Prima temporarily closed at Bethesda Row due to coronavirus pandemic

Prima, the fast casual Italian restaurant at 7280 Woodmont Avenue in downtown Bethesda, is temporarily closed. Although they were initially serving takeout orders after Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan mandated the closure of all dining rooms statewide, they have now decided to close until the pandemic pauses or ends.

The shuttering of Prima follows the closure of Chef Tony's yesterday, but one difference is that brown paper has been put up in the windows of Prima. Some restaurants in D.C. and other coronavirus-impacted cities have boarded up their storefronts as if a hurricane or riot was imminent (do they know something we don't know?); I've been waiting to see if that phenomenon extends to the suburbs or not. While the paper covers are forboding, the fact that the same chef-owner is about to open his The Riggsby concept right next door makes it unlikely that this would be the end for Prima here.