Eat this, not that: Choose these Baltimore County spots instead of chains

If you’re coming to “the county,” bring your appetite.

Whether it’s Yemeni coffee in Perry Hall, lines-out-the-door Jamaican fare in White Marsh, a choice of Middle Eastern kebabs and pita platters in downtown Towson or Nepalese specialties along the Loch Raven and Perring Parkway corridors, Baltimore County has a diverse population and food to match.

While Maryland’s third-largest county has many chain standbys — think Panera, Chipotle — you can often find better fare and even save money by looking a little harder and going local.

Instead of Chipotle, try El Taquito Leon

Multiple locations: Dundalk, Middle River, Parkville, Rosedale, Timonium

Chipotle will always do in a pinch, but if you want something more authentic, look no further than El Taquito Leon. This taco truck boasts locations in Timonium, Towson, Phoenix, Dundalk and Rosedale. I’m partial to the one on Taylor Avenue near Loch Raven Boulevard, across from a Taco Bell.

My husband has long been a devotee of this quick, delicious enterprise, grabbing tacos there for a quick dinner when our daughter has a music lesson nearby.

The beef empanadas come covered in lettuce and yummy cotija cheese. The beef gorditas were puffy, corn-infused heaven, and the chicken tacos flavorful. I could barely snap a photo of my husband’s shrimp burrito before it was gone. We finished the dinner with churros and a nearly frozen tres leches cake.

One quibble: The delicious salsa verde comes in plastic bags, and there’s no way to open it without splashing all over yourself.

Instead of Panera, try Pastore’s

8646 Loch Raven Boulevard, Towson

Since 1979, Vincent Pastore’s family has served Italian cold cut sandwiches and prepared foods out of a small grocery near the corner of Loch Raven Boulevard and Joppa Road.

Pastore recently retired and passed the cannoli to his stepson, Brian Bond. The quality, service and family atmosphere remain unchanged, but one can only hope the younger generation decides to accept online orders. Right now, you can call in or send a fax. Fax!

Pastore’s Italian Delly’s website says that the top sellers are the Italian Cold Cut, the Meatball Parmesan and the Muffalettini. I called in an order for each, along with a slice of cheesecake, a brownie and a cannoli.

You can supersize a sandwich here, aka going “gonzo,” with the base being a whole loaf of bread. Once I saw the Muffalettini, I knew such a move wasn’t necessary. My husband would be eating that sandwich for days. It was flavorful, stacked with tapenade and spicy cold cuts.

I liked the large meatballs and the smoky parm in my meatball sub, but the bread got a bit soggy on the 15-minute drive home.

We all agreed my daughter ordered best — the Italian cold cut was the perfect marriage of crusty bread and vinegary, Italian goodness. It was not as large as the Muffalettini — what is, maybe, besides a duckpin ball? — but it was better than anything you could get at Panera.

I also ordered a grilled chicken caesar that, while nothing special, was a well-above-average salad. Three desserts, three subs, and the salad came to $55 — and I’ve definitely spent more than that at Panera for much less.

Instead of RoFo, try Bangin’

Catonsville, Nottingham and Randallstown

Baltimore County’s working parents are fortunate to have come up in the age of RoFo. You’ve got kids to feed, you need gas — and there’s a Royal Farms on seemingly every corner. Though not nearly healthy, buying from RoFo always felt a little less guilty than going straight to McDonald’s.

Bangin’ Fish and Chicken is not nearly as convenient, despite locations in Catonsville, Nottingham and Randallstown. But takeout from here brings new meaning to the phrase, “winner, winner, chicken dinner.” As in, your family will praise you for driving out of your way to pick up this deliciousness.

I started with a chicken breast dinner, which was enough for three people and under $10. The chicken was fried well, and the fries were like RoFo’s — that thick kind where you really taste the potato. We also ordered fried shrimp — which was spiced well and came with soft bread — macaroni and cheese, and an array of different dipping sauces. I’m partial to honey mustard, but I ordered the spicy sauces for my family.

Baltimore County Councilman Izzy Patoka is a regular here, and he jokes there’s something addictive in the sauces. I’m not sure about that, but the chocolate cake was something I had to push away so I wouldn’t finish it.

Maybe it’s not the worst idea to make separate stops for dinner and motor fuel.

Instead of Pizza Hut, try Earth, Wood & Fire

1407 Clarkview Road, Bare Hills

Woodfire pizza places seem to come and go in Baltimore County — I have fond memories of both Blaze and Lotsa in Towson, and also of family trips to Pizza Hut. But Earth, Wood & Fire is in it for the long haul, it seems, and that’s welcome news. Their coal-fired pizzas are perfection, and the portions are large enough for leftovers.

We ordered three personal pan pizzas, which cost about $18 each and are large enough, easily, for two diners. We picked a rustic pie with pillowy ricotta and salty pepperoni; a pugliese with caramelized onions, chicken and blue cheese; and a make-your-own with olives, feta and prosciutto. My favorite was the rustic. When a place can do the basics this well, it’s a safe bet that the rest of the menu is worth your hard-earned dollars.

You could do takeout here, but the atmosphere is pleasant, with many families enjoying pizza and salads, and a wait staff that’s so friendly it seemed hard for them to say goodbye. Seeing as we left with two meals in our box, the farewell was easier on us — we knew we wouldn’t have to cook again.

Instead of Dunkin’ Donuts, try Croustille Café

1404 Reisterstown Road, Pikesville

America may run on Dunkin’, but Pikesville runs on Croustille Café.

This French-kosher bakery offers superlative coffee but also chocolate croissants, apple turnovers, pan Suisse, raisin buns and multiple flavors of mini-baguettes. Be the office hero and bring in a box of assorted pastries. Or, stop by for lunch and grab a mozzarella pesto panini or an omelet instead of the pre-cooked egg and cheese you can get at any Dunkin’.

The box of assorted pastries I brought in was gone within an hour. The pan Suisse knocked my coworkers’ socks off. The enormous blueberry croissant, which looks more like a Danish, tasted as great as it looked. The chocolate chip biscotti? Well, I saw the tell-tale crumbs on many a coworker’s plate as I walked by.

To quote one of our reporters: “Sometimes all you need is a free baked good to turn the day around.”