Baia Coastal Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar — Restaurant in Chesapeake Beach

One finds that, in life, the most resplendent experiences often arrive in the most unassuming of packages. Such is the case with Baia Coastal Italian, nestled sweetly in the nautical bosom of Chesapeake Beach, Maryland. The exterior? Humble. Demure. The kind of façade that whispers rather than shouts. But, as with any great theatrical performance, it is not the curtain that commands the ovation — it is what lies beyond.

Upon entrance, you are enveloped — no, seduced — by an atmosphere that is at once sophisticated and soulfully salty, an ode to la dolce vita by the sea. One is immediately presented with a trio of tantalizing choices for seating: the intimate bar tucked in the rear like a hidden speakeasy for those who prefer to sip and flirt under dim lighting, the open-air patio perfect for those who fancy themselves the protagonist in a coastal romance, the deck where salt meets breeze in a delicious dance, or the pièce de résistance — the rooftop, where heaven and hospitality convene above the bay.

The vibe, as the youth say, is impeccable. Coastal without cliché, refined without pretense. A place where one could equally enjoy an Aperol Spritz in a caftan or oysters in a three-piece linen suit.

Now — the service. Angels, truly. Our evening was illuminated by the irrepressibly charming Bobby — a server so deft, so effervescent in his manner, I half-suspect he was plucked from a Parisian stage and trained in the sacred art of hospitalité. He flits, he floats, he anticipates your desires before you’ve even dreamed them. One might say he is less a server, more a culinary concierge of joy.

And then — the food. Oh! The food. One cannot simply eat at Baia. One must submit to the experience. Each dish arrives not merely plated but presented, as if to say, “Darling, prepare yourself.” From the delicate brininess of the seafood to the robust, amorous sauces that linger like a lover’s kiss — it is a gastronomic aria. “Excellent” is a pauper’s word for this parade of perfection. I say, let the Michelin stars fall from the heavens.

Whether you wander in for a prelude of cocktails and light fare, or a full act of indulgent dining, you must go. Go, if only to prove to your tastebuds that yes, there is still magic in the world.

Baia Coastal Italian is not just a restaurant, my dear — it is a revelation. A place where sea meets soul, and every bite is a...

There was no parking available in their lot on a Thursday night. We had to park at a strip mall and walk.

We had a group reservation and we were seated quickly. I asked right after being seated if they could split the check, and they said that it was no problem, as long as nobody moved seats. This was a pleasant surprise and much appreciated as a customer.

I liked that they gave us carafes of water to refill ourselves, but we ran out several times and didn't get enough refills even after asking.

The waitress was extremely pleasant and lovely.

The menu is horribly written. Even after asking the waitress for clarification, I was still confused by what the ingredients and dishes were, which led me to panic order something that was nothing that I thought it was.

Here are some examples of the ingredients listed for various dishes: PEI's, 'ndjua, pistachio mortadella, guanciale, pomodoro, apple mostarda, etc. You need to Google translate and look up way too many things in order to decipher the menu.

The menu consists of the Italian title of the dish, followed by a list of ingredients. That's it. Just a list. They have no context to how they go together or clues to what the dish actually is.

Sadly, there aren't any photos of the dishes either, to give you a better idea of how these unknown ingredients went together to make the dish.

The food was nice overall. The clam pasta was good but not great. Both pizzas I had were fantastic, the risotto balls were fine, the Mariana sauce that came with it was delicious.

The "lemon, lemon, lemon" cake didn't have the lemon curd on it and I had to ask for it after it was served. It was nice, but not something I'd order again.

The best things were the burrata toast and coppa e mela pizza. The mushroom pizza was second best.

The atmosphere was nice overall, but the wait staff started sweeping the floors when there were still diners eating, which brought down.

Tldr: food was hit or miss, the menu overly pretentious and...

Parking is VERY limited. Not well designed (minus 1/2 star)....which resulted in my vehicle being towed as I parked in an adjacent parking lot,at the end of that business's business hours. (Ledos Pizza, towed @ 8:30pm...they close at 9pm)...A-holes.

Baia kitchen closes at 9pm.

Great bartender (Bobby), terrific! Food looked great! Decent app & entrée portions. You could say the entrées were a little small but not overly so.

Utensil napkins not washed well. Smelled like food grease 😕 (minus 1/2 star only because this places prices are mid-high end & you expect details & cleanliness to match)

THE FOOD:

Calamari: Served on a smear of meyer lemon aoli sauce (DE-Licious), kinda like tartar but much tastier, imo.

Burrata Toast: Delicious even for someone who doesn't like tomatoes lol The tomato lover who ordered it was going nuts over it, lol.

House pesto is very good. Nice & fresh. Great flavor.

Pinsa Pizza: Rapini - dough is fantastic! Terrific balance of cheeses, veggies, & sauce. Protein portion is lacking but very flavorful.

Panzanela: Great taste. A few too many peppers & size of croutons & chicken chunks were a tad too large for a pleasant mouth feel. Otherwise delicious.

Ambrosia Spritz: As a person who doesn't like sweet drink or sparkling anything, I hated it, lol. That said, it wasn't my drink & the person who ordered it loved it as a "refreshing & fruity" drink.

New Fashioned: Good but too sweet imo.

Last Call: Delicious! Had 3. Very smooth espresso drink. Somewhat sweet but balanced with the acidity & tartness of the espresso.

Limonata: Very refreshing. Basically adult lemonade. Cream topping is a very nice addition that you don't see everywhere.

Overall, no problem recommending this place to anyone looking for a great meal or...