Linwood Dame’s flagship restaurant—with its sleek ambiance and big-name crowd—provides west-side sophisticates with a place to be seen, not to say pampered. Movers and shakers lounge at the dark-wood bar and circulate through the airy dining room. But this place isn’t just about glad-handing. It’s also about fabulous pan-seared foie gras, meaty veal chops with honey-glazed squash, and a crème brûlée to remember. The fare is as much a reason to visit as all the air-kissing and flesh-pressing.

Why go: Suburban eats, urbane environs.

While you’re there: Browse the wine list—it’s a beaut.

Loco Hombre
413 W. Cold Spring Ln., 410-889-2233. Moderate.

Not everyone is charmed by the gleeful grubbiness of certain Tex-Mex joints. For those who prefer a decidedly upscale taco, try Loco Hombre. That’s flavor as in attitude—waiters who introduce themselves by name, sombrero-free walls. And flavor as in flavor—black bean soup with cilantro, blackened achiote shrimp, grilled salmon with banana salsa. No, don’t expect the freebies (you have to fork over $1.50 for the tri-color chips and salsa), and don’t expect plate-dwarfing enchiladas drowning in Monterey Jack. Do expect good service, careful preparations, and South-of-the-Border fare designed to appeal to North-of-Hampden appetites.

Why go: Uptown Tex-Mex and an upscale crowd.

While you’re there: Try the yummy sweet potato fries (but expect to share them with jealous tablemates).

M. Gettier’s Orchard Inn
1528 E. Joppa Rd., Towson, 410-823-0384. Expensive.

Deal with it, urbanites. Chef Michael Gettier has moved to the ’burbs. So if you want to sample his succulent sweetbreads, his rockfish with creamy risotto, his applewood-grilled trout, his sautéed duck—well, go to Towson. It’s only fair—Gettier traveled all the way to France’s famed La Varenne to get his culinary education. So make the trip; you’ll find the same gracious service, distinctive wine list, and cheerful atmosphere that defined his Fells Point bistro.

Why go: Because you’d follow Michael Gettier to the end of the earth, and certainly to Towson.

While you’re there: Leave room for dessert—it’s prepared daily by Gettier’s talented wife, Claudia.

Maison Marconi
106 W. Saratoga St., 410-727-9522. Moderate to expensive.

You either get Maison Marconi or you don’t. If dining in digs redolent of Baltimore’s grand past with a blue-haired clientele ain’t your thing, hie yourself to a hipper venue. And if service that discreetly sizes you up by the appropriateness of your dress touches off the Trotskyite in you, stay away. But if you’re tickled by a menu of luxuriously retro fare you’d find in an Edith Wharton novel (creamed sweetbreads, jellied consommé, lobster Cardinale); if you revel in history (H.L. Mencken was rumored to be a regular); or if you’ve never gotten over your first childhood taste of that famous hot fudge, you already know why you love Marconi’s.

Why go: Because they don’t make ’em like this anymore.

While you’re there: Check out the table in the back right-hand corner of the dining room. That was Mencken’s.

Martick’s Restaurant Francais
214 W. Mulberry St., 410-752-5155. Moderate to expensive.

Yes, Morris Martick is still in there. And the stealth semi-French restaurant he operates near the Enoch Pratt Library is quirky as ever. You know the drill: Make a reservation, ring for entry. Entrees tweak traditional fare with additions like coconut milk and curry. The blackened lamb with mustard cream sauce is always a favorite, but you can’t go wrong with the ecumenical bouillabaisse, pride of chef/owner Martick.

Why go: To impress out-of-towners with your knowledge of the city’s secrets.

While you’re there: Check out the Prohibition-era wooden statue and other decor left over from when Martick’s folks ran the joint as a speakeasy.

Matsuri
1105 S. Charles St., 410-752-8561. Inexpensive.

The sushi, of course, is top notch (check the blackboard specials), but this tiny Federal Hill spot really distinguishes itself with its lunch and dinner boxes: artfully assembled lacquer boxes filled with rice, sushi rolls, appetizers like light, greaseless pork dumplings, and treats like teriyaki salmon, tonkatsu (pork cutlet), or tempura shrimp. Matsuri also has a full roster of udon, soba, and ramen noodle soups. An enduring mystery: The TV over the bar is permanently stuck on sumo wrestling.

Why go: To eat Japanese in an interior as neat and compact as a Honda Civic.

While you’re there: Eat a salad. Or maybe three. The ginger, sesame, and ponzu dressings are to die for.

McCafferty’s
1501 Sulgrave Ave., 410-664-2200. Expensive.

Despite the football memorabilia, this friendly Mt. Washington steak house is no rough-and-tumble sports palace. And new chef J. Ashley Sharpe is a winning addition; our mouths still water at the memory of his special of two fat quails stuffed with cornbread and sausage. The porterhouse was sublime, we loved the rich crayfish and white bean soup, and we happily plowed through the simply dressed roasted vegetable terrine. Only dessert was disappointing—a Linzer torte with a too-heavy hazelnut crust.

Why go: For the friendly vibe and the live jazz combo that plays in the bar.

While you’re there: Relive gridiron glory days via the photo collection of former Colts coach Don McCafferty.

McCormick & Schmick’s
711 Eastern Ave., Harbor Inn Pier 5, 410-234-1300. Expensive.

There’s something to be said for a place that does it all the same way every time. And, clearly, the business lunchers and Harborplace strollers who pack McCormick and Schmick’s agree. This Pacific Northwest franchise covers the waterfront, seafood-wise, from Asian seared tuna with wasabi to New England-y fried cod to, yes, Maryland-style crab cakes. And while the results can be mechanical, it’s hard to argue with a place that can consistently deliver fearlessly fresh oysters, serve a magnificent piece of Chilean sea bass, and keep the kids happy with quesadillas and Buffalo wings at the same time. Just avoid the fancy sauces, enjoy the view, and let those fish shine.

Why go: Seafood—fresh, varied, and different every day.

While you’re there: Eat out on the deck if the weather cooperates.

Milton Inn
14833 York Rd., Sparks, 410-771-4366. Very expensive.

This grand dame re-opened this year with new ownership and a fabulous $300,000 renovation. So, put on your high heels and go pay homage. The drapes alone are worth a visit, but you’ll want to stay for chef Brian Boston’s fine, unfussy cooking. The grilled rack of lamb with sweet-potato mousse is sure to please, and anyone indulging in the barbecued pork chop with sweet-potato shreds will be wowed. Seasonal soft-shell crabs are heart-thumpingly delicious, and the chicken Oscar is a showstopper, beautifully browned and topped with hunks of sweet backfin crab.

Why go: Because nothing beats that feeling of being to the country manor born.

While you’re there: Invest in the $30, four-course tasting menu, served Sunday through Friday. What a deal!

Minato
800 N. Charles St., 410-332-1554. Moderate.

It’s boring to just get sushi at a Japanese place, but Minato’s Chef’s Choice for Two—a generous, artful arrangement of subtle, distinctive tastes and contrapuntal textures—is hard to resist. Minato has much more, though, from steaming yosenabe (seafood and noodles in clear broth) to smoky yakitori (skewers of grilled meats). And for when Japanese ain’t your cup of tea, the restaurant’s Vietnamese half, Cafe Viet, will surely sate your Asian cravings.

Why go: Exquisite sushi and other Asian delights in a cozy exposed-brick cellar.

While you’re there: Try the red bean ice cream. Sounds weird, tastes great.

Morton’s of Chicago
300 S. Charles St., 410-547-8255. Very expensive.

This transplanted Midwestern steak house knows that simple satisfies: start with superb beef—whatever the cut—and add salt, pepper, and an extremely hot fire. A smidgen of butter will do the same for a plate of sautéed wild mushrooms. And the lemon soufflé tastes like those lemons were freshly plucked from the tree. Add environs and service in the same high-quality, low-key vein and a wine list with great choices in all price ranges, and you’ve got a sure winner.

Why go: A clean-lined Midwestern style and mighty cuts of prime beef.

While you’re there: Keep an eye out for very large men: This is where the Ravens go for protein.

Mughal Garden
920 N. Charles St., 410-547-0001. Moderate.

This midtown Indian is a snapshot of Mt. Vernon past and present: cosmopolitan young urbanites sharing sizzling vindaloos in the pre-war grandeur of what their folks remember as the very-American Harvey House restaurant. So sip a martini in the still-elegant bar before dipping crusty nan into your equally elegant lobster masala, mellow in its rich coconut curry. Mughal Garden’s lunch buffet is many Indian fans’ pick for best in town, but at night you’ll get the graceful pace and service that reminds us that some things haven’t changed around here after all.

Why go: Classic Indian food in a classic Mt. Vernon dining room.

While you’re there: Pick up a take-out menu; that shrimp kadai tastes just as good in front of the TV.

English is a distant second language amongst servers and patrons here in the heart of Maryland Avenue’s Korean district. But that only enhances the authenticity of this low-budget voyage into one of Asia’s more adventurous cuisines. Hot pots are king at Nam Kang: great bubbling Sterno-fired tureens brimming with bean curd, clams, pork, and anything you are likely to imagine, plus a few that you probably aren’t (cow’s blood, cod fish heads). Don’t miss the array of fiery pickled side dishes.

Why go: For the sheer adventure.

While you’re there: Get in the mood with a chilled shot of Jinro—a clean-tasting but lethal Korean gin.

Obrycki’s
1727 E. Pratt St., 410-732-6399. Expensive.

Crabs. That’s what this place is all about. Any patrons who aren’t bashing through steamed hardshells like there’s no tomorrow are engaging in some variation thereof: crab cakes, crab dip, crab soup, crab imperial. Locals might find it pricey, but Obrycki’s consistently delivers: Those blues will be big, heavy, and black-pepper hot. But you’ll have to wait until spring to partake: It’s closed in winter.

Why go: That black-pepper seasoning: It’s not traditional, but it’s good.

While you’re there: Wear the complimentary bib. You’ll appreciate it once you start pounding away.

The Oregon Grille
1201 Shawan Rd., Hunt Valley, 410-771-0505. Very expensive.

This newbie is a stunning paean to Maryland horse country, with its gleaming saddlery and horsey memorabilia. It’s also a bit schizophrenic, part steak house (oh, what a sirloin strip!) and part bastion of chef Mark Henry’s New-American cooking. The service can be rocky—and sometimes snooty—but it’s worth weathering to try the tuna tartare topped with flying fish roe or Henry’s signature lobster corn cake.

Why go: For the luxe, clubby feel of the place.

While you’re there: See this chef’s talent in full flower via his ever-changing vegetarian entree, a savory cornucopia of lush flavors and textures.

Peter’s Inn
504 S. Ann St., 410-675-7313. Inexpensive to moderate.

When you’ve only got a handful of tables in a narrow suitcase of a bar, it’s easy to be too popular. Blame the good eats, low tabs, and congenial vibes at Karin and Bud Tiffany’s Fells Point hangout, which draw droves of in-the-know pub crawlers on weekend nights. The ever-changing pan-ethnic menu never disappoints, but if smoke, jostling, and general beery jollity make it harder to savor your filet mignon or cashew-crusted chicken, visit on a weeknight.

Why go: The hippest meal in Fells Point.

While you’re there: Browse the stacks of body-piercing magazines in the back room reading area.

Pierpoint
1822 Aliceanna St., 410-675-2080. Expensive.

Yes, Nancy Longo’s eatery is in something of a rut, but a pleasant one. Since wowing us in 1989 with its mix of Mediterranean/Asian fusion and updated regional standards, Pierpoint has settled in for the long haul. On a recent visit we enjoyed Maryland cioppino, with its rich, crab-intensive stock, and a special of moist grilled halibut over earthy mushroom-studded mashed potatoes. Regulars warn that things are best here when chef Longo herself is in command of the tiny open kitchen.

Why go: Because there is still much to love.

While you’re there: Ask Longo about her gig as personal chef for Barry Levinson’s Liberty Heights shoot.

From Pisces: tempura shrimp over a chuka salad
with chili-oil dressing.

Pisces
300 Light St., Hyatt Regency Hotel, 410-605-2835. Expensive.

Combine a talented chef, a mostly seafood menu, and understated decor with a spectacular 15th-floor view and what’s not to like? Service could use some work, but four out of five ain’t bad. Try the Chesapeake paella for a bounty of shellfish, chicken, and andouille, or go wild with rockfish Mediterranean topped with charred tomatoes, pine nuts, and lumps of sweet backfin crab. Either way, hotel dining in Baltimore has taken a big step forward.

Why go: A window seat for one of the best views in town.

While you’re there: Have the tuna carpaccio appetizer; it’s gorgeous.