Barrio Burrito Bar Nears Silver Spring Opening

The Mexican fast-casual chain is finishing construction on its first Montgomery County restaurant, though no opening date has been announced.

Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Openings & Closings

Barrio Burrito Bar Nears Silver Spring Opening

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Barrio Burrito Bar is nearing completion of its restaurant at 2255 Bel Pre Rd in Silver Spring's Plaza Del Mercado shopping center, taking over the former T-Mobile space. The site will be the chain's first in Montgomery County and its second in Maryland.

Why it matters

The opening adds a fast-casual Mexican option to Silver Spring and extends the chain's footprint in Maryland following its Baltimore-area location. It also reflects the company's broader plan to expand across the United States.

The company operates more than 340 locations in Canada, where it is the largest Mexican food franchise, and has announced plans for more than 500 U.S. locations. No opening date for the Silver Spring restaurant has yet been set.

The players

Barrio Burrito Bar

Barrio Burrito Bar is a Mexican fast-casual chain that began in Toronto and has grown into Canada's largest Mexican food franchise.

The details

Construction has progressed significantly at the Silver Spring site, which sits between Kicks Karate and Total Image Salon. The company was founded in Toronto in 2005 as barBURRITO Fresh Mexican Grill, expanded into the United States in 2020 as BURRITOBAR, and later rebranded as Barrio Burrito Bar.

2005: Company founded in Toronto as barBURRITO Fresh Mexican Grill.
2020: Company expands into the United States as BURRITOBAR.
2024: Company rebrands as Barrio Burrito Bar.
February 2026: Construction reported to be set to begin at the Silver Spring site.
Opening date for the Silver Spring restaurant has not yet been announced.

Market Landscape

Barrio Burrito Bar's expansion from Toronto into a 340-plus location Canadian franchise, and now into Maryland, follows a pattern of Canadian fast-casual chains pursuing U.S. growth. Its planned 500-plus U.S. locations would place it in direct competition with established regional Mexican fast-casual brands in the Washington suburbs.

Silver Spring diners will gain a new fast-casual Mexican option once the restaurant opens, though residents should watch for an announced opening date. Until then, the location remains under construction and its menu and pricing have not been reported.

The takeaway

A new restaurant opening in a shopping center often signals confidence in the surrounding area's foot traffic, and for Silver Spring residents it adds a dining option that is likely to be the chain's Montgomery County debut.