BNHA East Highlandtown and Greektown

Highlandtown is one of Baltimore’s most diverse communities. From its history as a neighborhood of European immigrants to its status today as a destination for Latino immigrants, Highlandtown has a reputation of welcoming newcomers and celebrating their culture. Its business community includes neighborhood destinations that were founded by immigrants generations ago and are still family-run, such as DiPasquale’s, Hoehn’s Bakery, and G&A Restaurant, as well as new immigrants from Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, and Peru, who cater to a wide audience. The community association hosts annual festivals that are very well attended and draw on the neighborhood’s historic food culture, the arts are celebrated across the district with vibrant murals, painted screens, and events.

Further to the east along Eastern Avenue, separated from Highlandtown by the former Crown Cork and Seal industrial site, is Greektown. Noted for its many restaurants, authentic Greek coffee houses, bakeries, and small businesses of many types, its commercial district is the center of the community. As the name implies, Greektown was settled by Greek immigrants in the period of the 1930s. Since that time, it has stubbornly held onto its Greek identity while simultaneously welcoming a wide variety of neighbors representing other cultures.