In August, we reported that Chipotle planned to bring a new standalone location to Gaithersburg. The project is officially moving ahead, as the City of Gaithersburg Planning Commission has approved the 2,385SF restaurant that will also have a drive-thru. The build will require demolishing an old bank building on the property, a structure that has not operated as a bank for at least ten years.
Uchiko, the nationally acclaimed sister concept to Austin’s award-winning Uchi, is officially moving forward with its first Maryland location in Bethesda. According to county records, the restaurant has received its permit to begin a $4.6 million interior build-out at 7315 Wisconsin Avenue, the former Ruth’s Chris Steak House space. The 9,000 SF restaurant is now slated for a mid-2026 debut, marking one of the region’s most anticipated culinary arrivals.
Two Maryland restaurants, including one right here in Montgomery County, have earned national recognition on Restaurant Business’ prestigious 2025 “Top 100 Independents” list, which highlights the country’s highest-grossing independent dining establishments.
Buffalo Wild Wings will officially say goodbye to Rockville this weekend. An employee at the restaurant confirmed to us that the location’s final day of operation will be Sunday, December 7, and noted that the restaurant is likely to close before its scheduled midnight closing time depending on when it runs out of food items to serve.
Maryland’s crab cake reputation continues to shine on the national stage, and Chowhound’s new list of the “Best Crab Cakes in the United States” is the latest confirmation. The roundup highlights standout spots across the country, and six Maryland restaurants earned a place among the elite, reaffirming the state’s status as the unofficial crab cake capital of America.
The Five Guys restaurant located at 3333 Olney Sandy Spring Road will close its doors for the final time on Sunday, December 7, according to an employee who confirmed the upcoming closure during a phone call on Thursday evening.
A new restaurant is on the way to the Cloverly Village Center, where Eri Star Café is preparing to move into the longtime former home of Buffalo Wings & Beer at 15412 New Hampshire Avenue. The space has sat vacant for nearly four years, but new signage now confirms that activity has finally returned to the storefront.
Caruso’s Grocery, which operates locations in North Bethesda and Washington, DC, has been named one of OpenTable’s “2025 Top 100 Restaurants” in the United States, making it the only Maryland (and DC) restaurant to appear on this year’s list.
Tennis legend Andre Agassi is in Maryland this week as part of a multi-day filming project with JOOLA, the global pickleball and table tennis brand that recently relocated its U.S. headquarters to Pike & Rose. The company also opened a retail store in the development on Black Friday, sitting just steps away from several popular restaurants.
Below is an updated look at the latest retail and dining changes coming soon to Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, including new restaurants, specialty shops, and brand relocations. (more…)
A new Dunkin’/Baskin Robbins is coming to 898 Muddy Branch Road in Gaithersburg, filling the former Starbucks space in Muddy Branch Square (photo is a rendering, signage is not yet up). The Starbucks, which closed earlier in September, was one of five Montgomery County stores shut down as part of a nationwide $1 billion restructuring plan.