Baltimore Wine Bar Review: The Wine Market

The Wine Market - Locust Point: www.the-wine-market.com
921 East Fort Ave
Baltimore, MD 21230
(410) 244-6166

Entering The Wine Market from the main parking area, you walk in to a small but well-organized wine shop. A few coolers on the right offer the usual suspects of beer, sparkling wines and a few cheese selections. As you move to the middle of the store you’ll find a shelf of bargain wines where it’s possible to find a very good wine for under $12. On the main rack in the middle of the shop are selections from around the world while the US inventory and spirits are on the wall to your left. Overall there is a good diversity in selections of wine, but as one might expect with the premier wine shop located near the luxe Federal Hill neighborhood, many of the selections are well overpriced.

Moving through the shop, you’ll find your way to the wine bar and restaurant area. Between 5-7 PM Monday through Thursday the bar will be crowded with young professionals taking advantage of one of Baltimore’s best “Happy Hours,” which features $3 wine, sangria, and appetizers all being served by Kelly, one of the best bartenders in town. Overall the service at the bar and restaurant is among the best in town, which cannot be said for the service in their wine shop (don’t expect a “hello” or “goodbye” when coming or going!). On the weekends the restaurant is filled with people excited to taste the outstanding creations of executive chef Christitan de Lutis: a few of my favorites are the Mac and Aged Cheddar Cheese (creamy and delicious), the Lamb Burger (perfectly seasoned), and the Braised Bison Ribs (tender is an understatement). Selections by the glass are generally between $4 and $10, with the option of a flight of 3 wines (3 oz pours) as well. You can grab a bottle from the shop and have it at the bar for a small corkage fee, or, after a few drinks at the bar, take a bottle home with you at 15% off.