Some dinners just hit every note, and my night at Love Pomelo in Canton was one of them. I went with the crew from Charm City Table, we ordered way too much (no regrets, lol), and I left already planning my next visit. This is a cozy little Italian spot and wine bar on O’Donnell Square, the kind of intimate place that’s basically built for date night.
The pasta’s exceptional, full stop, and the bolognese bianco ended up being my favorite dish of the whole spread. It comes from the same team behind Café Dear Leon just down the block, with a chef who grew up near Rome, and you can taste that care in everything from the aperitivo snacks to the dessert.
@nomtastickim I LOVED checking out Love, Pomelo with @charmcitytable last night 🫶 It was such a great experience, and I enjoyed all the food + drink we got…and we got a lot, lol. To start, we ordered 3 dishes from their Aperitivo Hour menu: Polenta Fritta Cacio e Pepe, Delicata Squash, and their Gamberi Fritti (all $6). The shrimp and polenta were standout! Then we got their root vegetable velouté and caviar for round 2️⃣, lol. TBH, I was pretty full at that point, but we also got their spaghetti granchio blue ($32, with lots of crab) and their bolognese bianco ($26) to share. Their pasta’s exceptional so def make sure to treat yourself to a bowl. I really enjoyed both but the bolognese was probably my favorite dish out of everything we got 🙂 As for drinks, highly recommend their Miele Miele ($11 during Aperitivo Hour), and make sure you save room for dessert because their tiramisu’s sublime. Service was amazing (shoutout to Toni), and the restaurant was cozy and intimate. It’s a great spot for date night, and I def want to bring @deke_dc here soon. It’s first-come, first-served, and I can see them getting really busy so try to come on the earlier side if you can 🍝 They have some seating on the second floor as well, and the vibe there’s even more intimate. Highly recommend checking them out! 📍2933 O’Donnell St, Baltimore ⏰T-Sa 4-9:30pm #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #baltimore #foodtiktok #foodtok ♬ Taste (Instrumental) – KAYTRANADA
What Makes Love Pomelo So Special?
Love Pomelo is a tiny, 28-seat neighborhood Italian restaurant built around two things, house-made pasta and Italian aperitivo culture. That combo is what sets it apart from your standard red-sauce spot. The kitchen rolls its own fresh pasta daily, and the bar leans into that pre-dinner, drinks-and-snacks ritual that Italians do so well.
It’s intimate by design, with a second-floor dining area that gets even more hushed and romantic, so it reads more like a special-occasion find than a casual weeknight stop. Add a thoughtful wine list and a cocktail program, and you’ve got a spot that feels like a genuine Canton gem.
What to Order at Love Pomelo
Bolognese Bianco ($26)
This was my favorite dish of the entire night. A bolognese bianco is a white bolognese, which means no tomato, just a savory meat sauce over fresh house-made pasta. Without the tomato it leans savory and lets that fresh pasta be the star. If you’re a bolognese person who’s never tried the white version, this is your sign. I’d order it again in a heartbeat!
Spaghetti Granchio ($32)
Their spaghetti granchio is loaded with blue crab, and it’s a treat. The pasta’s exceptional across the board here, so a bowl piled with crab is an easy yes. It’s on the pricier side, so I’d call it a splurge, but if you’re already treating yourself for date night, it’s a lovely one to share.
Root Vegetable Velouté and Caviar
For round two we added their root vegetable velouté topped with caviar. By then I was honestly pretty full (we really did get the whole table, lol), but it’s a fun one to split if you’re building a bigger, tasting-style night. It’s a nice little detour from the pasta before you circle back for dessert.
Aperitivo Hour Small Plates ($6 each)
We started with three bites off the Aperitivo Hour menu, all $6 each, the Polenta Fritta Cacio e Pepe, Delicata Squash, and Gamberi Fritti. The fried shrimp and the polenta were the standouts, and at six bucks a pop during aperitivo they’re a steal. Save room for dessert too, because the tiramisu is sublime, and the Miele Miele cocktail ($11 during aperitivo) was a great call!
What’s Aperitivo Hour?
If you’ve never done it, aperitivo is the Italian pre-dinner ritual of light drinks and small bites meant to wake up your appetite before the main event. It’s less about getting a cheap deal and more about easing into the evening, Italian-style. At Love Pomelo it runs in the early evening with those $6 small plates and specials like the Miele Miele, so it’s one of the best ways to experience the place, order a few bites, a drink, and let dinner unfold from there.
The Perfect Date Night Spot
What really sold me was how the whole night felt. Service was genuinely amazing (shoutout to Toni, who took such good care of us), the room’s cozy and intimate, and it’s exactly the kind of place I want to bring Deke for a proper date night. The focaccia here is even baked right down the street at Café Dear Leon, the viral bakery from the same owners, so if you’re into this spot, that’s your next stop for breakfast. Little touches like that are why Love Pomelo feels like such a passion project.
The Vibe and Experience
The vibe is warm, intimate, and a little bit romantic, with just 28 seats downstairs and an even cozier second-floor space if you want more privacy. It’s a Canton neighborhood spot through and through, great for date night, a small celebration, or a leisurely dinner with a couple of friends over wine. Because it’s so small it can fill up fast, so come on the earlier side or plan ahead. The pace here is unhurried in the best way, so settle in and let the aperitivo-into-dinner rhythm carry you.
Good to Know
- 📍 2933 O’Donnell St, Baltimore, MD 21224, right on O’Donnell Square in Canton
- Hours: open Tuesday through Sunday evenings from 4:30pm, closed Monday
- Aperitivo Hour runs early evening (roughly 4:30 to 6:30pm) with $6 small plates
- Wednesday special: house-made fresh pasta for $20 all day
- Reservations are available online and recommended since it’s tiny; they take walk-ins too, so come early if you’re winging it
- It’s a wine bar as much as a restaurant, with cocktails and lower-ABV options at the bar
- Parking is street parking around O’Donnell Square, so give yourself a few extra minutes
- The second floor is the move if you want the most intimate seating
Is Love Pomelo Worth Visiting?
Yes, especially if you’re after a date-night dinner in Canton that feels special without being stuffy. The pasta really lives up to the hype, the aperitivo bites are a steal, and the service tied it all together. It’s a splurge in spots, but a worthwhile one, and it’s a spot I’m already planning to go back to.
Have you guys been to Love Pomelo yet, or is there a Baltimore pasta spot I need to put on my list? Let me know in the comments, Nomsters. And if date night’s coming up, save this one and go hungry, because you’re going to want to order the whole menu!