Construction is progressing at Isaac’s Poultry Market at 12167 Darnestown Rd in Gaithersburg, the former site of Pizza Hut. The restaurant is being opened by Rob Gresham, a lifelong MoCo resident and the former Director of Operations at CAVA, and hopes to be serving customers in September according to a recent Instagram post.

The restaurant will feature American roasted chicken, wings, sandwiches, and salads. Rob tells us that everything they sell will be made from scratch and that the menu will feature plenty of healthy options. Isaac’s will also feature frozen custards and a variety of baked goods and desserts.


Caruso’s Grocery will be taking over the dining room portion of Owen’s Ordinary in Pike & Rose, according to a report by Washingtonian Magazine.  The bar and patio at Owen’s Ordinary will then be rebranding as Owen’s Tavern and Garden.  Both Caruso’s and Owen’s are operated by Neighborhood Restaurant Group.  Chef Matt Adler told Washingtonian that Owen’s dining room was never as busy as its  bar and patio so it made sense to repurpose the underutilized space.

Caruso’s Grocery opened its first location at The Roost food hall in Capital Hill DC back in May 2021.  According to their website, “Caruso’s Grocery is modeled after the classic, Italian-American ‘red sauce joint. You know the one: red banquettes, a killer chicken Parm, Sinatra pouring through the speakers. If you’re looking for modern interpretations of a chef’s take on the classics, you won’t find them here. Caruso’s Grocery will be home to traditional Italian-American fare focused on execution and high quality ingredients – menu items include Chicken Parmesan, Penne alla Vodka, Mozzarella en Carozza, Sole Francaise, Garlic Bread with Four Cheese Sauce, and more old school hits. A joint venture from Neighborhood Restaurant Group and Partner Matthew Adler.”


In April 2021, we let you know that IHOP’s new concept, Flip’d by IHOP, would be taking over the old Asian Bistro Cafe location at 8537 Georgia Avenue between Panera and Red Lobster, according to the PetersonCos website. Asian Bistro Cafe closed about 6 years ago and the space has remained vacant ever since.

Over a year later, construction is moving along  and the kitchen looks nearly ready to go (photo below) at the fast-casual breakfast spot. Downtown Silver Spring previously let us know that Flip’d was expected to open this Spring, but it looks like it still may be a couple months away as signage has not yet been installed.


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:


On June 29, USA Today published a ‘Top 50 Pizzerias in the US’ list, “as ranked by Italian pizza experts.” The list was created by 50 Top Pizza, a pizza evaluation site in Paestum, Italy, not far from Naples. New York City reigns supreme with 9 pizzerias on the list, but Montgomery County contributed with the 25th ranked pizzeria in the country– Inferno Pizzeria Napoletana, located in Darnestown/Gaithersburg.

Inferno was opened at 12207 Darnestown Rd. by Chef Tony Conte back in 2015. Conte, who is well known for his high-end cooking at DC’s Oval Room, got his start making pizza in his hometown of New Haven, Connecticut. Conte’s father moved to the United States from a small town near Naples at 17, and raised his family in New Haven, Connecticut where Conte worked in a Sicilian pizzeria during high school, according to Washingtonian Magazine.


Earlier this month we let you know that signage was up at Miss Toya’s at 923 Ellsworth Dr in Silver Spring, the former site of Eggspectation.  In early June, the restaurant posted on its Instagram page that they are now hiring and according to an Instagram story by Miskiri Hospitality, the restaurant would be opening in about 30 days (an early July opening).

Eggspectation, a Montreal based breakfast restaurant with locations across the world, closed back in September 2020 after 15 years in that location. Miss Toya’s is a Cajun/Creole restaurant by local chef Jeffeary Miskiri.


Pizza TBD, a new pizza concept from Steve Salis and Catalog restaurants (Ted’s Bulletin, Federalist Pig), will open within Ensemble Digital Kitchen at 4856 Cordell Ave in Bethesda on July 5. Pizza TBD will serve a hybrid style pizza that combines the light and airy texture of Roman-style pizza with the pan cooking technique synonymous with Detroit Style pizza.

“We look forward to the launch of Pizza TBD, expanding the already wide range of options that our guests have to choose from when they order at Ensemble,” said Steve Salis, founder & CEO of the Catalogue house of consumer brands. “One of our values is the spirit of discovery, we never want to stop experimenting, creating and elevating our items to make them better. We wanted to tap into our roots and provide an authentic pizza product using unique methods and natural ingredients to bring a premium experience at an approachable price point. This isn’t your average slice.”


Back in December 2021, we let you know that Hangry Joe’s would be coming to the 1,600 sf location that was previously home to El Mexicano at 10050 Darnestown Road, between Pholuscious and Tropical Smoothie Cafe in the Travilah Square Shopping Center. Since then, a Wheaton location was announced and has already opened, and upcoming locations on Rockville Pike and Gaithersburg have been announced.

Signage was recently erected at the upcoming Rockville Pike restaurant, which will be located next to Roy Rogers at 718-B Rockville Pike. The restaurant is expected to open later this year. As of now, we don’t have a location for the upcoming Gaithersburg restaurant, but we have been told that the announcement is coming soon.


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.


Nearly three years after it was first announced, Burtons Grill & Bar, at 109 Commerce Square Pl in Gaithersburg’s Kentlands neighborhood, is now officially open. The restaurant’s opening was delayed several years by the COVID-19 pandemic and later supply chain issues.  The 5,000 square foot restaurant will serve lunch and dinner and has seating capacity for 196 patrons, including a 106 seat dining room, 44-seat bar, and an outdoor patio that seats 46.  Menu items will include braised short ribs, filet mignon, chicken risotto, and market fresh seafood.

In a press release,  President and Chief Operating Officer of Burtons Grill & Bar John Haggai said, “Following all of the success we’ve had in the past year with the Burton’s Grill & Bar brand, we are thrilled to be opening another restaurant, even more so because of its location in Kentlands Market Square. We’re excited to be opening a second location for our loyal customers in the state of Maryland.”  The restaurant will be open Sunday and Monday from 11:30am-9pm, Tuesday through Thursday from 11:30am-10pm, and Friday and Saturday from 11:30am-11pm.


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