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Baltimore is renowned for its crab cakes - said to be the best in the world. The city's other cuisines aren't wanting though - with fresh seafood always available. We've listed the restaurants below under five headings: Gourmet, Business, Personal Recommendations, Trendy and Budget, with three restaurants in each section, giving a small sample of the city's top eateries.

Price brackets are as follows:
$$$$ (over US$80)
$$$ (US$40 to US$80)
$$ (US$25 to US$40)
$ (under US$25)
For a three-course meal and the equivalent of one-half bottle of wine (sales tax of 5% will be added and allow 15-20% for your tip).

Gourmet

Aldo's Ristorante Italiano
Chef owner Aldo Vitale is a master of southern Italian cuisine as well as being a skilled carpenter. He crafted the restaurant's intricate woodwork, including the beautiful mahogany bar. This elegant, romantic décor is the perfect foil to his menu of seasonal ingredients, such as Italian white truffles from Alba. His home-cured pancetta and soppressata, pickled vegetables and hand-picked herbs lend a personal touch. Diners are welcome to tour the wine cellar and the cheese cave.

306 South High Street
Tel: (410) 727 0700.
Website: www.aldositaly.com
Price: $$$
Brightons
Sun-filled by day and offering spectacular views of the Inner Harbor by night, this smart venue is certainly memorable. Local favorites, such as crab cakes and rockfish, are always on the menu. Afternoon tea is a special treat - served on Friday and Saturday afternoons: cucumber and stilton mousse sandwiches and warm scones, jam and Devonshire cream. Expect impeccable service from the moment you enter.

Harbor Court Hotel, 550 Light Street
Tel: (410) 234 0550.
Website: www.harborcourt.com
Price: $$$$
Pisces
Having undergone a complete revamp, the panoramic rooftop view of the Inner Harbor is now matched by a decadent menu including cognac-brushed shrimp served with candied shallots and Tuna Tartar accompanied by a ginger sabayon. Champagne brunch is served each Sunday from 1000 to 1400. Reservations are essential - but you can always drop into the lounge for a cocktail while you wait.

Hyatt Regency Baltimore, 300 Light Street
Tel: (410) 528 1234.
Website: www.hyatt.com
Price: $$$-$$$$

Trendy

Pazo
This old warehouse pulls off cosy and sophisticated, with soaring ceilings, an open kitchen, plush booths in the downstairs bar lounge, wrought-iron chandeliers and a mezzanine dining level. Its Mediterranean menu features mouth-watering tapas as well as main courses of grilled seafood, spit-roasted game and aged ribeyes. Regional cheeses and homemade breads set off the innovative menu. The wine list and grappa collection are impressive. Late in the evening, it becomes a nightclub.

1425 Aliceanna Street
Tel: (410) 534 7296.
Website: www.pazorestaurant.com
Price: $$$
Sotto Sopra
In the Mount Vernon Cultural District, this contemporary Italian boasts traditional high ceilings, large mirrors and elegant tableware set off by bold murals. Find heaven in the lobster and pea ravioli with fennel and Galliano cream sauce but make sure you leave room for dessert. Look out for evenings of special themed menus and live entertainment.

405 North Charles Street
Tel: (410) 625 0534.
Website: www.sottosoprainc.com
Price: $$$
Tapas Teatro Café
Enduringly popular, this charming bistro is located in the revamped Charles Theater, making it the perfect pre-show venue. There's certainly a buzz about the place. Arrive with an appetite for the paella, accompanied by a pitcher of sangria. Alternatively, sample a little of everything from the tantalising menu. The rule of the house is 'small plates, big pleasures'.

1711 Charles Street
Tel: (410) 332 0110.
Website: www.tapasteatro.com
Price: $$-$$$

Budget

Faidley's
Established in 1886, this family business leads the way when it comes to lump crab cakes. Faidley's Crab Festivals are run countrywide - and internationally - to promote tourism and business development. They were even commissioned to develop crab cake for the crew of the United States Space Shuttle and Faidley's marketplace featured in Sleepless in Seattle. Located inside Lexington Market, be ready to queue, then stand at tall tables to savour these delicacies. No alcohol. Open Monday to Saturday 0900-1700.

203 North Paca Street
Tel: (410) 727 4898.
Website: www.faidleyscrabcakes.com
Price: $
Jack's Bistro
Simple yet stylish décor in earth tones and truly good food. The chef prides himself on producing appealing, inventive dishes: Guinness Braised Bistro Steak, with asparagus and mashed potatoes, duck breast and confit with roasted barley risotto or spice crusted pork loin with a mélange of brussel sprouts, corn and bacon. Open Wednesday to Sunday.

3123 Elliot Street
Tel: (410) 878 6542.
Website: www.jacksbistro.net
Pice: $-$$
Samos
A well-run Greek taverna, sporting Hellenistic murals and a collection of Mediterranean pottery. Knock yourself out with hearty roast lamb or opt for seafood 'Santorini' - sautéed shrimp, scallops and kalamari in a lemon-wine sauce. Fabulous baklava, rice pudding and galktoboureko (custard wrapped in filo and baked golden). No reservations or credit cards and closed Sundays. Bring your own alcohol (US$2 charge per adult).

600 Oldham Street
Tel: (410) 675 5292.
Website: www.samosrestaurant.com
Price: $

Personal Recommendations

Blue Sea Grill
This oceanic themed restaurant is painted in hues of blue, with sailboat paintings adorning the walls. Friendly service and fresh seafood rule, with a good choice of oysters, mussels and clams, daily fresh fish mains and the usual meat-eaters plates. The starters alone are sight-to-behold; try tempura shrimp with mango sauce, herb-crusted scallops and king crab guacamole. Happy hour at the raw bar on weekdays 1600 to 1900.

614 Water Street
Tel: (410) 837 7300.
Website: www.blueseagrill.com
Price: $$$
Gertrude's
Named after celebrity chef John Shields' grandmother - who first introduced him to the delights of cooking, this bistro prides itself on serving the freshest local ingredients - with lobster and crab topping the menu. Try succulent crabettes (with ginger, garlic and serano chillies). Floor to ceiling windows overlook a sculpture garden and, in warmer weather, there's terrace seating. Call ahead for reservations as the dining room often closes on summer evenings for private functions.

Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Drive
Tel: (410) 889 3399.
Website: www.gertrudesbaltimore.com
Price: $$$
La Scala of Little Italy
A romantic, quaint unpretentious setting, with an exquisite menu. Italian cooking doesn't get better than this. Treat yourself to veal or filet mignon or a lobster/shrimp pasta dish. The gnocchi is also melt-in-the-mouth good. Chef/owner Nino Germano serves up generous portions but try to leave room for a portion of cannoli, crepes or profiteroles. The service is excellent, with customer satisfaction clearly a priority for this family run business.

1012 Eastern Avenue
Tel: (410) 783 9209.
Website: www.lascaladining.com
Price: $$-$$$



Nightlife:

Nightlife abounds at the Inner Harbor, Little Italy, Fells Point, Canton, Federal Hill and Mount Vernon. Baltimore is a lively town, with every genre of music represented, from jazz and blues to rock and reggae, plus sports bars and gay clubs. If you can't decide, head for Power Plant Live! (at the intersection of Market Place and Water Street) - an entertainment complex housing a variety of bars, restaurants and clubs.

Dress code and admission are specific to the venue but a photo ID (identification) is necessary, as minimum drinking age is 21 years. Most bars and nightclubs are open 1100 to 0200.

Publications providing nightlife listings and information include the daily Baltimore Sun (website: www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment), the free Baltimore Alternative, serving the gay community, and the monthly guide distributed through hotels, Baltimore Ambassador.

Bars: If you like hangouts with character, head to Fells Point. This historic neighborhood's charming old buildings have been restored, and many are now home to cosy pubs and classy cocktail bars. The Cat's Eye Pub, 1730 Thames Street, is Irish themed, serving an impressive selection of single malt whiskies and draught beers on tap. Live rock, blues and jazz some nights. Max's on Broadway, 737 South Broadway, serves 92 rotating draught beers and has 17 satellite receivers to view American sports. The Explorer's Lounge, (Harbor Court Hotel, Inner Harbor) has interesting décor: animal-print murals and furnishings. The upmarket Havana Club, above Ruth's Chris Steak House, 600 Water Street, is the place for a stylish smoke. For a stellar selection of micro-brews and a fantastic harbor view, try the Capitol City Brewing Company, 301 Light Street. The atmosphere is lively, with a diverse crowd. Similarly, the DuClaw Brewing Company, 901 South Bond Street, offers a great range of specialty beers and ales. Billed as Baltimore's hottest beach bar, the Bay Café, 2809 Boston Street, prides itself on running a bikini contest through the summer; think Frat house antics and you won't be far wrong.

Clubs: Baltimore has toe-tapping variety. For Latin rhythms, hit the Latin Palace, 509 South Broadway (website: www.latinpalace.com); salsa lessons available. If disco, is more your thing, try retro Have a Nice Day Café, 2 Market Place, with its lit dancefloor and mirror balls. Visitors staying downtown or in the Inner Harbor need not look hard for a good party. Swanky Sonar, 407 East Saratoga Street (website: www.sonarlounge.com) holds 1000 party-goers on its main floor and has a chill-out lounge, bar and smaller club area. High-energy Paradox, 1310 Russell Street (website: www.thedox.com) caters to the trendy, housed in a former warehouse and boasts a colossal dancefloor and a nine-screen video wall. One, 300 East Saratoga Street (website: www.onebaltimore.com), attracts chic young professionals with its minimalist décor. The floors are themed on earth, wind, fire and water. Mount Vernon's Club Phoenix, 1 West Biddle Street (website: www.baltimore-phoenix.net) is an intimate gay club. The bar offers cheap, creative concoctions. Its theme nights include karaoke, ladies' night and a Sunday tea dance. Nearby, savour Asian tapas, sip exotic cocktails and dance at Red Maple, 930 North Charles Street (website: www.930redmaple.com). Vigorous rhythms set the tone at ultra-trendy, neon lit Club Mate, 3612 Hanover Street (website: http://mateclublounge.com), with its five bars, specializing in exotic cocktails, and a terrace.

Live Music: Downtown, the Ram's Head Tavern, 20 Market Place (website: www.ramsheadtavern.com) is a major venue, accommodating up to 1,600. Great seafood and several sleek bars. Eight by Ten, 10 East Cross Street (website: www.the8x10.com) hosts up-and-coming local talent. Beer and cocktails are discounted early in the evening. Ottobar, 2549 North Howard Street (website: www.theottobar.com) features bands that range from indie rock to hip hop and folk. The New Haven Lounge, 1552 Havenwood Road, is the top choice for live jazz, with swing and big bands sometimes invited. Harbor Cruises, docked near Harborplace, Inner Harbor, offers the chance to dine and dance on water, while viewing the impressive, illuminated Baltimore skyline as you twirl.

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