Papi Cuisine Closes Federal Hill Location After 12-Year Run

Papi Cuisine, the popular Baltimore restaurant known for its viral crab cake egg rolls and Afro-Latin fusion menu, has officially closed its doors in Federal Hill.

Co-owner Alex Perez announced the news Monday evening in an Instagram video, citing ongoing maintenance challenges, including plumbing, electrical, refrigeration, and grease trap issues that repeatedly forced the business to shut down “for weeks at a time.” The restaurant’s lease at 2 E. Wells St. was also set to expire in November.

Perez, who is stepping away from the restaurant industry, said he and business partner Berry Clark recently began directing Papi Cuisine’s reservations to Clark’s sister restaurant, Proper Cuisine, which serves “essentially the same menu” in a more upscale setting. While Perez has no affiliation with Proper Cuisine, both say they remain on good terms.

Perez founded Papi Cuisine in 2013 as a ghost kitchen and catering service before opening its first brick-and-mortar location with Clark in Fells Point in 2019. Two years later, they relocated to Federal Hill.

The business has faced its share of hurdles. In 2024, neighbors protested its liquor license renewal, complaining about disruptive customers. Weeks later, a fire outside the building caused about $7,000 in damage, and a Baltimore woman was charged with second-degree arson. Clark emphasized these incidents did not influence the decision to close.

Perez now plans to focus on new ventures, including a Papi Cuisine-branded seasoning line set to hit Kroger shelves. He says shifting away from daily restaurant operations will allow for more work-life balance and time with his young children.

“Running a successful restaurant isn’t easy,” Perez said. “But this is the start of an exciting new chapter.”