7 Fresh Food & Drink Picks in Maryland

Maryland's food and drink scene has become so diverse that choosing where to dine is as difficult as deciding between the NBA finals and the season finale of Game of Thrones. We've selected seven of the biggest movers and shakers to help you get a lay of the land. They range from restaurants in a shopping mall to a new Silver Spring spot that allows customers to make wine.

At MET Bethesda in the Westfield Montgomery Mall, the menu pulls from Asian, Mediterranean, Italian and American cuisines. We snapped one of the restaurant’s signature dishes—The MET rice bowl with sliced sirloin and toppings akin to Korean bibimbap. The star of the beverage program is a stunning lineup of taps containing fresh fruit juice, which can be mixed and matched to create a cocktail carrying as little guilt as possible. MET Bethesda serves lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch.

Silver Spring got a one-of-a-kind winery in June when married couple Damon and Georgia Callis opened their longtime dream. The Urban Winery sources grapes from near and far, including Portland, New York, Chile and Argentina before producing wine on site. What’s even more enticing is that customers are permitted to make their own wine—a great activity for groups, since the yield is 24-30 bottles. Friends can bottle their wine, cork it, and even design a custom label before bidding it adieu to age. If that’s too ambitious, just stop by for a glass and a bite. They’re open Tues-Fri from 5-11pm; Sat noon-11pm; and Sunday noon-8pm.

Owner Jennifer Meltzer may be from Silver Spring, but it’s her summers in Cape Cod that inspired All Set’s New England vibe. The menu in the nautically appointed dining room reads like a who’s who of seafood dishes, including fish & chips, lobster rolls, mussels, fish tacos, clam chowder and crab cakes. For a Maryland twist, their signature dish is fried whole belly clams served with Old Bay tartar sauce. If clams make your world go round, consider visiting on Sundays when a prix fixe clambake is $35. All Set serves weekday lunch, dinner nightly, and brunch is on the way.

City Perch Kitchen + Bar

North Bethesda received a culinary injection starting in late 2014 when City Perch Kitchen + Bar opened in the new Pike & Rose development, soon to be followed by Jeff Mahin’s restaurants. Chef Matt Baker runs the kitchen at City Perch, bringing an impressive resume, including a stop at Minibar by José Andrés. His menu, which includes dishes co-created by James Beard award winner Sherry Yard, is luxurious to say the least, featuring a foie gras torchon, lobster bisque, shellfish tower and a giant 36 oz porterhouse. Even a humble waffle is made exciting with smoked salmon, dill, crème fraiche and trout roe (pictured). Cocktail-wise your best bet is to share one of three punches (four servings) with friends like “Bearskin” with ham-infused whiskey, maple, smoked tea and bitters. City Perch serves weekday lunch, weekend brunch, social hour and nightly dinner.

June 29 will mark the major opening of AG Kitchen in Silver Spring. A peek into the restaurant during training revealed a space so brightly colored that Pharrell Williams’ Happy should be playing on repeat. AG Kitchen is from Alex Garcia, a New York chef who is known for hosting The Melting Pot on the Food Network, in addition to being an active chef and restaurateur. Expect Latin and American cuisine, including ceviche, crab cake sliders, Cuban sandwiches, and an impressive lineup of burgers. The restaurant will serve lunch, dinner and weekend brunch.

Wafts of Neapolitan pizza may be what brings you into Naples Ristorante e Pizzeria e Bar inside the Westfield Montgomery Mall, but you’ll find the space is somewhere you would like to spend time thanks to the dramatically high ceilings and relaxed atmosphere. Start a meal with a wine list that boasts wines from Italy by the glass and by the cortino, which General Manager Mark Harkins explains is for “when you don’t want two glasses of wine, but one is not enough.” Then explore the menu of small plates, pizza, salads, and entrees like sirloin made delicious by Pecorino zabaglione. Also visit Naples during their aperitivo happy hour from 4-6pm when free bites are passed around to complement discounted drinks. Lunch and dinner are currently offered seven days a week.

Silver Spring brewery and taproom Denizens Brewing Co is readying to celebrate its one-year anniversary. The spot has become a favorite weekend hang with plentiful outdoor seating, corn hole and plates from beloved food truck BBQ Bus. The beer, however, is the star. Five flagship brews are available on draft, with five more seasonally rotating beers also available. No fun is spared when naming their beers like the “Wee Bit Funkay Wee Heavy” or the “Sex Panther India Black Lager.” See if you can spot co-founders Jeff Ramirez, Emily Bruno, Julie Verratti or Taylor Barnes on your next visit. Yes, that’s right, a female majority-owned brewery. Denizens Brewing Co. is open Mon-Thurs from 4-11pm; Fri 3pm-1am; Sat 1pm-1am; and Sun 1-10pm.