Best Crab Cakes (and restaurants) in Downtown Baltimore

[NJ2MDdude]

Originally Posted by Woodlands

I think they are moving later this year. They are the only business left in the old Market and there is a space on the Paca Street side of the new market with a sign for them "coming soon". I was in there this past weekend and enjoyed the gritty feel of the current location. That will be lost at the new one to some extent.. but I am not sure what option they have as where they are (I believe) will be torn down. I am not sure what will go in its place unless it will be a "Phase II" of Lexington Market.

As an aside.. alot of security in the new market.. bathrooms are regularly cleaned and monitored. The court yard outside the market seems to be only available when the market is open.. I parked in a garage on Eutaw and walked over.. the normal throngs of characters are still hanging around outside and someone walked up on me and tried to sell me something he had is his pocket but he what he said was *inaudible*. He along with about two dozen folks walking in circles next to the garage and in the alleys. Not a threatening environment, or I am just used to the city, but certainly very bizarre if you are not from here. There is a hotel I believe at the corner and I saw quite a bit of new development especially right next to the market so I guess we will see what happens

I was at the new Lexington Market today. It has the appeal and charm of a food court at an upscale mall. That said, I was very disappointed. Character and heritage were definitely missing. Nearly of the affordable American comfort food vendors were replaced by a handful of high priced, boujee, ethnic food vendors. The developers really screwed over the old vendors. I didn't see Konstants, Bergers and Healthy Choice. At least Krause Lite-Fare was still there. But the lines are gone as well as the foot traffic. Working class folks have been priced out of a market that historically had served their needs.

I also went to Faidley's to buy a couple of crab cakes. You can't replicate that place. It'll really suck when they move to the new hall. You won't get that feel of uniqueness, permanence and history. But the seafood will still taste good.

[Woodlands]

Originally Posted by NJ2MDdude

I was at the new Lexington Market today. It has the appeal and charm of a food court at an upscale mall. That said, I was very disappointed. Character and heritage were definitely missing. Nearly of the affordable American comfort food vendors were replaced by a handful of high priced, boujee, ethnic food vendors. The developers really screwed over the old vendors. I didn't see Konstants, Bergers and Healthy Choice. At least Krause Lite-Fare was still there. But the lines are gone as well as the foot traffic. Working class folks have been priced out of a market that historically had served their needs.

I also went to Faidley's to buy a couple of crab cakes. You can't replicate that place. It'll really suck when they move to the new hall. You won't get that feel of uniqueness, permanence and history. But the seafood will still taste good.

Yeah,,. Faidleys is the only place that I can think of where you really get a cross section of the city belly up to the bar together to eat oysters , clams and talk sports.. Bankers, Bums, Tourist, and the like can and do break bread together at the hi bar. They may part ways once they hit Paca never to speak again but in Faidleys it is like Cheers. Its a shame they couldint have gone more for Reading Terminal vibe in philly in Lex Market. That has a nice mix of business types at all levels and still maintains that historical feel

I used to like the way you can manuver in the old market.. You could take multiple routes to get to where you were going.. as opposed to one central. Each route would carry you past a different business which would cause you to wander around just to see what was where.. or you could avoid a large group waiting in line for a business by taking a different route around.. They tried to replicate that over in the new market with the stalls but its still very limiting and to your point like a "food court". There are pinch points and traffic is often blocked by lines for various businesses. Maybe they will sort that out eventually. The other issue with the new market is the entertainment area is in the middle of the market on the stairwell.. The old market had it on the end of the market outside of the stall/vendor area.. which allowed people to congregate more freely without impacting the trade in the marketplace.