With the start of autumn in Montgomery County, Maryland, comes the beginning of cozy food season, when hearty dishes help us adjust to colder weather. Check out recommended picks of the best fall seasonal dishes from restaurants, eateries, and craft beverage producers ready for the fall season.
Restaurants
From comfort foods to tasty beverages, it was easy to find seasonal drinks and menu items bursting with fall flavors in Montgomery County, Maryland. Below, you’ll find just a sampling of some of our favorites, including Apple Pie-Stuffed French Toast, Roasted Acorn Squash Flatbread, and Grumpkin Smoked Pumpkin Ale.
Silver Diner
Rockville & Gaithersburg
Crafted by Chef Ype, Silver Diner is no stranger to locally sourced dishes inspired by the fall season. Choose from the Creekstone Farms Meatballs and pappardelle, swimming in a hearty marinara with English peas, mushrooms, and roasted butternut squash, or Pork Chops breaded in panko and served with sauteed apple cider kale, bacon, and butternut squash mac and cheese. If you’re looking for a sweeter choice, try the Apple Pie-Stuffed French Toast, crusted in cinnamon sugar, layered with vanilla crème, and served with roasted apples, pomegranate, and drizzled salted caramel.
Caruso’s Grocery
North Bethesda
Experience an old-school Italian-American ‘red sauce’ restaurant at Pike & Rose in North Bethesda. At Caruso’s Grocery, try traditional dishes like chicken parmesan, mozzarella en Carozza, or creamy burrata with basil pesto, toasted pine nuts, and garlic bread. You can’t go wrong with fall comfort food like a Baked Eggplant Rollatini. For something sweet after your meal, get the Classic Tiramisu or wine down with an Espresso Martini.
True Food Kitchen
Bethesda and Gaithersburg
For a healthier take on fall flavors, True Food Kitchen is a scratch bar and seasonal restaurant with locations at Rio Lakefront and in Bethesda. These chefs create classic dishes with a seasonal twist, like their Seasonal Tomato Basil Soup Bow with Parmesan and basil garnish. True Food Kitchen is also 100% seed oil-free, which means they only cook exclusively with avocado and olive oils.
Mon Ami Gabi
Bethesda
Located in Bethesda, Mon Ami Gabi is a French restaurant that serves up classic French cuisine. Sit down with friends, or have a date night with your loved one. Try the Onion Soup au Gratin with Jarlsberg cheese, a Bordelaise Steak Frites with caramelized onion and a red wine sauce. Finish up the night with a Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee with vanilla bean custard and a burnt sugar top, or an Apple Tarte Tatin with Caramel Sauce and Vanilla Ice Cream.
Fogo de Chao
North Bethesda
For an upscale all-you-can-eat experience, head to Fogo de Chao, located in Pike & Rose. For $65 per person, indulge in an authentic churrasco experience with tableside carving of Brazilian cuts of meat, including Picanha, Fraldinha, as well as roasted chicken, lamb, and more. The bar offers all-day happy hour with small bites and crafted cocktails. Try the Braised Beef Rib Sliders with Xingu-beer braised beef, caramelized onions, smoked provolone, with a brioche bun.
Tastemakers Trail
Waredaca Brewing Company
Laytonsville
Locals also enjoy a Grumpkin Smoked Pumpkin Ale from Waredaca Brewing Company, a complex porter-style ale with smoky, pumpkin, and spiced notes.
Elder Pine Brewing and Blending Company
Gaithersburg
Tucked away on an old Christmas tree farm in Gaithersburg, Elder Pine Brewing and Blending Co. Take your furry friend to their dog-friendly picnic tables and grab a pint of Autumn Awaits. This is a Marzen brewed with barley, Saaz, and lagered for over three months for an intense, classic maltiness.
Two Story Chimney Ciderworks
Gaithersburg
Try Two Story Chimney Ciderworks Over the Falls Barrel Aged Cider, which was aged in red wine barrels with complex flavors of hints of oak and red wine from the aging process.
Doc Waters Cidery
Germantown
If apples are your preferred fall flavor, try Doc Waters Oak Aged Still Cider, an award-winning dry cider, slow cold fermented from their own apples, then aged with French oak to develop depth of flavor and notes of vanilla.
Seasonal Fall Drinks
Locals Farm Market
Poolesville
Locals Farm Market in Poolesville is a local treasure with delicious food made with farm-to-table ingredients. They are a full-service restaurant serving up breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For a special handcrafted fall drink, try a Maple Latte made with espresso and local maple syrup.
Centrado Cafe
Burtonsville
A small cafe in a shopping center in East County. Centrado Cafe Shop sources its origin coffee from Central America and is roasted locally at Mayorga Coffee. Their fall specialty drink is a Horchata Shaken Espresso with a Guatemalan Horchata Base, espresso, and oat milk, which is shaken with ice. For something different, grab a Choco-Banano Frappe with banana, dark and milk chocolate, and espresso.
Paris Baguette
Rockville
This bakery in Rockville and Bethesda puts out an amazing assortment of pastries, cakes, savory sandwiches, and snacks. They’re also known for their iced and hot beverages. This fall season, grab an Iced Pumpkin Pie Latte, Pumpkin Pie Sweet Cream Cold Brew, or Iced Cookie Butter Macchiato. These drinks pair well with their fall treats, like a pumpkin pie tart, mini pecan pie, and a Biscoff Cookie Butter Cruffin, a croissant, and a muffin.
