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With its nickname "Charm City" and its throwback culture of hons and kitsch, Baltimore is nothing if not nostalgic. To immerse oneself in the Baltimore of yesterday, patronize one of the many lunch counters downtown where diner culture of the '40s and '50s met the growing demand for quick food in an urban setting.
Lunch counters are an iconic part of American history, especially in Baltimore. According to the Veterans of the Civil Rights Movement, black and white students from Morgan State, Coppin State, Goucher and Johns Hopkins universities organized sit-ins at multiple establishments in the early 1960s. This proved pivotal in the Movement, as many of these establishments were among the first to agree to serve all clientele, regardless of race.
These are easily accessible historical sites that, for the most part, haven't changed a whole heck of a lot since their early days. Most joints feature diner/deli fare, with breakfast specials alongside steaks and the ubiquitous Baltimore crab cake, but each establishment is unique either in clientele or menu options.
Abandon those tapas or sushi rolls and head to one of these counters for breakfast, lunch or a 2 a.m. post-drinking waffle frenzy, and embrace part of Baltimore's ubiquitous living history.
