Bethesda’s claim to fame in the mid–18th century was its first commercial establishment: a small stone tavern near the intersection of what’s now Wisconsin Avenue and Old Georgetown Road, where travelers could rest and fuel up for the journey to and from DC. By the early 19th century, Montgomery County’s first turnpike brought more development to the area, and at the end of the century, the construction of a trolley line cemented Bethesda as a place of commerce and industrial growth.
Today—now connected to DC by Metro—the area has grown into a vibrant center for arts, dining, and community. The blend of residential and commercial offers residents the best of both urban and suburban worlds. Here are some favorite spots.
Things to Do
Round of Applause
Round House Theatre
location_on4545 East-West Hwy.
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Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Round House Theatre (4545 East-West Hwy.) has earned more than 250 Helen Hayes Award nominations—it’s won 60—and serves 5,000-plus students each year with educational programs. This season’s lineup of plays includes Cult of Love, Chinese Republicans, Baby Shower Katie, and The White Chip.
Kids Rock
Kid Museum
location_on3 Bethesda Metro Center
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Designed for ages 4 to 14, the Kid Museum (3 Bethesda Metro Center) is a creative space where children can engage in hands-on activities—such as learning to code, making crafts in a wood shop, and creating textiles. It’s open to the public on Sundays from 10 to 4 and also has afterschool classes, camps, class visits, and other events throughout the week.
Go Green
McCrillis Gardens
location_on6910 Greentree Rd.
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A five-acre property that William and Virginia McCrillis donated to the Maryland–National Capital Park and Planning Commission in 1978, McCrillis Gardens (6910 Greentree Rd.) has walking paths; gazebos and benches for sitting; and beautiful flowers. Located in a quiet neighborhood, the park is open daily from 10 to sunset.
Local Art
Waverly Street Gallery
location_on4600 East-West Hwy.
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The intimate Waverly Street Gallery (4600 East-West Hwy.) features work by local and international artists, from paintings to prints to jewelry. Upcoming exhibitions feature works celebrating the Potomac River and the exploration of color in art. Other events include workshops and artist talks.
Where to Eat
Popping Up Again
PopUp Bagels
location_on7607 Old Georgetown Rd.
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The “not famous but known” Northeast chain PopUp Bagels continued its DC-area takeover in August when it opened a Bethesda location (7607 Old Georgetown Rd.) after launching a much-anticipated Georgetown shop in April. You won’t find bagel sandwiches here: Instead, the viral spot encourages the “rip and dip” method, in which you tear off a bagel piece and dip it into one of the signature schmears, such as scallion cream cheese or brown-sugar cinnamon butter.
Home Style
Food Market
location_on4720 Hampden Ln.
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The Food Market, a full-service restaurant from chef Chad Gauss—with other locations in Columbia and Baltimore, its flagship—recently expanded to Bethesda (4720 Hampden Ln.). It offers a mix of cuisines and “comfort foods”—from Amish soft pretzels to birria empanadas and falafel-flavored hummus—plus an extensive cocktail menu with spritzes, martinis, and nonalcoholic offerings.
Soft-Serve and Sashimi
Sushi Masato
location_on4914 Hampden Ln.
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After serving up sushi at beloved local haunts including Sushi Nakazawa, Raku, and the late Woodmont Grill, chef Raymond Yu brings sashimi, nigiri, and maki rolls, as well as three different omakase tasting experiences, to Sushi Masato (4914 Hampden Ln.). Yu and his wife, Amy, also plan to open a Japanese-inspired dessert shop next door called The One Cake, which will offer desserts and soft-serve ice cream.
Old Friend
Mon Ami Gabi
location_on7239 Woodmont Ave.
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Mon Ami Gabi (7239 Woodmont Ave.) , in business more than two decades, is looking très chic after an extensive renovation. The updated space features a new bar, furnishings, and menu items—though diners can still expect French bistro classics such as steak frites, onion soup, escargots, and caviar.
Food Fusion
Six Ways to Sunday
location_on8003 Norfolk Ave.
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After manning a food truck in Kensington, then working at Thai Supperclub and Bar Chinois, chefs Lekki Limvatana and Satang Ruangsangwatana opened a boutique eatery in April inspired by Bangkok’s late-night food culture. Six Ways to Sunday (8003 Norfolk Ave.) has a Sino-Siamese menu with small plates of fusion dishes like quail-egg wontons, salmon crudo, and shrimp kari rice. Cocktails include the Clara Bow (Maker’s Mark, St-Germain, grenadine, and lemon) and the Truth & Envy (gin, Aperol, lemon juice, grapefruit, and hibiscus).
Third Sense
Sense of Thai
location_on5314 Zenith Overlook
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After debuting locations in Chantilly and Ashburn, chef Porntipa Pattanamekar brought Sense of Thai (5314 Zenith Overlook) to the Westbard Square neighborhood in June. Combining hospitality with authentic Southern Thai flavors, the new spot offers classics such as spring rolls, chicken satay, and pad Thai, plus new takes on traditional dishes, including a Wagyu-beef larb, hat-yai chicken wings, and Thai-tea crème brûlée.
Ceviche Central
Pisco y Nazca
location_on7401 Woodmont Ave.
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Pisco y Nazca brought its modern twist on Peruvian cuisine to Bethesda (7401 Woodmont Ave.) in 2025 after previous success in Dupont Circle, Reston, and Florida. The menu includes eight ceviches, Peruvian staples such as lomo saltado, and fusion dishes like pork-belly bao and empanadas.
To Gather
Agora
location_on1 Bethesda Metro Center
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Chef Ismet Sahin leads diners through tastes of Turkey, Greece, and Lebanon at Agora (1 Bethesda Metro Center) , which opened in July. Brunch, lunch, and dinner menus—including a $45 bottomless brunch ($55 if you add bottomless drinks)—feature spreads like hummus and labneh, kebabs, seafood selections, and dessert offerings including baklava and pistachio soufflé.
Falafel Friends
Dalia’s Falafel
location_on7750 Old Georgetown Rd.
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Dalia’s Falafel began as a pop-up operated by longtime friends Ben Assaraf, Kevin Gill, and Cody Chatham. In 2023, they opened their brick-and-mortar store (7750 Old Georgetown Rd.) serving bowls, pita, and kebabs with a commitment to sustainable and clean eating.
Shopping
Top Collar
Collars & Co.
location_on7126 Bethesda Ln.
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The Maryland-based menswear brand Collars & Co. (7126 Bethesda Ln.) —of Shark Tank fame—is best known for its signature hard-collared golf shirt, designed to blend the comfort of a knit polo with the polish of a dress shirt. Its fans include entrepreneurs Mark Cuban and Peter Jones.
Yogi-Inspired
Alo
location_on7236 Woodmont Ave.
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The LA athleisure brand Alo, whose name stands for “air, land, ocean,” exudes coastal vibes and a wellness ethos—and recently made Bella Hadid the face of its new campaign. Now its wide range of lounge and sporting wear is on Bethesda Row (7236 Woodmont Ave.).
Good Sports
Johnnie-O
location_on7243 Woodmont Ave.
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After starting as a golf and men’s sporting-apparel brand, Johnnie-O (7243 Woodmont Ave.) —which calls itself a blend of “East Coast tradition and West Coast casual”—now has options for the whole family, including athleisure, comfortable quarter-zips, and game-day-themed attire.
Heart of Gold
Gorjana
location_on7101 Democracy Blvd.
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A jewelry brand known for its delicate gold chains and charms designed for everyday, Gorjana has a new location at Westfield Montgomery mall (7101 Democracy Blvd.). Simple and stackable designs are made to mix and match, and a portion of sales is donated to organizations that support women and children.
Suit Up
Everett Hall
location_on7706 Woodmont Ave.
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The boutique Everett Hall (7706 Woodmont Ave.) offers refined suits designed by a Howard graduate, handcrafted in Italy, and sold in what aims to be an intimate and luxe shopping experience.
Teen Fave
Urban Outfitters
location_on7101 Democracy Blvd.
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The latest trends and styles—from fragrances to jeans to patterned bedspreads—are on tap at teen favorite Urban Outfitters, which recently opened a warehouse-style shop at Westfield Montgomery mall (7101 Democracy Blvd.).
Home Sweet Home
Kellogg Collection
location_on10207 Old Georgetown Rd.
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In the Wildwood Shopping Center, DC home-furnishings chain the Kellogg Collection (10207 Old Georgetown Rd.)boasts a fresh and colorful assortment of rugs, throws, upholstery, and lighting fixtures—alongside oak furniture fit for an English countryside manor. In-house interior designers can work with you to customize your space.
California Dreaming
Rails
location_on4852 Bethesda Ave.
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Rails is an LA lifestyle and clothing brand that recently opened on Bethesda Row (4852 Bethesda Ave.). Its blend of European aesthetic and laid-back West Coast vibe—inspired by the founder’s trip on the Eurorail—means chic and comfortable everyday essentials for men and women.
The Write Stuff
Moleskine
location_on4808 Bethesda Ave.
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While it’s best known for its paper products, the luxury stationery brand Moleskine (4808 Bethesda Ave.) also sells a range of customizable notebooks as well as bags ideal for commuting and work travel.
Fountain of Youth
Sunset on Midsummer
location_on10303 Old Georgetown Rd.
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A store designed with tweens in mind, Sunset on Midsummer (10303 Old Georgetown Rd.) offers fun, colorful, and trendy tween-girl shopping. Tees, skirts, PJs, and accessories are customizable in the store’s Make It Yours section, and trinkets and toys mean it’s an excellent destination for gift-shopping.
New Kicks
New Balance
location_on7033 Arlington Rd.
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From “dad shoe” legacy to streetwear fame, New Balance has made a huge stylistic comeback in the past five years and now finds itself available to shoppers on Bethesda Row (7033 Arlington Rd.).
Bauble Boutique
Green & Bean
location_on4600 East-West Hwy.
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Tchotchkes and knickknacks are the name of the game at Green & Bean (4600 East-West Hwy.). Perfect for gifting or decorating, the curated home goods and trinkets come from sustainable and ethically sourced brands. Once you find the perfect puzzle, candle, blanket, or body scrub, the in-store wrapping service will use compostable material to box up your treasure.
What’s Selling
From concierge-staffed condos and luxury townhouses to classic Colonials and a midcentury-modern on a large lot, here’s what’s sold in Bethesda in the past few months.
$180,000
A 1,000-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom condo at the Kenwood with gas appliances and parquet floors, plus assigned parking and a community fitness center and pool.
$1,225,000
A four-bedroom, three-bathroom Colonial on a quarter acre with oak floors, a sunroom, multiple fireplaces, and a dining room with cathedral ceilings.
$2,200,000
A 4,150-square-foot midcentury-modern gem with four bedrooms and four baths on 1.28 wooded acres.
$399,000
A one-bedroom, one-bathroom, 11th-floor unit in the Christopher, an amenity-rich condo building with garage parking and two private outdoor spaces.
$1,300,000
A three-bedroom, three-bathroom townhouse in Grosvenor Heights with four levels, a private elevator, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a rooftop terrace.
$6,250,000
A seven-bedroom, nine-and-a-half-bathroom house with two driveways, 11-foot ceilings, and a high-end kitchen on nearly three-quarters of an acre.
This article appears in the October 2026 issue of Washingtonian.
