Big, big restaurant news in Bethesda this morning: The Salt Line is coming to Bethesda Row. One of the top dining destinations in the District, the seafood restaurant is familiar to Washington Nationals fans, who often pack the flagship location at 79 Potomac Avenue SE. The Bethesda Row location won't have those waterfront views, but it will have the cuisine that has earned The Salt Line a spot on the Washingtonian Top 100 Restaurants list, and several Rammy awards.
The Salt Line will be opening at 4900 Hampden Lane, an out-of-the-way corner of Bethesda Row that property owner Federal Realty wisely recognized requires a big brand or restaurateur name to draw a crowd, after Vapiano flopped there. Mike Isabella briefly delivered the latter, and big sales, there with his smashingly-successful Kapnos Kouzina. When Isabella's career imploded in 2018, Kapnos Kouzina went "poof" along with it.
Many in Bethesda were excited about another celebrity chef's expected opening of The Riggsby in the space, but Michael Schlow's restaurant group never began construction after its 2019 announcement, news of which I broke prior to the official announcement. Schlow did open Prima next door, but it closed after the pandemic hit, and the space got a hotter concept with CHIKO. Many were eagerly awaiting The Riggsby, and with good reason; let's hope Schlow can find another Bethesda space. But The Salt Line is arguably going to generate even more buzz.
The seafood tower at The Salt Line vies for Instagram supremacy with Le Diplomate's. Besides the famous raw bar selections, other popular dishes include Rockfish Tartare, the Nashville Hot Soft Shell Crab, Baked Pimento Crab Dip, and the New England Smash Burger.
This will be The Salt Line's first venture into Maryland. The growing chain also has a location in Ballston.
Glad that something is finally happening with this space. Looks good. It was only a matter of time for something to happen. The property was just sitting there vacant for so long.
ReplyDeleteGiven the failure of Prima and now The Riggsby, Michael Schlow's track record isn't that good. I wish him luck on a future endeavor, but I just don't think he can deliver a successful restaurant concept in Bethesda.
Salt Line is extremely good and the atmosphere is very inviting. This is good news indeed. So much of what Bethesda offers is sub par. This will be packed and for good reason.
ReplyDelete@5:52 This is not a dig at you, it's nothing personal, because your comment is a fair summation of gustatory life around here these days, but "...deliver a successful restaurant concept," reminded me that, once upon a time, good food was sufficient reason for people to go to a particular restaurant.
ReplyDelete@6:07 AM: That's true. People don't always go for the food. A successful restaurant owner will provide reasons for folks to go besides the food: See and be seen, dinner and a show, etc.
ReplyDelete@7:28 AM You might be confusing Bethesda with Melrose Drive when it comes to seen.
ReplyDelete@10:46 AM: You might be confusing your statement with an actual coherent response. Bethesda has plenty of hanging out and checking out. Get out of your basement.
ReplyDelete@11:59 AM Oh how you love to deflect and deny. Nothing was said about hanging out and checking out, it was see and be seen, learn the difference. No one would want to be seen near your dumbass.
ReplyDeleteOk guys, let's try to keep it civil.
ReplyDeleteSome people do want to see and be seen. Matthew Lesko holding court at an outdoor table at Bethesda Row, wearing a question mark suit is one example that comes to mind.
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