Columbia’s planned Merriweather District is starting to grow its restaurant roster, with the Howard Hughes Corporation today announcing plans to bring in D.C.-born pizza chain Matchbox, a new Thai restaurant and an Indian-inspired eatery from a Hanover restaurateur.
The latest Matchbox location will be located on Mango Tree Road in a 5,000-square-foot space with 150 seats. A release from the developer, which is pursuing a massive $5 billion, 30-year redevelopment project in the Howard County suburb, said the restaurant will have “multiple operable glass doors creating indoor/outdoor seating and a lively sidewalk scene.”
This will be Matchbox’s fourth Maryland outpost and 13th in all.
Dok Khao Thai Eatery, from the owners of Ashburn, Virginia’s Sense of Thai St., will open across from Columbia’s new Color Burst Park in a 3,400-square-spot with space for more than 100 guests, including outdoor seating.
The third announced new arrival, Clove and Cardamom, is the second restaurant from Satish Gunisetty, who opened Rangoli near Arundel Mills in 2012. It will fill a 2,680-square-foot space and have a menu that will “feature fresh and flavorful global fusion fare, infused with subtle Indian spices” plus “light options for the health conscious, vegan dishes and traditional Indian favorites,” per a release.
Matchbox and Clove and Cardamom are both due to open next summer; we’ve inquired about the timing for Dok Khao’s arrival.
“Today’s announcement is another significant milestone as we continue to transform the Merriweather District into a dynamic regional destination,” said Greg Fitchitt, president of the Howard Hughes Corporation’s Columbia office, in a statement.
The company last month announced it’s bringing in a new outpost for Busboys & Poets. The popular restaurant, bookstore and cafe is to be located in a 10,700-square-foot, two-floor building at Mango Tree Road and Valencia Lane. The space is being designed by JP2 Architects, with plans to open by next year.
The district, still in progress, already has a music venue from Clyde’s Restaurant Group called The Soundry. The Howard Hughes Corporation plans to add a new hotel, residences and plenty more retail space around the newly renovated Merriweather Post Pavilion, all part of a broader project covering 391 acres.
