Five Montgomery County bakeries have been voted in to WTOP’s 2022 ‘Best Bakery’ list. WTOP readers and listeners nominated a number of local businesses in D.C., Maryland and Virginia that serve baked goods. Out of hundreds of restaurants and eateries, Arlington’s Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe was voted the favorite, but 50% of the list consists of bakeries that have at least one MoCo location.

Coming in at #2 was Silver Spring’s Kosher Pastry Oven (1372 Lamberton Drive). Georgetown Cupcake, which has a location at Bethesda Row, came in 4th. Sunflower Bakery, which has both locations in MoCo (North Bethesda and Rockville), came in at #5. Woodmoor Pastry Shop at 10127 Colesville Rd in Silver Spring was ranked 7th, and The Pretzel Bakery, which recently opened a location in Cabin John Village (Potomac) was ranked 9th.


Malia’s Kitchen will be holding the grand opening of its new Montgomery Mall food court location on Thursday, September 1. Malia’s is taking over the space that was previously occupied by Lazzaro’s Authentic Italian Deli and Big Al’s Sub Shop. Malia’s Kitchen serves soul food and seafood, which they describe as the best “homemade” down home cooking in the DMV. Items on their menu includes crab cakes, fried chicken, fried fish, and BBQ.


MacGuffins Bar opened earlier this month inside of AMC Theaters at Montgomery Mall (7101 Democracy Blvd, Bethesda). MacGuffins is AMC’s in-house bar that offers beer, wine, and mixed drinks to moviegoers. According to AMC, “the term “macguffin,” coined by Alfred Hitchcock, refers to a plot device that propels a movie forward. Our specialty cocktails, craft beers and premium wines will be just the thing to turn this movie experience into a story worth remembering.”

Now pouring. Order from MacGuffins Bar in #AMCTheatres and enjoy! pic.twitter.com/AY6cxIolTK


Andy’s Pizza, the 2021 winner of the International Pizza Challenge™, is coming to Montgomery County with an upcoming location at 4600 East West Highway– the former site of sandwich shop Booeymonger in Bethesda, according to a report by Biz Journals.

Andy’s Pizza currently has locations in Adams Morgan, NoMa, Navy Yard, and Shaw in DC, with an additional NoVa location at Tysons. Another upcoming location is planned for Old Town Alexandria. Owner Andy Brown, who grew up in Bethesda, stated that he had been looking in the area since his restaurant began expanding. Per the article, “The Bethesda location will also have more space than average — its other locations run roughly 1,800 square feet — to accommodate larger parties.“


Note: An earlier version of this press release by Montgomery County erroneously referenced a survey from M-NCPPC in the Newell Street portion of this release. This version also clarifies language within the Newell Street Section.

Per Montgomery County: Four “Streeteries” that were created in early 2020 by Montgomery County as a temporary concept to support businesses struggling from the economic impacts of COVID-19 and allow residents to gather freely on public streets closed to cars are now being reevaluated for fall as the pandemic continues to ease. The County’s Streeteries include Newell Street in Silver Spring, Price Avenue in Wheaton and Norfolk and Woodmont avenues in Bethesda.


The Scoop at 7909 Tuckerman Ln in Potomac (the former Baskin-Robbins location in Cabin John Village), is holding its grand opening today, August 24. The creamery is being opened by Timothy and Mitch Ryoo, Potomac natives and Winston Churchill High School Graduates (2010 and 2006). The Scoop is open 11am-9pm Sunday through Thursday and 11am-10pm Friday and Saturdays.

The Scoop will feature 24-30 permanent flavors and 8-10 seasonal options (photo of their current selections below). All of the ice cream is made in house with natural ingredients, staying away from products like simple syrup.  The owners tell us they are working with local distributors and are in talks with local farms to purchase ingredients from.


Around this time last year we let you know that Little Sesame, a restaurant that offers freshly spun hummus and seasonal pita sandwiches, would be opening its first location outside of D.C. at 7118 Bethesda Lane in Bethesda Row. On Monday, the company announced that after a successful run of hummus production and distribution, it would be consolidating restaurant operations to its Golden Triangle shop, located at 1828 L St NW, and closing its Chinatown location on Thursday August 25. When asked if the statement meant that the Bethesda location would not be coming after all, Little Sesame replied “Sadly yes. Sticking to just one location for the time being.” The full statement can be seen below:

Nick & Ronen here with a little update:


Fresh Baguette was founded in 2013 in Bethesda by Florent de Felcourt, a former French naval officer. Since opening the Bethesda location, Fresh Baguette has expanded with bakeries across the DMV located in Rockville, Georgetown, Alexandria, and McLean opening soon. Soon, the bakery will move its primary production facility to a recently leased building at 19548 Amaranth Drive, off of Middlebrook Rd. in Germantown. The bakery will still keep its present facility at its Rockville location at 804 Hungerford Drive, according to Maryland Newsletters.

Their kitchens feature a stone oven imported from France and, with a cold dough process and homemade “levain,” yields “a baguette that is light, airy, with just the right crunch,”according to the company. Per the Maryland Newsletters article, “Opportunities Inc. sold the building on 19548 Amaranth Drive in Germantown to investment group Sun Peak Partners for $5.325 million, but signed a leaseback deal for a smaller portion of it. Sun Peak also brought in Fresh Baguette, which will first move into the remaining space and then gradually occupy all of it.


Full statement from Dr. Anthony Fauci: I am announcing today that I will be stepping down from the positions of Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and Chief of the NIAID Laboratory of Immunoregulation, as well as the position of Chief Medical Advisor to President Joe Biden. I will be leaving these positions in December of this year to pursue the next chapter of my career.

It has been the honor of a lifetime to have led the NIAID, an extraordinary institution, for so many years and through so many scientific and public health challenges. I am very proud of our many accomplishments. I have worked with — and learned from — countless talented and dedicated people in my own laboratory, at NIAID, at NIH and beyond. To them I express my abiding respect and gratitude.


Four “Streeteries” that were created in early 2020 by Montgomery County as a temporary concept to support businesses struggling from the economic impacts of COVID-19 and allow residents to gather freely on public streets closed to cars are now being reevaluated for fall as the pandemic continues to ease. The County’s Streeteries include Newell Street in Silver Spring, Price Avenue in Wheaton and Norfolk and Woodmont avenues in Bethesda.

The County has been working with communities around each location to establish a long-term plan for each space. The Streeteries will continue in some fashion, although some will change their concept. The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) has managed the closing of streets to vehicles as part of the Streeteries plans. The closed streets have allowed residents and businesses to use public spaces for in-street activities such as biking, walking, outdoor dining and retail activity. Management of the spaces and collection of community feedback has been led by the County’s respective Regional Service Centers (RSCs).


Gringos & Mariachis, the popular Mexican restaurant with both of its locations in Montgomery County, has been voted as 2022’s ‘Best Place to Get a Drink.’ The restaurant opened its first location at 4928 Cordell Ave in Bethesda back in early 2014 and opened its second location in Park Potomac three and a half years later in late 2017.

The restaurant, brought to you by the same folks who own and operate Olazzo in Bethesda (the Silver Spring location closed in April 2021, is co-owned by Kennedy High School graduate Roberto Pietrobono. It serves Mexican food and drink,  focusing on tacos and tequila. The restaurant offers a wide variety of margaritas as well as about a dozen beers on tap and various wines.


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