The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association men’s and women’s basketball tournaments begin Tuesday, and hordes of fans are descending upon downtown Baltimore, with games running through Saturday. Ahead of the oldest historically Black athletic conference’s fourth consecutive year in the city, The Baltimore Sun listed 75 restaurants of a variety of cuisines throughout the adjacent neighborhoods. But if you need the selection narrowed down a bit more, here are five restaurants only a short walk from the CFG Bank Arena, which is hosting CIAA.
Francois Caribbean Cuisine
As the website reads, “Come as you are, and leave with a satisfied heart, a full stomach, and a smile.” The food at Francois Caribbean Cuisine embodies this warmth, casual but lovingly made with hearty proteins and spices. The plantain lova chicken resembles a chicken cheesesteak, liquid cheese oozing over dark meat and onions, except it’s hugged by plantain patties instead of bread. But Francois actually does have a Haitian cheesesteak, with plantains, the pikliz cabbage condiment and pillowy, slightly sweet coco bread. Pate kode is like an empanada, with beef, chicken or fish seeping into a thick, brown dough. 218 N. Liberty St., 443-202-4434, francoiscaribbeancuisine.com
Next Phaze Cafe
At first glance, Next Phaze Cafe, which has locations downtown and in Abell, appears to be straightforward comfort food. But each dish I sampled contained a little something special, an edge over some of the other, similar food in town.
For example, I’ve had a lot of honey Old Bay chicken wings in Baltimore and wasn’t sure I’d see anything new from them. But in this version, some bites are seasoned with dry Old Bay; others are wet with honey. The change makes them more interesting to eat until suddenly, they’re gone.
With a kick from sweet chile sauce that lingers on the tongue, Cajun salmon was nicely pan-seared, the top dusted with blackened bits but mostly a deep, glistening brown. Sweet potato pie can often be dense, reminding you with each bite of the carbs you’re forking down. But this one was so light and soft that it was surprisingly able to stand up atop a thin, sugary crust. 112 E. Lexington St., 410-449-3232, nextphazecafe.com
Proper Cuisine
Rebranded from Prim & Proper last summer, Proper Cuisine aims for opulence with atmospheric motifs like strings of pearls, a grand piano and a chandelier decorated with high heels. However, the menu is still approachable, dishes Marylanders would be comfortable with while experiencing a special night out: crab cakes, deviled eggs with caviar, Wagyu sliders. For the wing options, our server recommended the strawberry habanero, and the intense sweet-plus-heat did make them stand out. But the bite of the night was red snapper étouffée with a seafood sauce that was lighter than a typical étouffée, leaving enough stomach room to tackle the whole fried fish.
Proper Cuisine is a stop on the CIAA Black-owned restaurant tour, a partnership between the tournament’s local host committee and the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore. 206 E. Redwood St., 443-438-6528, propercuisine.com
Puerto 511
The setting at Puerto 511 — locked entrance, few tables, low-key design — doesn’t betray how good it is. In fact, the environment fosters a sense of intimacy to make diners feel in on a secret. The five- or six-course tasting menus are $59 or $75 per person, and the sauces are particularly noteworthy. For the causa, a traditional Peruvian potato dish, a trio of sauces, escabeche, ají and botija olive, enhance smoked shrimp and crispy threads of yam. Rocoto leche de tigre bathes calamari and octopus chicharrón, fish, sweet potato and corn nuts in the textural first course. To top it all off, pisco sours are frothy and topped with dustings of nutmeg. 102 Clay St., 667-217-8661, puerto511.com
Tio Pepe
Located in a cavernous basement space on East Franklin Street, Tio Pepe is of the Old World, reminiscent of a steakhouse in its reverence for doing the classics well. But rather than focusing on chops, swordfish could be eaten with a spoon, chicken falls off the bone, and fat lobster chunks don’t have a hint of stringiness.
The iconic ceramic pitchers of sangria — red, white or sparkling — are loaded with fruit that can make your head spin, regularly dished out with a wooden spoon by servers in smart dinner jackets. Mushroom toast is elegant and rich, helped along with lemony sauce, and hearts of artichoke fall apart in a bite, feeling like a luxury compared to all the work of the classic appetizer.
If Tio Pepe errs, it’s on the side of conservativeness, but playing it safe has allowed the restaurant to all but guarantee a satisfying meal, existing in an uncertain industry since 1968. 10 E. Franklin St., 410-539-4675, tiopepe.us
Five & Dine: 5 sports bars in Baltimore where you can watch Orioles games
Have a news tip? Contact Kendyl Kearly at kkearly@baltsun.com or on X as @KendylKearly.