Next on the menu: Baltimore

On Valentine's Day, just after 5 p.m., Jody Danek and Gavin Buckley strode through the doors of Lemongrass, a popular Thai restaurant they own on inner West Street in Annapolis.

They were hard to miss: Mr. Danek, 38, sported gold highlights in his hair, and a black jacket accented by a blue-striped tie from Spain; Mr. Buckley, 44, was neatly dressed in a black jacket, his hair a fashionable mess.

Their image matches the chic restaurants they've opened on West Street over the past few years: Lemongrass,...