Hampden's main thoroughfare, the Avenue, will soon be home to a new café and art gallery.
The Arthouse will open the first week of November at 1115 W. 36 St. With seating for about 100, the two-story restaurant will feature an espresso bar and works from local artists, says Lou Catelli, who is helping to get the 2,000-square-foot restaurant up and running.
The restaurant could grow its own produce on site if the owners get zoning approval for a rooftop garden, Catelli says.
The owners, Joan Delina and Deb Smith, are applying for a new liquor license, which requires that they invest a minimum of $200,000 into a restaurant of that size.
The Arthouse will be open from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m., serving lunch and dinner.
The menu will be "eclectic," Catelli says, featuring local produce, free-range meats, and Maryland wines. Entrees will run about $15 and include seafood, meat, and vegetarian dishes.
Catelli has worked with several local restaurants including Sotto Café in downtown Baltimore and 13.5% wine bar in Hampden.
Catelli says "bohemian"
Hampden seemed like the ideal spot for an art gallery and café.
"Hampden is the center of excitement," Catelli says. The area has got a mix of young professionals, students, and professors who patronize local shops, along with a tight-knit group of merchants.
"There's no other neighborhood that's happening like Hampden right now," he says.
Writer: Julekha Dash
Source Lou Catelli, the Arthouse