Terrain Cafe space is being gutted at Bethesda Row

The interior of the space vacated by Terrain Cafe at 7728 Woodmont Avenue at Bethesda Row last year is now being demolished. Terrain Cafe closed in December 2023. How Anthropologie & Co. intends to use the space going forward has not been publicly announced. The timing suggests it could become more retail display space for the holiday shopping season, but that is merely speculation.

Terrain Cafe closes at Bethesda Row

Terrain Cafe has permanently closed at 7728 Woodmont Avenue at Bethesda Row. "It is with great sadness that we permanently close the doors to Terrain Cafe in Bethesda, MD," the Terrain company said in a statement. "Thank you to our customers, neighbors, and employees for the years of support. Terrain retail store in Bethesda, MD remains open." It's sad to see the restaurant go at that corner, where the new plaza outside Terrain and Anthropologie is just being completed.

Anthropologie & Co., Terrain Cafe now open at Bethesda Row (Photos)

Three floors of shopping successfully opened in the former Barnes & Noble space at Bethesda Row yesterday. The turnout at Anthropologie & Co. was quite good, and diners were still trying out the department store's Terrain Cafe near 10:00 PM last night. A holiday theme is already setting the tone for Christmas shopping and winter wardrobes.

The cafe is helmed by Chef Kevin Ettenson, a veteran of Red's Table (where he was most recently executive chef), Arcuri, Sonoma, and Mad Fox Brewing Co. While the menu generally follows those of the other cafe locations around the country, you'll notice local ingredients exclusive to this outpost of Terrain, such as Maryland crab meat. This is the fifth Terrain Cafe nationwide.

 Advertisement

CLICK HERE if you are ready to
change Montgomery County for the better
on November 6

Store photos: Robert Dyer
Terrain Cafe and food photo: Andrew Sample

Bethesda construction update: Anthropologie & Co./Terrain Cafe at Bethesda Row (Photos)

Here's another exclusive sneak peek at the progress of construction inside Anthropologie & Co. and Terrain Cafe at Bethesda Row. All light fixtures and interior glass appear to be in place. You can also see a new staircase on the far right of the photo below.

Signs lit for Anthropologie & Co. and Terrain Cafe at Bethesda Row

More signs have been installed at the future Anthropologie & Co. at Bethesda Row, and some of them are now lit. Among the new signs are blade signs, meant to be seen by pedestrians walking along the sidewalks outside the former Barnes & Noble bookstore, and some for the restaurant that will be part of the new store, Terrain Cafe. Scroll down to see these, plus some exclusive updates on the interior construction of the store and cafe.

Imagine if your vote on Election Day
actually changed Montgomery County
for the better - lower taxes, unclogged roads,
high-quality schools and high-wage jobs
in every part of the County - CLICK HERE
if you are ready to change the County!

Anthropologie & Co. installs permanent sign at Bethesda Row

Anthropologie & Co. made the most visible update to the former Barnes & Noble building yet over the weekend. They have installed the permanent sign high up on the facade, where the bookstore once had its name. The retailer has previously promised its store and Terrain Garden Cafe will open in October.

First look at Anthropologie & Co. interior, Terrain Cafe seating at Bethesda Row (Photos)

We have our first sneak peek at the reconstructed interior of the former Barnes & Noble space for new tenant Anthropologie & Co. And, as my previous report correctly predicted, the associated Terrain Cafe's outdoor seating area is nearly completed, with only the addition of the actual tables and chairs remaining. Both will open this fall at 4801 Bethesda Avenue.

Will Anthropologie's Terrain Cafe outdoor seating at Bethesda Row go here? (Photos)

One of the big questions about the arrival of Anthropologie & Co. in the former Barnes & Noble bookstore space this fall at Bethesda Row has been how the outdoor seating for its Terrain Cafe will co-exist with the public gathering space and fountain on the plaza there. As construction picks up inside the store, some mystery work has begun on the outer edge of the Woodmont Avenue sidewalk alongside the future store. A portion of the sidewalk has been fenced off, and several parking spaces temporarily blocked off.

It appears possible that this space is being reconfigured to replicate the same outer sidewalk pattern of outdoor seating you find along the rest of Bethesda Row, rather than it being placed directly outside the doors of Anthropologie. This strategy could leave most of the public space on the plaza intact. The same approach could be used on the Bethesda Avenue side.

Anthropologie has stated the Terrain Cafe will include 260 SF of outdoor seating. Perhaps someone better at math can figure out if taking one or both of these sidewalk edges will provide that space in total, leaving the gathering space on the plaza untouched. Of course, there are some trees and vegetation along both areas that would have to be worked around.