Below is a list of businesses that have recently opened or are coming soon to Gaithersburg’s Kentlands:
Wonder, a “modern” food hall, opens Monday, August 10 in Kentlands. The restaurant is taking over part of the former Party City space, which is being subdivided into three separate storefronts following the retailer’s closure. Wonder has been described as a “delivery-first” food hall, offering a different approach from the traditional mall food court model. Instead of individual vendors operating separate stalls, Wonder runs a fully integrated kitchen where one team prepares all menu items. Much of the prep work is handled at a central hub in New Jersey, with dishes finished on-site using high-speed ovens designed for efficiency and consistency. The concept allows customers to combine meals from multiple well-known chefs and restaurants into a single order. That means someone can order a steak inspired by Bobby Flay, tacos associated with José Andrés, and pizza from Brooklyn’s famed Di Fara all at once, with everything arriving together in one bag and under one delivery fee.
Catlands, Montgomery County’s first adoptable cat lounge, is coming to 375 Main St., taking over the space that was previously home to the short-lived Baby Bar, which operated in 2023. After Baby Bar closed, signage for Colour Couture Salon was installed at the location, though the business ultimately never opened. According to Catlands, the boutique concept will combine a cat lounge with an adoption experience, inviting guests to “play, lounge, adopt” while interacting with adoptable cats in a relaxed setting. The business is currently targeting an October 2026 opening.
Gina’s Cucina Siciliana is preparing to open at 640 Center Point Way. The restaurant will be located in the space previously occupied by Cinco de Mayo, which closed in September 2025. The restaurant will highlight recipes originating from the Sicilian regions of Agrigento and Messina while drawing on the broader culinary influences that have shaped Sicilian cuisine for centuries. According to the restaurant, the concept grew out of a family’s effort to preserve the recipes of Gina, a Sicilian mother and grandmother who passed away in 2014. The menu will feature traditional Sicilian dishes such as arancini, spiedini, pasta puttanesca, chicken marsala, chicken piccata, Sicilian pizza, focaccia, and a variety of pasta dishes. The restaurant says its offerings are inspired by generations of family cooking and the culinary traditions of Sicily.
Arepa King is coming to 109A Market Street, taking over the space most recently occupied by Potomac Cookie Co. Arepa King specializes in authentic Venezuelan cuisine made fresh daily using fresh ingredients. Every arepa is prepared to order, and the corn-based arepas are naturally gluten-free. For first-time visitors, he recommends the restaurant’s signature King Arepa, also known as the traditional Arepa de Pabellón. The restaurant’s best-selling item is filled with shredded beef, black beans, sweet plantains and cheese. Another customer favorite is the tequeños, fresh cheese sticks wrapped in dough.
Compari Trattoria is coming soon to 72 Market Street, taking over the space most recently occupied by Caspian House of Kabob. While details remain limited, the restaurant has indicated that it will offer “modern Italian dining.” The space had been home to Caspian House of Kabob for many years before the restaurant permanently closed earlier this year.
VEG ER for Pets, also known as Veterinary Emergency Group, has also signed on to take over a portion of the former Party City space. The location will mark the first Montgomery County outpost for VEG ER for Pets, a rapidly growing network of emergency-only veterinary hospitals known for its unconventional approach to care. VEG facilities are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with no appointment required. Pet owners can walk in at any time or call ahead to speak directly with a veterinarian. The hospitals treat a wide range of animals, including dogs, cats, and exotic pets such as birds, reptiles, rabbits, and ferrets
The Paper Heart Bookstore is now open on the second floor at 200 Main Street, with its entrance located next to Grilled Oyster Co. The shop aims to serve as a neighborhood destination for readers, offering a curated selection of books across genres along with pre-orders and community engagement opportunities.
Sweathouz is coming to 107 Market St W in the space previously occupied by Poke Bros. Sweathouz specializes in contrast therapy, a wellness practice centered around deliberate exposure to alternating heat and cold. The company’s first Maryland location opened in March 2025 at 11564 Old Georgetown Road in North Bethesda.
Mattress Warehouse will occupy the second part of the former Buca di Beppo space, which closed in June 2024 before the chain’s bankruptcy filing.
Three New Restaurant/Retail Buildings Planned For Kentlands Square: Saul Centers, which manages a real estate portfolio including 61 properties such as Kentlands Square in Gaithersburg, has shared plans to develop three new restaurant/retail buildings on the parking area currently located between Giant/At Home and Chipotle/Lowes. Saul Holdings Limited Partnership submitted Schematic Development Plan Application SDP-9073-in to the City of Gaithersburg in 2021, requesting approval of three additional infill commercial buildings totaling 21,700 square feet and associated minor site changes. The Mayor and City Council approved the plan on April 4, 2022. This follows the earlier approvals for a 2,100 SF Starbucks building featuring a drive-through and outdoor seating, and a 4,700 SF Shake Shack building with outdoor seating– both of which have been built and opened in recent years. While specific restaurants and retailers have yet to be finalized, renderings suggest future possibilities such as a barbecue restaurant named “Modern BBQ” that resembles Mission BBQ, a store called “Bells & Whistles,” and a venue named “Wine Bar.”
Courtesy Saul Centers
