James Beard Winner Will Put His First Fast-Casual Restaurant in an Old Taylor Gourmet

James Beard award-winning chef and restaurateur Michael Schlow just snapped up a shuttered Taylor Gourmet space in Bethesda, with plans to tee up the site for his debut fast-casual restaurant, Prima.

Eater spotted “coming soon” signage for the new eatery (7280 Woodmont Avenue). The space will get a redesign, and the construction process has not yet started, a representative for Schlow tells Eater, adding that no other Prima locations are in the works for now.

Federal Realty Trust’s Bethesda Row has dealt with part of a huge vacancy on a block that saw the disappearance of both Taylor Gourmet and Kapnos Kouzina.

Spiro Pappadopoulos, CEO of Schlow Restaurant Group, told Bethesda Magazine the Prima menu will be heavy on local vegetables, fresh herbs, legumes, and sustainable meat and fish. In an interview with Restaurant Hospitality, Schlow says Prima will be “surprising” and won’t feature typical pasta dishes. Blogger Robert Dyer first reported on Prima’s lease.

Schlow is continuing to expand his 11-restaurant portfolio this year with a debut Asian concept in Detroit and a new food hall in Boston.

In D.C., the established restaurateur has Alta Strada and Casolare for Italian food along with Tico for Latin American, the Riggsby for classic American, the recently opened Nama for sushi.

• Fast-Casual Italian, Prima, Coming to Bethesda [Bethesda Mag]
• Chef Michael Schlow expands his restaurant empire [Restaurant Hospitality]
• Prima to open in Taylor Gourmet space at Bethesda Row [Robert Dyer]