A Rockville Chef Is Opening His First Restaurant, El Mercat Bar de Tapas, In Town Center

ROCKVILLE, MD — A Rockville chef is opening his first solo restaurant in the Town Square this winter after working for several years as the chef of cuisine for Boqueria, a tapas restaurant in Washington, D.C.

George Rodrigues' El Mercat Bar de Tapas will serve up brunch, lunch and dinner with the purpose of taking diners on a 'vibrant Spanish culinary journey,' according to the restaurant's opening announcement. The eatery will serve shareable dishes, seasonal food and house-made recipes. It will be at 101 Gibbs St Unit C in Rockville.

Rodrigues says flavors will range from Catalan to Galicia, there will be four different paellas, and some of the classics will include escalivada, papas bravas, calamares, pulpo con patatas, and pollo rostizado.

Rodrigues learned about cooking in Brazil, where he made dishes with his family. After a short stint in college pursuing an engineering degree, Rodrigues decided to throw himself into his passion: cooking. He's studied cooking in school and competed on "Beat Bobby Flay," "Chopped" and the 2016 Capital Food Fight hosted by DC Central Kitchen, along with working in kitchens in Brazil and the United States.

The chef decided to open the first place of his own in Rockville, where he lives with his wife, Wanessa, and son, Eduardo.

“My family and I have spent a lot of time in the Rockville Town Center over the years, enjoying the fine restaurants and community areas," Rodrigues said in the news release. "Live music and activities in the summer and ice skating in the winter. It has always been home to us which is why we chose this location for our first restaurant.”