That's Amore Restaurant in Baltimore: Old-School Italian in Fells Point

That's Amore is a traditional red-sauce Italian restaurant in Fells Point that specializes in pasta, veal, and seafood prepared in the style common to Baltimore's Italian-American dining tradition. The space seats roughly 80 people across a single room with exposed brick, dim lighting, and framed photographs of Italian landscapes, creating the kind of neighborhood restaurant where regulars occupy the same tables week after week.

What That's Amore Actually Is

That's Amore operates as a full-service sit-down restaurant without pretension toward modernism or regional Italian authenticity. The kitchen prepares dishes from a fixed menu of about 20 entrees, focusing on combinations that have remained largely unchanged for decades: veal parmigiana, seafood fra diavolo, baked ziti, and chicken cacciatore. Forks and spoons arrive at the table wrapped in napkins. Bread comes warm with butter. The wine list emphasizes Italian imports at accessible markups alongside basic domestic options. This is the kind of place where "Italian food" means marinara, mozzarella, and recognizable proteins, not an exploration of Tuscan or Sicilian technique.

Menu, Pricing, and Portions

Entrees range from $16 to $28, with most pasta dishes and chicken preparations falling between $16 and $20, and veal and seafood specialties reaching $24 to $28. A shrimp scampi or lobster fra diavolo will run $26 to $28. Appetizers, mostly fried items and seafood preparations, cost $8 to $14. The house pasta dishes arrive in portions large enough that sharing is reasonable but not necessary. Many diners request half-portions at no discount; the restaurant typically accommodates this without resistance. A bottle of house red or white wine runs $22 to $35. Confirm current pricing before your visit, as restaurant pricing adjusts seasonally and for ingredient costs.

How It Compares to Other Italian Options in Baltimore

Baltimore has several styles of Italian dining. Aldo's in Fells Point, also traditional red-sauce, focuses more heavily on veal and maintains a similar price tier but with a smaller menu and less casual atmosphere. Hersh's in Canton offers a more contemporary approach to Italian fare with house-made pasta and seasonal specials, at $18 to $32 for entrees. Sotto in Federal Hill takes an explicitly regional (Northern Italian) approach with smaller portions and higher prices ($22 to $36). Choose That's Amore if you want reliable, unpretentious Italian-American food in a relaxed neighborhood setting. Pick Hersh's if you prefer house-made pasta and seasonal variation. Choose Sotto if you're seeking refined preparation and regional specificity.

Who It Suits and Who It Does Not

That's Amore works well for longtime Fells Point residents, families seeking a straightforward dinner out, and anyone comfortable with the Italian-American canon. The noise level is moderate; conversations at other tables are audible but the space does not feel loud. It does not accommodate vegetarians well beyond pasta marinara and vegetable sides. Diners seeking innovative preparations, locally sourced ingredients, or gluten-free options will find the menu limiting. It is not a date-night destination for those seeking fine dining presentation, though it is appropriate for casual couples' outings.

What a First Visit Involves

You will be seated immediately or after a short wait, depending on the hour and day. A server arrives with water and offers the wine list without pressure. Bread appears quickly. Most diners order an appetizer, then an entree, then dessert (cannoli, spumoni, panna cotta). The meal typically takes 90 minutes to two hours. Cash and card are both accepted. The restaurant does not take reservations; arrive before 7 p.m. on weekends to avoid a wait of 20 to 30 minutes.

Hours, Parking, and Access

That's Amore is open Tuesday through Thursday 5 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 5 to 11 p.m., and Sunday 4 to 10 p.m. It is closed Mondays. Parking on Fells Street and the surrounding neighborhood is free but street parking only, with a two-hour limit on many blocks during business hours; a parking lot one block away charges $5 for the evening. Confirm current hours by phone, as seasonal adjustments occur. The restaurant occupies street level with one step up from the sidewalk; wheelchair access is not available.

That's Amore endures in Fells Point because it executes an older style of Italian dining without apology and serves the same dishes to the same customers year after year. It is not innovative, but consistency and reasonable pricing have earned it a permanent place in the neighborhood's restaurant landscape.