Sweet Peaz Southern Kitchen is Chef-owner Fatimah “Timah” Ames’ tribute to the woman who taught her that great food starts with love - her late mother, nicknamed Sweet Pea.

What began as a 2019 Federal Hill storefront quickly won Baltimore over with skillet-hot fried chicken, pineapple-laced cornbread, and greens that taste like Sunday at Grandma’s. In 2024 we moved the whole operation into the newly re-imagined Lexington Market, one of America’s oldest public markets, so we could feed even more neighbors at the heart of the city’s daily rhythm.

Every plate still follows Mom’s unwritten rules: season boldly, cook slowly, serve generously. We brine our chicken for 24 hours, hand-bread every catfish fillet, and simmer collards until they’re silky enough to eat with a spoon. Between lunch rushes you’ll catch Timah handing out samples, swapping recipes with customers, or setting aside extra meals for local shelters - because no one in our community should go hungry.

Whether you’re grabbing take-out for the office or settling in at our market counter, expect the warmth of a family kitchen and the swagger of Baltimore soul. Pull up, pass a plate, and find out why we say “Love is the first ingredient.”