Restaurants Coming Soon to Silver Spring: Spring 2024

Below you’ll see a list of restaurants that will be opening soon in Silver Spring, MD:

Lime & Cilantro Modern Latin Cuisine is taking over the space most recently occupied by Crown Fried Chicken and previously occupied by Krazy Steve’s and Armand’s Pizza at 1909 Seminary Rd in Silver Spring.

Crown Fried Chicken opened in June 2022 and closed less than two years later. Lime & Cilantro has installed permanent signage and is working on the interior of the restaurant. According to a post by the restaurant on Instagram, the restaurant is “led by Washington post mentioned executive chef Danny Chavez, and FOH director Fathi Sarsouri, Lime & Cilantro aims to be a DMV destination for delicious, Latin cuisine.”

“We are an unpretentious, modern Latin focused restaurant opening in Silver Spring, MD. Our goal is to deliver our heart and soul to your plate, with some damn delicious food that’s as beautiful as it is tasty.” The restaurant is aiming to open the first week of May. News of the opening was first reported by Source of the Spring.

Roaming Rooster, a local restaurant chain with 11 restaurants in the DC Metro area, will be opening its third Montgomery County restaurant at 8537 Georgia Ave. in the space that was previously home to Flip’d by IHOP. Flip’d by IHOP closed on June 1st, 2023 after opening in September of 2022, when IHOP made the decision to close all of its Flip’d locations. Roaming Rooster has existing Montgomery County locations in Pike & Rose and Gaithersburg and offers fried chicken products including sandwiches, tenders, wings, and more. The menu can be seen here.

More on Roaming Rooster per its website: “In early 2015, Roaming Rooster was founded in Washington, D.C. by a family with a unique concept. The idea of a food truck with fried chicken that you could feel good about eating: free-range, grain-fed, and antibiotic free chicken served fresh every day. Within months, word got out on social media about the delicious poultry menu and the demand for Roaming Rooster soon called for the expansion from one food truck to three and subsequently, to numerous brick and mortars. Since then, the popularity of the only food truck in D.C. serving tasty free-range chicken has grown massively. Requests for catering, private events, and scheduled food truck visits have been pouring in from D.C. and the surrounding areas of Maryland and Virginia. The fast expansion of Roaming Rooster in just under a year is easy to explain – where your food comes from matters, and we bring that ideal to every meal we serve.”

Punta Cana Tropical Grill, a new Dominican restaurant has signed on to take over the location that was previously home to Tropics Ice Cream & Jerk at 9324 Georgia Ave in Silver Spring. Removal of the previous restaurant’s equipment began in January with construction on Punta Cana starting soon after. Signage went up last month and the restaurant originally planned for a Spring 2024 opening.

Tropics Ice Cream & Jerk closed earlier in 2023 and it didn’t take long for a new tenant to sign on. Punta Cana Tropical Grill, a “fast food Dominican style” restaurant signed to take over the space. “As soon as I saw the post about it closing, I went for it!! It’s a busy road I know people will stop here to try it out. Silver Spring has unique diverse community with appetite for Dominican dishes.” The owner tells us.
“I understand how hard it is to stop for food and get good food so I came out with the idea to put a fast food Dominican carryout.” The restaurant is opening in the owner’s hometown of Silver Spring. “Our fast food concept will be a hit!” We’ll have additional information as the restaurant moves closer towards opening.

Chido’s Tex Mex Grill: Chido’s Tex-Mex Grill has signed on to take over the space that was recently home to The Eleanor at 931 Ellsworth Dr. in Downtown Silver Spring. The restaurant opened its first location in Owings Mill, taking over a Don Pablo’s that closed down in 2009. They closed the location after deciding not to renew their lease when the pandemic hit in 2020. Their existing location at 14600 Laurel Pl. in Laurel, where the restaurant has thrived, opened in 2016 and will be celebrating its 8th anniversary this June.

Chido’s offers a standard Tex-Mex menu with their twist on a variety of familiar favorites. At the Laurel location, the restaurant offers a brunch menu on weekends and an extensive drink menu. More on Chido’s below, per its website:

“Welcome to Chido’s Tex-Mex Grill Restaurant. We pride ourselves as being an authentic Mexican restaurant with all our delicious, freshly and daily prepared appetizers, entrees, dishes,  and drinks. We have a family atmosphere to surround your meals. Our staff is always attentive to all your needs. We follow our tradition of excellence in our service as well as in our culinary art.”

Nash & Smash, an upcoming restaurant that serves Nashville hot chicken sandwiches and smash burgers, is coming to 10121 Colesville Rd in the Woodmoor Shopping center, where it will be taking over the space that was most recently home to Subway, in between Bento and Woodmoor Cleaners. Subway has been listed as “temporarily closed” on Yelp and Google, but the Nash & Smash signage on the door, by the leasing company, indicates otherwise (shared by @silverspringeats on Instagram).

Nash & Smash has been looking to open its first restaurants in the DC Metro area- looking for spaces in DC, Maryland, and Virginia in the last year, according to commercial real estate company Rappaport: “Nash & Smash keeps the menu simple: Nashville-style fried chicken sandwiches and smash-burgers along with creative sides and drinks. What makes this concept extra special is the use of locally sourced, high-quality ingredients, making Nash & Smash a true farm-to-table dining experience.”

Solaire Social Food Hall, located on the ground floor of the Solaire 8200 apartments at 8200 Dixon Ave in Silver Spring, is scheduled to open later this spring. The 13,000 SF dining destination and bar will feature a collection of artisan concepts from across the globe, curated by award-winning chef and restaurateur, Akhtar Nawab. So far, eight tenants have been announced.

Solaire Social lives by the motto “Eat. Drink. Be Social.” — a destination focused around community, providing a stage for chef-driven concepts to showcase a curated experience enriched by diverse food, culture and entertainment. According to Source of the Spring, a soft opening will take place for residents in May with an opening to the public planned for early June. Recently, the group announced eight tenants via social media:

• Kati Roll Wala: Authentic Indian street food staples such as Kati Rolls and Rice bowls in a convenient grab-and-go format.

• SOKO Burger: SOKO focuses on local & sustainable farms that raise animals ethically and humanely.

• Shuga x Ice: Shuga x Ice serves African-inspired ice cream and your favorite frozen desserts.

• Fire Pit Brazilian BBQ: Pork ribs, short ribs, chicken and picanha, all fresh from the grill.

• Pau Thai Kitchen: Authentic and delicious Thai food at a reasonable price.

• Just Chicken: Where chicken tenders are treated with the best care and quality ingredients.

• Manna Sushi: At Manna we source the high quality ingredients and you can feel great about what you’re eating.

• SOKO Oyster: Shellfish and oysters, tasty sandwiches, seasonal salads and more.

“Our everyday market will meet our guest’s needs at multiple points throughout their day, from burgers and pizzas for lunch, to oyster & champagne after work or a brunch destination with friends & family on the weekend, Solaire Social has it all.” – Solaire Social

Commas, a new 13,000 square foot food hall coming to the third level of Ellsworth Place (8661 Colesville Rd) in Downtown Silver Spring, is anticipating a late-spring opening. Confirmed vendors at Commas include:
DMV Empanadas: From Bolivian brothers Marco and Nacho Almaraz, DMV Empanadas has been a popular hand-held bite at DC/Baltimore-area farmers’ markets for nearly 10 years. Growing from its storefront in Gaithersburg, MD, DMV Empanadas serves authentic empanadas using local ingredients and family recipes. Inspired by their mother, a passionate home cook, the Almaraz brothers have expanded from the original chicken filling recipe to nearly two dozen inspiring and creative filling options including Arroz and Spicy Pork, Shrimp Old Bay and Cheeseburger.

Trini Vybez: Natalia Kalloo launched Trini Vybez as a food truck in 2020, quickly building an avid fan base at area farmers’ markets and festivals, as well as private catered events. Kalloo’s all-natural spices and seasonings are staples in the restaurateur’s popular Trinidadian street food. A menu of traditional cookups, curries and roti that includes vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, is planned. Says Kalloo, “Trini Vybez is what happens when passionate Trinis come together and decide to share their talents with the world.”

Tokoa: A “Family-owned spot serving authentic Philly-style cheesesteaks.”At Tokoa Cheesesteaks, we’re obsessed with creating delicious experiences. Our menu is a fusion of creativity and quality, featuring signature Cheesesteaks, flavorful Wings, crispy Mac & Cheese Bites, and sweet Specialty Waffles. Each item is a testament to our commitment to crafting unforgettable flavors.”

Fancy Cakes by Selam and Lali Market are coming soon to 9332 Georgia Ave. An opening date is not yet available, but we have been told that the two separate businesses will open at the same time when they do open. The two separate shops will be taking over the previous home of Victory Karate, which closed over a year ago. While we don’t have much information on Lali Market, Fancy Cakes by Selam currently operates online and can be found on Facebook and Instagram. Fancy Cakes by Selam offers luxury custom cakes and other sweets.