Prato is taking another step toward its projected late fall 2026 opening at 7278 Woodmont Ave. in Bethesda. The Italian restaurant is scheduled for a liquor license hearing with Montgomery County Alcohol Beverage Services on Thursday, August 20.
Prato will take over the former Matchbox space at Bethesda Row. Matchbox closed at the location in March, and Prato is currently targeting a late fall opening. “Your new go-to for Italian is arriving in Bethesda in late Fall 2026, featuring fresh, house-made pastas and wood-fired pizzas, rooted in tradition and elevated with seasonal ingredients,” Prato states on its website.
The Bethesda restaurant will be Prato’s second location and its first outside of Winter Park, Florida, where the original has operated for more than 14 years. Prato is expanding nationally under parent company Park Lights Hospitality, which also plans to open a Nashville location in early 2027…