According to mall spokesperson Jenn Buonanotte, the Commas food hall is slated to open in early May at Ellsworth Place in downtown Silver Spring.
Buonanotte told the Source this week that some eateries may open before May, and a grand opening celebration is planned for this summer.
The opening of Commas has been delayed from late 2023 due to construction and renovation issues in the space formerly occupied by F21 Red, which led to the cancellation of its previously planned grand opening last fall.
A hearing for Commas’ liquor license application and hiring events were held in the summer and fall, respectively. Some positions are still open ahead of the food hall’s planned spring opening.
“The merchants at Commas Food Hall located on Level 3 in Ellsworth Place are expected to start opening by early May, if not before,” Buonanotte said. “Currently, we are planning a celebration in early Summer to honor the opening of Silver Spring’s latest food destination. More details will be available over the next 30-45 days.”
Commas will be the second food hall in downtown Silver Spring; Solaire Social opened last May on the ground floor of the Solaire 8200 Dixon apartment building.
“We’ve been working hard to create an international dining experience like no other,” GBT Realty managing director of operations Trey Culpepper said last year. “Silver Spring is consistently named one of the nation’s most ethnically diverse cities, and Commas is a celebration of this diversity. In this space, you can travel from continent to continent with every bite.”
Brentwood, Tenn.-based GBT Realty acquired Ellsworth Place from previous owner Petri Richardson Ventures in 2018 and announced plans to build a nearly 20-story, 450-unit residential tower above the mall in 2023.
According to Bethesda Magazine, eight eateries are currently signed on to open at the food hall, including Persian eatery 6 Skewers, Claude Have Mercy, which serves classic American dishes with a West African twist, and MoMo Hub, an eatery offering Nepalese dumplings called “Momos.”
The food hall’s other eateries will be The Champs Kitchen, a Caribbean street food spot; C³ Bar; J&J Mex-Taqueria, a family-owned Tex-Mex restaurant; Tato’s, a loaded potato eatery; and Tokoa Cheesesteaks.
J&J Mex-Taqueria’s stall at Commas will be its second in downtown Silver Spring; the D.C.-based eatery opened at Solaire Social last December.
Rendering Courtesy of Commas / Ellsworth Place