The full-service Neapolitan pizzeria in Westfield Montgomery mall’s dining terrace will close Saturday, according to Christi Swanson, a Westfield spokeswoman.
Naples Ristorante e Pizzeria opened in May 2015 at the Bethesda mall in a 6,300-square-foot space that also included a quick-service pizza counter facing the food court.
However, it failed to catch on as a full-service restaurant as it competed against nearby fast-casual and fast-food restaurants such as Cava Grill, Chipotle and McDonald’s.
Another full-service restaurant, Met Bethesda, which debuted in November 2014 across from ArcLight Cinemas in the dining terrace, closed its doors in September.
Swanson said Wednesday that Westfield officials still believe full-service restaurants could succeed in the vacant spaces with the right concept. She said the mall expects to announce new tenants for the two spaces in the next couple of months.
She also said the new Lucky Strike bowling alley, which includes a gastropub, being built out at the mall expects to open in mid-February.
The restaurant included three wood-fired pizza ovens to make Neapolitan-style pies. Credit: Andrew Metcalf