Wheaton

Wheaton, with a population of approximately 50,000 people, is known locally for its ethnic dining scene. Many ethnic restaurants in Wheaton have received awards for best-in-class food in the Washington D.C. area.

History

Before the arrival of the Europeans, the area was settled by the Piscataway. Wheaton got its name from the Wheaton Post Office, which was named after Union General Frank Wheaton, who defended Washington, D.C., from invading forces during the Civil War in July 1964.
Wheaton developed from a business district called Mitchell's Crossroads, named after Mitchell's Tavern. The business district developed at the junction of three roads, which are now called Georgia Avenue, Veirs Mill Road, and University Boulevard.
Before 1947, only 29,000 people were living in Wheaton, mostly on farms and large estates. By 1960, the population had grown tremendously, which led to the widening of Georgia Ave, also known as the "Avenue of Progress". Since then, many businesses have opened including the Wheaton Plaza Shopping Center (now Westfield Wheaton), built in 1959. Wheaton Regional Park was established in 1958.

By Metrorail

Coming out of the Wheaton Metro station on the Red Line, admire that escalator—it's the longest in the Western Hemisphere, and takes almost 3 minutes to ascend!

By car

The main streets running through the downtown are Georgia Avenue, Veirs Mill Road, and University Boulevard. The area where they converge is the center of commercial activity and great inexpensive restaurants.

By foot

Downtown Wheaton is very compact and dense with shops and restaurants. It is easy to walk around from the Metrorail station.

By bus

Metrobus and Ride-on-Bus operate service around Wheaton and to other points in Montgomery County.

Parks and gardens

• Brookside Gardens

  phone: +1 301 962-1448
  address: 1800 Glenallan Ave
  Beautiful and expansive botanic gardens. Visit the butterfly pavilion in the summer months—otherwise just take the opportunity for a romantic stroll.

• Wheaton Regional Park

  address: 1400 Glenallan Ave
  Established in 1958, this is a 538-acre regional park with a playground, picnic areas, miniature train rides, carousel rides, stocked lake for fishing, botanical gardens, nature center, hiking trails, riding stables, campground, ice skating (year-round), tennis courts, covered fields, and a dog park.

• Wheaton Veterans Urban Park

  address: 11200 Amherst Avenue
  Established in 1978, this park was created in remembrance and dedication to veterans.

Festivals and events

• Taste of Wheaton

  address: Grandview Avenue & Reedie Drive
  Food samples from Wheaton's best restaurants as well as live entertainment. Family-friendly event with activities for all ages, including face painting and balloon sculptures for children while parents can enjoy the sultry music provided by the DJ and live bands ranging from hip hop to jazz to country. There are also performances from organizations in the area, such as the Wheaton Studio of Dance.

• Thomas Market

  phone: +1 301 942-0839
  address: 2650 University Blvd W
  A gourmet food store specializing in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine.

• Westfield Wheaton

  phone: +1 301 942-3200
  address: 11160 Veirs Mill Rd
  Large indoor shopping mall that includes Aeropostale, American Eagle Outfitters, Bath & Body Works, Champs Sports, Charlotte Russe, Children's Place, Costco, Dick's Sporting Goods, DSW Shoes, Express, Foot Locker, Forever 21, FYE, GameStop, G by Guess, H&M, Hot Topic, JCPenney, Jo-Ann Fabrics & Crafts, Kay Jewelers, Lids, Macy's, Target, Vans, Victoria's Secret, and Zales Jewelers. Restaurants include Nando's Peri Peri, Panera Bread, Panda Express, Sarku Japan, Popeye's, and McDonalds. Also has an AMC movie theater.

• BeClaws

  phone: +1 301 833-3428
  address: 2404 University Blvd W
  A popular restaurant serving Cajun-Asian fusion food.

• Ben Yehuda Cafe & Pizzeria

  phone: +1 301 681-8900
  address: 1370 Lamberton Drive
  Kosher dairy restaurant with pizza and vegetarian mock meat.

• Cam Ranh Bay Pho & Grill

  phone: +1 301 933-1886
  address: 2646 University Blvd W
  Vietnamese food.

• El Pollo Rico

  phone: +1 301 942-4419
  address: 2517 University Blvd W
  Universally acclaimed in local, national, and international food circles is Wheaton's El Pollo Rico, serving unbeatable pollo a la brasa—Peruvian chicken roasted over smoky wood charcoals to just the perfect point at which a slight crisp falls upon the skin, over succulent, moist white and dark meat, and the spice fiesta of salt 'n pepper, huacatay, aji, cumin, achiote, garlic, and lemon magically penetrates the meat straight into the bone. EPR for a long time ran out of a can't-see-your-hand smoky little take-out only shack, but that burned down, and it's now in a cheery little eatery with tables for the few who aren't taking the bird home to the family. Lines are long, but move fast. Placing your order is simple: yell whole, half, or quarter, and then enjoy the sound of the lady's meat cleaver hitting the counter through the meat.

• Ertale Ethiopian Restaurant

  phone: +1 240 221-3349
  address: 2310 Price Avenue

• Filippo's Italian Specialties

  phone: +1 301 949-4150
  address: 11224 Triangle Lane
  Popular Italian deli.

• Full Key Restaurant

  phone: +1 301 933-8388
  address: 2227 University Blvd
  An unassuming but pleasant little eatery, offering Hong Kong cuisine into the wee hours of the night—wonderful noodle soups, soup dumplings, congee, and barbecued meats—the roast duck tends to run out, but you can call ahead to reserve a portion for a late night visit.

• Gourmet Inspirations Chinese Restaurant

  phone: +1 301 929-8818
  address: 2646 University Blvd W

• Kantuta's

  phone: +1 301 929-2865
  address: 2462 Ennalls Avenue
  Latin American diner.

• Max's Cafe

  phone: +1 301 949-6297
  address: 2319 University Blvd W
  Kosher meat restaurant with a selection of deli food as well as Israeli and American food.

• Moby Dick Sushi

  phone: +1 301 949-3910
  address: 11220 Triangle Lane
  Odd name for a Korean-run Japanese place. Korean-run Japanese restaurants are usually a lesson in cross-cultural misunderstanding, but this is an exception, run by an eminently competent and seasoned preparer of Japanese cuisine. Three reasons to come: great tempura, good sushi, and impressively low prices.

• Nava Thai

  phone: +1 240 430-0495
  address: 11301 Fern Street
  Served in a space that is comically and unmistakably a former cheesy Tex-Mex restaurant, Nava Thai's food is incredible, with a menu full of items Thai food lovers of the Western variety will not recognize. Dishes range from those ablaze with chilis, garlic, and curries, to those with a more subtle cilantro or perhaps pig's blood. The sweet and sour squid is famous, but if you want to play it safer, the husband and wife team here are experts with the noodle dishes, and you'd have trouble finding a better pad thai anywhere, except Ruan, of course.

• Nick's Diner

  phone: +1 571 933-5459
  address: 11199 Veirs Mill Road
  Old-school family-run diner with Greek menu options. Breakfast and lunch only.

• Nut House Pizza

  phone: +1 301 942-5900
  address: 11419 Georgia Avenue
  Voted as the best kosher pizza by Washingtonian Magazine.

• Paul Kee Restaurant

  phone: +1 301 933-6886
  address: 11305 Georgia Avenue
  Delicious, authentic Cantonese food served to a mostly Cantonese clientele. The service and ambiance are also authentically Cantonese, but they are also hallmarks of a place that serves great food at low prices. The roast and crispy meat dishes tend to be especially good bets.

• Ren's Ramen

  phone: +1 301 693-0806
  address: 11403 Amherst Avenue
  D.C.'s ramen scene is not as well-developed as New York, but this place comes pretty close. Very flavorful broth and delicious chewy noodles, no matter which variant of ramen you choose. The dumplings are also tasty.

• Ruan Thai

  phone: +1 301 942-0075
  address: 11407 Amherst Avenue
  Trying to decide whether to eat at Nava or Ruan is best decided by a coin flip—they are both fantastic, small, and as authentic as they come. Aside from walking distance, Ruan is a little divier and marginally less expensive, which is either a plus or minus depending on your outlook. It also serves an incredible smoked eggplant salad, a fiery crispy whole red snapper, and killer larb.

• Thai Taste by Kob

  phone: +1 301 942-0288
  address: 11315 Fern Street
  Street-style Thai food.

• Woomi Garden

  phone: +1 301 933-0100
  address: 2423 Hickerson Drive
  Korean barbecue, hot pot, sushi, and Japanese food.

Most restaurants serve alcohol.
Try the various exotic drinks at international restaurants and markets. The Asian markets usually carry great loose-leaf teas at bargain prices; Thai restaurants serve Thai iced coffee and tea; the Latino places have tasty tamarindo juice, horchata, and even delicious atoles, the fabled warm, thick corn drink of the Mayas; the Ethiopian restaurants have honey wine and great coffee; Middle Eastern markets have great Turkish and Iraqi pomegranate juice; etc.

• Legends Billards

  phone: +1 301 946-3243
  address: 11317 Elkin Street
  A sports bar and pool hall. The bar offers specials on certain nights. Hosts parties for all sporting events year round such as March Madness, and Superbowl Sunday.

• Limerick Pub

  phone: +1 301 946-3232
  address: 11301 Elkin Street
  Irish pub with live folk music and Irish food.

Wheaton does not have any hotels. There are many hotels in downtown Silver Spring, just two stations away on Metrorail's Red Line.

• Wheaton Interim Public Library

  phone: +1 240-777-0678
  address: 2400 Arcola Avenue
  Free internet and wi-fi available. Ask a librarian for an Internet Card to use a computer.

• Glenmont
• Silver Spring
• Washington D.C.