OPEN
Luna Oaxaca: The longtime home of Donna’s Cafe in the Village of Cross Keys—which has sat vacant since the neighborhood spot closed in 2018—finally has new life. Last weekend, the expanded space officially debuted as Luna Oaxaca, a Mexican spinoff from the owners of Sol Oaxaca Cocina Moderna in Bel Air. Now outfitted with desert murals, interior greenery, and custom rattan light fixtures, the restaurant fires up dishes like classic elote, beef empanadas, street tacos, a cochinita pibil platter, and a stuffed steak burrito topped with salsa and queso fresco. Adding to the now vast array of eateries at Cross Keys, Luna Oaxaca also presents a new option for locals to catch up over margs (tequila or mezcal), with the requisite tortilla chips and scratch-made guac.
NEWS
Cafe Campli Closing as Owners Head to Italy: Bittersweet news out of Hamilton-Lauraville. Paul and Sam Mincarelli have announced they will close their Harford Road haunt this summer to pursue their dream of running a restaurant in Italy. It seems only fitting, as they opened Cafe Campli in 2022 as a love letter to the Italian cafe model and to the restaurant’s namesake, a small hilltop town in Italy’s Abruzzo region.
In a statement posted to social media earlier this week, the couple shared that they’ve finalized a contract to reopen a historic restaurant in the center of Penne, also in Abruzzo, which has been closed for three years. “It was one of our favorites,” they wrote. “We even joked about reopening it when it first closed, eventually deciding that would be ‘crazy.’”
But eventually, a “too-good-to-be-true deal” proved hard to pass up. “We are in awe that we get to do this, since moving to Italy has been a life-long dream, but saying goodbye and leaving behind something that was good—dare we say pretty great—weighs heavy on our hearts,” they continued.
The post concludes by sharing that the restaurant space is available for either a new concept or for anyone who is “so upset that we’re leaving that might consider taking over the reins of Cafe Campli.” (Any takers?) Until those details are ironed out, be sure to stop in for one last plate of pasta in the weeks to come.
Oleum Expanding to Fells Point: Fells Point diners were shocked to see buzzy eatery Bondhouse, and its adjacent speakeasy, close in January. But the space at the corner of Bond and Aliceanna won’t be vacant for long. In the coming months, vegan concept Oleum, which originally opened inside Harborplace, will take over after outgrowing its downtown digs. “We tried to make it work [in Harborplace], but unfortunately you all kept us too busy that we now have to move into a bigger location this summer,” chef and owner Alisha Adkins-Adibe wrote on Instagram.
Even though it only opened last year, Oleum is already making a splash for its innovative vegan and vegetarian dishes. Favorites include a miso mushroom bucatini pasta and a wide variety of plant-based pizzas, including the “Firestarter” with spicy calabrian marinara, vegan pepperoni, Italian sausage, and fresno chilis. Diners who have made the Harborplace location a part of their routine will be happy to hear that the Oleum team plans to continue operating their flagship cafe, in addition to unveiling the new space.
ICYMI
Pink Flamingo: Brendan Dorr and Eric Fooy—the owners behind Dutch Courage in Old Goucher—have officially opened their new rum bar and restaurant inside the storied Remington corner spot most famously home to Dizzy Issie’s and The Dizz. We got a firsthand look at Pink Flamingo earlier this month, and while it’s a rum-focused bar, it’s not a cocktail bar a la Dutch Courage. Instead, it’s meant to feel more like a neighborhood tavern. Expect a bar menu featuring 10 signature cocktails, including The Dizzy Flamingo, a daiquiri with two rums, lime, and sugar. A food menu isn’t available yet but will be soon, offering up classic American pub fare like wings and burgers, with a twist.
EPICUREAN EVENTS
4/26: Mr. Trash Wheel’s Earth Day Birthday
Charm City’s favorite floating garbage interceptor turns 11 this year. On April 26, celebrate Mr. Trash Wheel and Earth Day all in one with an event at the Public Works Experience on Eastern Avenue. Along with art-centric activities—including painting a real-life Trash Wheel dumpster with local artist Bryan Robinson and an upcycled terrarium station—expect treats like snowballs from Ice Queens and Peabody Heights beer. Tickets are $40; get them here.
5/4: Fiesta de Clavel
Tickets are going fast for Fiesta de Clavel, an event celebrating the Mexican restaurant’s 10th anniversary—and perfect for those looking to kick off Cinco de Mayo revelry early. In honor of a decade in business, Clavel will host an outdoor festival in the parking lot across the street, bringing together vendor friends like South Philly Barbacoa, Blacksauce Kitchen, Ekiben, and Galatea Oysters. Clavel will also run a pop-up outdoor bar. Tickets run $25. Splurge for VIP for $200, which gets you access to Clavel indoors for unlimited food and a margarita bar.
SHUT
The Tilted Row: Bolton Hill gathering spot The Tilted Row closed its doors on April 5 after six years in business. Current co-owner Ziad Maalouf plans to sell the business to new owners and focus on expanding his other concept, Café Filí. “We will miss our loyal customers, who have become good friends over the years. We also wish to thank the many team members who were part of the Tilted Row family throughout the years. Their loyalty and hard work enabled the success of our restaurant,” Maalouf said in a statement.
The announcement comes after recent changes for the gastropub, including the departure of chef Amy Hessel last summer and its temporary closure in August 2024 that brought an updated menu and look. Before its closure, our dining editors named The Tilted Row a 2025 Best Restaurant, shouting out the open kitchen and most recent chef de cuisine Derrick Reed’s Southern specialties.