Arepa King is expanding into Montgomery County with a new restaurant coming to 109A Market Street in Kentlands Square in Gaithersburg. The restaurant will take over the space most recently occupied by Potomac Cookie Co., with plans to open before the end of the year.
For owner and founder Jorge Ramos, the Montgomery County location is more than just another expansion. It marks a return to the community where he spent much of his childhood and graduated from Watkins Mill High School in 1994.
The journey to Gaithersburg began in 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when he launched Arepa Queen as a single food truck. While many restaurants struggled through pandemic restrictions, food trucks saw increased demand throughout Frederick County. Offering authentic Venezuelan cuisine that was largely unavailable in the area, the business quickly developed a loyal customer base.
After operating the food truck for three years, the business expanded into its first brick-and-mortar location in Frederick’s Westview area in 2023. An opportunity to grow into Hagerstown followed in 2024. Later that year, he separated from the Frederick location and the original food truck operation, launching Arepa King as an independent brand. The Hagerstown restaurant opened in February 2025.
He said opening a restaurant in Montgomery County had been a longtime goal and that he spent more than a year searching for the right location before finding the Kentlands space. “Kentlands was an easy choice because of its vibrant restaurant scene, strong sense of community, and walkable shopping center,” he said. “It also feels like coming home.”
Arepa King specializes in authentic Venezuelan cuisine made fresh daily using fresh ingredients. Every arepa is prepared to order, and the corn-based arepas are naturally gluten-free. For first-time visitors, he recommends the restaurant’s signature King Arepa, also known as the traditional Arepa de Pabellón. The restaurant’s best-selling item is filled with shredded beef, black beans, sweet plantains and cheese. Another customer favorite is the tequeños, fresh cheese sticks wrapped in dough.
While the core menu has remained largely unchanged since the business began, several new items have been introduced over the past year, including the Patacón, which debuted at the Hagerstown location and quickly became one of the restaurant’s most popular offerings. Customers will also find guava and cheese-filled tequeños, pastelitos available with potato and cheese, ground beef or chicken, and the new King Bowl, featuring rice, black beans, a choice of meat or chicken, sweet plantains, avocado and mini fried arepitas.
In addition to the food menu, Arepa King plans to serve Venezuelan and Colombian coffees. Once its beer and wine license is approved, the restaurant also plans to offer Latin American beers, including Polar and Aguila.
The rebranding from Arepa Queen to Arepa King reflects the owner’s vision for future growth while maintaining the same focus on quality food and hospitality. He said customers have responded positively to the new brand, adding that many have been asking for a Montgomery County location. “We believe in treating every guest like family and building lasting relationships within the community,” he said.
Beyond the restaurant, the owner has also remained committed to supporting his home country. Following the recent earthquakes in Venezuela, Arepa King transformed its Hagerstown restaurant into a donation center. Community members donated food, medical supplies and other essential items, while volunteers stayed late to sort and pack donations before they were shipped through Miami to Venezuela.
Construction is now underway at the Kentlands location. The owner said installing the kitchen hood will be one of the largest remaining steps before the restaurant is ready to welcome its first customers, with an opening anticipated before the end of 2026.
