Spice Street in Baltimore: North Indian Cooking in Canton
Spice Street is a full-service North Indian restaurant located in Canton that specializes in tandoori meats, curries, and breads prepared in a traditional clay oven. The restaurant seats about 60 people across a narrow dining room with exposed brick and wood tables, positioned between the neighborhood's casual seafood spots and more formal American venues.
What Spice Street actually is
Spice Street focuses on North Indian cuisine, particularly Punjabi and Mughlai traditions. The kitchen works from a tandoor, a cylindrical clay oven that reaches high heat for cooking marinated proteins and baking naan to order. The space is modest and service-oriented rather than ornamental, with staff trained to walk diners through heat levels and regional differences between dishes. It opens for dinner only and does not take reservations, which means weekend waits of 30 to 45 minutes are normal after 7 p.m.
Menu, pricing, and signature dishes
Entrées range from $14 to $24. Tandoori chicken (bone-in pieces marinated in yogurt and spice, cooked in the clay oven) runs $16; tandoori salmon filet is $20. Paneer tikka masala, a vegetarian standard of cubed cheese in a tomato-cream sauce, costs $14. Lamb vindaloo, one of the spiciest options, is $18. Goat curry (a tougher meat that requires longer cooking, yielding deeper flavor than chicken) is $17. Breads run $3 to $5: naan, garlic naan, and peshwari naan (stuffed with coconut and raisins) are all made to order in the tandoor.
Vegetarian options span dal makhani (creamed lentils, $11), chana masala (chickpea curry, $12), and gobi 65 (fried cauliflower florets with a light, spiced coating, $10). Rice dishes and combination platters arrive as sides. Prices are subject to change; call ahead to confirm current rates.
The restaurant does not serve alcohol, though it is BYOB with no corkage fee.
How it compares to other Indian restaurants in Baltimore
Spice Street emphasizes tandoori preparation, which distinguishes it from restaurants that rely more heavily on pan-based curries. Akbar, also in Canton, offers a broader menu spanning South Indian dosa and North Indian curries but does not operate a tandoor in-house. Saffron in Federal Hill focuses on modern Indian fusion with international plating; prices run higher (entrées $18 to $28), and the restaurant takes reservations and serves alcohol. Himalayan in Fells Point leans toward Nepali and North Indian food, with a similar price point but a stronger emphasis on momos (dumplings) and thali plates. Choose Spice Street if you want focused tandoori cooking and accept a wait; choose Akbar for broader regional variety; choose Saffron if you want upscale presentation and a quieter reservation-based experience.
Who it suits and who it does not
Spice Street works well for diners comfortable naming a preferred heat level and waiting for a table on weekend nights. Families come regularly, and the staff will modify spice for children. The BYOB model appeals to price-conscious groups. The no-reservation policy and modest space mean large parties (8 or more) will struggle to sit together. If you require quiet, book-a-table dining or alcohol service, another venue will serve you better.
What the first visit involves
Arrive early or expect a 30 to 45 minute wait after 7 p.m. on Friday or Saturday; weekday visits typically seat within 10 to 15 minutes. A server will greet you with water and menus printed on single sheets. Ask for guidance on spice heat if you are new to the cuisine; staff do not assume familiarity. Order an entrée, a bread, and rice. Tandoori dishes arrive hot and steaming; naan comes last, baked moments before plating. Allow 45 minutes to an hour from arrival to dessert.
Hours, parking, and logistics
Spice Street opens Tuesday through Sunday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; it is closed Mondays. Street parking is available along Canton's residential blocks, typically with a 30 to 45 minute turnover on weekend evenings. Validated or lot parking is not offered. The restaurant is a short walk from the Canton Square area and accessible by the MTA's local bus lines; confirm current hours by phone before visiting, as restaurant hours can shift seasonally.
Spice Street's focused menu and tandoor-driven cooking set it apart in Baltimore's Indian restaurant landscape, offering both technical skill and straightforward execution at mid-range pricing.
