Newest Bethesda Opening – Food Wine & Co.

There has definitely been a lot of action in the Bethesda restaurant scene over the past few weeks. Yesterday, Food Wine & Co. became the latest downtown Bethesda restaurant to open its doors. The space was transformed from the old Uno’s on Wisconsin Avenue to a nice, sophisticated looking restaurant. The bar area is huge and separate from the dining room so we took a seat at the bar to check out the menu. There was a good wine list, although many offerings were well over $50, and a variety of both bottled and draft beers. Both wines we tried were excellent and the menu looked promising with mid-priced sandwiches, mussels, salads, and pastas. They seemed to take pride in their charcuterie and cheeses, which I look forward to trying. The fried calamari appetizer was prepared well, and we enjoyed the addition of zucchini and peppers, but it was not outstanding enough to merit the $12 price tag. The staff members were friendly and knowledgeable but some still seemed a little nervous. First impressions make me think this place will be attracting a more corporate crowd but I look forward to a return visit to see if it will become a neighborhood destination.