AROMA ESPRESSO BAR - ISRAEL'S BIGGEST COFFEE CHAIN - TO OPEN BETHESDA LOCATION IN DECEMBER

UNIQUE MENU ITEMS

COMING TO

WESTFIELD MONTGOMERY

LOCATION

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive

Big news for Bethesda caffeine fiends:  The Israeli version of Starbucks, Aroma Espresso Bar, will open a Bethesda location in December 2012.

Aroma has chosen to expand in some interesting and underrated locales, such as Romania, Ukraine and Poland.  Their US expansion has been largest in New York City.

I've never been to an Aroma cafe, so I have to turn to my NYC sources, who have been to the Upper West Side location.  Their consensus was that the coffee was no better or worse than Starbucks, and the food was what gave Aroma an advantage over competitors.

Well, I'm looking forward to giving Aroma a try, and coming to my own conclusions.

Examining their menu, I notice they have some unique items:  Alfajor South American cookies, Rugalach, Pancake Bites, and Bulgarian pastries called Bureka.  But they are savory pastries, rather than sweet.

There is a Mediterranean influence on the sandwich, salad and breakfast menus, and a pudding called Sachlav, with coconut, pistachio and cinnamon.

I'd like to have more international chains like this open here.  Vapiano and Kraze Burger were two of the most interesting restaurants to open in recent years, and their origins overseas brought new variety to their menus.

Look forward to taking a caffeine break during holiday shopping this December, at Aroma in Westfield Montgomery Mall!