Baltimore’s newest restaurants do not require reservations or a full night out. A recent crop of cafes, carryouts and counter-service spots offers a more casual way to eat, whether that means ringing a doorbell for breakfast, grabbing a deli sandwich inside Cross Street Market or waiting in line for barbecue before eating it on a mini beach.

From overstuffed arepas and crab pupusas to creative breakfast sandwiches, scratch-made ice cream and brisket worth the wait, here are seven new casual spots around Baltimore to try right now.

Slicen Dyson Smoked Meats

1946 E. Joppa Road (Parkville)

There is always a line at Slicen Dyson Smoked Meats, and it is worth waiting in. Towson native Dyson Adams built a following through catering and his food truck before opening a permanent Parkville storefront in August, giving his Texas-inspired barbecue a home of its own. Brisket, beef ribs, pit beef, burnt ends, pulled pork and other smoked meats are sold by the pound, on sandwiches or as part of combination platters, with scratch-made sides such as mac and cheese and birria collard greens. Adams prepares the food without seed oils, corn syrup or ultra-processed ingredients, but nothing about it tastes like a sacrifice. I loved the tender beef cheeks, which were offered as a special during my visit. We carried our food outside to the restaurant’s mini beach, complete with tropical trees, umbrellas and picnic tables. They even have chairs you can borrow while waiting in line, which is helpful during the limited weekend service that runs until the meat sells out.

Candela Arepa Bar

10 E. Lanvale St. (Station North)

Bright, airy and packed with plants, Candela Arepa Bar resembles both the original Alma Cocina Latina in Canton and its current Station North home. Alma’s new little sister centers on a more casual menu of handmade, gluten-free cornmeal arepas. I went for the Venezuelan BBQ, stuffed with smoked brisket from Blue Pit BBQ, guasacaca and confit cherry tomatoes. I love that the team brought a Baltimore barbecue favorite into the mix while keeping the dish grounded in Venezuelan flavors. Other arepas feature ingredients such as Rooted Rotisserie chicken salad, shrimp with mango slaw, and black beans with sweet plantains and feta. Rice bowls, tequeños and yuca fries give you plenty of ways to create your own meal.

Jem’s Bottle & Cafe

2200 E. Fayette St. (Patterson Park)

Walk-up windows have become an increasingly visible part of Baltimore’s dining scene since the pandemic, making Jem’s Bottle & Cafe a quick, convenient stop for breakfast and lunch near Patterson Park. The new cafe from Ty and Jeryl Cole, the team behind Off the Rox and Beverly House, is currently operating through its walk-up window Thursday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Ring the doorbell to order drinks such as a brown sugar shaken espresso or pumpkin spice matcha latte, along with baked goods and sandwiches, including a bacon, egg and cheese with sweet jam. This is still the beginning for Jem’s: The owners plan to open a 20-seat cafe inside the building, along with a boutique bottle shop expected to debut in 2027.

Hello Trouble

5414 Harford Road (Hamilton-Lauraville)

I ordered way too much at Hello Trouble because I could not decide what to get. Veteran chef Andrew Weinzirl, whose Baltimore résumé includes Maggie’s Farm, The Brewer’s Art and Artifact Coffee, has taken over the former Maillard Patisserie and turned it into a funky, retro luncheonette with about 20 seats. The daytime menu includes scratch-made pastries, inventive coffee drinks and breakfast sandwiches built with breads made in-house. The Slow Dive piles pastrami, slow-cooked greens, fluffy egg, Cooper cheese and pepper jelly onto a biscuit, while the Sweet Revenge combines maple blueberry bread pudding, breakfast sausage, sunny egg and Cooper cheese with a spicy maple drizzle for a playful take on a McGriddle. They also offer chai cinnamon rolls and an iced Japanese coffee with lemon-lime simple syrup. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Hello Trouble gives Hamilton-Lauraville a colorful new place for breakfast, lunch or a quick pastry run.

Royal Deli

1065 S. Charles St. (Cross Street Market)

Royal Deli is new to Cross Street Market, but not to Baltimore. Founded by Ana Alvarado in 2005, the family-run deli that has served customers at Lexington Market for more than two decades opened its second location on July 2 in the former Gangster Vegan space on the east side of Cross Street Market. The menu sticks to deli classics done well, including shrimp salad, chicken salad, turkey clubs, corned beef and Reubens, with a choice of breads, sub rolls and wraps. They also offer salads, fresh-cut fruit, yogurt parfaits, house-made sides, banana pudding and deli meats sold by the pound. It is a reliable option for an affordable sandwich and a quick meal to take with you or eat inside the market.

Aru Aru

1501 Eastern Ave. (Fells Point)

Aru Aru built a following at Baltimore farmers markets before chef and owner Marvin Rodriguez opened a permanent storefront in Fells Point in August. The carryout-forward restaurant focuses on modern Latin street food, particularly handmade pupusas and empanadas that combine familiar Salvadoran cooking with Rodriguez’s own ideas. The crab pupusa goes fully Baltimore, stuffing crab dip and crabmeat inside before adding honey-sriracha crab salad and Old Bay on top. The birria version pairs a cheesy pupusa with six-hour-braised beef, consommé, onion and cilantro, while the pupusa smashburger replaces the usual bun with two cheese-filled pupusas. Those combinations may get most of the attention, but do not skip dessert. The horchata ice cream is the dessert Baltimore did not know it needed.

Cone Head Ice Cream Co.

1738 York Road (Timonium)

The team behind Bmore Licks has expanded north with Cone Head Ice Cream Co., which opened in Timonium in late August. The shop has completely transformed the former Raimondi’s Florist building at the corner of York and Ridgely roads, covering the exterior with giant ice cream cones and paint designed to look like melting ice cream dripping down the walls. Inside, customers can order at the counter, while a walk-up window helps keep things moving during busy stretches. Hard ice cream is made on-site in small batches, with flavors that have included banana pudding and maple bacon, along with dairy-free selections. Dole Whip gets more attention here, which is welcome news for me because I cannot get enough of the Orange Creamsicle.