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Mediterranean restaurant Agora now open in downtown Bethesda

Agora, an elevated Mediterranean restaurant with locations in Washington, D.C., and Virginia, is now open in downtown Bethesda. The spacious restaurant, with white and blue-toned decor, mid-century modern furniture and several booths resembling a...

Dan Murphy • •4 min read
Mediterranean restaurant Agora now open in downtown Bethesda
Food & Drink

Mediterranean restaurant Agora now open in downtown Bethesda

By

Elia Griffin

July 23, 2026 5:28 p.m.

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    Agora Bethesda is located at One Bethesda Metro Center in the Hyatt Regency hotel. Photo credit: Courtesy of Agora

    Agora, an elevated Mediterranean restaurant with locations in Washington, D.C., and Virginia, is now open in downtown Bethesda.

    The spacious restaurant, with white and blue-toned decor, mid-century modern furniture and several booths resembling a beach cabana, is run by husband-and-wife duo Betul and Ismail Uslu and located at the Hyatt Regency Hotel at One Bethesda Metro Center.

    Agora is in the former Daily Grill space and joins the hotel’s two other eateries, Morton’s The Steakhouse and Brown Bag. The restaurant held a soft opening over the weekend, opening on July 18.

    “Having spent many years working in hotels, opening Agora inside the Hyatt Regency Bethesda feels like a homecoming,” Uslu said in a July 20 press release. “It brings together my passion for hospitality and our vision of creating a restaurant that serves both travelers and the local community.”

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    For now, Agora is only open for dinner service. In the coming weeks, breakfast, lunch and bottomless brunch service will launch, though exact dates have not been set, according to the release.

    • Lounge and dining area in Agora Bethesda.
      Lounge and dining area in Agora Bethesda. Photo credit: Courtesy of Agora
    • Front dining room in Agora Bethesda has booth and high-top seating.
      Front dining room in Agora Bethesda has booth and high-top seating. Photo credit: Elia Griffin
    • Bar in Agora line with wood and leather stools.
      The bar at Agora Bethesda. Photo credit: Courtesy of Agora
    • Booths behind the bar resemble a beach cabana. Photo credit: Courtesy of Agora
      Booths behind the bar resemble a beach cabana. Photo credit: Courtesy of Agora
    • Four-top table in Agora Bethesda restaurant.
      Dining area behind bar at Agora Bethesda. Photo credit: Elia Griffin
    • Booth table in convertible private dining area in Agora Bethesda
      Booth table in convertible private dining area in Agora Bethesda. Photo credit: Elia Griffin

    The addition of breakfast service will be new for the restaurant chainlet, according to Agora Sales and Marketing Director Esengul Kaya. The Bethesda restaurant will be the only Agora location with the offering.

    Agora’s menu, led by Executive Chef Ismet Sahin, offers an array of Mediterranean dishes inspired by the cuisines of Turkey, Greece and Lebanon, according to the restaurant. On the menu, diners can find spreads such as baba ghanouj and labneh with garlic confit, saganaki cheese, baked flatbreads, soup and salad, seafood and meat dishes including grilled octopus and minced lamb kebabs.

    In addition, the menu offers 12 cold and hot mezzes, or small plates, that are served with pita bread. Mezze dishes include stuffed grape leaves, watermelon and feta cheese salad, pan-fried zucchini fritters, falafel and stuffed baby eggplant, according to the menu.

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    For dessert, diners can expect to find an array of Mediterranean sweet treats on the menu, including a Pistachio souffle, Kazandibi, a traditional Turkish caramelized milk pudding, and Künefe, a crispy shredded phyllo pastry filled with sweet cheese and soaked in syrup.

    outdoor dining patio at Agora Bethesda
    The outdoor dining patio at Agora in downtown Bethesda. Photo credit: Courtesy of Agora

    According to Kaya, the Bethesda restaurant has a pastry chef, and its desserts are made in-house and from scratch.

    Once launched, the breakfast menu will include dishes such as Aegean Avocado Toast, which comes with poached eggs, sourdough bread, avocado, olive oil, paprika, pine nuts and microgreens, and Sunrise Porridge, made with almond milk, pine honey and orange zest, according to the release.

    The restaurant also boasts a 12-seat bar offering 10 signature cocktails and six mocktail drinks.

    According to Kaya, two of the most popular cocktails at Agora’s other locations are the Istanbul Bey, made with jalapeño-infused tequila, passion fruit, pineapple, lime, bitters and topped with sumac, and the Aroma, Agora’s take on an Old Fashioned with house-made saffron bitters.

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    The Bethesda restaurant can seat up to 300 and boasts a large outdoor patio with room for 100 guests, according to the release. Inside, the restaurant has a variety of seating from booths, tables, and high-tops. In addition, the indoor space features convertible private dining spaces that can accommodate 50 to 120 guests.

    The Bethesda location is Agora’s third in the region. Agora operates two other locations in Dupont Circle and Tysons Corner, according to the restaurant’s website.

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    Originally published at Bethesdamagazine