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.


The preliminary investigation by detectives has determined that a white Audi A4 was traveling eastbound on Josiah Henson Pkwy, when for reasons still under investigation, it was struck by a silver Ford Fusion coming from the northbound 355 ramp. The vehicles collided in the intersection.


“PIKEtoberfest is back! North Bethesda’s premier fall festival returns with fan-favorite attractions and new experiences for all to enjoy.” The free event will take place at Pike & Rose between noon and 4pm on Sunday, October 2nd, for the first time since 2019.

Per the event listing: You can RSVP to be automatically entered for a chance to win a $100 gift card for Pike & Rose (Prize pick-up will take place on 10/2 at PIKEtoberfest).


Restaurant industry professionals and their fans gathered at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center earlier this week for the 40th Annual RAMMY Awards as Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) announced winners and a range of special distinctions in a number of categories celebrating excellence in long-standing and pandemic-era categories that range from individual professional honors to accolades celebrating culinary concepts and service. Three Montgomery County restaurants were presented with awards.

For 2022, the RAMMYS returned with a program of familiar categories honoring RAMW members, representing a year during which the industry rebuilt, recovered, and grew with new establishments. A selection of categories also spoke to pandemic-era aspects that both restaurants and diners have continued to enjoy and employ – all of which were decided via public vote earlier this year. Another carryover from last year, publicly voted categories were open to any foodservice operation in the region.


Nearly 3,200 restaurants around the world, including five right here in Montgomery County (listed below), have earned honors for their ambitious wine programs, bolstering their lists and cellars now that dining out has resumed. “After two challenging years, during which many customers took a long hiatus from dining out, restaurants are developing innovative ways to attract diners back, no matter their preferences. From wine flights to creative, quality “mocktails” and more, restaurants around the world are pulling out all the stops with their beverage programs to enhance the full dining experience, giving all wine lovers a reason to be excited about going out again.”

This year’s winning restaurants, each offering outstanding wine programs, hail from all 50 states and more than 70 countries and territories. The five from Montgomery County are:


Back in January we let you know that eyewear brand Warby Parker, which does most of its business online, will be opening its third  brick and mortar location in MoCo this summer. It will be located on Grand Park Avenue, taking over two different locations that have since moved – Olive & Loom and the neighboring storefront that was home to Evoluxxy. Warby Parker has posted signage stating that the grand opening will be on Saturday, July 9.

Warby Parker opened its first MoCo location at Bethesda Row in 2017, and its second this past November in Downtown Crown (Gaithersburg). The stores carry the brand’s full optical and sun eyewear offerings including its first brand of daily contact lenses. The store will offer eye exams and children’s glasses that are only available in store.


Three MoCo restaurants have made it onto Eater DC’s “Hottest New Brunches to Try Around D.C.” list that includes some of the most popular new restaurants that offer “D.C.’s most cherished meal.” The restaurants are listed geographically, which puts the three Montgomery County restaurants in the top 3 spots.

Listed first is Melina in Pike & Rose:


A driver lost control of their vehicle for unknown reasons just before 7:30pm this evening and drove into Tiger Sugar, a bubble tea shop located at 12266E in Federal Plaza, according to witness reports.

There is major damage to the storefront, and witnesses tell us the driver was transported to the hospital with minor injuries. We are told a customer inside the store was also struck by either the vehicle or debris, but was uninjured.


Tropical Smoothie Cafe will continue opening new locations in Montgomery County with the upcoming addition of a location in White Flint Station– the shopping center, not to be confused with the Metro station that has recently changed its name to North Bethesda Metro Station.

Tropical Smoothie Cafe will be located at 11620 Rockville Pike, next to Pho Eatery and two stores down from Ize’s Deli and Bagelry. Tropical Smoothie’s most recent MoCo location opened in Germantown on December 26 and the company has additional locations in Aspen Hill , Bethesda, 2 in Gaithersburg, Travilah, and White Oak. Another new location is coming to the Woodmoor shopping center in Silver Spring.


Progress continues to be made at 915 Meeting Street in Pike & Rose as above-grade work is in its early stages at the state-of-the-art, LEED Gold-targeted building featuring 9,600 square feet of ground floor retail, approximately 25,000-square-foot flexible floor plates and 700 dedicated parking spaces.

The building, designed by Gensler, will incorporate a vibrant architectural design that includes numerous amenities, such as a rooftop conference center with collaborative common areas, WiredScore-targeted connectivity, a fitness center, and resource-efficient sustainable and wellness features. Rendering available below.


Back in December 9th, 2021, Metro’s board of directors will voted to approve a proposal to rename the White Flint Metro station “North Bethesda.” Today, the change in signage has officially started as crews are working on updating the signs at the metro station, according to photos sent in by Lukas Hadrava (seen below).

A social media post on the Friends of White Flint Facebook page states that, “Metro’s staff is recommending to its board of directors to approve the name change. In writing why they acknowledged that currently North Bethesda does not have much of a “sense of place.”


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