PROJECTED OPENING: Early Fall 2026 2911 District Avenue, Fairfax, VA Tariq Alaeddin, founder of NAJA Mediterranean, will be opening and toum, a broasted chicken concept built around his lifelong love for toum, the traditional Lebanese whipped garlic sauce this Fall. and toum will open as a takeout and delivery-only concept operating out of NAJA Mediterranean, and toum will serve its own distinct menu. and toum’s menu will be focused on two items: halal broasted chicken and toum. The menu will feature four varieties: classic, Ezbicy (a traditional extra garlicky toum), Zoum (a hybrid of toum and Zhoug), and a rotating, limited-edition toum of the month. and toum’s signature garlic sauce will also be available for retail purchase, allowing guests to bring it into their own kitchens.  

PROJECTED OPENING: Fall 2026 1317 Wisconsin Avenue NW Spicewalla supplies chefs and home cooks with small-batch, fresh spices from around the world that are roasted, ground, and packed by hand in their Asheville factory. The brand, known for its iconic colorful tins, aims to equip cooks at every level with the highest quality building blocks for flavor. Spicewalla retail stores are immersive sensory experiences, stocking 250+ individual spices, 60+ exclusive blends, gift-ready collections, and other essential pantry brands inside a vibrant, joy-filled space. This new Georgetown location will be Spicewalla’s second outpost. 

PROJECTED OPENING: Fall 2026 4000 Wisconsin Avenue NW Botiwalla by Chai Pani, the casual Indian eatery, will be opening in Tenleytown this Fall. The Botiwalla menu includes sizzling kababs of chicken tikka, lamb, masala fish, and paneer cooked over charcoal and wrapped in hot buttered naan or atop a crunchy salad or rice bowl with fresh herbs and chutneys. Other highlights include smoky Lamb Burgers, the iconic Vada Pav, Chai Pani's greatest hit chaats like Masala Smashed Potatoes and Okra Fries, plus fizzy sodas, boozy slushies, hot chai, and cold lassis. When entering Botiwalla, guests will be instantly transported to the Irani cafes of mid-century India with their layers of lush colors, faded patinas, Victorian details, and nostalgic memorabilia.

PROJECTED OPENING: Late 2026 6220 Old Dominion Drive, McLean, VA Later this year, Sweetgreen will open the first Sweetlane in the greater Washington area in the Chesterbrook Shopping Center. Available in only a handful of markets nationwide, Sweetlane combines the convenience of a drive-thru with the brand's commitment to freshly prepared food and a digital-first customer experience. Designed specifically for pickup orders placed through the Sweetgreen app or website, the format allows guests to skip the traditional drive-thru menu board and pick up meals through a streamlined lane dedicated to digital ordering, with team members ensuring every order is fresh and ready for a seamless handoff.

PROJECTED OPENING: Late 2026 4905 Fairmont Avenue, Bethesda, MD Chef Victor Albisu will be opening the 17th location of Taco Bamba in Downtown Bethesda later this year in the space formerly home to Casa Oaxaca. This new Bethesda location will occupy 1,850 square feet of interior space, with a 2,000-square-foot patio. The space will also feature both interior and exterior bars. The Bethesda menu features Taco Bamba's lineup of traditional fillings and original mashups, along with dishes unique to the location. Returning by popular demand from the Chinatown location is the Mike Honcho, a chili relleno riff with an Anaheim chili stuffed with smoked brisket, Chihuahua cheese, rajas, nacho cheese, and poblano ranch dressing. In addition to the location-specific offerings, Bethesda will feature rotating seasonal cocktails and menu items, such as summer’s fan-favorite double smashburger and its winter counterpart, brisket chili con queso.

PROJECTED OPENING: Late 2026 11802 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD Always Ice Cream will be opening a new location in Maryland’s Pike & Rose development later this year, making it their ninth location in the state. Known for its award-winning, small-batch ice cream, Always Ice Cream offers more than 200 rotating flavors, creamy soft serve, handcrafted sundaes, old-fashioned milkshakes, vegan and dairy-free options, ice cream cakes, root beer floats, and seasonal specialty creations. For more information, visit their Instagram here.Logo Courtesy of Always Ice Cream Company

PROJECTED OPENING: Summer 2026 69 Q Street SW Croix, a Caribbean restaurant and Botanic Bar that brings the full breadth of Caribbean cooking and botanical tradition, will be opening this summer atop the Cambria Hotel Washington D.C. Navy Yard Riverfront. Croix will add a unique and elegant dining experience to the city's rooftop landscape through a menu rooted in Crucian culinary heritage, an immersive botanical cocktail program, and a hospitality experience designed around connection, culture, and discovery. Croix is not a Caribbean-inspired concept—it is a Caribbean-rooted one. The restaurant's culinary program will draw from generations of Caribbean tradition, celebrating ingredients such as breadfruit, callaloo, sorrel, pigeon peas, cassava, and Scotch bonnet peppers through both classic and contemporary techniques and refined presentation. The dinner menu will showcase 25 dishes spanning five categories honoring the culinary traditions that define St. Croix and the broader Caribbean region. At the heart of Croix is the Botanic Bar, anchored by a dramatic backlit infusion wall featuring ten Caribbean botanicals infused in-house and displayed in glass vessels. Launching with the restaurant is Croix Veranda, the outdoor extension of the space.

PROJECTED OPENING: Summer 2026 Award-winning restaurateur Daniella Senior will be opening her newest venture, Bar Nuestro, later this Summer at Urby in Navy Yard. Bar Nuestro will be a Latin-rooted, European-inspired bistrot that reimagines classic European dishes through the lens of Latin American flavors, offering a vibrant, design-forward dining experience in DC. More information to come!

PROJECTED OPENING: Late 2026 Capitol One Center An exciting new chef-driven Mediterranean restaurant and lifestyle destination will be opening at Capital One Center in Tysons, Virginia in late 2026. La Omri will occupy approximately 7,500 square feet of space. La Omri will operate as a hybrid dining and social venue, integrating a refined culinary program with a strong beverage and nightlife component. The restaurant will feature a chef-driven Mediterranean menu centered on modern interpretations of regional classics. La Omri will emphasize premium sourcing, technique-focused preparation, and elevated presentation. A 24-seat bar will anchor the beverage program and will be a central feature of the guest experience. The bar will spotlight handcrafted cocktails and a curated wine selection aligned with the restaurant’s Mediterranean identity. Private dining will be a big part of the concept. On weekends, La Omri will offer entertainment-driven evening programming.Photo from La Omri Instagram 

PROJECTED OPENING: Fall 2026 3246 Prospect Street NW Skillette, a DC-based cooking school and culinary lifestyle house from founder Kelly Singer, is opening its first permanent studio this fall in Georgetown. Inspired by the culinary culture of Paris, the space will serve as Skillette’s flagship and a hub for hands-on classes, gatherings and curated retail. Skillette will introduces a first-of-its-kind retail and culinary concept to the neighborhood, blending education, community and shopping in one space. The 1,525-square-foot space will offer a cooking school, an atelier and gathering room for shared meals and culinary experiences. Designed to feel like a chef’s working home, the space will offer immersive culinary education and programming, including a core technique curriculum, the five-day Mid-Atlantic Culinary Program, seasonal and master classes, chef residencies, kids programs, and custom corporate and private events.