Neighborhood Guide: Where to Eat, Shop, and Play in Silver Spring

"In 1840, when Francis Preston Blair and his daughter came across a "mica-flecked" spring near present-day Georgia Avenue, he fell in love with the land and built a summer home there-calling it "Silver Spring" after the minerals he spied in the water. The area boomed as a major retail center after World War II, suffered through a period of decline in the '80s when prominent businesses including Hecht's department store relocated, and enjoyed a rebirth in the aughts after construction of a downtown mall, now called Ellsworth Place."

"Plantains are the thing at Punta Cana Tropical Grill, a Dominican lunch counter founded by Maryland native Margarita Rodriguez in December 2024. Try the plantains in the made-to-order mofongo, which is mashed and fried with shrimp, chicken, or chicharrón-a pork belly fried to crispy perfection by chef Yacelis Cabiales."

"A longtime favorite in Wheaton, the Bolivian restaurant Kantutas reopened at a larger Silver Spring location in summer 2023. Find comforting traditional dishes like silpancho-rice topped with breaded chicken or beef cutlets, baked potato, and fried eggs in a zippy tomato-onion salsa. Weekend specials include slow-cooked pork-rib stew and (available only on Sundays) lamb's-head soup with potatoes and rice."

Silver Spring originated in 1840 when Francis Preston Blair discovered a mineral-rich spring and built a summer home he named after its mica-flecked waters. The area flourished as a major retail center following World War II but experienced significant decline during the 1980s when major businesses like Hecht's department store relocated. A revitalization began in the 2000s following downtown mall construction, now called Ellsworth Place. The suburb continues expanding with anticipated Purple Line light rail completion. The area now features diverse dining options including Dominican, Bolivian, and Central American cuisines, alongside shopping and entertainment venues, plus a notable museum displaying historical artifacts.

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