PROJECTED OPENING: Fall 2025 8551 Chevy Chase Lake Drive, Chevy Chase, MD Elena James, the all-day neighborhood restaurant and café that opened in Chevy Chase in late 2024, has announced its newest partnership with Chef Sergeii Mainyi. This fall, Chef Mainyi will bring his new Japanese and sushi concept, Ro Sushi and Co, to the café space within Elena James. Ro Sushi and Co, will feature a carefully curated menu of signature sushi rolls, sushi bowls, bento boxes, and beloved Japanese favorites. Leading the kitchen at Ro Sushi and Co is Chef/Co-Owner Sergeii Mainyi, who has honed his craft in Japanese cuisine and sushi for over 15 years in the DC area. Known for his classical training and dedication to authentic technique, Chef Mainyi brings both expertise in pristine ingredient sourcing and creativity to this new concept

PROJECTED OPENING : Fall 2025 899 O Street NW Realm Rooftop Bar & Lounge, a sophisticated new rooftop in Shaw, will be opening next month. Offering panoramic views of the nation’s capital, handcrafted cocktails, and a superb dining experience, Realm is poised to become a premier rooftop venue in DC. The newly reimagined outdoor rooftop will feature chic, modern seating, ambient lighting, and an energetic yet relaxed vibe. The indoor-outdoor rooftop bar and restaurant will offer sweeping birds-eye views of DC and the area below. Realm will have a comfortable range of indoor seating options, and an expansive patio featuring fire pits and modern lounge seating. Executive Chef Keem Hughley will serve up a chef-driven perspective with a bold menu that merges French culinary technique with the vibrant, sun-soaked flavors of the Indian Ocean—particularly those rooted in Seychellois Creole cuisine. For more information, click here.

PROJECTED OPENING: Fall 2025 713 8th Street SE This Fall, acclaimed restaurateur Rajiv Chopra is set to debut Taki Taki and Rumba Rumba, two new concepts, in the heart of Capitol Hill in Crazy Aunt Helen’s former space. The vibrant two-level dining destination will showcase two distinct culinary experiences under one roof: Taki Taki, a modern South Asian restaurant on the first floor, and Rumba Rumba, a stylish global tapas and cocktail lounge on the second. Taki Taki will offer a fresh interpretation of Southeast Asian cuisine, where time-honored flavors meet modern technique. Diners can expect a menu driven by vibrant spices, refined ingredients, and imaginative plating. Upstairs, Rumba Rumba will deliver a completely different—but complementary—experience. This chic cocktail lounge and tapas bar is designed for sharing and socializing, with an eclectic menu drawing inspiration from global cuisines.

PROJECTED OPENING: Fall 2025 25001 Burnt Hill Road, Clarksburg, MD Chef Tae Strain has partnered with the sibling team behind Old Westminster Winery on a new food and wine destination in Clarksburg, Burnt Hill Farm. The Tasting Room at Burnt Hill is expected to open this Fall, followed by a more casual lounge, then a full tasting menu/chefs counter early next year that will serve Tae’s food in a multi-course dining experience. Burnt Hill will fuse together regenerative agriculture, grand cru–caliber winemaking, and Asian-American heritage cuisine. For more information, visit their Instagram @burnt_hill. 

PROJECTED OPENING: Summer 2025 1309 5th Street NE Chef Giulio Adriani will be opening a second location of Slice & Pie and Taste of Lucy, an abbreviated version of his popular Italian cocktail bar, Lucy, in DC’s Union Market this Summer. Slice & Pie is known for its NY and Detroit-style slices. Taste of Lucy, will serve highlights of the original location’s menu including Neapolitan pizzas, a rotating pasta option, and select appetizers. An edited selection of Lucy’s cocktail menu, featuring about five cocktails and four to six wines by the glass will also be available, and the new location will offer a Happy Hour menu daily from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. The two concepts will be separated by a wall spanning the 800 square foot space, with Slice & Pie featured on the left and Taste of Lucy on the right. Taste of Lucy will accommodate roughly 20 guests at booths and a bar covered by an Italian-style awning, and Slice & Pie’s space will offer guests a direct view into the kitchen where pizzas are prepared and cooked in the pizza oven. For more information, click here.

PROJECTED OPENING: Late 2025 7315 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD Uchiko will be opening in Bethesda later this year, making it Maryland’s first location of the concept. Uchiko will bring a taste of elevated Japanese cuisine to the suburb from its James Beard Award-winning Chef Tyson Cole. Guests can expect Uchiko’s signature smoke and char grill alongside hot and cold tastings, sushi, sashimi and a seasonal omakase. Uchiko’s space 9,000 square-foot space features a 200 -seat dining room with a dedicated sushi bar where guests can watch master sushi chefs work, a separate cocktail bar, and two private dining rooms. The menu will emphasize shared plates and robust flavors – from freshly flown-in fish to wood-grilled branzino, wagyu beef ribs and yakitori-style skewers – alongside a refined selection of nigiri, hot and cold tastings, and an omakase offering. The beverage program will complement the menu with a notable collection of Japanese whisky, sake and seasonal cocktails. For more information, click here.

PROJECTED OPENING: Fall 2025 3504 Connecticut Avenue NW Diane Gross and Khalid Pitts, owners of Cork Wine Bar, will be the expanding their wine bar and market to Cleveland Park this Fall, making it Cork’s third location. Cork Cleveland Park will have 20 seats in its street-level wine bar and retail area, a mezzanine-level tasting room with an additional 15 seats for wine classes, tastings, and private events, as well as storefront outdoor seating for 8. While this location will be a smaller operation than its 14th Street predecessor, Cork Cleveland Park will still have approximately 350 retail bottles of wine, and guests can enjoy any bottle on the shelf on site, plus a weekly revolving list of wines by-the-glass, an extensive curated selection of cheese, charcuterie, tinned fish, and small plates, and wine centric programming such as tastings, classes, pairing dinners, and special events. For more information, click here.

11886 Grand Park Avenue, North Bethesda, MD bartaco will be coming soon to North Bethesda’s Pike & Rose development, to offer an upscale, yet relaxed dining experience inspired by the beach culture of Brazil, Uruguay and Southern California. The restaurant will deliver a fresh take on upscale street food with a coastal vibe——tacos, rice bowls, poke, soups, salads, and desserts—as well as an extensive beverage menu with specialty cocktails made with fresh, juiced-to-order citrus. bartaco aims to provide the perfect spot for guests to escape and enjoy globally inspired tacos and bold flavors in a welcoming atmosphere. For more information, click here.

PROJECTED OPENING: Fall 2025 1150 17th Street NW James Beard Award-Winning restaurant from Chef Tyson Cole, Uchi, will be making its DC debut this Fall in the 17xM building. The restsurant will boast 185 seats including 18 at the bar, 14 at the sushi counter, and two private dining rooms. The menu features hot and cold tastings, sushi, sashimi, makimono, yakimono, tempura and a seasonal omakase experience, all delivered with exceptional service in a warm and inviting atmosphere. Uchi DC’s interior will reflect its Asian roots, referencing the acclaimed 2000 Hong Kong film In the Mood for Love. It will also take inspiration from the location’s neighboring National Geographic Museum of Exploration. For more information, click here.

PROJECTED OPENING: Fall 2025 4916 Cordell Avenue, Bethesda, MD Silver Spring’s Ooh La La Bakery will be opening a new location in Downtown Bethesda this Summer. Guests can get excited for authentic French goods and coffee served daily. Menu highlights include Galette Des Rois, Pumpkin Pie, Spinach & Swiss Quiche, and more. For more information, visit their website here.