The Bun Shop — Restaurant in Baltimore

The appeal of this place is that its a grungy, artsy place to crank out an overdue essay at 1am fueled by sugar and espresso, or to wind down a friend with carbs who's drank way too much at the gay bars around the corner. The light music and dim lighting makes for a great environment to focus or chill.

There's a ton of local promotion scattered around the tables: trans affirming groups for vocal training, help with legal processes and finding care, punk bars and queer bars advertising their next shows with sliding scale tickets, radical groups organizing for unionized labor. The kind of work that fuels Mt Vernon's culture, making it the (barely)affordable place to live and work for a bunch of beatniks. The price of this neighborhood has been rising for the past decade, pushing out the exact people who make it what it is. It's ridiculous to pretend that rising your own prices dont contribute. Fine, you have to pass rising costs of shipping and raw ingredients from rampant inflation onto your customer, but keeping a few items on the menu affordable cannot cut deeply enough into your margins that you have to price a cup of drip coffee at 3 dollars. The disconnect between your prices and your neighbors is growing.

When a Starbucks moves into a neighborhood, rent prices grow on average between .5 all the way up to 11%. This is already a neighborhood with majority renters. The students and graduates here are studying desperately trying to pace out employment with the costs of inflation.

Mt Vernon has already been on the way to gentrification since the early 2000's. Just ask the people who've lived here the entire time on the verge of being pushed out.

Small differences matter. Don't be...

The Bun Shop has a unique atmosphere that feels like a blend of Edgar Allan Poe and industrial chic—dark, moody, and a little mysterious, yet still cozy in its own way. It’s the kind of place where people gather to chat, read, or work quietly on laptops. There’s plenty of seating, and the fact that they’re open until 3 AM makes it an incredible spot for late-night studying or working when everywhere else is closed.

They offer a variety of coffee and tea drinks (menu photos attached), but I came specifically to try the buns. I visited after dinner and there were eight bun options still available. I asked about sweet ones, and they let me know the Apple Turnover and the Roti Boy were the only sweet(ish) ones left. I went with their signature Roti Boy, which was a soft, buttery bun topped with a light espresso-flavored craquelin. It wasn’t overly sweet—not quite a dessert bun, but enjoyable if you’re into more subtle flavors. (A coffee-flavored cream-filled version would be a good option.) The bun was a little under $5 with tax.

The savory buns mostly contained meat, so they’re not particularly vegetarian- or vegan-friendly based on what was available when I visited. That said, I’d be curious to come back during the day to see if there are more options, especially for those with dietary preferences.

The staff was helpful and patient when answering questions about the menu. Overall, The Bun Shop is a cool, quiet, and distinctive place—perfect for a late-night bite or a long study session with...

Very comfortable local coffee ☕ and Tea shop close to midtown University of Maryland Midtown Medical Campus. The street is a business district street. 3 mins from John Hopkins Medical Campus. MICA is 2 minutes away.

The location looks historical inside with an original glass case and some very old antique metal tables. Black colored walls and ceiling for a comfortable and dark mood, comfortable study location. It's not dirty. It's just antique and old for people that don't understand how glass gets after 50+ years.

The hot chocolate 🍫 was tasty and did not have that syrup or powder flavor of Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts. They offer different kinds of milk if that is your preference.

Their music was tasteful and light jazz and not blasting. Conducive to good studying without blasting music like Starbucks which I hate. Minimal power. A few power banks strips all over the floor. Slight trip hazard so please be careful.

Customers were a mix of students and older folks studying or just relaxing and reading. Mostly students studying quietly and not loud if they were in a group. Restrooms in the rear.

Overall, a good place that is open late. I'm not sure what the sister was talking about racism below. I think it has more to do with your attitude and how you communicate here from my own experience. The gentleman with tattoos serving me greeted me and was professional. Who needs more than that?

Hot cocoa was about $4.50 I believe. Not bad. Businesses...