Editor’s note: This story was updated at 2:20 p.m. Aug. 3 to include comments from Malia’s Kitchen owner Adonis Adam.
Two new locally owned restaurants are expected to open this fall at the Westfield Montgomery shopping center in Bethesda, according to shopping center officials.
The food truck Malia’s Kitchen will open its first brick-and-mortar location in the mall’s dining terrace, according to a Monday night press release. The truck has served soul food and seafood in the region for the past three years.
Another food truck, District Falafel, also will open its first brick-and-mortar location in Westlake Crossing, an adjacent retail strip facing the main Westfield Montgomery shopping center. The food truck has served traditional Middle Eastern food in the area since 2015.
Adonis Adam, owner of Malia’s Kitchen, said the restaurant’s official opening will be Sept. 1. The menu will include crabcakes, fried shrimp, mac and cheese, brisket, pulled pork and hush puppies. In addition to the food truck’s offerings, there will be homemade desserts such as banana pudding and sweet potato pie.
He said customers have been “demanding” a restaurant location since the operating time and locations of the food truck are “often inconvenient.”
“Having a brick and mortar allows us to build our brand stronger to the general public and become a destination location for seafood and soul food in the Montgomery County region,” Adam said.
The new dining options will join recently opened sausage kiosk Halfsmoke and sushi bar Suki Hana.
“We are always thrilled to welcome new businesses and restaurants to Westfield Montgomery but there is something truly special about local, family-run businesses opening here in our center,” Westfield Montgomery general manager Christi Swanson said in the release.
Christine Zhu of Gaithersburg, a rising junior at the University of Maryland who is studying journalism and Spanish, is the Bethesda Beat summer intern.