New Restaurants: An Update

Flickr photo by 100 MontaditosHere’s a quick look at the progress of some of the new restaurants planning to open this year in Bethesda:

Panera (7201 Wisconsin Ave.) The popular bakery and quick casual restaurant is hoping to open its first Bethesda location in the former bd’s Mongolian Grill space by late summer or fall. It applied for a commercial building permit to alter the 5,788-square-foot restaurant space in May and applied for an electrical permit last week.

100 Montaditos (4922 Elm St.) The Spanish sandwich chain is certainly one of the most unique newcomers. The fast casual restaurant serves montaditos, the crunchy Spanish rolls baked to order, filled with ingredients such as Serrano ham, tortilla, chorizo sausage and Iberian cheese. As the name implies, there are 100 varieties of fillings available

It originally hoped to open its first U.S. location outside of Florida in May on Bethesda Row. That date was pushed back to August. The restaurant got a batch of permits issued last week, so expect news on a solid opening date soon.

Smashburger and The Roof  (4901 Cordell Ave.) Roof, the two-story bar (with a rooftop, of course) from Tommy Joe’s owner Alan Pohoryles, is still under construction. The new building at the corner of Norfolk and Cordell Avenues is awaiting a number of permits. It will also be home to a Smashburger and Dunkin’ Donuts. Pohoryles was hoping for an August opening but that date has been pushed back to the fall.

ShopHouse Asian Kitchen (4820 Bethesda Ave.) The Chipotle offshoot and fast casual restaurant serving noodle bowls, meats and vegetables is taking over the former space of The City Lights of China Restaurant, which packed up and left in May after its 10-year lease ran out because of high rent.

Work on the interior of the 2,434-square-foot space has been going on for a few weeks. The restaurant started applying for permits in June. It’s unknown when it will open.

& Pizza (7620 Old Georgetown Rd.) The D.C. pizza shop with the rectangular pizzas hopes to open near the downtown Bethesda Chipotle by the end of the year. The 2,300-square-foot space was most recently a drycleaner. The county issued a commercial fast track permit in July to allow work to begin.

Markham’s (7141 Wisconsin Ave.) Chef Steve Markham, who opened the one3five food truck in December 2011, is taking over the former space of the Majestic Bar & Grille just across the parking lot of the Montgomery Farm Women’s Cooperative Market. He’s remodeling the inside and back patio of the place starting in September before a planned opening sometime this fall. 

House of Milae (4932 St Elmo Ave.) The planned Korean joint has already created some buzz as the only Korean place in town. It will take over the place of Plaza Del Sol in Woodmont Triangle and the owners are in the middle of the permitting process.

Know of any other restaurants planned for the area? Drop us a line at desk@bethesdanow.com.

Flickr photo by 100 Montaditos

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