Neighborhood Guide: 17 Things to Do in Rockville

Rockville is a place of contrasts–with big-box stores along Rockville Pike and crafty boutiques and art galleries in the lively town center. There are suburban streets lined with Victorian homes and King Farm’s neat grid of newer houses. The same goes for the restaurants, with both mom-and-pops and chains offering everything from Chinese and Balkan fare to Palestinian and West African. Fun fact: Rockville was named for its proximity to Rock Creek Park, and it also has forested hiking trails. Here’s what’s new, and what’s happening, in this Maryland suburb.

Eat and Drink

Hulu Skewer House

Korean barbecue is ubiquitous around the Washington area, but have you tried Chinese barbecue? Hulu Skewer House recreates shaokao, popular Chinese grilled meat skewers. You can order a selection of proteins—lamb, beef, pork, shrimp—then roast them over your table’s burners. What makes this restaurant a standout is side dishes such as soft pork wontons, hand-pulled scallion-­oil noodles, roasted eggplant in foil, and an enoki-mushroom-and-cabbage dish you can order hot or mild (hot is hot!). The cocktails are creative, and the upper floor has karaoke rooms with lists of Asian artists organized by country (and an occasional American like Whitney Houston mixed in).

Z&Z Manoushe Bakery

The Dubbaneh family owns Palestinian American Z&Z Manoushe Bakery, which specializes in manoushe, or Middle Eastern flatbread, and serves tea and coffee all day. Before opening their snug Rockville cafe, the family sold spice mixes and flatbreads at the Foggy Bottom and Mosaic District farmers markets. Each manoushe has a puffy, charred crust and heaping Middle Eastern toppings, and most are accented with the family’s signature za’atar seasoning. The bright cafe is decorated with lemon wallpaper and orange-adorned tablecloths.

MezeHub market

Owners Doug Wheeler and Edin (Eddie) Saracevic debuted their Balkan cafe inside their MezeHub market in October. MezeHub’s menu features hearty sandwiches that are made with grilled chicken or ćevapčići (Balkan sausage) on puffy somun bread, along with burek, a pastry filled with ground meats and cheeses. The top sellers are the lahmajuns—or Turkish flatbreads rolled with meats and dips—and pides, boat-shaped pizzas with toppings. The cafe also serves Bosnian and Herzegovinian wines by the glass. While you wait, you can peruse the shelves stacked with Balkan products alongside European cheeses, jams, and candy.

Mastiha Artisan Greek Bakery

Chef Katerina Georgallas—who sells her pita bread at MOM’s Organic Market, Roots, and Dawson’s Market—recently opened Mastiha Artisan Greek Bakery, a small storefront to sell her confections and Greek products. As the bakery has limited space and hours—Thursday through Saturday 9 to 4—most orders are to go, but on Saturdays, a pop-up sells specialty coffee drinks to accompany the phyllo pies and pastries. The Mastiha Taverna food truck operates in tandem with the bakery and is overseen by chef Rob Theriot, formerly of Tryst in Adams Morgan and founder of the Girl & the Vine in Takoma Park. The truck—which serves spit-roasted chicken and pork gyros stuffed with Greek-spiced fries, mezze sides such as spanakopita, and Georgallas’s pastries—parks itself at breweries, farmers markets, and private events, as well as in front of Mastiha Bakery.

Lil’ Cakes & Creamery

Chef and co-owner Mo Nadeem thinks big. He opened Lil’ Cakes & Creamery, a vast bakery on Rockville Pike, with the motto “Treat Yo’ Self.” Fittingly, the dessert shop sells dazzling cupcakes that are iced both on top and within, macarons in a Crayola box of colors, and a rotating selection of ice cream. There’s a spacious private party room, and the shop also sells custom cakes, cake jars, push pops, gluten-free desserts, and “pupcake” dog treats.

Clear Skies Meadery

Founders Manisha Eigner and Yancy Bodenstein started Clear Skies Meadery in Kentlands but recently transitioned to a Rockville industrial park to expand production of their fermented honey beverages. Using unfiltered, organic honey, they add fruit (including Maryland plums and cherries), walnuts, and even coffee to create their meads. The meadery serves beverages—including local beer and seltzers—from 26 taps, and you can order a flight of four or five meads. If it’s available, try Tart for the Heart, a passionfruit version that won a gold medal last year. There’s always a yoga class, acoustic concert, or trivia night happening, too.

Kumbia Restaurant

Co-owner Steven Tobar left Cuba Libre in DC to open Kumbia Restaurant, a nightlife destination in Rockville Town Square. The Latin American cocktails include classics such as caipirinhas (a Brazilian version of a lime daiquiri) and chilcanos (Peruvian cocktails with pisco, ginger ale, and juices), which are perfect accompaniments to the empanadas and salchipapas (hot dogs) on the happy-hour menu. At this energetic hot spot, patrons can dance to Latin tunes, even during brunch, while sipping the Kumbia Mega-Rita, a margarita in a goblet big enough for two.

Shop and Play

Dill Dinkers Pickleball Courts

The passion for pickleball—in both the US and this region—led Denise and Will Richards to open two franchises of Dill Dinkers Pickleball Courts. Last summer, they debuted in North Bethesda, then added a Rockville location in the fall. The sprawling building next to the Rockville Ice Arena has eight indoor courts plus an event space for parties. There’s also a pro shop where you can buy pickleball gear.

Bubble­Gum Spa

Catering to the 4-to-17-year-old set, Bubble­Gum Spa is a party venue that offers spa birthday packages with manicures and pedicures. Owner Valarie McCalla’s vision was inspired by her two daughters, who loved “pampering.” The party begins with glasses of sparkling lemonade, then guests don spa robes for their “treatments.” Other options include jewelry making, karaoke, high tea, and custom desserts. Parties for eight children begin at $700; an $8,000 luxury package includes a mini Prada or Christian Dior handbag for the honoree and the BubbleGum limo to transport guests from the birthday child’s home and back.

MWBC Shop Local

MWBC Shop Local is an incubator for Maryland women business owners. Every six months, a new cohort of budding entrepreneurs earn a spot to showcase their creations in the 1,320-square-foot shared storefront in Rockville Town Square. The women participate in retail training and mentorship while taking turns selling merchandise in the shop. Twelve graduates have gone on to open their own stores. Customers can interact with some of the artisans, thanks to events such as jewelry- and candle-making classes.

Nature by Trejok

The vintage teacups and elegant handmade leather shoes here have one thing in common: They were brought together by Kenia Garcia, owner of Nature by Trejok, who says most of the merchandise is designed by her family. Look for wraparound skirts and crocheted scarves by her mother, Narcisa Garcia, and pointy pumps designed by the owner herself, who before emigrating to the United States was an internal-medicine doctor in the Dominican Republic. Garcia began her business at MWBC Shop Local before expanding to her brick-and-mortar location.

Ebisu Japanese Life Store

At the sprawling Ebisu Japanese Life Store, shoppers are greeted by life-size anime characters and a wall of machines dispensing Japanese gashapon capsules stuffed with man-ga toys and other trinkets. Deeper into the store are rows of Japanese beauty products, stuffed animals, baby gear, mochi cakes, and gummy candies. Collectors will love the variety of Hello Kitty products, and home cooks will appreciate the sushi-­making kits and other kitchen supplies.

Neighborhood News

RedGate Park

The 131 acres that once were the now-closed golf course at RedGate Park present an intriguing challenge. In a town clamoring for more green space, the city welcomed comments to help plan a new park. While final decisions are still in the works, possible amenities include a trail network connecting to Rock Creek Park, an amphitheater, an arboretum, and additional sports fields. Or perhaps all of the above. Interested parties can follow the progress at engagerockville.com.

Twinbrook Quarter

The massive construction project on Rockville Pike next to the Twinbrook Metro station is a mixed-use project anchored by a new Wegmans grocery store. Twinbrook Quarter is set to add 450 upscale apartments and 248,000 square feet of “trophy” office space. The complex is scheduled to open, starting with Wegmans, in early 2025.

Shady Grove Innovation District

Biotech is Rockville’s largest industry, and the Shady Grove Innovation District is designed to promote research and development, enhance collaboration, and house state-of-the-art laboratories. Also set among the commercial buildings are luxury apartments and an outdoor plaza.

Luna Hall

Luna Hall, in Penn Quarter, is looking to open a second spot in Pike Center. While nothing is official, rumor is that it will include Buena Onda Baja Taqueria, a fast-casual concept by James Beard Award–winning chef Jose Garces (formerly of Rural Society). Its DC food court includes vendors such as Dumpling District and TKK Fried Chicken. No opening date has been announced.

What’s Selling

Rockville has a mix of single-family homes, townhouses, and condos. Many of the mixed-use developments congregate around the Rockville and Twinbrook Metro stations. Older homes on suburban streets are turning over, some as tear-downs, but many remain to house multigenerational families. Here’s an example of what has sold recently.

This article appears in the February 2024 issue of Washingtonian.