Below you’ll find a list of restaurants opening soon in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Lime & Cilantro Modern Latin Cuisine will take over the space recently occupied by Crown Fried Chicken and formerly by Krazy Steve’s and Armand’s Pizza at 1909 Seminary Rd. in Silver Spring.
Crown Fried Chicken opened in June 2022 and closed less than two years later. Lime & Cilantro is installing permanent signage and renovating its interior. According to the restaurant’s Instagram post, the restaurant is “led by Washington Post-featured Executive Chef Danny Chavez and FOH Director Fatih Salsouri, and Lime & Cilantro aims to be the place to go for delicious Latin food in the DMV.”
“We’re an unpretentious, modern Latin-focused restaurant opening in Silver Spring, Maryland. Our goal is to bring our heart and soul to your plate with incredibly delicious food that not only tastes good, but looks good too.” The restaurant is aiming to open the first week of May. News of the opening was first reported by Source of the Spring.
Roaming Rooster, a local restaurant chain with 11 locations in the Washington DC metro area, will open its third restaurant in Montgomery County at 8537 Georgia Ave., in the location formerly occupied by Flip’d by IHOP. Flip’d by IHOP closed June 1, 2023 after opening in September 2022 when IHOP decided to close all Flip’d locations. Roaming Rooster has locations in Montgomery County at Pike & Rose and Gaithersburg, and offers fried chicken items including sandwiches, tenders and wings. The menu can be found here.
According to their website, here’s more about Roaming Rooster: “In early 2015, Roaming Rooster was founded in Washington DC by a family with a unique concept. The idea was a food truck serving safe fried chicken – free-range, grain-fed, antibiotic-free chicken served fresh daily. Within a few months, word of their delicious chicken menu spread on social media, and demand for Roaming Rooster grew, quickly expanding from one food truck to three, and then multiple locations. Since then, the popularity of DC’s only food truck serving delicious free-range chicken has skyrocketed. Requests for catering, private events, and scheduling food truck visits are flooding in from DC and the surrounding areas of Maryland and Virginia. It’s easy to see why Roaming Rooster has expanded so quickly in just under a year. Where your food comes from matters, and we incorporate that ideal into every meal we serve.”
Punta Cana Tropical Grill, a new Dominican restaurant, has signed a contract to take over the former Tropics Ice Cream & Jerk site at 9324 Georgia Ave. in Silver Spring. Removal of the previous restaurant’s equipment began in January, with construction on Punta Cana beginning soon after. Signage was installed last month, and the restaurant was originally scheduled to open in spring 2024.
Tropics Ice Cream & Jerk closed in early 2023, but it didn’t take long for a new tenant to sign on. Punta Cana Tropical Grill, a “Dominican-inspired fast food” restaurant, signed on to take over the location. “As soon as we saw the notice of closure, it was an instant decision!! It’s a busy street, so we know people will stop by and try it out. Silver Spring has a unique and diverse community that loves Dominican food,” the owners say.
“We came up with the idea to open a Dominican fast food takeaway location because we know how hard it is to stop for a meal and have something delicious to eat,” said Gregory. The restaurant will be located in the owners’ hometown of Silver Spring. “Our fast food concept is going to be a big hit!” We will have more information as we get closer to the restaurant’s opening.
Chido’s Tex Mex Grill: Chido’s Tex-Mex Grill has signed a deal to take over the former site of The Eleanor at 931 Ellsworth Dr. in downtown Silver Spring. The restaurant opened its first location in Owings Mill, taking over from Don Pablo’s, which closed in 2009. That location closed after deciding not to renew its lease when the pandemic hit in 2020. The restaurant’s current location at 14600 Laurel Pl. in Laurel, where it has thrived, opened in 2016 and will celebrate its eighth anniversary this June.
Chido’s offers a variety of familiar favorites on its classic Tex-Mex menu. The Laurel location offers a brunch menu on weekends and an extensive drink menu. According to the Chido’s website, the details are as follows:
“Welcome to Chido’s Tex-Mex Grill Restaurant. We pride ourselves on being an authentic Mexican restaurant with delicious appetizers, entrees, dishes and drinks prepared fresh daily. You’ll enjoy your meal in a homely atmosphere, and our staff is always on hand to assist with your every need. We continue to uphold our tradition of excellence not only in our culinary skills, but in our service as well.”
Nash & Smash, a new restaurant serving Nashville hot chicken sandwiches and smash burgers, is opening at 10121 Colesville Rd in the Woodmore Shopping Center. It’ll take over the space most recently occupied by Subway, between Bento and Woodmore Cleaners. While the Subway is listed as “temporarily closed” on Yelp and Google, a Nash & Smash sign posted by the leasing company on the door indicates otherwise (shared by @silverspringeats on Instagram).
According to commercial real estate firm Rapaport, Nash & Smash is looking to open its first restaurant in the Washington, D.C. metro area and has been scouting spaces in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia for the past year. “Nash & Smash’s menu is simple: Nashville-style fried chicken sandwiches and smashburgers, with creative sides and drinks. What makes the concept even more special is the use of locally sourced, high-quality ingredients, which makes Nash & Smash a true farm-to-table dining experience.”
Located on the first floor of the Solaire 8200 apartments at 8200 Dixon Street in Silver Spring, Solaire Social Food Hall is set to open later this spring. The 13,000-square-foot dining and bar space will feature a collection of artisanal concepts from around the world curated by award-winning chef and restaurateur Akhtar Nawab. Eight tenants have been announced so far.
With the motto “Eat. Drink. Socialize,” Solaire Social is a community-focused destination that provides a stage to showcase chef-driven concepts and curated experiences enriched with diverse cuisine, culture and entertainment. According to Source of the Spring, a tentative opening for residents will take place in May, with a public opening planned for early June. The group recently announced eight tenants via social media.
• Kathi Roll Wala: Serves authentic Indian street food staples such as Kathi rolls and rice bowls in a convenient grab-and-go format.
• SOKO Burger: SOKO focuses on local, sustainable farms that raise animals ethically and humanely.
• Shuga x Ice: Shuga x Ice serves African-inspired ice cream and popular frozen desserts.
• Fire Pit Brazilian BBQ: Pork ribs, short ribs, chicken, picanha and more, all fresh off the grill.
• Pau Thai Kitchen: Serves authentic and delicious Thai food at reasonable prices.
• Just Chicken: Chicken tenders made with the utmost care and high-quality ingredients.
• Manna Sushi: Manna sources high-quality ingredients so customers can enjoy their meal with peace of mind.
• SOKO Oyster: Shellfish and oysters, tasty sandwiches, seasonal salads and more.
“Our daily market meets your needs for different occasions throughout the day, from burgers and pizza at lunch, to oysters and champagne after work, to brunch with friends and family on the weekend. Solaire Social has it all.” – Solaire Social
Commas, a new 13,000 square foot food hall opening on the third floor of Ellsworth Place (8661 Colesville Rd) in downtown Silver Spring, is scheduled to open in late spring. Vendors confirmed to be at Commas include:
DMV Empanadas: Run by Bolivian brothers Marco and Nacho Almaraz, DMV Empanadas has been a popular grab-and-go spot at farmers markets in the Washington DC/Baltimore area for nearly a decade. Growing out of their Gaithersburg, Maryland location, DMV Empanadas serves authentic empanadas made with local ingredients and family recipes. Inspired by their mother’s passion for cooking, the Almaraz brothers have expanded from their original chicken filling recipe to nearly 20 exciting and creative filling options, including arroz and spicy pork, shrimp Old Bay and cheeseburger.
Trini Vybez: Natalia Carew launched Trini Vybez as a food truck in 2020 and quickly built a loyal fanbase at area farmers markets, festivals and private catering events. Carew’s all-natural spices and seasonings are staples of the restaurateur’s popular Trinidadian street food. A menu of traditional dishes, curries and roti will be on the menu, including vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. “Trini Vybez was born when passionate Trinidadians came together and decided to share their talents with the world,” says Carew.
Tokoa: “Family owned and operated spot serving authentic Philly-style cheesesteaks.” At Tokoa Cheesesteaks, we’re committed to providing a delicious experience. Our menu combines creativity and quality, with dishes like signature cheesesteaks, savory wings, crispy mac & cheese bites and sweet specialty waffles. Each item is a testament to our commitment to creating unforgettable flavors.
Commas will have a total of 12 food and beverage outlets, and we will provide an update once an official opening date is announced.
Fancy Cakes by Selam and Lali Market will be opening soon at 9332 Georgia Ave. An opening date has yet to be announced, but we’ve heard the two separate stores will open at the same time. The two separate stores will take over the former Victory Karate location that closed over a year ago. There isn’t much information available about Lali Market, but Fancy Cakes by Selam is currently open online and can be found on Facebook and Instagram. Fancy Cakes by Selam offers upscale custom cakes and other treats.
