BALTIMORE - The team behind one of downtown Baltimore's longest-running breakfast and lunch staples is officially expanding. David Cangialosi and Kathy Brady, the leadership duo behind the iconic David and Dad's Café, are preparing to open a brand-new coffee destination in the heart of the city.
Tentatively named Perk It Up, the new shop is slated to open its doors in late January or early February 2027.
A Historic Art Deco Location
The new cafe will be housed at 10 Light Street, inside the soaring Art Deco skyscraper that currently holds the Arrive Inner Harbor apartments. As one of the tallest and most recognizable structures in the Baltimore skyline, the landmark building provides a striking, historic backdrop for the new venture.
For Cangialosi, the expansion aims to fill a specific void in the local market. “I think downtown Baltimore needs some nice kind of neighborhood coffee shops," he noted concerning the upcoming launch.
Built on Decades of Consistency
The new coffee shop is backed by more than three decades of downtown hospitality experience. Cangialosi, a former Mrs. Fields executive, originally hired Brady in 1993 to help run the first iteration of David and Dad's at Brown's Arcade. Today, Brady serves as general manager and co-owner of the flagship cafe, which relocated to a former bank building at 115 N. Charles Street in 2016.
While many other quick-service restaurants in the area have closed, David and Dad's has remained a vital hub for judges, jurors, office workers, and tourists. Brady attributes their long-term survival to a simple philosophy of unwavering consistency, coming to work regardless of the weather or personal circumstances.
"You've got to be here,” Brady said of her approach to hospitality. That same dedication to showing up for the neighborhood now anchors downtown Baltimore's newest coffee destination.