Editor’s note: This article, originally published at 5:47 p.m. on April 15, 2025, was updated at 7:23 p.m. on April 15, 2025, to correct the spelling of Jad Bouchebel’s last name and to note that owner Tito Peña grew up in the D.C. area, not in the county.
Simona Café, a locally owned, all-day coffee shop, is expanding to downtown Bethesda, with plans to open its third location by early summer, according to owners Jad Bouchebel and Tito Peña.
Bouchebel and Peña, a Kensington resident, shared their plans with Bethesda Today on Tuesday but did not provide an exact date for the opening of their coffee shop at 4520 East West Highway.
Eater DC first reported the Simona Cafe’s opening in Bethesda.
The Bethesda shop will be next door to Sisters Sandwiches & Such, which opened last week, in a space previously occupied by a Starbucks on the ground floor of the Bethesda Office Center building.
It will be the coffee shop’s newest location in the Washington, D.C., region. In December 2022, Bouchebel and Peña opened their first location in Arlington, Virginia, and then opened another shop in August 2023 in the District’s NoMa neighborhood, according to the owners.
The café serves coffee and espresso drinks along with made-from-scratch baked goods, pastries and sandwiches on focaccia bread. Matcha lattes, tea and hot chocolate are also on the menu.
Simona Café’s Bethesda coffee shop is expected to offer beer and wine and charcuterie boards, as does its Arlington location.
The menu will be available all day, but Bouchebel and Peña said they were not sure what the shop’s hours of operation will be, noting the schedule would depend on the needs of the surrounding community.
Peña, who grew up in the D.C. area, said he and Bouchebel always thought of Bethesda as the next step in Simona Café’s expansion. The owners noted they aim to be a neighborhood café for residents and people working in the area.
“That’s always been our sort of vibe, a nice mix … of neighborhood people that you’re going to see every day but then … that nice commuter and office worker base,” Peña said.
For now, Peña and Bouchebel are busy building out the 1,300-square-foot space. According to the owners, the café will offer indoor and outdoor seating.
Once open, Bouchebel said he looks forward to hosting events, renting out the café space and getting to know the community.
“We love to do a lot of collaborations with the community, with different events. … We love to be involved,” Bouchebel said.
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Simona Café in Bethesda will have indoor and outdoor seating. Photo credit: Elia Griffin -
Simona Café has two other locations in Arlington, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Photo credit: Elia Griffin
