Prato has taken another significant step toward opening its first Maryland restaurant in Bethesda, with a $1.37 million permit recently issued for the buildout of its upcoming Bethesda Row location, according to Maryland Newsletters.
The Italian restaurant is coming to 7278 Woodmont Ave., taking over the former Matchbox space. Prato has been targeting a late fall 2026 opening. The $1.37 million permit covers the restaurant’s interior fitout and follows additional progress made over the summer, including Prato’s scheduled liquor license hearing with Montgomery County Alcohol Beverage Services in August.
“Your new go-to for Italian is arriving in Bethesda in late Fall 2026, featuring fresh, house-made pastas and wood-fired pizzas, rooted in tradition and elevated with seasonal ingredients,” Prato states on its website.
The Bethesda restaurant will be Prato’s second location and its first outside of Winter Park, Florida, where the original has operated for more than 14 years. Prato is expanding nationally under parent company Park Lights Hospitality, which also plans to open a Nashville location in early 2027.
When the Bethesda expansion was announced earlier this year, Park Lights Hospitality CEO Scott Bowman said the company was drawn to the area’s dining scene and community. “We couldn’t think of a better or more vibrant community than Bethesda to open our second Prato,” Bowman said.
The Bethesda space is expected to incorporate design elements from the original Winter Park restaurant. “Prato Winter Park is a special room,” Bowman previously said. “You feel the energy as soon as you walk in… Our goal is to recreate that feeling in Bethesda and become a place where the community gathers and returns again and again.”
An exact opening date has not yet been announced. We will provide an update when additional information becomes available.
