake with cream cheese filling and chocolate chips.
Stannard’s pick is a cheesecake cupcake with graham cracker crust, vanilla
cake and a cream cheese filling.
“A lot of our cupcakes are pretty intricate, with crusts, with fillings, with
special garnishes,” she said. “Most people come in looking for things that are
a little bit more extravagant.”
Stannard appreciates the process, taking inspiration from a childhood
neighbor in Massachusetts who “always baked from scratch,” she recalled.
At Flavor Cupcakery, Stannard sources all of her ingredients from a Maryland distributor. She even serves up sweets that are vegan, gluten free and
“glegan” — a combination of the two.
The shop takes custom orders for events and special occasions. New or
limited-edition flavors are announced on Instagram.
“We’re consistent with what we’ve offered throughout the years,” Stannard said. “But we also are always trying to keep it exciting. … We’re always
Owner Shelley Stannard holds a selection of cupcakes and macarons at Flavor
Bakery and Cafe in Bel Air, which has been named Best of Baltimore.
BARBARA HADDOCK TAYLOR/BALTIMORE SUN
bringing something new to the table that keeps people coming in the door.”
“It’s just a little escape from life,” she said of the world she’s created in the
shop.
— Abigail Gruskin
BEST LUNCH, PIZZA
FRANK’S PIZZA & PASTA
6620 Belair Road, Baltimore. 410-254-2900. frankspizzaandpasta.com
It may be named for just one man, but Frank’s Pizza & Pasta is the definition of a family affair.
Cousins Frank Mastrantuono and Armando Buontempo flipped a coin to
decide whether they would call their Overlea restaurant Frank’s or Armando’s. Mastrantuono won the flip, and in 1985 the two opened Frank’s, a laidback, genial spot specializing in pizza, subs and other Italian favorites.
Tragedy almost closed the restaurant just four years after it opened. In
1989, Mastrantuono was at work when the neighboring pharmacy was
robbed. A stray bullet flew through the wall and struck the restaurateur, killing him on his 32nd birthday.
The restaurant’s strip-mall setting may lead some diners to pass Frank’s
by, but don’t overlook this pizzeria, which serves up friendly service, hearty
pasta and high-quality New York- and Detroit-style pies.
After nearly 40 years, Buontempo is still a fixture at the restaurant, making
the rounds to greet customers and check in on the kitchen. The day-to-day
operations, however, have fallen to his sons, Gennaro and Daniel Buontempo,
who grew up at Frank’s and now have some innovations of their own for the
family business.
When the brothers took over in 2020, the pizza recipe they inherited was
guided more by gut feeling than precise measurements.
“It was like a traditional, New York-style pizza shop, where you don’t have
recipes,” Daniel said. “My brother took it to the next level and made it into a
science.”
Gennaro, who goes by Gerry, uses a natural starter to make the pizza dough
at Frank’s, and then allows it to ferment for 72 hours before baking to develop
a more robust flavor. Though the pies are New York-style, the restaurant adds
a char to the crust that’s reminiscent of a Neapolitan slice.
That care extends to the rest of the menu: The chicken cheesesteak, for
instance, uses fresh chicken breasts, marinated for several days before being
chopped on the grill and layered with provolone and your choice of toppings.
The Rosa pasta, farfalle noodles topped with vodka sauce, chicken, shrimp
and lump crab meat, is a Frank’s specialty and a standout of the restaurant’s
extensive pasta menu.
Gerry and Daniel recently purchased a mobile brick oven to make pizza
on the road, so you can now find Frank’s pizza at local breweries and private
events. The brothers are also thinking about expanding with another restaurant of their own.
Whatever comes next, Frank’s won’t be going anywhere.
“We want to keep our father’s legacy going,” said Gerry. That includes the
restaurant’s recipe for success: “Really good food will keep them coming
back,” he said, “but with us it’s a family atmosphere.”
— Amanda Yeager
ASIAN
CHEF
ETHIOPIAN
EKIBEN
ZACK TRABBOLD, THE LOCAL
Honorable mentions
Chopstix Gourmet and Sushi Bar
Fuji Sushi
Bamboo Garden
Honorable mentions:
Joe Lancelotta, Conrad’s Seafood
Restaurant
Cindy Wolf, Charleston
Austin Karrasch, Ouzo Bay
DUKEM ETHIOPIAN
RESTAURANT
BAKERY
FLAVOR CUPCAKERY
CHINESE
Honorable mentions:
The Yummery
Cake By Jason Hisley
Woodlea Bakery
NIHAO
Honorable mentions:
Joey Chiu’s Greenspring Inn
The Orient Restaurant
Bamboo Garden Restaurant
BARBECUE
MISSION BBQ
COCKTAILS
Honorable mentions:
Chaps Pit Beef Baltimore
Andy Nelson’s Barbecue Restaurant
& Catering
Blue Pit BBQ & Whiskey Bar
THE BLUEBIRD
COCKTAIL ROOM
Honorable mentions:
Dutch Courage
Clavel
The Local
BARTENDER
JESSICA KERN, MASSONI’S
ITALIAN RESTAURANT
COFFEE
Honorable mentions:
Ashlee Wiley, DeSantis Restaurant
and Bar
Marijo Paterniti, Lib’s Grill Perry Hall
Brendan Forsythe, Little Havana
Honorable mentions:
Zeke’s Coffee
Coffee Coffee
Artifact Coffee
KEVIN RICHARDSON
FARMERS MARKET
BEL AIR FARMERS’ MARKET
Honorable mentions:
Baltimore Farmers’ Market
3 2 nd Street Farmers Market
PA Dutch Market Cockeysville
FOOD HALL
R. HOUSE
Honorable mentions:
Cross Street Market
Belvedere Square
Lexington Market
FOOD TRUCK
B-MORE GREEK GRILL
Honorable mentions:
Vagabond Sandwich Co.
Mr. Souvlaki
Pizza di Joey
MORNING MUGS COFFEE
CRABCAKE
BREAKFAST/BRUNCH
KOCO’S PUB
SUNNY DAY CAFE
Honorable mentions:
Pappas Restaurant and Sports Bar
Box Hill Pizzeria & Crab Cakes
G&M Restaurant
Honorable mentions:
Miss Shirley’s Cafe, Roland Park
Sunshine Grille Bistro & Catering
Blue Moon Cafe
Frank’s Pizza and Pasta owner Gennaro Buontempo, center, with his father Armando,
right, and brother Daniel, were voted“best pizza”in this year’s Baltimore’s Best awards.
GLUTEN-FREE
FLAVOR CUPCAKERY
Honorable mentions:
Harmony Bakery
Ekiben
Papi’s Tacos Towson
HAPPY HOUR
BACCO ITALIAN + WINE BAR
JUICE
PURE RAW JUICE
Honorable mentions:
YogaFresh
Berri Purple
Gangster Vegan Organics (tie)
Z Vault (tie)
KOREAN
EKIBEN
Honorable mentions:
Jong Kak
Shin Chon
Brown Rice Korean Grill
LATIN AMERICAN
TACO LOVE GRILL INC.
Honorable mentions:
La Cuchara
Plaza México
Cocina Luchadoras
LUNCH
FRANK’S PIZZA & PASTA
Honorable mentions:
Vagabond Sandwich Co.
Sunshine Grille Bistro & Catering
Gertrude’s
MEDITERRANEAN
SAMOS RESTAURANT
Honorable mentions:
Mr. Souvlaki
Ouzo Bay
Samos Greek Island Grill
DELI
Honorable mentions:
Looney’s Pub Perry Hall
Nick’s Fish House
Pappas Restaurant and Sports Bar
INDEPENDENT BREWING CO.
DI PASQUALE’S
MARKETPLACE
ICE CREAM
Honorable mentions:
Hopkins Farm Brewery
Checkerspot Brewing Co.
UNION Craft Brewing
Honorable mentions:
Attman’s Delicatessen
Savona - Fine Italian Foods and Wine
Ravage Deli
BURGER
DESSERT
THE ABBEY BURGER BISTRO
VACCARO’S ITALIAN
PASTRY SHOP
INDIAN
Honorable mentions:
Flavor Cupcakery
Cake By Jason Hisley
Diablo Doughnuts
Honorable mentions:
Sizzling Bombay
The Mint Room
Ambassador Dining Room
LITTLE HAVANA
DINER
ITALIAN
FRANK’S PIZZA & PASTA
Honorable mentions:
Island Spice Grille & Lounge
Judy’s Island Grill
Jerk Taco
EC DINER
MASSONI’S ITALIAN
RESTAURANT
Honorable mentions:
Pizza di Joey
Pizza John’s
Margherita Pizza Of Bel Air
BREWERY
Honorable mentions:
Vagabond Sandwich Co.
Fuzzies Burgers
The Local
BROOM’S BLOOM DAIRY
Honorable mentions:
Taharka Brothers Ice Cream
Bmore Licks
The Charmery
Honorable mentions:
Baba’s Mediterranean Kitchen
Ammoora (tie)
Maggie’s Farm (tie)
Villagio Cafe (tie)
OUTDOOR DINING
PEERCE’S
Honorable mentions:
Bowley’s on the Bay
Peerce’s
Little Havana (tie)
The Valley Inn (tie)
PIZZA
Honorable mentions:
Blue Moon Cafe
Double T Diner
Nautilus Diner
CATERER
Honorable mentions:
Pairings Bistro
The Local
Lib’s Grill Perry Hall
THE HELMAND
NICK’S FISH HOUSE
CARIBBEAN
THE CLASSIC CATERING
PEOPLE
MIDDLE EASTERN
Honorable mentions:
Frank’s Pizza & Pasta
Italian Sensation
La Scala Ristorante Italiano
POKE
UNCLE’S HAWAIIAN GRINDZ
DISTILLERY
SAGAMORE SPIRIT
DISTILLERY
JAPANESE
Honorable mentions:
Baltimore Spirits Co.
Old Line Spirits
Ellicott Distilling Co.
Honorable mentions:
Shoyou Sushi
Azumi
Yama Sushi Bar
FUJI SUSHI
Honorable mentions:
Poke Bowl
Hilo Poke & Sushi
Blowfish Poke & Grill
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