For our first Neighborhood Spotlight featuring a community outside of DC city limits, we chose Rockville, Maryland. Rockville is one of the most populous towns in Montgomery County, and although it’s a fairly easy half hour drive into Washington, Rockville offers plenty of things to do, drink, and eat in its own right! We’ve compiled some recommendations below for locals and visitors alike–as our list will prove to you, there’s really no need to fight Beltway traffic to have a good time!
What to Do
If you enjoy the performing arts, the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, located on the grounds of the Rockville Civic Center, features a variety of offerings including musicals, opera, and ballet and hosts over 100 shows a year. If you’re simply looking to stroll in a beautiful setting, no need to go far from the theater. The Civic Center grounds are beautiful (particularly in the spring), and boast a park, hiking trails, and the historic Glenview Mansion, which features stunning formal gardens, an art gallery on the second floor, and–no surprise here–is a very popular place for weddings and other special events. For more serenity, Lake Needwood is a beautiful setting, especially in the fall, to take out a canoe or simply walk your dog. And if nature isn’t your thing, Rockville Town Square has you covered with shopping, restaurants, a movie theater, ice skating in the winter, and even a public library all in one spot!
Where to Eat
Now, onto our favorite part of the neighborhood spotlight series: where to dine! If you’re a fan of dim sum, you must check out A&J Restaurant, which was named one of Washingtonian’s 100 best restaurants in the DC area in 2019. A&J features Northern Chinese fare with highlights such as pan fried pork dumplings, spicy noodle soups, garlic cucumbers, stir-fried mustard greens, plus mouth-watering soup dumplings. Expect a no frills experience (they don’t take credit cards or serve alcohol!) but you can stuff yourself with excellent and authentic dim sum at a very, very low cost! Also named one of Washingtonian’s 100 best in 2019 and also offering delicious fare at budget prices is La Limeña. Featuring a massive Peruvian-Cuban menu, La Limeña offers delicious ceviche, an excellent grilled trout, and the classic and delicious lomo saltado (steak stir fry with red onion, red peppers, and fries.) Other highlights include potage de frijoles (a bowl of black beans, Spanish sausage, ham, and pork) plus a very tasty roast pork sandwich with marinated red onions. And, we would be remiss not to mention the alfajores–soft cookie sandwiches stuffed with caramel! How can you resist?
Where to Drink
Rockville is home to 7 Locks Brewing, one of the most award winning breweries in Maryland, which features an extensive local craft beer list and a goal of fostering community. In addition to a wide selection of thoughtfully chosen beers, 7 Locks hosts live music on Saturday nights, trivia on Thursday nights, and open the taproom to humans and canines on Sundays! They also host frequent charity events, with proceeds going to animal welfare organizations and environmental causes. If you prefer something harder, look no further than Twin Valley Distillers, which when it opened in 2014 was the first distillery to operate in Montgomery County since Prohibition! Twin Valley boasts a selection of bourbon, rye whiskey, and rum made on site. For those who want an experience beyond just throwing back a few drinks, Twin Valley offers private tastings, tours of the distillery, and classes on the production and distillation of their spirits.
Finally, Real Estate
Now if all this talk of great restaurants and recreation has got you itching to move to Rockville, the Lise Howe Group just listed this charming 4 bedroom 3 bathroom Colonial in the desirable Manor Lake community. If you’re interested in this home or any other in Rockville, please give Lise a call at 240-401-5577! We would love to help you with any real estate needs.
