New Year, New Plans!
Category: Blog
New Year, New Plans!
Fresh Picks on the Dining Scene
New Year, new plans! Over the past year, the Pike District has welcomed a wave of new places to eat, adding even more variety to the neighborhood's dining scene. Paired with live music, gallery nights, and community events, January is a great time to catch up on what's new and see what's happening close to home.
bartaco - Coming Soon
A stylish coastal street-food concept is on its way to Pike & Rose,
bringing tacos, bowls, and creative margaritas to the neighborhood!
Mui - Coming Soon
This large, highly anticipated restaurant will soon take over the space formerly home to The Block at Pike & Rose, featuring a mix of kaiseki, omakase, sushi, and curated cocktails. Stay tuned for the official opening timeline! It's one of the most talked-about new arrivals in the region.
Sardi's Peruvian Chicken - Opened December 2025
The popular fast-casual favorite just opened up a new location at Loehmann's Plaza on Randolph Road. Known for its affordable and crave-worthy Peruvian chicken and sides, the menu goes well beyond with items including wings, lomo saltado, pupusas, and more Latin American classics for easy, flavor-packed meals.
Bao Bei - Opened August 2025
A brand new Taiwanese street-food restaurant from a local chef and Great Food Truck Race finalist. Now serving pillowy gua bao, flavorful rice bowls, tender braised pork, and more at Montrose Crossing!
Bouboulina - Opened March 2025
A new chef-driven steakhouse with Mediterranean flair, this Pike & Rose addition serves up expertly grilled meats, seasonal sides, and signature cocktails - perfect for a date night or special occasions!
Tatte Bakery & Cafe - Opened January 2025
Elevated comfort food, mouth-watering pastries, and top notch coffee have landed on Rockville Pike off of Bou Avenue. With stylish interiors and everything baked fresh daily, it's an easy new go-to for morning coffee, lunch meetings, or an afternoon treat.
Behind the Bagels: Meet the Owners of Izé’s Bagelry
As new restaurants continue to open across the Pike District, we’re also celebrating the small businesses that have helped define the neighborhood. This month, meet the owners of Izé’s Bagelry, a true local institution.
For more than two decades, Izé’s Deli & Bagelry has been a beloved Pike District institution serving up authentic New York–style bagels, world-famous chicken salad, and a whole lot of heart.
Pronounced “Izzy’s,” the deli is named for the family behind it: Isabelle, Zach, and Emily, two daughters and son of owners Lee and Angie Greenberg. The Greenbergs, both business-school grads with deep
roots in the food service world, took over the space in 2003, transforming what was once a Manhattan Bagel franchise into the independent, family-run shop locals know and love today.
What sets Izé’s apart is tradition. Their bagels are boiled and baked fresh daily, made from dough sourced from Long Island and finished in-house to achieve that perfect dense, crusty New York texture. On a typical day, the team goes through 5,000–7,000 bagels, supplying not only neighborhood regulars but also hotels, hospitals, and even the U.S. Senate and Capitol Visitor Center.
“We had a senator come in and like our bagels and next thing we got the chef at the US Senate who told us they were switching to our bagels. We deliver to the Senate and not the House so they are even divided on their bagels,” Lee said.
Just as important as the food is the people. Izé’s is truly a family operation with long-time employees, some with decades of service, work alongside the owners, who are in the shop nearly every day starting
before dawn. “It’s all about family,” Lee says, from putting their kids through college to treating staff like family and pouring care into every batch of bagels and custom-made bagel sandwich combinations.
Izé’s is located in the bustling White Flint Station plaza along with other small businesses like Davidus Cigars and Pho Eateries.
“It’s a prime location and there is an insane amount of development going on around the area,” Lee said.
From everything bagels and jalapeño favorites to legendary chicken salad shipped as far as Israel for homesick customers, Izé’s remains a cornerstone of the Pike District proof that hard work, consistency, and love for the community never go out of style.
Mark Your Calendars
A Month for Music and Art
January in the Galleries: Rewoven
January 7-28th
Artist and Makers Studios
Experience Rewoven, an intimate January exhibition featuring award-winning DC-based fiber artist Felicia L. Reed, whose powerful wet-felted textiles explore healing, resilience, and renewal - alongside a mini-solo photography presentation by Damien Carter.
Java Nation Presents: Trapeze
January 9-10th
Java Nation
Trapeze performs soft rock and alternative rock classics to kick off First Friday with live music, great cocktails and food, and a cool neighborhood vibe at Java Nation.
Then come back the next day for Castro & Tania Allen for pop and radio hits!
The Mansion at Strathmore Presents: Michael McSweeny and Costas Colectivo
Wednesdays, starting January 14th
Strathmore
Artists in Residence Class of 2026 Michael McSweeney combines with his band Costas Colectivo for original compositions and some salsa's greatest names for a high-energy night of music and celebration.
2026 MLK Day of Service and Volunteer Fair
January 19th
Bethesda North Marriott
Honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. at Montgomery County's 2026 Day of
Service, where we come together to make a difference!
Together, we will honor his teachings and work toward creating a more inclusive and equitable society. Participate in various service projects and engage with local nonprofits to explore year-round opportunities to give back. Let’s come together to pay tribute to one of history's greatest civil rights leaders and continue Dr. King’s dream of a better world.
The Music Center at Strathmore Presents:
February 4th
Strathmore
Don't miss 16-time Grammy-winning composer Devid Foster teaming up with Broadway star Katharine McPhee performing at the Music Center. This performance features open captions. Contact acess@strathmore.org for the promo code for caption seating or contact the ticket office at 301-581-5100.