Atlas Restaurant Group’s two new concepts —Watershed and Atlas Fish Market — will open this weekend at Cross Street Market in Federal Hill. This is the first entrance into the Federal Hill dining scene for Alex Smith’s Baltimore-based restaurant company that has more than 20 locations.
Watershed is a Maryland-seafood restaurant that takes over the 5,200 sq. ft. of space on the west side of the market that was once Nick’s Inner Harbor Seafood. Atlas Fish Market will be an adjacent oyster bar and retail seafood market situated across the interior walkway at Cross Street Market from Pizza di Joey.
Watershed has a large, shaded rooftop deck and will seat 125 people indoors and 185 people outdoors. Atlas described Watershed as “both a hip, everyday spot for locals, as well as a destination restaurant for visitors of Baltimore’s historic Federal Hill scene.”
Atlas completely demolished the interior of the space including the floor and roof to make way for construction of Watershed. The interior of the space now has a large bar in the center of the space, concrete floors, tile and exposed brick walls, wood tables and booths, and nautical-themed murals and designs.
The rooftop deck, which Atlas hopes to keep open year-round using its heaters, features a large bar, large wood tables, high-top tables, and a game area with two foosball tables, a ping pong table, a shuffleboard table, and corn hole boards. It features views of the surrounding Cross St. businesses and buildings as well as M&T Bank Stadium.
There will be more than 30 televisions at Watershed, including a large projector screen on the rooftop deck.
Watershed connects to the rest of Cross Street Market with an all-glass wall and doors. The restaurant is several steps down from the rest of the market.
Atlas Fish Market has a two-sided bar with a subway tile base and a concrete bar top made with oyster shells that were served at Atlas’ restaurant The Choptank. There is a display for fresh seafood that patrons can bring home.
The exterior design features a painted Watershed sign with a fish logo on the S. Charles St. brick facade, along with graphics for Watershed, Cross Street Market, and Atlas Fish Market along the north and south facades of the space. The S. Charles St. facade will continue to have signs for Cross Street Market.
The menu at Watershed features hard shell blue crabs, live lobsters, steamed Alaskan king crab legs, steamed shrimp, a raw bar, and a menu full of soups, salads, appetizers, sandwiches, and land and sea entrees. Menu items include crab cakes, soft shell crabs, lobster roll, steak, and fried chicken, and Smith Island Cake for dessert.
The Watershed kitchen is led by Chef Mike Fearson.
Watershed will serve crushes, wine, and mixed drinks, and will have 25 beers on tap that will come in 160z and 32oz pours to keep with the large beer tradition at Cross Street Market.
Atlas Fish Market will serve raw seafood, steamed seafood, and beer, wine, crushes, and mixed drinks from the bar.
Watershed will host live music and DJs.
South Baltimore restaurant industry veteran Jason Albert is the general manager of Watershed. He spent 12 years working at MaGerk’s and four years at Delia Foley’s. He said there will be some familiar faces behind the bar at Watershed and many of the employees live in South Baltimore.
Watershed and Atlas Fish Market currently have 110 employees and it will max out at 150 employees.
Watershed will be open Monday to Friday from 12pm to 2am and Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 2am.
Atlas worked with BCT Design Group on the design of the two concepts. F.M. Harvey is the general contractor on the project.
Atlas hoped to open Watershed and Atlas Fish Market before the 2020 baseball season, but the project was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Joe Sweeney, director of marketing and public relations for Atlas, said he believes “Watershed has a chance to elevate the whole neighborhood.”
Albert added that Watershed will “help the whole market thrive.” He also noted his employees have already been regulars at Pizza di Joey and Southside Burger Bar.
At the groundbreaking in July, Smith said, “as we break ground on Watershed and Atlas Fish Market, we are excited for what the future holds and grateful for the opportunity to expand our footprint to the historic Federal Hill neighborhood. We are proud to be a part of Baltimore’s community and our commitment and investment in this city’s future is unwavering. We will continue to strive to provide new, exciting dining options for its residents.”
Watershed and Atlas Fish Market held a ribbon-cutting event on Wednesday night.
Cross Street Market reopened in 2019 after receiving an $8.5-million renovation by Caves Valley Partners. Watershed and Atlas Fish Market will bring the total number of businesses to 20. There are several spaces currently available for lease at the market.
Photos courtesy of Atlas Restaurant Group
via https://www.southbmore.com/2021/05/27/watershed-and-atlas-fish-market-to-open-this-weekend-at-cross-street-market/
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