Hampden's main thoroughfare, the Avenue, will soon be home to a new caf� 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 Caf� in downtown Baltimore and 13.5% wine bar in Hampden.
Catelli says "bohemian"
Hampden seemed like the ideal spot for an art gallery and caf�.
"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