‘Beat Bobby Flay’ finalist heads kitchen at huge new Silver Spring restaurant and event space

One of Silver Spring, Maryland’s largest restaurants that will double as a music venue will open this spring on Georgia Avenue. (Courtesy Citizens & Culture)
The Citizens & Culture restaurant large video screens, working fireplaces and a performance stage. (Courtesy Citizens & Culture)
Citizens & Culture includes a ground floor patio, and a vaulted ceiling main dining room and a full-length bar. (Courtesy Citizens & Culture)
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One of Silver Spring, Maryland’s largest restaurants that will double as a music venue will open this spring on Georgia Avenue.

Citizens & Culture by Tsega Haile, who owns Kaldi’s Social House in Silver Spring and Clarendon, is a 15,000-square-foot, multi-level fine dining and live DJ and band performance venue at 8113 Georgia Avenue.

Helming the kitchen is executive chef Ryan Hackney, who was a finalist on Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay in 2019, and who has appeared on Food Network’s Bite Club with celebrity chef Tyler Florence. His local restaurant background includes Macon Bistro & Larder, Charlie Palmer Steak and Nonna’s Kitchen. (Bobby Flay won their showdown.)



“As a native Washingtonian, I’m excited about the opportunity to debut a menu that will reflect the diversity of the DMV’s food culture while staying true to the elevated tasting experience that now defines our regional dining scene,” Hackney said.

A menu for the restaurant has not yet been released, nor has an exact opening date.

Citizens & Culture includes a ground floor patio, and a vaulted ceiling main dining room and a full-length bar. The upper level has a DJ booth and retractable glass roof for open air dining. There is also an upper level outdoor terrace with views of downtown Silver Spring.

The restaurant also includes large video screens, working fireplaces and a performance stage.

Jeff Clabaugh

Jeff Clabaugh has spent 20 years covering the Washington region's economy and financial markets for WTOP as part of a partnership with the Washington Business Journal, and officially joined the WTOP newsroom staff in January 2016.

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