Power hungry: The restaurants that fuel Baltimore politics

On a recent Thursday night, the patrons at Verde spilled out the door of the popular Canton restaurant and onto the sidewalk. The neighborhood pizza joint was packed: families huddled around pizzas, friends and lovers dishing over wine, and ... members of Councilman Zeke Cohen's staff having a dinner meeting?

Verde's owners gave $1,000 this year to Cohen's campaign for City Council president, one of many bars and eateries stitched into Baltimore's political fabric. Whether it's a pit beef stand donating $500 to the city's meatless mayor or The Penthouse Club (yes, they serve food) giving $1,000 to outgoing City Council President Nick Mosby, restaurateurs of all stripes dished out thousands this year to candidates across the Democratic spectrum.

And the money flows both ways. City and state politicos spent thousands of dollars on food and drink in the 2024 election cycle, according to campaign finance records, with money being used to feed hungry volunteers at Ekiben; fundraise at Peabody Heights Brewery; or foot the tab for meetings at the likes of Cindy Lou's Fish House or Cinghiale, where Baltimore's kingmakers are often seen grabbing a bite.

Cohen's campaign alone spent more than $9,200 on volunteer meals so far this cycle. A third of that went just to DiPasquale's in Brewer's Hill, where the councilman also regularly takes lunch meetings.

"It is one of the best Italian delis in the country," Cohen said. (It seems clear he has picked a side in The Baltimore Banner's sub war ).

Atlas Restaurants have long been seen as the biggest player in the crossover between local politics and food, thanks to the Smith family's deep pockets and heavy-handed involvement in Baltimore politics . Alex Smith, the company's CEO, gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to a super PAC supporting former-Mayor Sheila Dixon's campaign this year. His uncle, David Smith, owner of The Baltimore Sun and executive chairman of Sinclair Broadcast Group, also regularly maxes out to politicians pushing his pet causes .

But Atlas is only part of the menu. Campaign finance records and interviews with Baltimore's powerful make clear that other eateries have just as much a role to play in what happens at City Hall.

It's not unusual for a town's restaurateurs to be intimately involved in local government. City Councilwoman Odette Ramos, a Democrat running unopposed in the 14th District — and possibly the council's lone vegan — said restaurants and bars often welcome the exposure and the extra dough, even when it gets political.

She's attended fundraisers at restaurants, breweries and bars in other cities, she said, but Baltimore's play an outsized role in politics for one critical reason: There aren't many other sufficiently sized event spaces in town.

Despite running unopposed in both the primary and general elections, Ramos received the only donation this year from Tony Foreman, the founder and co-owner of some of Baltimore's finest restaurants, including the acclaimed Charleston in Harbor East and Johnny's in Roland Park, a power lunch staple. Foreman did not return a request for comment.

But Foreman, Ramos said, plans to open another concept in her district, on the corner of Roland Avenue and 36th Street in Hampden – to be called The Duchess .

"They could go anywhere, but they're here," Ramos said about Foreman and his ex-partner, restaurateur Cindy Wolf. "And that's true for all our restaurants."

That said, when Ramos opts for her version of a power lunch, the left-leaning policy wonk said she can sometimes be found at Gertrude's in the Baltimore Museum of Art.

She has yet to have a fundraiser there, "but I would like to have one there," she said, "very much."

When pressed about her top choices for a business lunch or happy hour beverage, Ramos — in true political fashion — kept her cards close to vest.

"I hesitate to tell you my favorite restaurant because I represent so many," she said, "and so I'm not going to do that."

Where Ramos wouldn't pick favorites, some politicians wouldn't even agree to talk about their dining preferences.

Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman, a known foodie, received contributions from Baltimore staples like Pappas Restaurant & Bar, Jimmy's Seafood and Trinacria Foods, the century-old Italian deli. Since 2023, she's received at least $2,000 from THB Bagelry and Deli, the county-based breakfast chain that has expanded gradually into Baltimore. Alma Cocina Latina catered one fundraiser and Guilford Hall Brewery supplied beer at another. But her staff, after asking who else The Banner was going to talk to for this , opted not to make her available for an interview.

Other politicians are far less demure about their preferences. For example, knowing Mayor Brandon Scott loves Koco's Pub in Arcadia is like knowing J.O. No. 2 is the best seasoning for crabs. Koco's didn't give to Scott's campaign, but Chap's Pit Beef did, which is kind of weird considering Scott became a pescatarian eight years ago.

"When I ate pit beef, I ate it at Chaps," he said.

"I represented Chaps," he added, noting, "Chaps has fish." A representative for Chaps declined to comment for this .

Scott also likes the shrimp from NiHao in Canton ("Oh my God, it's so good"), and eats celebratory crabs at the nearby Captain James, typically after the council has approved the annual budget.

"That's the only place you'll see the mayor eating crabs," Scott said.

Perhaps no politician in the city, maybe even the state, loves restaurants as much as Cohen, the soon-to-be council president who called Baltimore "the most underrated restaurant town in the country." His campaign spending proves how deep his love runs. More than $18,000 of his campaign funds have been either spent or received from local restaurants and bars so far this year, records show.

Like Ramos, Cohen wouldn't pick a favorite, but not because he is playing politics. He said he genuinely can't decide.

There's Verde for pizza — he loves the pistachio and sausage — Charleston for special occasions, and Little Donna's is everyone's "it" restaurant right now. Peter's Inn in Fells Point has great steaks and salads and downtown's Darker than Blue is his soul food fix. And then there's Marta, the upscale modern Italian eatery in Butcher's Hill that Cohen cannot stop gushing over.

"They're doing incredibly creative, beautiful dishes," he said, adding that he's there in part for the vibes.

"It doesn't feel pretentious or precious, but you also kind of feel hip when you're in there," Cohen said. That might have something to do with the crowd, which seems to draw a who's who for political types. "I feel like I see journalists, local business folks," he said, "and then I'll see politicians."

Restaurateurs are also fond of Cohen. Joe DiPasquale, owner of, you guessed it, DiPasquale's, said he appreciates the business Cohen brings and that he always asks if DiPasquale needs help with anything. Verde owner Ed Bosco said he's long been frustrated by what he views as a City Hall that was obstructionist to small businesses, whether it was onerous parking restrictions or a frustrating permitting process .

"I feel like the city of Baltimore could do more to put their arms around small business and say 'How can we help you?'" Bosco said. "It leads a restaurant to get in the game for someone who is an advocate for small business, and for Verde, it's been Zeke."

It's not just the pizza places in Cohen's district that donated to his campaign. Magerks Pub & Grill in Federal Hill gave him $1,000. The group behind Blue Agave Mexican Food and Nola Seafood & Spirits also gave $1,000. Pat Karzai, proprietor of long-time Mt. Vernon mainstay The Helmand, gave $500.

Maybe the trendiest donations to Cohen came from Clavel owners Lane Harlan and Matthew Pierce, who both gave $250. One of the city's hottest tables (they don't take reservations, and there's almost always a wait), Clavel is a taqueria and mezcaleria doing "smart and creative" things no one else is, Cohen said.

Harlan, who also runs the bars W.C. Harlan, Fadensonnen and the Coral Wig, said she and her husband aren't usually political donors. Their contributions to Cohen came at the recommendation of a friend who spoke highly of his vision for the city — she's never met him. But, there is one politicians she'd like to meet, and it could involve a meal.

"She's lovely," Harlan said about Ramos. "I'd love to have lunch with her one day!"