MR. NICE GUY COCKTAILS
CANTON
Anthony Nastasi Jr. told the Baltimore Business Journal at the start of the pandemic that his newly minted Canton space, Mr. Nice Guy Cocktails, was destined to be a short-lived pop-up. The former bartender spied an opportunity when restaurants suddenly shuttered: takeout cocktails. But after two months of successfully serving up to-go daiquiris and sangria, he decided to make it permanent. He added outdoor seating with the help of his carpenter father, and hired on a crew of local pros, including former Sagamore Pendry sous chef Justin Spivak, former True Chesapeake Oyster Co. bartender Ashley McMichael, Greg Mergner of R. Bar and Heath Gorenflo of The Elk Room.
KEILLER KYLE
OVENBIRD BAKERY
LITTLE ITALY
When Mugs’ Bistro closed in 2017 after nearly 70 years in business, it was hard to picture what might take its place in Little Italy. But this cute bakery has filled the hole quite nicely. Baker Keiller Kyle— a trained bird biologist whose baking career was inspired by the cult favorite show“ The Great British Bake Off”— launched the petite artisan bread store in the vein of a European bakery. In addition to the breads, which include spelt and honeyed oat sourdough, overnight rye, rosemary focaccia and more, the small shop offers up pastries( such as cinnamon praline scones with maple glaze and apple-caramel hand pies) plus bagels, sandwiches and desserts. The always-changing menu is posted regularly to the bakery’ s Instagram and Facebook accounts— and it’ s hard to decide which delicious treat sounds best.
TASTE
26 BALTIMORE. ORG