Hyatt Regency Bethesda adding another restaurant

The totally-remodeled Hyatt Regency Bethesda hotel is adding another restaurant to its ground floor. Hotel sources had told me in 2017 of the ownership's plan to bring a new restaurant and a coffee shop to the property. Starbucks opened off of the hotel lobby in June of this year.

Now a construction permit has been requested for the unnamed restaurant, in a 1710 SF space. A different hotel source reports that the restaurant will be Brown Bag, but that the deal is not finalized yet. So I would categorize this as a rumor at this point, although it would seem odd to be requesting fit-out permits for a restaurant that isn't officially inked yet.

Brown Bag was a popular daytime lunch spot and catering business that was located in the Apex Building by the Regal Cinemas Bethesda 10 theater from 2002 until the building's recent closure and  demolition.

Brown Bag has continued catering in Bethesda, operating stores in other area locations, and began franchising in recent years. It was an early pioneer in offering fresh ingredients from local farms in its dishes, now a more-common boast at new restaurants in Bethesda. Downtown workers would certainly welcome the return of Brown Bag, but we'll have to stay tuned at this point.