“But we loved with a love that was more than love –
I and my Annabel Lee”
"ANNABEL LEE TAVERN is a little Tavern located a bit off the beaten path in the Canton area of Baltimore City. It is here that we hope that our guests feel at home. We always offer friendly service and affordable cuisine. Our food is what we like to call, ‘upscale comfort.’ Our menu is eclectic but not pretentious. In addition to our menu we will always have at least six daily specials to choos from and a good dose of vegetarian options. Our wine and beer lists are varied but not pricey.
We, on a daily basis, celebrate Edgar Allan Poe, Baltimore and Maryland. We have a lot of pride in our home, town and state. It is here that a couple can come for a romantic dinner for two. This is also a great place to play a late night game of darts with friends. In a nut shell, this is one place that guests can watch an O’s game by romantic candle light.
Everyday we strive to be the best corner tavern in the city."
Annabel Lee Tavern
601 South Clinton Street
Baltimore, MD 21224
Phone: 410.522.2929
Fax: 410.522.2992
email: info@annabelleetavern.com
Looking over their menu, I would start with the Tomato Bisque (with cheese tortellini and marscarpone cheese) or the Caesar Salad (with house Caesar dressing, onion foccaccia croutons and four cheeses). However, the Classic Spinach Salad (with a honey Dijon vinaigrette, mushrooms, hard-boiled egg, tomatoes, bacon, and red onions) does intrigue me.
My appetizer choices would include the Jerk Shrimp (with Malibu pineapple relish) and the BBQ Chicken Nachos (with applewood smoked bacon). Now the Duck Fat Fries – what the heck is that? I’d try it. I love duck and goose, and rabbit for that matter.
They have sandwiches, all served with blue cheese coleslaw and sweet potato (or duck fat) fries. The Annabel Lee Chicken Salad with tarragon, bacon and craisins, could have been something Poe might’ve eaten on the Veranda with his Allan relations.
Curiously, they define their main dishes as “small plates.” But perhaps that is a Baltimore tradition. (I live in L.A., the consumption capitol of the world.) These dishes include BBQ Chicken with chili fries, Crab and Roasted Sweet Corn Quesadilla, Spinach and Portabella Burrito with roasted red pepper salsa rojo, Potato Crusted Salmon Steak, and the obligatory and always lovely, Shepherds Pie, with ground lamb, Guinness gravy and topped with mashed potatoes and cheddar. There’s a lot of Mexican influence here. Something I know about living in L.A. I’d like to try their Baltimore interpretations. Perhaps, crab enchiladas could suit the rest of the menu?
On tap in the bar is Raven Lager. I think that is the local Poe brand. They name their specialty drinks after Poe characters and titles. They have a wine list that covers the globe. This sounds like a tasty place. I’d love to hear from folks who have dined there.
The Chef is Mark Littleton, formerly of the defunct Lulu’s Off Broadway.
ANNABEL LEE TAVERN HISTORY
"Annabel Lee was the last poem that Edgar Allan Poe wrote before his tragic death at the age of forty in the year 1849. The Annabel Lee Tavern as established December 7th, 2007. It is here that we pay homage to the great poet and too, the great city of Baltimore. The building was built in 1905 and as far as wee know has always existed as a tavern.
It is our pledge to provide a welcome place for the neighborhood, sincerely and without pretence always."
Hours:
Monday – Satuday 4:00pm – 1:00am
Closed – not by choice – Sundays
Phone: (410) 522-2929
Kurt X. Bragunier, proprietor
For dessert, they have a tri-chocolate pate served with maderia raspberry coulis called the “Edgar Allan Pate.” Additionally, they have Pie du Jour. I love pie. When I was a kid, I liked cake. Now, I like pie. Go figure.
Take a look at their photo gallery. It’s pretty cool. They have that east coast tavern on the corner look. The inside fondly reminds me of several taverns I’ve been in from San Francisco to Boston to Santa Barbara and to L.A.
“The beautiful Annabel Lee Tavern opened in December and was an instant hit. Opened by Kurt Bragunier, a former general manager at the Brewer’s Art, Annabel Lee, like Brewer’s feels contemporary in spirit but old and unpretentious, too.”
-- Richard Gorelick, “High Spirits,” Baltimore City Paper
They have a raven in their window.
Annabel Lee Tavern - Baltimore, Maryland
Annabel Lee - Poe Forward (text)
LINES ON ALE 1848
Edgar Allan Poe
Fill with mingled cream and amber,
I will drain that glass again.
Such hilarious visions clamber
Through the chamber of my brain --
Quaintest thoughts -- queerest fancies
Come to life and fade away;
What care I how time advances?
I am drinking ale today.
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