We brewed a very special Hazy IPA for the 1st Annual Craft x Craft event hosted by the South Baltimore Brewery District. This beer was brewed in collaboration with the women from the Brewery District breweries and many women who own local bars, restaurants and liquor stores in Baltimore.

Art by Jill Schroeder, Tomahawk Design Co., Maryland Mercantile

@tomahawkdesignco @marylandmercantile

As a graduate of Towson University, Jill’s graphic design career began at a marketing and advertising agency where she worked for five years before starting her own business in 2013. Jill has worked with a countless range of clients, from nonprofits and small businesses, to government organizations and educational institutions. Her love of the creative world has culminated in a career that has flourished in ways she never imagined possible as the owner and lead designer at Tomahawk Design Co. 

Carrie Podles & Lori Gjerde, Alexanders Tavern, Huck's American Craft, Wicked Sisters

@alexanderstavern  @hucksamericancraft  @wickedsistershamden

Carrie first opened Alexander’s Tavern in Fells Point in 2007 after many years in the industry. She then opened Papi’s Tacos and then in 2015, joined forces with her sister Lori and they opened Huck’s American Craft and then a year later, Wicked Sisters in Hamden. The sisters now share a close personal and professional relationship. They bring different skill sets to the businesses, which balances them professionally.

Kristen Bates, Baltimore Taphouse

@vochic620

In 2004, Growler's Pub was opened by Kristen and her husband John in Canton. About a year and half later legal difficulties with a bar in St. Louis brought about the name change to Baltimore Taphouse. Since 2017, Kristen has been the sole operator of the popular local bar. She has always been a strong advocate for local beers.

Cara Bruce, Blue Pit BBQ

@bluepitbbq

Cara opened Blue Pit BBQ in 2014 and it is a woman-owned, award-winning barbecue restaurant and bar in Hampden. They offer dog-friendly outdoor dining on our patio and have a large upstairs perfect for parties and events and they are not only known for the BBQ, but also their well curated selection of whiskeys

Jesse Sandlin, Bunny's Buckets & Bubbles, Sally O's, The Dive

@bunnysbaltimore  @sallyosmd  @thedivebaltimore

Calling her a restaurant industry veteran is an understatement - she’s been working in restaurants for over 30 years (too many to name here) from Australia to here in Baltimore. She opened her first solo venture, Sally O’s, in Highlandtown in 2019 (just in time for COVID), but that didn’t stop her. A few years later, she opened The Dive in Canton and just last year, Bunny’s Buckets & Bubbles in Fells Point. She thrives on chaos and we just want her to keep making delicious food. Fun fact - Jesse has 2 minipigs, Fernie and Olli Speck.

Mara Balodis Householder, Captain Larry's

@captainlarrysbarandgrill

Latvian siblings, Mara and Ivars, took over Captain Larry’s after it was originally opened as a corner bar by a former police captain named Larry 50 or so years ago. They loved the place and now it’s theirs. They feature some delicious Latvian food specialties, as well as local beers.

Tracey Sangria, Chuck's Trading Post

@chuckstradingpost

When Tracey took over Chuck’s Trading Post in 2017, she worked to keep the corner store bodega integrated into the full service restaurant style to honor the memory of the business. Slowly but surely the business grew, incorporating a full service bar, additional dining space, and eventually offering catering and private events.

Kate Shotwell, Crushed Velvet

@crushedvelvet_ice

Kate is a co-founder of Crushed Velvet, serving up delicious Hawaiian style shaved ice, which is more powdery and fluffy than snowballs. Their first pop-up was next to Key Neapolitan by Verde on Key Highway in 2023 and it has grown each year. During the pandemic, her partner Mack and Kate found a mutual love of food, but also a strong interest in starting their own food business and Crushed Velvet was born. 

Sylva Lin, Culinary Architecture

@culinaryarchitecture

Sylva opened Culinary Architecture in 2015 and the storefront operates as a miniature grocery store, catering kitchen, bakery, bar, and private indoor/outdoor event space. Her efforts gained national recognition when she was recently named to the inaugural list of the SPARK10, a new honor bestowed on women who are sparking change through small-scale community-based manufacturing.

Natalia Bauer, Ellie's Tavern

@elliestaverncanton

Natalia just celebrated two years at Ellie’s Tavern, a corner Canton-neighborhood sports bar. She’s been living and bartending 13 years around Baltimore, including Baltimore Soundstage and Ouzo Bay. She is a big Baltimore sports fan and loves to travel.

Alicia Mozina Sidhu and Damye Hahn, Faidley's Seafood, The Fishmonger’s Daughter

@faidleysseafood

Alicia is the 4th generation operator of Faidley’s Seafood in Lexington Market, along with her mother Damye and grandparents Bill and Nancy Devine. Founded in 1886, Faidley Seafood is one of the oldest and best-known purveyors of fresh and prepared seafood in the Chesapeake region. They are known for their crab cakes and are working to open The Fishmongers Daughter in Catonsville.

Stacy Lynch, Hair of the Dog

@hairofthedog_Baltimore

Stacy opened Hair of the Dog in 2017 and it has been a popular Federal Hill neighborhood place.  Owning a bar, restaurant, or any service oriented business as a woman comes with both significant challenges and rewarding experiences.  Managing long hours, staffing issues, and customer expectations while balancing personal life can also be demanding. However, the rewards are just as powerful—creating a welcoming space, building a loyal customer base, and fostering a strong team make the hard work worthwhile. Success in the restaurant business not only proves resilience but also paves the way for other women to thrive in hospitality leadership.

Stephanie Hershkovitz, Hersh's

@hershspizza

Stephanie co-owns Hersh's, an Italian eatery in South Baltimore, with her brother Josh. Fourteen years in, she remains as committed as ever to providing outstanding hospitality and serving delicious wood-fired pizza and handmade pasta and has always featured local craft beers to pair

Marcella Knight, Koco's Pub

@kocos_pub

Marcella’s parents opened Koco’s Pub back in 1985, and she runs the place now. Their dedicated employees have become part of the family, and many of them have been with us for years and “Mom and Dad” still come in for an occasional visit to make sure that they are doing things just right. Originally begun as a “hole in the wall” bar, Koco’s has evolved into a great, family friendly, neighborhood eating establishment famous for their crab cakes.

Jen Wahlen. Local Oyster

@thelocaloyster

Jen started out leading the catering operations for over 10 years and then became a partner in 2023, but she still gets out there and shucks at the events! While people like to say, "If you  love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life"...I'm more fond of "If you love what you do, it won't FEEL like work". It's still work, and sometimes it's really hard work, but I love educating people about oysters, aquaculture and sharing the joy of eating them! 

Hannah Spangler & Allison Crowley, Melanie's @ Griffith's Tavern

@melanies_griffithstavern

Melanie’s @ Griffith’s Tavern is a woman-owned and operated popular neighborhood bar and package store in Hamden that offers a variety of macro & craft beverages from beers & seltzers to cocktails. After working in the industry, they opened in 2022 and love to feature locally made products that highlight our city. 

Ellie Skinner & Leigh Philipkosky, of Love & Regret

@_olar____

Advocacy and community partnership is one of the most powerful tools at their disposal as female business owners in the craft restaurant industry. At Of Love & Regret (oLaR), their mission is rooted in kindness and conviction, ensuring every individual feels valued by celebrating inclusivity, empathy, and diversity, fostering community connections through a unique food and beverage experience that transcends the mainstream. They are coming up on the 14 year anniversary. 

Ty Jackson-Cole, Off the Rox, Beverly House

@offtherox  @beverlyhouse4505

Ty is the co-owner of Off the Rox, a wine shop located in Baltimore's Highlandtown neighborhood. Founded in 2018, Off the Rox specializes in small-production, sustainable, local, and primarily family-owned beers, wines, and spirits. We also feature beer on tap and now offer wine by the glass during the spring and summer seasons, allowing customers to enjoy drinks on the patio. They recently also opened The Beverly House, a well curated bottle shop in Lauraville.

Candice Bruno, Old Major

@oldmajorbmore

Candice opened Old Major in 2018 as an arts-focused event space and bar located in Historic Pigtown that serves tropical food and beverages inspired by her hometown in the Bahamas and time growing up in Miami. Old Major was named Best Neighborhood Bar by Baltimore Magazine, among others, and partners with several local non-profits to serve the Southwest Baltimore community. She is also a senior communications professional and a real estate investor.

Kristie Bukowski, Shotti's Point

@shottispointcharmcity

Starting as a bartender, Kristie then took over Shotti’s in 2021 with her husband Dan, both South Baltimore natives. It is a very popular neighborhood bar serving flavors from all over the world inspired by places they have visited and continue to expand with their travels. 

Candace Beattie, Thames Street Oyster House

@thamesstreetoysterhouse

Candace opened Thames Street Oyster House in 2011 after graduating from the Berklee College of Music and a successful career in the arts, she returned to Maryland to open her restaurant. Known for their lobster roll and amazing raw bar, this Fells Point mainstay continues to impress.

Jasmine Norton, Urban Oyster

@theurbanoyster @theurbanburgerbar

In 2017, Jasmine opened the first female, black owned oyster bar in the US and has recently been named as a semi-finalist for the James Beard Best Chef Mid-Atlantic, so we're all rooting for her! She also opened The Urban Burger Bar in 2020 and quickly received the best burger nomination within a few short months after opening.