Teas’n You Fusion Tea House will celebrate the grand opening of its first Maryland location on Saturday, September 26, at 11am at 838 Rockville Pike in Rockville. The opening was previously scheduled for September 12.

The celebration will include buy one, get one free specials across the entire menu all weekend long, along with a free cupcake for the first 100 guests. The Northern Virginia bubble tea destination is taking over the space previously occupied by Cuppa Tea.

Founded in Vienna in 2017, Teas’n You has built a following across the DMV with an extensive menu featuring loose-leaf teas, fruit-infused teas, milk teas, slush beverages, desserts, pastries and snacks. The company also describes its popcorn chicken as the “best popcorn chicken in the DMV.”

The tea house is known for its boutique-style interior and late-night hours. Its Vienna location remains open until 4am on Fridays and Saturdays and until 2am on all other nights, catering to late-night study sessions, post-movie cravings, shift workers and customers looking for food and drinks after most nearby businesses have closed. “Great food. Great drinks. Great vibes. No curfew,” the company says.

Regular operating hours for the Rockville location have not yet been confirmed.

Mango Lina, a growing dessert and snack chain with locations in Virginia and Prince George’s County, will open a new food truck in Rockville on Monday, September 14.

The food truck will be located at the Shell gas station at 2240 Veirs Mill Road, with a grand opening scheduled for 1 p.m. Mango Lina also plans to give away T-shirts as part of the celebration.

Founded in 2019, Mango Lina currently operates locations in Springfield, Langley Park, Woodbridge and Sterling. The business is known for its Mexican-inspired desserts and snacks, including mangonadas, elote loco, ice cream, chocolate-covered bananas and horchata.

The Rockville food truck will mark Mango Lina’s first location in Montgomery County.

 

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Construction is progressing at the upcoming Bubbakoo’s Burritos at 16822 Georgia Ave. in Olney, near Roots Market. Permanent signage is now up, and the transformation of the interior has begun.

A permit valued at $350,000 was approved this past winter for interior construction. While an opening timeframe has not been confirmed, an opening before the end of the year remains possible.

We first reported in June 2025 that the New Jersey-based Mexican-fusion chain had signed on for the space. The removal of its “coming soon” signage later prompted questions about whether the restaurant was still moving forward. In November, both Bubbakoo’s and the leasing team confirmed the project remained active, with a company representative targeting an opening “sometime in 2026.”

The space had previously been slated to become Ramen Ya, which had equipment delivered but ultimately did not move forward with its planned Olney restaurant.

Founded in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, in 2008, Bubbakoo’s offers customizable burritos, bowls, tacos, and quesadillas. Its menu also includes the “Chiwawa,” a lightly fried, panko-crusted cheesy rice ball, along with “Killer Creations” featuring flavors such as Honey Sriracha and Nashville Hot.

We’ll share additional updates as construction continues and an opening date is announced.

A Maryland girl who disappeared nearly 50 years ago has been identified as the victim in a long-unsolved North Carolina cold case.

Skeletal remains and clothing were discovered on December 29, 1977, in a wooded area near the Firestone plant in Wilson, North Carolina. Investigators determined the remains belonged to a female approximately 16 to 23 years old who had likely been there for six months to two years. Although her manner of death was classified as undetermined, investigators have treated the case as a homicide because of the circumstances surrounding the discovery.

For decades, attempts to identify the victim through dental records and later DNA databases were unsuccessful. The case was reopened again in 2024, when the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation’s Cold Case Investigative Team began reviewing it using newer forensic technology.

Investigators obtained DNA from a bone sample and developed a SNP profile that could be used for forensic genetic genealogy. Genealogical research eventually pointed investigators toward Cindy Marcell Blizzard, a 15-year-old girl who had run away from Monkton, Maryland, in the spring of 1977.

With assistance from the FBI, Maryland State Police and Raleigh Police Department, investigators confirmed that the remains belonged to Blizzard, who had been missing for more than 49 years.

While Blizzard has now been identified, investigators have not determined who was responsible for her death. The case remains unsolved, and authorities are asking anyone with information about Blizzard or the circumstances surrounding her death to contact the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation or Wilson County Sheriff’s Office.

Big Greek Cafe’s annual Big Greek Gyro Eating Competition returns at 5pm on Saturday, September 12, during the Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Festival at 721 Norwood Rd. in Silver Spring and will once again be hosted by our very own “Mr. MoCo” Alex Tsironis along with Mr. 8 That.

This year, Big Greek Cafe, whose gyro was named the best in D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia by The Washington Post, has selected one loyal customer from each of its 15 locations across Maryland and Virginia to represent their local community. The new format shifts the spotlight to loyal customers after previous competitions welcomed members of the public and professional eaters.

The theme, “One Community. One Champion.,” celebrates the neighborhoods that have supported Big Greek Café’s growth from a single family-owned restaurant in Silver Spring in 2009 to 15 locations across two states.

The winner will receive the official championship belt, a $500 cash prize, one free gyro every week for a year, and recognition at their home Big Greek Café location, along with bragging rights as the 2026 Big Greek Gyro Eating Champion.

The competition will once again be part of the Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Festival, which features Greek food, live music, traditional dancing, and family-friendly activities.