Baltimore Peninsula’s splashy new Jamaican-Chinese fusion spot is (almost) here

Officials cheered the launch of Baltimore Peninsula’s newest dining destination, cruise-themed Jamaican and Asian fusion restaurant Blü Cā, at a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday. But don’t book your voyage just yet.

Co-owner Di’Andra Tucker said the restaurant at 2450 Rye St. will open its doors to the public sometime later this month but declined to provide an exact date.

Pronounced “blue kay,” Blü Cā is the first Baltimore outpost for the One Love Restaurant Group, which also owns the flight-themed — and highly successful — KŌNŌKŌ in White Marsh, as well as Island Spice Grille & Lounge in Harford County.

Blü Cā’s menu takes inspiration from Jamaica, where Chinese culinary influences date back to the arrival of Chinese laborers during the mid-1800s. At the new restaurant, that history is reflected with dishes like General Tso’s cauliflower and oxtail chow mein.

The cruise ship-themed décor is a nod to Baltimore’s own nearby cruise port, and also continues a travel theme for the One Love Restaurant Group, Tucker said. Customers can dine in booths set in cabin-like alcoves with teal blue upholstery, or mill around an oblong-shaped bar serving cocktails like the Port of Spice, a tropical rum punch, or a unique spin on the porn star martini made with bourbon and passion fruit.

First announced in 2025 by developers MAG Partners, Blü Cā is docking at a Baltimore Peninsula that’s faced choppy waters over the past two years. High-profile tenants Slutty Vegan and Bar Vegan closed down. Under Armour founder Kevin Plank, who initially proposed the mini-city, has stepped away from future development of the site. MAG Partners left the project in 2025, the same year that Brendan Tizard, vice president of Sagamore Ventures, said Blü Cā’s owners expressed to him concerns about whether the restaurant could open on time. “A lot was happening at Baltimore Peninsula. You’ve all likely read it,” he said.

While the project did run into some construction delays, Tizard was celebrating on Wednesday. “This is a big day for Baltimore Peninsula,” he said. “This is what momentum and community actually feels like.”

The surrounding area has seen a recent uptick in activity, including the opening of Urbano Mexican Fare this summer. A nearby noodle bar and separate karaoke spot should both arrive soon. The neighborhood has “definitely become a lot more lively,” said Eleanor Canby, vice president of marketing and communications for Baltimore Peninsula.

After the ribbon cutting, staff members for the restaurant popped confetti and Luis V. McSween, who chairs Maryland Gov. Wes Moore’s commission on Caribbean affairs, presented the owners with a citation from Moore’s office.

During a reception inside, McSween praised the restaurant group Tucker runs with her parents, Jazz and Sandy Tucker. “They’re consistent. The cuisine is fantastic. You always feel welcome,” McSween said.

Comptroller Bill Henry, who was in attendance, said that while the original vision for Baltimore Peninsula, formerly called Port Covington, might be smaller than residents expected initially, it’s still “an incredible addition to Baltimore as it is.”

“It doesn’t look how people thought it would look 10 years ago,” Henry said. “But it still looks 10,000 times better than it did before.”

One customer who will certainly be driving from Baltimore County to support Baltimore Peninsula’s newest restaurant is Rhoda Blackwood, a longtime friend of the Tuckers who lives near the border between White Marsh and Parkville.

While Jamaican restaurants are relatively common in Baltimore, the Tuckers’ concepts are unique in their elevated atmosphere and professionalism, she said.

“It’s just a part of their DNA,” Blackwood said of the Tuckers. “You can’t fake creating good cuisine.”