Maryland bistro · Mount Vernon, Baltimore · $38–$52 per main
Chesapeake American$$$$Mount Vernon, BaltimoreThe Ivy Hotel — Relais & Châteaux
"Baltimore's only Relais & Châteaux dining room, hidden inside a Mount Vernon mansion — reserve for an anniversary you want to feel grand."
8Food
8Ambience
6Value
About Magdalena
Behind the brick face of a restored 1889 Mount Vernon mansion, The Ivy Hotel keeps the only Relais & Châteaux address in Baltimore, and Magdalena is its dining room. The restaurant relaunched as a “Maryland bistro” — less white-tablecloth ceremony, more regional cooking served across five rooms, from a glassed garden room to a clubby bar.
That format gives it reach few Baltimore rooms have: a serious occasion dinner and an unbuttoned bar supper under one roof. Compare it with the city's other fine tables on the Baltimore dining guide, or with the Italian benchmark at Charleston down the harbour.
The Kitchen
Executive chef Scott Bacon cooks a Chesapeake-driven menu that pulls in the globally inflected Southern flavours he grew up with in the Baltimore suburbs. The cooking leans more vegetable-forward than the old fine-dining template: charred eggplant over smoked sweet-potato yogurt, local grouper tinged with berbere, grilled shrimp under a romesco that reads of his own kitchen rather than a textbook.
The bones are classic French technique, the larder is Maryland — blue crab, Chesapeake fish, regional produce — and the wine list has held Wine Spectator recognition. À la carte mains run roughly $38 to $52; the tasting and the bar menu sit on either side of that. It is hotel-restaurant pricing, justified by the room and the sourcing rather than spectacle.
The Room
There is no single dining room — Magdalena spreads across five: the light-filled Garden Room, the wood-panelled Treasury, a Wine Cellar, a Tasting Room and a small clubby bar. Lighting is low and warm, tables are well spaced, and sound stays conversation-easy throughout. Dress is smart; a jacket suits the mansion without being required. Ask for the Garden Room for daylight, the Treasury for intimacy.
Best for an Anniversary
Book Magdalena for an anniversary because the building itself sells the occasion: a restored mansion, a Relais & Châteaux pedigree, and a choice of intimate rooms rather than one loud floor. Reserve the Garden Room or the Treasury, ask about the tasting menu in advance, and let the staff know it is a celebration — the service is calibrated for it. The same discretion makes it a strong room to impress a client over dinner.
Not for
Not for a quick, cheap bite — this is a Relais & Châteaux hotel dining room with prices to match, and the pacing is built for a long, deliberate dinner rather than a fast turn.
Frequently Asked
Is Magdalena at The Ivy Hotel worth it?
Yes, for a special-occasion dinner. Magdalena is Baltimore's only Relais & Châteaux dining room, set inside a restored Mount Vernon mansion, and chef Scott Bacon's Chesapeake-driven Maryland bistro cooking is among the city's most accomplished. It is priced as a luxury hotel restaurant, so go for the room and the occasion.
How hard is it to book Magdalena?
Weekends and the smaller rooms book up, especially the Garden Room and the Tasting Room. Reserve a week or two ahead through OpenTable or The Ivy Hotel directly for Friday and Saturday, and farther out for holidays and Valentine's. The bar takes a limited number of walk-ins.
What is the dress code at Magdalena?
Smart. A jacket fits the mansion setting but is not strictly required; most diners arrive in business-smart or dressy attire. Avoid shorts and athletic wear. For an anniversary or a client dinner, dressing up matches the room.
What does dinner cost at Magdalena?
Expect à la carte mains around $38 to $52, with a tasting menu above that and a more relaxed bar menu below. With wine, a full dinner typically runs $90 or more per person. The pricing reflects the Relais & Châteaux setting and the local sourcing.
Is Magdalena good to impress a client?
It is one of Baltimore's best client rooms. The private, well-spaced spaces, the discreet service and the Relais & Châteaux name all read as serious without being flashy. See how it stacks up on the best restaurants to impress clients guide, and request the Treasury for a quiet table.
Reserve via OpenTable or The Ivy Hotel. Smaller rooms book 1–2 weeks ahead.
Affiliate disclosure: Restaurants for Kings may earn a commission when you book through our reservation links, at no cost to you. Our scores are editorial and never paid for.
Practical Information
Address205 East Biddle Street, Baltimore, MD 21202
Magdalena anchors our list of dining rooms doing Mid-Atlantic seafood at the highest level — a Relais & Châteaux kitchen treating local crab and grouper as luxury ingredients.
