Birroteca

In a year that brought Baltimore many promising new restaurants, this was the biggest surprise. The name is a beer-ful play on the Italian enoteca, which loosely means “a nice place to get some wine.” And this beautifully restored millhouse along the Jones Falls is a pretty impressive place. The whip-smart trattoria menu is from Cyrus Keefer, and the expertly staged atmosphere is from owner Robin Haas. --Richard Gorelick

See the full list as selected by Baltimore Sun restaurant critic Richard Gorelick.