Beyond MoCo

When one thinks of bagels, I’d be willing to bet that the flavor profiles of Chinese and Dominican cuisine don’t come to mind. But tucked away in Vienna, VA is a small cafe called Bagel Street.

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Beyond MoCo

There are two things in the culinary world that seemingly never stop coming; celebrity-backed restaurant concepts, and new chicken restaurants. So when a brand new business, found by Shaquille O’Neal himself, opened up their first standalone location in Maryland, I knew I had to go check it out. Shaq’s concept, Big Chicken, is a fast-casual spot that serves up chicken in multiple ways, alongside classic comfort food sides and a vibrant and bold display that could have only been thought of by Shaq himself.

I decided I had to make the drive out to the Waugh Chapel Towne Centre in Gambrills, MD to check out the space, check out the food, and see if it could live up to the Shaq-sized hype. I rate every restaurant using two simple categories: price and taste, each scored on a scale of 1-5. Add the two scores together, and if a restaurant reaches a total of 8 or higher, it officially “8 that.”


Beyond MoCo

Many people have their favorite “build-your-own” bowl restaurant that they love; Chipotle, Cava, Honeygrow, Bibibop and many more. These build your own bowl restaurants span a wide variety of different cultures and cuisines, but one that you don’t see get a ton of representation is Caribbean/West African. Spiced Black in Upper Marlboro, MD is changing that with salads and bowls that take inspiration from southern soul food, Caribbean ingredients and West African flavors.

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Beyond MoCo

Everyone has their favorite smash burger, the one that they claim is better than the rest. With so many places serving them, it can be hard to tell the difference from one to another. But if you haven’t tried the smash burgers from Smash Akhs, you need to have it go head to head against your favorite. This food truck that is primarily stationed outside the Glenn Dale Fire Association in Glenn Dale, MD (11900 Glenn Dale Blvd) is serving up one of the best in the greater Maryland area.

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Beyond MoCo

A new food destination near Frederick is doing something that you don’t see everyday. They’re combining a full Indian grocery market with a sit-down restaurant all under one roof. That’s exactly what you’ll find at Desi District, a recently opened concept on Buckeystown Pike in Frederick, MD. The large building is quickly becoming a go-to spot for both authentic Indian cuisine and hard to find specialty ingredients.

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Beyond MoCo

Whether it’s in the middle of winter, or on a hot summer day, there’s something extra satisfying about a great scoop of Ice Cream. But this ice cream, you can only get your hands on once every couple weeks. And as soon as it drops, it’s usually gone within 30 minutes. Good Karma Creamery is delivering craft ice cream with exclusive drops because one you’ve tried it, you’re for sure coming back for another pint.

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Beyond MoCo

While some will argue that Columbia, MD technically isn’t part of the DMV, this food truck taqueria is putting it’s money where it’s mouth is and serving up some of the best birria in the area. DMV Taqueria is in Yelp’s Top 100 places to eat in the US, and it’s there for a good reason. Their staple is the halal birria, but they serve other Mexican and Puerto Rican inspired plates.

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Beyond MoCo

One of the best pizzas i’ve ever had, and my top pizza from all of 2025, is located in Frederick, MD. The crazy part is, this pizza isn’t coming out of a traditional storefront. What’s even crazier, is it’s so exclusive, there are only eight pizzas made each week. What started as a passion project has turned into one of the most anticipated weekly drops at Bussin Pizza.

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