Lisa & Michael Ditter founded Baltimore's original Java Joe's in 1992. After selling their first restaurant, Gypsy Café in the historic Hollins Marketplace, the Ditters turned their attention to another concept they had been brewing for some time.

The first Java Joe's located in the 200 block of North Charles Street in Baltimore City began life as "Java Joe's Gourmet Corner of the World". A mouthful of a name for a tiny sliver of a shop not even 1000 square feet in size. Inspired by the style and success of Baltimore favorites Bun Penny, Café on the Square and The Coffee Mill, this new shopwas an ambitious effort that included gourmet retail products, gift baskets and of course, coffee and sandwiches.

It wasn't long though before shelves of salsa and fancy mustards gave way to more tables and chairs. The folks who stood in lines trailing out the front door and down the steps of the little shop made it clear what the people wanted and Java Joe's answered. Fantastic coffees (exclusively roasted in Baltimore) and uniquely upscale sandwiches named for the streets and icons of our fabulous city won the day. Great food coupled with our friendly local service is what drew crowds to Java Joe's in the beginning and has kept them coming back all these years.

Java Joe's at 8 East Baltimore is, in fact, the third generation of an idea that has evolved over a decade. It is the largest and certainly the most popular Java Joe's to date, enjoying crowds of regulars, some of whom were amongst the very first to venture into our little "corner of the world" so many years ago. You may be one of them. If so, thank you for all your good will and support.