Sarku Japan will be returning to Wheaton Mall, opening in a location just outside of Costco, near the relatively new Sydney’s Burger. Sarku Japan is often found inside of malls and has a mall location in Bethesda’s Montgomery Mall. It’s other MoCo location can be found a standalone store (located within a strip mall rather than in a food court) in the White Oak shopping center. The chain offers made-to-order teppanyaki-style Japanese dishes cooked on sizzling grills as well as a limited amount of sushi rolls.

History of Sarku: “In Japan, lunches are often taken quickly from small stalls where freshness and quality are key. Shops value their reputations very highly. This was the same dedication of our founders when they opened the first Sarku Japan in 1987.


First Watch, a tenant of the Muddy Branch Square Shopping Center, located at 802 Muddy Branch Rd, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, was granted a major sign waiver by the City of Gaithersburg to accommodate a second principal sign. The major waiver is needed to allow the replacement of the secondary signage that First Watch has utilized since they opened their location. Current code only allows one sign per business.

The proposed second principal sign consists of internally illuminated channel letters mounted to a finished backer panel, installed on existing roof brackets. First Watch is in the process of investing more than $100 thousand in the renovation of their Muddy Branch location in an effort to drive business to their restaurant. The renovation includes new signage, replacement awnings, and an updated interior for diners to enjoy.


Firehouse Subs will open its third Montgomery County location when the new restaurant opens in the Wheaton Mall food court. An exact date is not available, but the space is now closed off with Firehouse Subs signage posted while construction begins behind the wall. Firehouse Subs has current MoCo locations in Germantown (19851 Century Blvd) and Rockville (28 Upper Rock Circle).

Firehouse Subs was founded by two former firefighting brothers in Jacksonville, Florida in 1994. Firehouse Subs is all about hearty portions, premium ingredients, and delicious recipes, with a commitment to saving lives through raising funds to support local public safety organizations. To date, more than $80 million has been awarded to first responders and public safety organizations in the U.S. and Canada.


Kantutas Restaurant Bar & Grill, a Wheaton staple serving Bolivian, other South American, and Latin American cuisine, has moved from its previous location at 2462 Ennalls Ave to its new, much larger location at 2400 University Blvd W (video below). The new location was previously home to New Kam Fong, which moved from DC to Wheaton and became Eastern Gourmet before closing last year.

Kantutas’ new space comes with a more modern look and a lot more seating than the previous location. The new restaurant also has a new bar and the same menu that those who are familiar with the restaurant are used to. A video preview of the new location can be seen below:


Construction began earlier this year at the upcoming  Kensington Crossing shopping center, which is located at 10619 Connecticut Avenue (at Plyers Mill Road). Recently, a decision to change the name from Kensington Crossing to ‘Crossroads in Kensington.’

Since plans were approved, Crossroads at Kensington has also signed M&T Bank, Buffalo Wild Wings GOMezeh, and Marathon Deli for the upcoming shopping center. M&T Bank, which currently has a Kensington location on Howard Avenue, will move once construction of the new space is complete. Buffalo Wild Wings GO is a scaled-down version of the traditional BWW restaurant that focuses on the to-go and delivery format. Mezeh is a fast-casual eatery with a buffet-style of offerings that include rice and salad bowls, wraps and a variety of sauces and toppings. Marathon Deli, a staple of College Park and life at the University of Maryland for decades, is the most recent to sign on, and one more space remains available in the shopping center.


All Set Restaurant & Bar, located at 8630 Fenton Street, Plaza 5 in Silver Spring, has announced it will be hosting its inaugural Oyster Eating Contest on Saturday, August 5th, from 2pm-4pm featuring, an oyster shucking demonstration from Owner & Head Chef, Edward Reavis. The contestant who eats the most oysters will be awarded one dozen oysters a day, every day, for one calendar year, All Set & Money Muscle merchandise, their photo posted on All Set social media, & ultimate bragging rights. All interested competitors must sign a waiver & pay a $25 registration fee. Additional details on the contest can be seen below:

Each ‘athlete’ will have 1 minute to eat as many oysters as possible. Contestants will receive a tray filled with 24 pre-shucked oysters on the half shell. If the competitor consumes all the oysters on the tray, they will be given supplemental dozens.


Pho City, which has been located at The Shops of Potomac Valley shopping center at 12123 Darnestown Rd. in Gaithersburg for approximately 15 years, is closing permanently today the store confirmed on the phone.

We are told that the restaurant has been sold to a restaurant that plans to offer Chinese-style beef noodle soup, but there is no current timeframe for when the new restaurant will open.  The shopping center has also recently lost Neal’s Bagels, which recently moved to a nearby Kentlands location. and there hasn’t much movement at the Wayback Burgers restaurant that installed permanent signage about one year ago. Isaac’s Poultry Market opened in the shopping center earlier this year. Featured photo courtesy of Google Maps.


Back in March we let you know that Outback Steakhouse will be opening its third Montgomery County location. The Australian-themed casual dining chain will open in the space that was previously home to Not Your Average Joe’s  at 8661 Colesville Rd at Ellsworth Place in Downtown Silver Spring. Construction is currently ongoing and the restaurant has its hearing with Montgomery County’s Alcoholic Beverage Services (ABS) for a New Class B, Beer, Wine & Liquor License, On-Sale Only, license at 11:30am on Thursday, August 3rd (reported first by Source of the Spring). An opening timeframe is not yet available, but it will be the chain’s third Montgomery County location, joining existing restaurants in Aspen Hill and Germantown.

While Outback Steakhouse is an international chain, one of the founders has strong local ties. Chris T. Sullivan, one of the founders of Outback Steakhouse, is a Blair High School alumnus. Sullivan attended the school, and Takoma Park Middle School before that, in the 60s before heading to the University of Kentucky to study business and economics.


Wagshal’s Market and BBQ at Bonfield’s is now open, offering quality produce, a meat and seafood market, and Pitmaster’s Back Alley BBQ at 6124 MacArthur Blvd. in Bethesda.

In operation for over 90 years, Wagshal’s has been one of Washington, DC’s premier delicatessen and gourmet market. “We take pride in purchasing the finest ingredients from LOCAL farmers, some of whom our relationships go back more than 25 years.” Wagshal’s Pitmaster’s Back Alley BBQ uses tried and true recipes from across the nation. Offering specialties from Ibérico de Bellota Costilla (Spanish pork ribs) to Pitmasters Chickpit Sandwich.


Last October we let you know that Peet’s Coffee would be closing its Silver Spring location with a Starbucks taking over the storefront at 1316 East-West Highway at The Blair’s Shopping Center in Silver Spring. The store has opened, and Instagram user @nerdysporks has shared some photos on their Instagram story (one photo seen below).

The Berkeley, California-born Peet’s coffee chain that closed, originally planned to open 23 locations in the DC area in 2014/2015, with the first debuting at 1701 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. MoCo locations included the Silver Spring location and two Bethesda locations– one in Montgomery Mall that closed in 2017 and one at 7629 Old Georgetown Rd that closed in 2020 after 6 years. Featured photo courtesy of Instagram user @_zainyyy_


Gordon Ramsay has already opened two restaurants at the Wharf, with his Fish & Chips and Hell’s Kitchen concepts opening within the last year. Last year, he also announced the impending arrival of the his Street Pizza concept– with plans for The Wharf in DC to be the home of the restaurant’s first United States location. BizJournals reports that permits have finally been obtained to move forward with the project.

Per the report, the all-you-can-eat pizza restaurant will move into a location that is “7,100 square feet across two floors and two tenant spaces at 501-507 Seventh St. NW, a block south of Capital One Arena and across the street from José Andrés’ Jaleo.” The restaurant will have over 200 seats and the “layout suggests each level will have its own bar, pool table, lounge, kitchen and dining area.”


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