Pikesville, a Balto suburb, has one of the largest Jewish populations in the United States. So it would only be fair to assume that there is an abundance of good kosher food available. I don't know about the good part, but there are definitely a large number of kosher restaurants in the Pikesville area.
However, before you head to Pikesville, you may want to know an interesting fact about Baltimore and kosher foods. Camden Yards, home of the Baltimore Orioles, is the proud home of the first kosher hot dog stand in major league baseball.
Let's start with dairy. One of the most popular foods among college students is pizza. This is because it is cheap, tasty and doesn't require utensils. There are three options in the kosher circuit: Tov's, Mama Leah's and Caramel's. I have come to the decision that there is no such thing as good kosher pizza, so moving on from there, the most edible is probably at Caramel's. Tov's used to have good challah bread, but not anymore. Besides, their pizza crust is somewhat doughy. Nevertheless, they are next door to Kosher Bites, which is helpful if you and your friends can't agree on what to eat. Mama Leah's is okay, but it's the farthest from school of the three. All three can claim their place in the Grease Hall of Fame. Caramel's actually offers more than just pizza, though. They have amazing cheesecakes and ice cream and also claim the No. 1 calzone in town.
If you want something dairy, but are not in the mood to torture your arteries, try the Bistro. It serves Italian food at an average price. (DISCLAIMER: For kosher restaurants, average price is more than for non-Kosher restaurants.) They serve their food on paper plates, but the eggplant parmesan is to die for (or so I've been told).
In terms of junk food, the Pikesville area has two popular choices: Dunkin' Donuts and Krispy Kreme's. The only real difference you'll find at these kosher branches from the ones elsewhere in the city are that the menu won't offer egg and sausage sandwiches.
Then there's Goldberg's Bagels. They're bagels. They're good. And you can buy them at Caf Q. 'Nuff said.
For meat, you have several options. If all you want to do is stock up your freezer, the easiest solution is 7-Mile Market. This is a huge (meat and dairy) super market. The homemade chopped liver is decent and they usually have Israeli chocolates and candies in stock. One word of caution though. Don't go in on a Thursday night unless you are willing to fight crowds and stand in huge lines.
If you are looking for a more traditional way of getting your meat, Wasserman and Lemberger's is one of the best butchers in the city. Liebes Deli is also good. And if you want to buy chopped liver for Shabbat, you had better order in advance - it's THAT good.
Kosher Bites is an up-scale fast food restaurant. The hamburgers are unbelievable, if not small, as are the fries. The schwarma and knishes are also good. Kosher Bites is a little on the expensive side, but has an impressive collection of scotches and kosher wines. My recommendation: order a double bite and fries. And get an order for me.
Royal is a meat restaurant that offers all cuisine's. It doesn't have a restaurant feel, and it's not quite homey, either. The best way to describe the atmosphere would be like a bar mitzvah with a bunch of round tables. The menu is huge, but I recommend the sesame chicken. The prices are average for kosher, so you won't go broke eating there.
Finally, there's the Brasserie. It's okay French cuisine, but nothing great and it's a little pricey. However, it's the only upper-class restaurant to go to, so . only has a small menu, but there is a deli attached to the restaurant that offers burgers, hot dogs, subs, etc. for a slightly cheaper price.
Happy dining - B'teyavon!
