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Best Spots For A Quick Lunch In Downtown Baltimore

January 3, 2018 / 2:00 PM EST / CBS Baltimore

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By Joel Furches

When trying to grab a quick lunch, people often choose the path of least resistance, and just look for the most familiar fast food restaurant they can find.

But in a city like Baltimore, where fine local establishments crank out much tastier - and often healthier - food, settling would be a shame.

We've compiled a list of a few local establishments that make tasty lunches quick, so that you can stick to your schedule and still have good, local food. Check them out, and improve your lunch break.

Di Pasquale's Italian Marketplace And Deli
3700 Gough St.
Baltimore, MD 21224
(410) 276-6787
www.dipasquales.com

Di Pasquale's is an Italian grocer in the full sense of the term. Most of the items one finds in Pasquale's are actually imported from Italy, and it is Italian owned and operated. You have the option of breezing through the aisles and grabbing a few piecemeal items that suit your tastes, or going to the lunch counter and getting a quick Italian deli item whipped up for you by the fine cooks and bakers. Yes, there is a bakery, and all of the bread is fresh.

So if you're in the mood for Italian food - or deli food - you couldn't do better than Di Pasquale's.

Argosy Cafe
7 N. Calvert St.
Baltimore, MD 21202
(443) 869-2942
www.argosycafe.com

Located on the first floor of they Munsey Building, the Argosy Cafe serves coffee, alcohol, and three meals a day. Run by a father-and-son duo, they take special pride in making all of the ingredients in-house, so if you like your food locally sourced, your coffee freshly ground and your bread freshly baked, Argosy has you covered.

If you like cafe offerings for your lunch, Argosy has an extensive enough cafe menu that you might think of coming just for the coffee and tea. But it is no slouch in the food department, either. Serving up a new "sandwich of the week" each week, you can also find such treasures as the Mexicali Chicken Salad sandwich, The Munsey Burger and, for fans of noodles, it has one very tasty and creative noodle bowl. Besides that, the lunch fare consists mostly of deli sandwiches. But in terms of flavor and quality, they are better than average.

Nacho Mamas
2907 O'Donnell St.
Baltimore, MD 21224
(410) 675-0898
www.nachomamasmd.com

Got a hankering for Mexican food served by an Irishman? Then Nacho Mamas is the place to go!

Seriously, though, Nachos was established by an Irishman in 1993, but it's nonetheless a top-quality restaurant for Tex-Mex fare, and it serves it quick and delicious during the lunchtime rush.

Famous in Baltimore for its Tex-Mex food, Nachos also serves hot lunchtime items like pizza slices and wings.Variety is one of the qualities which makes Nachos a good stop for a quick lunch that won't disappoint.

Related: Best BLTs In Baltimore

Homeslyce Pizza Bar
336 N. Charles St.
Baltimore, MD 21201
(443) 501-4000
www.homeslyce.com

Speaking of grabbing a pizza slice for lunch, Homeslyce may be your very best option. Conveniently located right on Charles Street, Homeslyce makes takeout ordering very convenient, including the option to order online. So place your order on your computer or smartphone before you head out for lunch and grab some delicious pizza right at the door.

Homeslyce has more than a dozen creative specialty pizzas - including steak pizza, the spicy "Homeslyce Spice," and a Ravens-themed "touchdown pizza" - or you can customize your own. The calzones are equally creative, customizable and delicious, or you can try one of their dozen specialty sandwiches, including our favorite: the three little pigs - built out of bacon, sausage and pepperoni. For a bonus, hit up its desert menu and get a few Italian classics to wash that calzone down.

R. House
301 W. 29th St.
Baltimore, MD 21211
(443) 347-3570
r.housebaltimore.com

R. House is a format that's time has come. Ten local chefs from a number of different schools of cooking have joined forces to create one of the most unusual restaurants you are likely to encounter.

The truly massive establishment has enough variety of seating space, that you can set up office right inside so that you can actually work out of the restaurant as you eat.

Each of the chefs has their own booth, so you can pretty much choose the kind of food you are interested in, then park yourself where that chef is working in order to eat practically any lunch in a single restaurant.