9 New Restaurants Coming to College Park

Whether you are a foodie hunting for regional Chinese cuisine, a burger buff eager to satisfy your cravings or an ice cream aficionado seeking something for your sweet tooth, a slew of new restaurant openings this fall and winter in College Park should be on your radar.

Many of the restaurants making their local debut or relocating are led by DMV restauranteurs, but some national favorites is also in the mix.

Meanwhile, the state has nearly finished its $29 million upgrade of Baltimore Avenue near the University of Maryland campus, with the addition of bike lanes, widened sidewalks, resurfaced roadway and new landscaping, medians and lighting. The project enhances Greater College Park, the $2 billion initiative to reinvigorate the town, making new destinations more inviting and safer to reach.

Taqueria Habanero will reopen at the former Jimmy John’s location on Baltimore Avenue. (Photo: Taqueria Habanero/Instagram)

Taqueria Habanero

Taqueria Habanero is a local favorite — even President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have visited its Northeast D.C. location for Cinco de Mayo. Many locals were saddened when its prior location at 8147 Baltimore Ave. closed last October due to the redevelopment of the Campus Village Shoppes into a 299-unit student housing complex by LV Collective.

The Mexican restaurant has made the Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand list the last four years.

The restaurant, which has been operating out of a food truck in College Park for the last year, has secured a new space at 7410A Baltimore Ave., the former home of Jimmy John’s, and hopes to reopen this fall. They also have locations in Columbia Heights and the Bryant Street Market NE in D.C.

The Green Turtle will open in the College Park Shopping Center this fall. (Photo: Riley Sims/University of Maryland)

The Greene Turtle

The Green Turtle sports bar and grill boasts 33 locations, the vast majority of which are in Maryland. It is set to open this fall in the College Park Shopping Center, 7356 Baltimore Ave., in the space previously occupied by Jason’s Deli.

Started in Ocean City, Md., in 1976 as an English-style pub, it transformed into a sports bar in 1981.

The local chain closed its Capitol One Arena location, which opened in 2007, in April 2019. It opened at 1237 First St. SE near Nationals Park in August 2022.

Honey Pig Korean BBQ will replace Rugged Warehouse in the College Park Shopping Center this fall.
(Photo: Honey Pig Korean BBQ/Facebook)

Honey Pig Korean BBQ

With seven locations across Maryland and Virginia, as well as three in Texas, Honey Pig Korean BBQ is bringing its smoky and slightly sweet delicacies grilled at the table to Prince George’s County. It is slated to open this fall as another addition to the College Park Shopping Center, filling a portion of the former Rugged Warehouse space, 7326 Baltimore Ave.

The Annandale, Va.,-based hot pot and BBQ restaurant has 10 locations in Virginia, Maryland and Texas and is opening new locations Fredericksburg, Va., and Orlando, Fla., in addition to College Park.

It is known for it all-you-can-eat smoky meat barbecued Korean-style such as spicy pork belly and thinly sliced and marinated beef bulgogi, along with chicken and seafood cooked at the table. Meals also include banchan (Korean side dishes) such as kimchi and daikon radish.

Li Chun Café

From the team behind another local and highly lauded restaurant comes Li Chun Café a new concept to College Park’s City Hall property, 7401 Baltimore Ave. Northwest Chinese Food owner Hua Wang plans to introduce the traditional flavors of her hometown, Shenyang City in Liaoning Province in Northeast China, to College Park.

The restaurant will focus on rice and handmade bing (Chinese flatbread wraps) as well as traditional tea and tea snacks. The restaurant is slated to open in February, just in time to warm customers through the winter. It will occupy the former Taïm Mediterranean Kitchen space, which opened in February 2023 and closed in April 2024.

Ice Cream Jubilee opened in the new Aster apartments on Sept. 6. (Photo: Ice Cream Jubilee/Instagram)

Ice Cream Jubilee

With five locations in the DMV and two more on the way, Ice Cream Jubilee opened its fifth location on Sept. 6 at 4430 Calvert Road in the Aster development. It represents the brand’s initial foray into Maryland.

“The College Park community has been on our radar for some time, and we’re thrilled to finally bring our award-winning ice cream to this vibrant area,” Chief Marketing Officer Laura O’Shaughnessy said in a press release. “We look forward to becoming a sweet spot for students, neighbors and families, and everyone who loves a treat! ”

The shop offers whimsical flavors such as Red Bean Almond Cookie, Orange Dreamsicle and Blueberry Crisp, along with vegan and dairy-free options. It also will open locations in Tenlytown and West Falls Church.

Shake Shack, Chop’t and Duck Donuts will all open in the new Union on Knox student apartments later this fall.
(Photo: Shake Shack/Facebook)

Shake Shack, Chop’t, Duck Donuts

Complementing all the local flavors, several prominent national chains are bringing their wares to College Park this fall. Shake Shack, Chop’t Creative Salad Co. and Duck Donuts are all building out spaces at Union on Knox student apartments, 4350 Knox Road, when 7-Eleven and Marathon Deli used to be.

All three are expected to open later this fall.

Raising Cane will open next fall in the former Nando’s location. (Photo: Colleen Neely/The Diamondback)

Raising Cane’s

In addition to the national retailers coming to Union on Knox, chicken finger emporium Raising Cane’s will be taking over the space recently vacated by Nando’s Peri-Peri at 7400 Baltimore Ave.
Before Nando’s, the space was occupied by Ratsie’s pizzeria.

The restaurant is expected to open in August or September of next year.