Shopping

Reformation

Cool-girl cult favorite has landed on Bethesda Row. With its minimalist furniture and touchscreens to “order” items to try on in the dressing room, this eco-conscious LA–based brand delivers a fun shopping experience. Flirty dresses, sleek footwear, and of-the-moment separates are made from environmentally friendly fabrics and dead-stock materials that have that forever-stylish quality. It doesn’t hurt that celebs such as Hailey Bieber and Sienna Miller are fans.

Anine Bing

Scandinavian simplicity with an edge is the mantra of Anine Bing, the eponymously named clothing line helmed by the blogger, model, and singer. Stylish knitwear, trendy denim, and leather (think shorts and motos) share space with tailored suit separates, statement jewelry, and wispy lingerie. In subdued shades with an occasional pop of color, the clothes are striking and timeless. The store also schedules virtual and in-­person shopping as well as styling appointments.

Mango

Barcelona-based fast-fashion chain Mango opened its first area store, at Westfield Montgomery mall, in April, followed by stores in Tysons and Pentagon City; another is coming this year in DC. Known for its well-priced collabs with models (Kate Moss, Miranda Kerr), fashion influencers (Pernille Teisback, Camille Charrière), and designer/former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham, the brand is more elegant-classics-with-a-twist than über-trendy. Especially worth snagging: shoes and boots, coats and jackets, and woolens for fall. The DC store will carry women’s and men’s lines, while the others are women-centric.

Janus et Cie

Design-driven outdoor furniture, rugs, and accessories fill the gleaming glass-and-steel showroom at Janus et Cie. White trellis facades, signature topiaries, and LED screens form a backdrop to this interactive workspace for designers and clients. The sleek, modern furnishings from the West Hollywood–based company run from lanterns and poufs to modular loungers and glass-topped dining tables. In other words, everything needed for an outdoor dining or living space. With the shuttering of the Georgetown location, the Bethesda store is the only one in the area. Appointments are available, but stopping by is fine, too.

Mejuri

With its minimal design, recycled and sustainably sourced metals and gems, and direct-to-consumer pricing, Mejuri takes its “everyday fine jewelry” motto to heart. The Canadian brand’s Bethesda store, the only one in the area, stocks a slew of bracelets, necklaces, rings, and earrings (singles, doubles, crawlers, cartilage) in titanium, sterling, 14-karat, and gold vermeil to stack and layer. Most designs are delicate, but there’s a nod to the current chunkier aesthetic. (Some of the pieces are unisex.) Aficionados include Sydney Sweeney, Taylor Swift, and Selena Gomez.

Vuori

Ultra-soft men’s and women’s performance wear is the draw at Vuori, a coastal California-based athleisure brand inspired by “fitness, surf, sport and art.” Style-conscious board shorts, tennis and pickleball outfits, popovers, matched sets, hoodies, and track pants are fashioned from stretchy, lightweight high-tech fabrics that wick sweat and are made of mostly recycled materials.

Veronica Beard

The denim cap-toe, chunky-heeled grandma slingback is the essence of what Veronica Beard does so well: trad with a twist. Collarless jackets and cutaway vests jazz up the workwear oeuvre, and gold and silver buttons evoke a prep/Chanel vibe. A button-down has gathered sleeves to make it a bit less corporate, and a cotton-eyelet shirtdress that comes in black, white, and stone-khaki begs the question: Can I wear this to work with a cami and slip?

Ernesta

Ernesta has taken over the former The Sill space—the made-to-measure rug company was conceived by the crew behind Peloton. Rugs come in wool, natural fibers, and synthetics, with textured, fluffy, and flat options for indoors and out, and can be cut to the size needed. There’s a relatively quick turnaround of four to six weeks. The Bethesda store will be similar to New York’s Upper East Side showroom, with lots of samples to take home and muse over.

Evereve

On Bethesda Row, Evereve will set up in the former Foxtrot space. The women’s clothing chain, known for its curated offerings and accessible prices, has items from trendy brands such as Rails, Xirena, Good American, Nation, and Rag & Bone, along with loungewear and accessories.

At North Bethesda’s Pike & Rose, Joola, the table-tennis and pickleball giant, will open a shop (917 Meeting St.) next spring selling paddles, clothing, balls, and accessories on its new headquarters’s ground level.

Food and Drinks

Aventino

An ultra-buzzy curved bar and smart Roman cooking have made Aventino,from the Red Hen/All-Purpose crowd, a hit. Start with a spritz—we like the Verona with gin, Campari, grapefruit, and prosecco—and nibbles such as whipped ricotta with chickpea fritters and a drizzle of honey, or braised artichokes with anchovies and crunchy breadcrumbs. Rave-worthy bigger plates include lumache (snail-shaped pasta) alla Norma with eggplant and spicy lamb sausage, textbook rigatoni carbonara, and a porchetta-spiced Berkshire pork chop with fried sage. The Valrhona-chocolate budino with cocoa granita makes for a wonderfully intense finish. Next door is AP Pizza, its more casual sib, for Jersey-style pizza by the slice at lunch or a whole pie anytime. We like the classic tomato mozzarella and “Tony’s Original,” with meatballs and a tangle of onion. Pastry chef Anne Specker’s chocolate-chip cookie is divine.

Salt Line

It’s always summer at Bethesda’s Salt Line, where elegant beachy digs and a menu devoted to New England and Chesapeake Bay seafood hold sway—this is the third in the area, with the others in Navy Yard and Ballston. Seafood towers featuring such gems as Chesapeake oysters, mussels escabeche, snow-crab claws, and clams are one way to go; most tower items can be had à la carte as well. Still, there are choices aplenty—fried clam bellies, Nashville-hot soft-shell crab, and pan-roasted rockfish. Sweets tap into the nostalgia motif, with a killer banana split.

Ala

In Positano’s former space, the Bethesda outpost of Ala has an almost identical menu to that of its popular Dupont location. Levantine plates inspired by dishes from Turkey, Syria, Israel, and Lebanon hold sway on the airy patio and in the moody dining room done up with colorful carpets. Dishes to seek out include smoky eggplant with pomegranate, ras el hanout–seasoned short ribs, and sumac chicken with toum and fried pita. Don’t miss the fabulous pistachio baklava with white-chocolate/pistachio ganache for dessert.

Rakugaki

Rakugaki —the name means “little Raku”—is the new-est member of the Raku chainlet, which has outposts in Dupont Circle, Cathedral Heights, and Bethesda Row. This location has a similar array of Japanese and pan-Asian plates, from pristine sushi and sashimi to bentos and noodles. Some standouts: Thai red-curry mussels, yellowtail with black-sesame ponzu, miso-marinated black cod, mentaiko udon with spicy cod roe and kombucha, and kimchi fried rice with pork belly and egg.

Laderach Swiss Chocolates

Strawberry-curd white-chocolate bark. Dark chocolate studded with flakes. Salted caramel dipped in milk chocolate. So many choices at Laderach Swiss Chocolates, so little time. The artisanal chocolatier is known for its hands-on approach. Among the offerings: pistachio gianduja pralines, cappuccino truffles, and creative barks such as Summer Dream, made with mango, passionfruit, and blood orange in a swirl of white and dark chocolate finished with edible Swiss alpine blossoms. Vegan options are available.

Dig

Dig, a health-conscious bowl-and-salad chain, keeps things simple. A few well-curated proteins, a handful of bases, a smattering of grilled and roasted vegetables, and creative sauces and dressings. But the mix-and-match combos are endless. One day it might be a kale-napa-and-farm-greens Caesar with hot-honey chicken, roasted sweet potato, and garlic aïoli, and another you’ll be nipping into a bowl of spiced farro with crispy baked tofu, charred broccoli, and herb pesto. There’s also a vegan Caesar option with cashew filling in for egg that’s spot-on.

Organic Butcher

Boutique wines, artisanal cheeses, offbeat condiments, fresh bread, and items made in-house, such as soups, sausages, and spreads, fill the well-stocked shelves and coolers of the Organic Butcher. The array of meats, seafood, and poultry is staggering—everything from grass-fed oxtail and Wagyu bavette to Peking duck and Grade 1 wild-caught tuna. Rib-eye fans have several kinds and cuts to choose from—Piedmontese-style, bison, and the marvelous A5 Wagyu version. Funky game and organ meats are available, too.

Rooted3

Rooted3, a plant-filled, vegan, and gluten-free cafe/juice bar/market, makes it a cinch to eat healthy. Go for a curated bowl such as the Umami Shroom or create your own from an array of options like massaged kale, toasted buckwheat, citrus-pickled cabbage, roasted beets, crispy onions, cauliflower samosas, and herby ranch dressing. Juices and smoothies are artfully swirled—don’t miss the refreshing blueberry-lemon spritzer. And there are packaged vegan and gluten-free snacks to keep up the healthy eating at home.

Ruta Ukrainian

Ukrainian dishes are on offer at Ruta Ukrainian, sibling of the original Capitol Hill restaurant. Look for homey dishes such as green borscht with sorrel, spinach, and chicken; meat-stuffed dumplings; buttery chicken Kyiv; and the hearty Cossack bowl, a medley of kovbasa (sausage), varenyky (stuffed dumplings), caramelized onions, and bacon.

More Food Coming

Silver and Sons (5400 Westbard Ave.) will be opening a brick-and-mortar store at Westbard Square with a handful of tables and a standup counter by late October or early November. The BBQ outfit, whose roaming food truck has made Washingtonian’s 100 Very Best Restaurants list, is known for its cumin-spiced pulled lamb shoulder; short-rib pastrami; challah rolls; and rubs, sides, and sauces, all made in-house. The food truck is still out and about as well.

Meanwhile, denizens of Pike & Rose are eagerly awaiting the debut of Bouboulina (921 Meeting St.), the third fine-dining restaurant from the founders of Cava—the same outfit is behind Jullii and Melina, also at Pike & Rose. Billed as a Mediterranean-American grill/steakhouse with Greek, Turkish, and Levantine influences, it will center around wood-fired meats, seafood, and vegetables. The restaurant, on the ground floor of a new commercial building, is expected to open by next fall. Pike & Rose will also see the launch this winter of a new Japanese eatery, Mui (967 Rose Ave.), focused on sushi, omakase, and robata-grilled seafood and meats.

In downtown Bethesda, three much-loved dining rooms are getting a reboot: Pan-Asian eatery Raku (7240 Woodmont Ave.) reopened in August after undergoing a facelift. Renovations and expansion are also underway at Mon Ami Gabi (7239 Woodmont Ave.)—the Parisian bistro will return this winter. A focus on mussels, oysters, bistro classics like steak-frites, and flatbreads is planned at Robert Wiedemaier’s Mussel Bar (4903 Cordell Ave.), expected to reappear at its new digs by early fall—the Woodmont Avenue location closed in 2022.

Building Boom

New-builds—apartments, condos, mixed-use retail, and commercial projects—are popping up all over Bethesda or planned.

Several luxury apartment buildings have recently debuted in downtown Bethesda. The just-opened Art Deco–­inspired Sophia Bethesda (4924 St. Elmo Ave.) soars 23 stories and has 276 units (studios to three-bedrooms), some with curved balconies, wine fridges, and panoramic views. Other amenities include a rooftop pool with a grilling area, as well as a sky lounge, pet spa, fitness suite, and coworking space.

The Camille (7000 Wisconsin Ave.),a boutique-style, 14-story building with 181 one- and two-bedroom units, opened last winter with such perks as a sky lounge with a billiard table and fireplace; a fitness center; and a remote-work space. Solaire (7607 Old Georgetown Rd.), a 22-story, 198-unit high-rise, offers studios to two-bedrooms, with Euro-style kitchens; smart locks and thermostats; a penthouse lounge and fitness center; a rooftop terrace; and a pet spa.

Off River Road, Westbard Square’s 22 acres (5400 Westbard Ave.) are taking shape. The project, which will include townhouses, apartments, retail, restaurants, parks, senior living, and a parking garage, will open in phases, with a 2027 completion date. A new Giant opened in January; Silver and Sons is expected to start smoking briskets and other meats in the next month or so at its first brick-and-mortar. Also on the boards for the Square: Tatte, the popular bakery/cafe chain known for its jazzy sandwiches, salads, and egg dishes; Piccoli Piatti Pizza, the second location of the Wildwood Shopping Center mainstay, which dishes up brick-oven, thin-crust pizza; and Oak Barrel & Vine, a retooling of the state-liquor-store concept.

Meanwhile, at Pike & Rose, the mostly completed 16-story 915 Meeting Street has nabbed a couple high-profile tenants. Choice Hotels has settled into a 105,000-square-foot headquarters, while Joola, the source for pickleball and table-tennis gear, will move into 35,000 square feet in the spring. It’ll also open its first retail store there. Debuting next fall is Bouboulina, the Cava group’s latest restaurant. Still to come: Upper Muse, a 5,000-square-foot courtyard project.

What’s Selling

Metro-accessible with a lively downtown, Bethesda remains in high demand. The suburb, which already has a lot of spacious townhouses and single-family homes, will soon welcome a wave of new luxury condos to meet strong buyer interest. Here’s a sampling of what’s sold in the past few months.

This article appears in the October 2024 issue of Washingtonian.