California Tortilla, located at 10721 Columbia Pike in Silver Spring’s Shoppes at Burnt Mills shopping center, has closed. The restaurant is no longer visible on the California Tortilla website and is marked as permanently closed on Google Business.
Additionally, the business shut down its eatery at 255 Spectrum Ave. in Gaithersburg’s Spectrum Town Center in November. The company’s headquarters are currently located in Potomac, Bethesda, Gaithersburg, and Olney, which are the remaining Montgomery County locales. In June, California Tortilla celebrated its 30th anniversary.
On August 4, 1995, business partners Pam Felix and Alan Cohen launched the Montgomery County-based brand, opening their first location in Bethesda. Before seeing a chance to provide new, West Coast-inspired Mexican cuisine to the region, both had been active in the DC Improv comedy club. Freshly made ingredients, such as homemade salsas, guacamole, queso, and unique sauces, were featured on the menu. These were made every day without the use of freezers.
California Tortilla set itself apart early on by making its own food, which drew a devoted customer base and established a benchmark for excellence in the fast-casual dining industry in the area. In 2003, the business started franchising, growing outside of Montgomery County to include facilities throughout the Mid-Atlantic and East Coast. The Wall of Flame, which showcases over 75 types of hot sauces in a broad spectrum of spice levels, is a distinguishing element of every restaurant.
Felix ultimately sold her share of the original restaurant to the corporation that bought it in 2003, and Cohen retired in 2014. The emphasis on freshly produced products and a unique dining experience has persisted under leadership under Keith Goldman, Bob Phillips, and others.
