Baltimore Chef Plots First Brick-and-Mortar Restaurant

Catina Smith plans to open Cherry Street Diner in Station North or Central Baltimore next year.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Catina Smith, a Baltimore chef who has cooked on the national stage, is in the early stages of planning her first standalone venture, Cherry Street Diner. Smith envisions the concept as a community-focused diner serving home-style cooking in the Station North or Central Baltimore area, with plans to open the restaurant next year after securing a location and testing the brand through pop-ups.

Why it matters

Smith has been a mainstay in Baltimore's dining scene for years, working at established restaurants like Magdalena and the former Alexander Brown. Her decision to open her own diner reflects the city's ongoing culinary renaissance, as well as the desire of chefs to create community-oriented concepts that bring people together through food.

The details

Smith, also known as Chef Cat, hopes to open Cherry Street Diner as a fixture in the Station North or Central Baltimore neighborhoods. She plans to first test the brand through various pop-ups throughout the city before securing a permanent location and opening the diner next year. Smith has previously worked at acclaimed Baltimore restaurants like Magdalena and the now-shuttered Alexander Brown.

  • Smith appeared as a contestant on Gordon Ramsay's 'Hell's Kitchen' in the fall of 2025.
  • Smith plans to open Cherry Street Diner next year, in 2027.

The players

Catina Smith

Also known as Chef Cat, she is a Baltimore chef who has cooked on the national stage and is now planning to open her first standalone restaurant, Cherry Street Diner.

Magdalena

A restaurant in Baltimore's Mt. Vernon neighborhood where Smith previously worked.

Alexander Brown

A now-shuttered restaurant downtown in Baltimore where Smith also worked.

Gordon Ramsay

A celebrity chef who featured Smith as a contestant on his show 'Hell's Kitchen' in 2025.

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What’s next

Smith plans to first test the Cherry Street Diner brand through various pop-ups throughout Baltimore before securing a permanent location and opening the restaurant next year.

The takeaway

Chef Catina Smith's plans to open Cherry Street Diner reflect the continued growth and evolution of Baltimore's dining scene, as chefs seek to create community-focused concepts that bring people together through homestyle cooking and a welcoming atmosphere.