Experience Authentic International Cuisine Along the Golden Mile

Fajita Grande restaurant on the Golden Mile is a local favorite with colorful decorations and daily specials.

Experience Authentic International Cuisine Along the Golden Mile

By Michelle Kershner, City of Frederick Department of Economic Development

Originally printed in the Winter 2015 Frederick County Guide

Stretching towards the mountains, the Golden Mile is a major retail district in Frederick. Representing a portion of the historic National Road, it naturally connects Downtown Frederick with points westward, such as Braddock Heights and Middletown.

  

Winter 2015 Frederick County Guide

Locals flock to this corridor, also known as Route 40, for retail stores and services. But insiders know that tucked inside the shopping centers, diners can find some of the most delicious and authentic international cuisine in the region.

“Nearly half of all establishments along the Golden Mile are associated with retail trade,” said Economic Development Manager Bobby Baumler.  “Additionally, accommodation and food services represent nearly a third of all employment in this area, a strong indication that people are heading to the Golden Mile to dine.” 

Amid the numerous strip-style shopping centers, standalone specialty stores and authentic international cuisine can be found.  From freshly baked breads and sweets at La Colmenita Bakery to international grocery stores, flavors from across the globe can be found along the Golden Mile. Diners can try Pho TNT’s banh mi, a crusty Vietnamese-style sandwich, Peruvian-style chicken at Sardis Pollo a La Brasa, warm naan bread and butter chicken at Clay Oven, or gyoza and sushi at Roppongi. 

Established in 1987, Casa Rico has been an anchor on the western end of the corridor for decades with gourmet tacos, tequila, and traditional Mexican favorites like chile rellenos. Fajita Grande offers up fresh salsa with their sizzling platters, and Santa Rosa restaurant and Ana's Papuseria serve pupusas, a traditional Salvadoran dish made of thick, handmade corn tortillas.  On select summer nights, a taco truck parks at Dutrow’s Sales & Service at the end of the Golden Mile, and dishes up favorites like tongue tacos and tamales.

The Golden Mile could very well be dubbed the “International Mile” for the corridor’s concentration of global flavors and offerings. 

La Colmenita Bakery is tucked in a

storefront at the Willow Tree Shopping Center
and offers freshly baked breads and sweets.

“The authentic international food scene on The Golden Mile is exploding,” said Justin Kiska, president of the Golden Mile Alliance and owner of Way Off Broadway. “These gems are tucked into traditional shopping centers, and new places are opening all the time. We recently welcomed Modern Asia Bar & Restaurant to our dining scene.”

Traditional favorites also have flourished on the Golden Mile over the years. The Barbara Fritchie Restaurant has been serving home-cooked meals since 1910.  This retro diner features comfort foods and freshly baked desserts.  Nearby, Il Forno Pizzeria has served their famed wood-fired pizza for over 18 years. 

For over six decades, Red Horse Steak House has been considered a family dining tradition for their open-flamed grilled steaks and seafood.   Doc Geiser’s Carryout & Catering is home to Watson’s famous fried chicken, and Mountainview Diner is a local favorite as well. 

“There is this perception that the Golden Mile is mainly a big-box destination, but small and family businesses, like these restaurants, also thrive alongside the larger retailers and chains,” explains Baumler.  

In the City of Frederick, 95% of all businesses are small businesses, and the Golden Mile is no exception.   Thanks to business investment, planning, and community involvement, this traditional retail corridor’s future is bright.  The Golden Mile, along with portions of Downtown Frederick, was recently accepted into Maryland’s Sustainable Communities program, which will open up additional resources. The Golden Mile Alliance, a non-profit organization comprised of business owners, property owners, and residents, also is working to strengthen the thoroughfare. 

The Golden Mile Alliance is reviving Pangaea, a festival celebrating heritage and diversity, with the next celebration slated for Oct. 4, 2015.

“We are looking forward to bringing back this cultural event,” Kiska said, with international cuisine featured prominently.  “Food brings communities together, and it will be a great time to celebrate all that Frederick’s Golden Mile has to offer in this area and others."

To learn more about the Golden Mile and business in Frederick, visit www.businessinfrederick.com.

Economic Development Staff Pilots Offsite Office Hours at FITCI and Cowork Frederick

Staff from the City of Frederick's Department of Economic Development began piloting a program in February 2015 to hold office hours at Cowork Frederick and the Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc., also known as FITCI. 

"We welcome business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs to stop by and visit us," said Economic Development Manager Bobby Baumler. "We are always happy to visit a business at their location, and thought getting out into the community would help make our resources more accessible to more people." Additionally, the department will assist walk-ins.

"We will have information on hand about how to start a business in Frederick, area resources, how to grow your businesses, and just generally be available to answer questions," said Baumler.  While office hours provide an off-site location to meet with businesses, city economic development staff are always available by appointment. 

"Our goal is to connect with businesses in the community and provide assistance as they grow and expand," said Baumler. Offsite office hours provide additional opportunities to connect with entrepreneurs, start-ups, and small businesses.  

Be sure to follow Frederick's Department of Economic Development on Twitter, @frederickded, for updates or changes to office hours.

Office Hour Locations - UPDATED

Cowork Frederick

122 E Patrick St.
Frederick, MD 21701
Office Hours: 4th Thursday of Each Month, 1pm-3pm

Located in Downtown Frederick, Cowork Frederick offers a variety of cowork options to work from the facility or meet there.  They strive to foster a sense of community among members. “We could work anywhere, but we choose to work together,” their website states.

FITCI

4539 Metropolitan Court
Frederick, MD 21704
Office Hours: 2nd Thursday of Each Month, 1pm-3pm

FITCI supports early stage Biotechnology, Information Technology, and Renewable Energy start-up companies by offering office and wet lab space, business services, virtual offices, and strategic support to local entrepreneurs.  






Golden Mile Office Hours - TBD
Date Updated: May 28, 2015

This Week on Carroll Creek: February 4, 2015

Brick pavers for the Galleria walkways and stone work on the creek walls, continues near the Delaplaine and the "Galleria" Fountain. Where stone work is going on, water levels in the creek have to be lowered to allow workers access - called "dewatering".

As well, heated tents (see pic below) just before East Street are set up for workers to allow stone to be repaired during the cold winter months. The inside temperature must be above 40 degrees as well as all materials. The creek wall improvements to the East of the Delaplaine should be completed mid February, depending on weather.

Poole Landscaping will be starting sod and plantings in mid-to-late March and planned fountains should be finished by the first of April if weather cooperates.

Connect with Us for Updates

Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the most recent news and updates on this project and others. 
 
About the Next Phase of Carroll Creek Park

This next phase of park improvements will include new and widened multi-use paths, landscape planters, lighting, water features and crosswalk improvements. The work will occur primarily between Bentz and S. Market Street and between the Delaplaine Arts Center and East Patrick Street. More than $100M in new and renovated private construction is planned along the new park/path sections which will eventually result in hundreds of new jobs and increased state and local tax revenue.

Nominate YOUR Frederick Business for a 2015 Best Places to Work award!

If you love the Frederick company you work for...
 

Then tell us!  Your company will have a chance to take home a coveted Best Places to Work award, window cling, and enjoy the fabulous awards ceremony. Share all the great benefits your company offers its employees with the Frederick business community. Great health insurance? Company picnics? Job training? Philanthropic efforts? Service awards? No detail is too small. Let everyone know just how great your company is.

Nominate Your Company
Deadline: March 30  
By completing the nomination form, your Frederick County business will be considered for a "Best Places to Work" award. Only one submission is needed per business. Be sure to answer all the questions to increase your chances of winning, which may require you to coordinate with your CEO or human resources department. 

This is a great opportunity to share your best practices and inspire other organizations. Finalists and winners will be announced and celebrated on July 30, 2015 at the awards ceremony at the Delaplaine in Downtown Frederick.

And just like last year, winners will receive coverage in the August issue of Frederick Magazine. So get those nominations in! Deadline is March 30th.
 

From 2014 Major Employer co-winner, Experient, "I am proud to accept this award on behalf of all the great employees at Experient who make it one of the Best Places to Work in Frederick County. Winning this award has brought Experient more local press than we've ever had, and that kind of recognition goes a long way toward retention and recruitment."

                  –Shawn Pierce, Division President, Experient Registration & Housing

If you have any questions about the nomination form, program, or awards ceremony, please call us at 301-600-6360 or visit our Best Places to Work page on Facebook. 

The Best Places to Work awards is brought to you in partnership by The City of Frederick, Department of Economic Development, Frederick County Business Development & Retention Department, Frederick County Workforce Services & The Frederick County Chamber of Commerce.