Ala, a restaurant serving Mediterranean cuisine with a modern twist, will close its locations in Bethesda and Washington, D.C., for four days next week to upgrade its menu, the eatery’s owners announced Friday afternoon.
The locations at 4948 Fairmont Ave. in Bethesda and 1320 19th St. NW in the District will close Monday and reopen on July 26, according to the eatery’s Instagram post and website.
“We will be closed from July 22 to July 25 for some exciting changes! We’re upgrading our menu and training our staff to bring you an even better dining experience,” the post said. “Stay tuned for new flavors and dishes that you won’t want to miss! We can’t wait to welcome you back on July 26th!”
Owners Deniz and Celal Gulluoglu of Cabin John opened their second location in downtown Bethesda in the spring. The eatery offered a similar menu to the couple’s original D.C. location, which opened in 2021.
“We have always wanted to open a second restaurant closer to our home, in our community,” Deniz Gulluoglu said in a release in February announcing the restaurant’s impending opening. “Bethesda restaurants offer an array of culinary flavors, and we are thrilled to offer the community ala Bethesda, an exceptional Levantine dining experience, in the heart of Bethesda.”
The restaurant is located in the former home of Positano’s and features classic Mediterranean dishes, such as hummus, falafel and kebabs, plus less well-known fare.
Bethesda Magazine restaurant critic David Hagedorn described ala Bethesda as a mixed bag with service that was “earnest but not polished” in a review published in the magazine’s July/August issue.