Baltimore Traditions: Cafe Hon, Food, Fun and Flamingos. All Baltimore, All the Time

As she tells it, Denise Whiting ran through about 32 jobs as of college before she came up with the idea of starting the Café Hon. Turns out it was a good plan. She opened the all-Baltimore, all-the-time, eatery April 22, 1992 as part of the theme to keep Baltimore's quirky personality alive.

She located Café Hon in Hampden along 36^th St., "downy Avenue, hon" as it would be said by locals. For all of you not familiar with Baltimore speak, that translates into Down the Avenue, Honey.

The Café Hon, as with the term Baltimore Hon in general, is all about fun. The Café Hon provides enough to see and do for fun in a tiny spot that the Web site www.grandparents.com has listed it among its 101 things to do with your grandchildren while in Baltimore. No fancy napkins or dress required.

For years, the Café Hon sported a big flamingo attached to the fire escape, that fell into the tradition of being so gaudy it's chic (also a decidedly Baltimore thing). A major controversy erupted as to the size of someone's sign, and that person turned to point out the Café Hon flamingo. Whiting was told to pay an extra fee of $800 or take it down. She balked, and she had the backing of many in the city.

She didn't go down without a fight, staging a "Flock City Hall protest" and appearing on local radio station 98 Rock in support of the beloved flamingo. During the protest, Whiting was clad all in bright pink, looking decidedly like a flamingo, if it weren't for the foot-high blonde beehive hairdo. A Facebook page was launched called: Giving Baltimore the Bird. http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=1399797669&ref=ts.

Ultimately, Whiting removed the bird Oct. 22, 2009. It's something locals won't get over soon, even though it worked out well. The flamingo's artist, Randall Gornowich said taking the flamingo down was much like lowering a casket into the ground. In the end, the city cut the fee it demanded in half to keep the bird, so a spiffed up version is now back up, guarding Café Hon and beckoning visitors to come sit a spell.

And in keeping with the attitude that is Café Hon, the new flamingo is affixed to the front the building. At this year's HonFest, the flamingo will be the mascot of sorts.

The setting of the eatery diner may be decidedly old school, '50s through '70s, but even the Café Hon has made its way to the current century, taking full advantage of technology. On its Web site, www.cafehon.com, you can purchase your own Hon attire, including maternity t-shirts and baby bibs.

You can also see what's on the menu, including specials. It's all written in Hon language, of course, so for those not familiar with it, let the photos be your guide. You'll get it soon enough.

Whiting has also made it Facebook at Denise Whiting at Café Hon. Of course, Denise's profile shot has her decked out in the ultimate Baltimore Hon hairdo. http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=1399797669&ref=ts

In 1994, Whiting started HonFest in her own backyard. It was basically meant to be a quasi beauty pageant to find Baltimore's ultimate Hon. She had no idea what sort of tradition she was starting from that first outing.

Now HonFest is much more formal, covering four city blocks in Hamden and including food and music. The emphasis, as always, is on the pageant, however. It's all about the Hons.

The spirit of HonFest and what Whiting first set out to do involves community spirit. Whiting used the proceeds from HonFest '09 to start a non-profit organization, Project Twelve. The crux is that work on decreasing the dropout rate of teenagers in Baltimore. Baltimore has had a higher than average rate of dropouts over the years.

Check out the Web site www.cafehon.com to find out the specials at Café Hon and at the Hon Bar.

The Café Hon, Denise Whiting, owner, 1002 W. 36^th Street. 410-243-1230

Directions to the Café Hon:

From Downtown Baltimore:

Take I-83 North to Falls Rd. (Exit 8)

Right Turn onto W. 36^th St. (the first traffic light)

Cafe Hon and the Hon Bar are two blocks up on the left side, on the corner of W. 36th Street and Roland Road.

(Parking is available via metered spaces on the street. Some free parking is available in back of Café Hon, but you have to access that lot through the alley next to Provident Bank.)

From Points North:

Rt. 695 to I-83 South.

Take Coldspring Lane Exit.

Right onto Falls Rd. (at the traffic light)., about a mile. You're in Hamden.

Left on W. 36^th St. (There's a 7-11 on the left corner.)

Cafe Hon and the Hon Bar are two blocks up on the left side of the road (the corner of W. 36^th St. and Roland Rd.).

(Parking is available via metered spaces on the street. Some free parking is available in back of Café Hon, but you have to access that lot through the alley next to Provident Bank.)