In January 2021 we let you know that Java Nation would be moving in to 121 Market Street in the Kentlands neighborhood of Gaithersburg, which was formerly a Starbucks. After a few delays, Java Nation has said it plans to open its new Kentlands location by the end of May, according to a report by Bethesda Beat. Outdoor seating was installed a couple weeks back.

Java Nation is best known for its house-roasted coffees, diverse food menu, and wide variety of local craft beers, wines and artisan cocktails. Curious about the “social house” signage that’s up in the window? Much like the Rockville/N.Bethesda location, the Kentlands location feature entertainment such as live music, comedy shows, dramatic readings and other community events.


After a successful soft opening, Eternal Love and Pizza is rolling full steam ahead at its location at Windridge Vineyards in Darnestown (15700 Darnestown Rd). “I finally opened. After 2 years and 15 different dough recipes!” wrote owner Neil Dundee on Reddit.

While some of us have experienced a garlic dip for our crusts, Eternal Love and Pizza provided you with a garlic whip to help you finish your crusts. MoCo native Tod Fishman shared his love for the new pizza place via social media. “This place is good and they give you this garlic whip to dip your crust that’s insane!” Fishman wrote to us in his message.


A new El Salvadorian restaurant is coming to 19114 Montgomery Village Ave, the former Einstein Bagel Bros location in the Montgomery Village Shopping Center. The owners of the restaurant say they are almost finished with construction and are hoping to open sometime next month.  The restaurant will serve popular Salvadorian dishes like pupusas, tamales, and yuca con chicharron, as well as traditional Salvadorian cuisine such as pastelitos. The name of the restaurant has yet to be announced. La Poteria, which sells Colombian street food and coffee, is located next door.  Einstein Bros closed its Montgomery Village store in December of last year and has additional Montgomery County locations in Chevy Chase, Gaithersburg, and Silver Spring.

Also in the Montgomery Village Shopping Center, construction is nearing completion on the upcoming Starbucks location. Once construction of the building is complete, Starbucks will then take it over and begin the buildout process (installing equipment, signage, etc,) and is still expected to open this summer.  Building permit signs were posted on the future sites of Kobe Japan, The Joint, and Boo Boo Pho back in March, but buildouts have not began on any of these locations. Representatives from klnb, the shopping center’s realty company, tell us more new businesses coming to the center will be announced very soon.


Approximately 2.5 years after we first reported that Olney Crab House was coming to Olney, the restaurant has opened. It’s located at 18200 Georgia Avenue, the former site of the Olney Tavern in the Hillcrest Center in Olney. We are told the menu will consist of “steamed crab, steamed shrimp, crab soup, and a lot more.”

For a little background, renovations on the building began in the summer of 2020. The previous owners ended up backing out at some point in 2021, and the building remained dormant until the new tenants took over. In February, we were informed by the property management of the center that new owners had recently taken over the lease. It didn’t take long for them to get everything ready, as the restaurant is now open.


In January we reported that “opening Soon” signage was up on the windows of Chicken Basket at 30 N. Summit Ave. in Gaithersburg. We stopped by the location today and construction was ongoing, including work on the building’s signage. We were told that the restaurant should be reopening soon, but were not given any timeframe. A building fire closed the restaurant back in April 2019.

ICYMI – @MCFRS units were on the scene of a Chicken Basket commercial building fire in the unit block of North Summit Ave, in Gaithersburg. @mcfrs @MCFRSNews @IAFFLocal1664 @mcfrspio5 @GPDNews https://t.co/arUhCxkIcD


Naz’s Halal (13025 Wisteria Drive) in Germantown has announced it will be giving away free food from 12-2pm at its grand opening this Saturday, May 14. The restaurant is located in the former site of the Water Factory, near Planet Fitness. Naz’s menu includes rice platters, sandwiches, gyros, wings, salads, and more.

In December we told you Naz’s would expanding to Germantown, Rockville (1040 Rockville Pike), Takoma Park (7653 New Hampshire Ave) and White Oak (11209 New Hampshire Ave). We will post opening information for those locations as soon as it becomes available.


Back in October we let you know that Lapu Lapu, the sister restaurant of popular Rockville restaurant Kuya Ja’s Lechon Belly, would be coming to the Kentlands neighborhood in Gaithersburg. Originally, the hope was to open prior to spring, but according to the restaurant “We hoped that we would be open by now, however, things are taking just a little bit longer than expected.”

The new restaurant will be taking over the 325 square foot storefront that was formerly home to Tex-Mex restaurant Peppers, located next to Vasili’s. It will specialize in breakfast sandwiches and will have a few tables available for outdoor seating.


Eater DC released its “Where to Find Outstanding Barbecue Around D.C.” list earlier this week and MoCo’s Money Muscle BBQ topped the list, coming in at number 1. Money Muscle BBQ is a food truck that is located adjacent from sister restaurant All Set at 8630 Fenton St Plaza 5. Outdoor seating is also available at the Money Muscle BBQ truck and menu items are also offered at All Set.

Federalist Pig also made the list, coming in at number 6. Federalist Pig is available in MoCo for pick up and delivery via Bethesda’s Ensemble at 4856 Cordell Ave. Chef Rob Sonderman recently made an appearance on Good Morning America as he heads to the finals of the Ultimate Pitmaster Competition.


Bassett’s Fine Food & Spirits at 19950 Fisher Avenue in Poolesville, which is under new ownership, will hold a “soft opening” beginning Thursday, May 12 at 11am. The restaurant, which opened in 1993, closed its doors on December 31 of last year.  The restaurant is now owned by Erica Myers, who worked at Bassett’s for over 15 years before leaving to open Rio Grande Grille in Germantown in 2020. Bassett’s previous owners, who owned the restaurant the past three years, cited the pandemic and the closing of White’s Ferry as the reason it went out of business.

 


On April 6, Starbucks Workers United, on behalf of employees at the Starbucks location at 16806 Georgia Ave in Olney, sent a letter to Starbucks President Howard Schultz announcing their intention to unionize.  In the letter, workers at the Olney Starbucks say they have attempted on numerous occasions to communicate with management regarding their grievances but believe their concerns fell on deaf ears.

“Much like our neighboring stores, we have grown increasingly exhausted and stressed, not to mention faced with constant, inconsistently enforced changes. While as a team, we’ve been grateful for the opportunities given and the benefits provided with our employment. But these provisions, which should be bare minimum at any job, come at the cost of our physical and mental wellbeing, and money from our own paychecks. With labor cuts, COVID-19 restrictions and isolations, improper staffing, production shortage and outages, and facing the backlash from our customers- we are tired. Meanwhile Starbucks’ profits have been skyrocketing more than the pre-pandemic era.”


Construction is ongoing on the 7.24 acres located approximately 0.30 miles southwest of I-270, 1.5 miles from Little Bennett Regional Park and Clarksburg Town Center; and directly north of West Old Baltimore.  The Subject Property is directly across the realigned Clarksburg Road (MD121) from the Clarksburg Premium Outlets and a new and very familiar tenant has signed on- Popeyes.

Popeyes has made plenty of recent moves within Montgomery County, recently opening new locations in Briggs Chaney, Downtown Silver Spring, and Gaithersburg. The fried chicken chain announced last month that it is set to open more than 200 new locations in the United States and Canada this year with additional locations in several other places around the world. Over half of the new Popeyes locations that are scheduled to open in 2022 will feature double drive-thrus, but it’s still unclear whether or not this location will have a drive-thru.


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