Guapo's to open new Gaithersburg restaurant

Guapo's is opening a new restaurant in Gaithersburg. It will be a Guapo's Rotisserie Chicken & Tex Mex Grill concept, of which the local company operates three in Northern Virginia. This would be the first on our side of the Potomac. Guapo's has full-service Mexican restaurants in Bethesda, and at Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg.

Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken is the specialty at the Guapo's Rotisserie Chicken locations. The new restaurant will be located at 12211 Darnestown Road, at the Quince Orchard Marketplace shopping center. That was formerly home to California Tortilla.

Song Dog Farm Distillery opens in Boyds (Photos)

Song Dog Farm Distillery has opened at 18100 Bucklodge Road in Boyds, Maryland. The distillery is located on a farm property in the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve, and includes a tasting room, a "front porch" outdoor patio, and expansive lawns. Song Dog Spirits was founded in 2015 by the husband and wife team of Megan Draheim and David Harris, who purchased the farm in 2021, and constructed the facilities over the past four years. 

There is a tasting room menu, and food is also available from food trucks on-site, or you can bring your own. Kids and "well-behaved" dogs are also welcomed on the premises. Song Dog produces bourbon, rye whiskey, vodka, gin, and seasonal liqueurs, and all of their products reflect the agricultural produce and flavors of Maryland. Operating hours are 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM Wednesday through Friday, 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM on Saturdays and Sundays, and closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. For a preview of their product line, and information on planning a private event at the farm, visit their website.

El Guero Mexicano opening in Gaithersburg

El Guero Mexicano is coming soon to Downtown Crown in Gaithersburg. It will be located at 200 Ellington Boulevard, the former home of BurgerIM. If the name sounds familiar, it's because the new restaurant is being opened by the owners of the nearby Taco Bar El Guero. They are keeping the same menu, as well as their famous Salsa Bar.

Mobile crane work at Whole Foods Market at Kentlands Market Square (Photos)

A mobile crane was spotted at the Whole Foods Market at 316 Kentlands Boulevard at Kentlands Market Square in Gaithersburg last night. It appeared that it would be working overnight to replace the rooftop HVAC system or to replace roofing materials, such as insulation. The store last underwent a major renovation in 2014.

Stedwick Pool renovations underway in Montgomery Village

A major renovation of the Stedwick Pool and Bathhouse has begun in Montgomery Village. The project is the most-expensive such renovation funded by the Montgomery Village Foundation to date. It will essentially be a brand-new facility when it reopens for the Summer 2026 season. The facility will include a completely-upgraded heated pool.

Photo courtesy MVF

Sixty Vines opens in Gaithersburg

Sixty Vines has opened at 212 Ellington Boulevard at Downtown Crown in Gaithersburg. "The winemaker's restaurant" is now the wine drinker's restaurant. Your choice of sixty wines will be poured from the restaurant's "sustainable wine on tap system." Sixty Vines replaces Pour House at the development.

Signage installed at The Crepe Shoppe at Downtown Crown

Permanent signage has been installed for The Crepe Shoppe at 202 Ellington Boulevard at Downtown Crown in Gaithersburg. Progress on the interior fit-out of the restaurant is blocked from view by window coverings. Maritza Guzman Dotti co-founded the business as a food truck in 2013. The Crepe Shoppe also offers catering services.