Updated: Junction Bakery & Bistro will be the newest tenant at The Collection at Chevy Chase, expected to arrive in December.
The fast-casual restaurant is based in Alexandria, Virginia, and is expanding to Chevy Chase and Capitol Hill. Owner Noe Landini said he’s hoping for an opening before Christmas, but worst case the restaurant would debut just after the new year.
Landini is making a return to the area after managing food and beverage at the nearby Ritz-Carlton. He said executives from the Chevy Chase Land Co., which operates The Collection, visited Junction in Alexandria and loved the brand and concept, kicking off a conversation about opening one in Chevy Chase.
Landini re-familiarized himself with the area and decided it would be a good fit.
“I was really impressed with what they had done and what they were doing,” Landini said.
The Collection is an upscale shopping center near the Friendship Heights Metro with several restaurants and shops, including Saks Fifth Avenue and Tiffany & Co.
The Alexandria restaurant has breakfast, lunch and dinner, featuring pastries and breads made fresh onsite at its bakery. The Chevy Chase location will have a similar concept, but will be supplied by the Alexandria bakery, leaving space for a full bar.
“It’s the only place we can have full service breakfast or lunch, and it can transition to the evening as happy hour, a place to meet friends, you have a full bar program and a really exciting cocktail program,” Landini said.
The Junction breakfast menu includes a wide array of baked goods, including muffins, scones and croissants, ranging from $3 to $5. Full breakfast dishes run $9 to $13. Lunch brings sandwiches, soups and salads, or two of the three for $14. Dinner offers family-style options such as pot roast or roast chicken, in addition to most of the lunchtime choices.
Junction also serves wine and craft beer.
Landini said he is not currently considering any additional Junction locations, concentrating on opening the Chevy Chase and Washington restaurants.
“That’s where we’re going to focus our time and attention for 2019,” Landini said.
The Chevy Chase Land Company is in the final stages of negotiations with a second restaurant but cannot share information about the tenant at this time, spokesperson Jenn Coursen said.
This story was updated to remove a reference to Cartier as a shop at The Collection.
