Greene Turtle, Raising Cane’s, Honey Pig Among Big-Name Eateries Coming to Greater College Park
Local Faves Taqueria Habanero to Reopen, Northwest Chinese Launches New Concept; More Housing Coming
In addition to the national retailers coming to Union on Knox, including Shake Shack and Chop't, Raising Cane’s will be taking over the space recently vacated by Nando’s Peri-Peri at 7400 Baltimore Ave. The restaurants are among many updates coming to Greater College Park.
Photo by Riley Sims Ph.D. ’23
Whether you’re a dedicated foodie hunting for regional Chinese cuisine, a burger buff eager to satisfy your cravings or an ice cream aficionado seeking something for your sweet tooth, a slew of new business openings this fall and winter in Greater College Park are sure to be of interest.
Notably, many making their local debut or relocating are led by DMV entrepreneurs, but an array of national favorites is also in the mix. They’ll be joined by new housing targeting both University of Maryland students and employees.
Meanwhile, the state has nearly finished its $29 million upgrade of Baltimore Avenue near campus, with the addition of bike lanes, widened sidewalks, resurfaced roadway, and new landscaping, medians and lighting. The project enhances Greater College Park, the $2 billion initiative to reinvigorate the community, making new destinations more inviting and safer to reach than ever before.
“For the first time, the complete street project that has been a long time coming and [entailed] a lot of construction is really becoming clear and [getting us closer] to one of our main objectives to convert Baltimore Avenue into the main street of College Park,” said Ken Ulman, UMD’s chief strategy officer for economic development and president of the Terrapin Development Co. “I think those bike lanes and the medians really start to drive that home.”
Here’s a rundown of some of the new businesses that UMD students, faculty and employees as well as local residents and visitors can look forward to enjoying in the coming months.
Photo by Riley Sims Ph.D. ’23
Taqueria Habanero: This Mexican restaurant is another local favorite—even meriting a visit from President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris—and many Terps and other locals were saddened when the restaurant’s prior location was displaced last year by the redevelopment of the Campus Village complex. But the owners have secured a new space at 7410A Baltimore Ave., former home of Jimmy John’s, and hope to reopen this fall.
Photo by Riley Sims Ph.D. ’23
The Greene Turtle: This sports bar and grill boasts 33 locations, the vast majority of which are in Maryland. It is set to open this fall in the College Park Shopping Center, in the site previously occupied by Jason’s Deli.
Honey Pig Korean BBQ: With seven locations across Maryland and Virginia, as well as three in Texas, Honey Pig is bringing its smoky and slightly sweet delicacies grilled right at the table to Prince George’s County this fall as another addition to the College Park Shopping Center, backfilling a portion of the former Rugged Warehouse space.
Li Chun Café: From the team behind another local and highly lauded institution (It’s locked a spot on Washingtonian’s annual “Very Best Restaurants” list) comes a new concept to College Park’s City Hall property. Northwest Chinese owner Hua Wang plans to introduce the traditional flavors of her hometown, Shenyang City in Northeast China, to College Park. The restaurant will focus on rice and handmade bing (Chinese flatbread wraps) as well as traditional tea and tea snacks. The restaurant is slated to open in February, just in time to warm customers through the winter. It will occupy the former Taïm Mediterranean Kitchen space in the College Park City Hall property.
Photo courtesy of Ice Cream Jubilee
Ice Cream Jubilee: With five locations in the DMV and two more on the way, Ice Cream Jubilee is rapidly becoming a local success story. It’s been named best ice cream for the past nine years by Washingtonian magazine and Washington City Paper, and its location in the Aster development on Baltimore Avenue, which opened in August, represents the brand’s initial foray into Maryland. "For years our customers have been asking us to consider College Park for a new location,” Chief Marketing Officer Laura O'Shaughnessy said. “It's a dream come true to be part of the local scene, and we can't wait to celebrate the joy of ice cream with all our new neighbors!"
Raising Cane’s: In addition to the national retailers coming to Union on Knox, this chicken finger emporium will be taking over the space recently vacated by Nando’s Peri-Peri at 7400 Baltimore Ave.
Union on Knox: Complementing all these local flavors, several prominent national chains are bringing their wares to College Park this fall. Shake Shack and Chop’t are both building out spaces in Union on Knox, which just opened to student residents. The property offers a range of one- to four-bedroom apartments and will also be the new home of Insomnia Cookies, which will relocate from its existing location this winter.
Flats at College Park: An affordable apartment community of 317 units at 9113 Baltimore Ave. will replace three demolished hotels when it opens in 2027. Danny Copeland, vice president with developer RST Development, said, “Given the shortage of affordable housing options in the market—and a large supply of student housing—the Flats at College Park will help to fill a void in the marketplace by providing affordability and community to the broader population at an exceptional standard of living.”
Campus Village: LV Collective is redeveloping the former strip mall, building 299 student-oriented multifamily units, 13,000 square feet of retail space and a community center. Preliminary construction work has already begun, and the project is scheduled to be completed in Fall 2027.
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