The Ritchie Center, located at 765–785 Rockville Pike in Rockville, continues to evolve with several openings and changes in recent years that have reshaped the lineup of the longtime shopping plaza.
Restaurants
Food & Wine recently named Burnt Hill Farm in Clarksburg, Maryland, one of its “12 Stunning U.S. Vineyards to Visit This Harvest Season,” spotlighting the Montgomery County estate alongside some of the nation’s top wine destinations. Our very own “Mr. MoCo” Alex Tsironis visited last night and shared his account of the experience (video also available below).
Washington DC’s celebrated Indian restaurant Rasika has been named one of the most essential and influential restaurants in America by Eater. The publication released its “All-Time Eater 38” list this week, honoring what it calls “the most essential and influential restaurants in America of the past 20 years.” Rasika, which opened in 2005 in Penn Quarter, was praised for redefining Indian dining in the United States through its balance of tradition, innovation, and accessibility.
Momiji Sushi Izakaya & Japanese Eatery, is set to open in Silver Spring, taking over the space that was the longtime home of Cubano’s. The restaurant has a hearing for its liquor license with Montgomery County’s ABS on Thursday, November 6th.
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Darband Kabob is now open at 765 Rockville Pike, Suite E, in Rockville’s Ritchie Center. The new Persian restaurant takes over a space that has previously been home to Taste of Kabab, CM Chicken, and Jumbo Jumbo Cafe. Our very own “Mr. MoCo” Alex Tsironis recently stopped by to support and shared that he believes these are “the best Persian kabobs in Montgomery County.” Preview video available below.
Quench Craft Beer & Wine, located at 13423 New Hampshire Avenue in Colesville, has announced that it will permanently close later this month after 15 years in business.
After years of anticipation, the Olney Ale House will officially reopen its doors on Tuesday, October 28th. The beloved restaurant, located at 2000 Olney Sandy Spring Road (at the corner of Route 108 and Doctor Bird Road), has been closed since a 2019 kitchen fire forced it to shut down.
After nearly two decades as one of Rockville’s favorite spots for craft beer, wine, and community, Gilly’s Craft Beer & Fine Wine, located at 2009 Chapman Avenue, has announced it will close permanently after service on Sunday, October 19th.
Kusshi Sushi, a Montgomery County-born restaurant brand known for its modern take on Japanese dining, will officially open its eighth location on Saturday, October 18th, at Reston Town Center in Northern Virginia. The opening marks another major milestone for the locally grown restaurant group, which first launched in Montgomery County and has since become one of the region’s most popular names in sushi.
The Eater DC “38 Essential Restaurants Around DC” list offers a selection of defining culinary destinations that showcase DC and its suburbs. Four restaurants in Maryland are currently on the fall 2025 edition of the list (last updated on October 7th) with three of them in Montgomery County:
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Lines wrapped around the block in Wheaton on Sunday, October 12, as Maryland’s first Pollo Pinulito opened to overwhelming crowds. The Guatemalan fried chicken restaurant drew hundreds of customers throughout the day, with many waiting an hour or more to try the popular chain.