Germantown Gains Two Indian Restaurants as Curry Z Opens and Biryani Grill Prepares Debut

Germantown's South Asian dining scene is expanding on two fronts, with one new Indian and Himalayan restaurant already welcoming guests and a Virginia-based biryani chain preparing to bring its signature dishes to Montgomery County for the first time. The back-to-back arrivals signal growing local appetite for subcontinental cuisine across the region.

🍛 Curry Z Opens on Clopper Road with Himalayan and Indo-Chinese Menu

A family-owned restaurant called Curry Z has opened its doors at 13525 Clopper Road in Germantown, taking over space previously occupied by the halal eatery Bitez, which had operated there from mid-2025 before closing in early 2026. The new establishment sits in a shopping center that also houses Mamma Lena and Rio Grande Bar and Grill, placing it within an active local dining corridor convenient to Germantown residents. Curry Z draws from two distinct culinary traditions, combining classical Indian cooking with preparations rooted in Himalayan food culture, alongside Indo-Chinese specialties that have become fixtures of South Asian diaspora kitchens across the United States. The kitchen's output spans a considerable range of dishes: slow-simmered curries, items prepared in a clay tandoor oven, handmade momos — the steamed or fried dumplings popular across Nepal and Tibet — and casual street-food preparations reflective of urban South Asian food stalls. A distinctive feature unique to the lunch service is a storefront-exclusive build-your-own bowl format, allowing midday diners to customize their meals from available components. This combination of widely recognized South Asian staples alongside the less commonly encountered Himalayan preparations gives Curry Z a profile that distinguishes it from more conventional Indian restaurants already operating in the area. The family-run character of the operation adds an additional personal dimension to a neighborhood food scene that continues to grow more diverse. [2]

🍛 Biryani Grill to Open First Maryland Location at Germantown Commons

A Northern Virginia-based Indian restaurant chain is preparing to expand into Montgomery County for the first time, with a planned opening at the Germantown Commons shopping center on Middlebrook Road, taking over the unit formerly occupied by Cafe Hong Kong. Biryani Grill currently operates out of Aldie, Ashburn, and Chantilly in Virginia, and its planned Germantown location would extend the brand's footprint across the Potomac into the Maryland suburbs north of Washington. As the restaurant's name suggests, biryani anchors the menu: offerings include preparations made with slow-cooked mutton, chicken dum, and paneer, each version layering basmati rice with fragrant spices through a technique central to the tradition associated with South Asian slow-cooking methods. Tandoor-grilled items broaden the selection further, with paneer tikka, fish tikka, and hariyali chicken — marinated in a green herb blend — among the highlighted preparations. Curries such as chicken tikka masala, a slow-cooked goat curry, and paneer lababdar, a rich and creamy paneer preparation, complete the main course offerings and give the menu range suited to both newcomers and experienced diners. The restaurant's arrival in Germantown would make the community a more convenient destination for South Asian diners who previously had to cross into Virginia for this style of cooking, and its coming on the heels of Curry Z's recent opening nearby suggests broader South Asian culinary investment continuing in this part of Montgomery County. [4]

Sources: [2] The MoCo Show - · [4] The MoCo Show -