Baltimore restaurants close, change service due to COVID-19 case surge

Baltimore area restaurants are being hit hard by the region’s surging COVID-19 cases, with several temporarily closing or changing service plans due to exposures among staff members.

Mera Kitchen Collective said it will remain closed until 2022 due to COVID. The co-op and catering company said it would issue refunds for pre-ordered holiday meals.

Brewer’s Art said in a post on Instagram Tuesday that it has had “another vaccinated staff member test positive” and will be closed until the Mt. Vernon restaurant is able to test all employees.

Also Tuesday, Dylan’s Oyster Cellar said that it was temporarily closing after a staff member tested positive. The Hampden restaurant said it would require all employees to have a negative test before reopening.

At Golden West Cafe in Hampden, a vaccinated employee tested positive leading the restaurant to shut down over the weekend. “We do not want to be part of the spread this holiday season, " read a message on Golden West’s Facebook page.

The Bluebird in Hampden is also temporarily closed due to COVID-19, as is Crust by Mack bakery in Whitehall Mill.

Foraged, which relocated from Hampden to Station North earlier this month, closed Tuesday when a staff member tested positive. After “getting a steady stream of negative tests bacl from our staff,” the eatery said it would reopen Wednesday and Thursday.

Ottobar is closed until Dec. 31 “in light of the new COVID numbers and out of an abundance of caution,” the venue said in a social media post.

Red Emma’s said earlier this week that it was switching food service from indoor dining to carryout only for the remainder of the year. The bookstore will remain open for who want to shop for books, mask required. “We will greatly miss the opportunity to host you in our dining room, but things are getting bad out there again!!”