True to their name, Pasta Plus is more than just a sit-down restaurant. You can chow down on a big plate of authentic handmade pasta or a wood-fired pizza, but they also have a carryout deli stocked with a bounty of Italian specialties to take home and enjoy, including pastas, soups, salads, panini, meats, and seafood. Their market section is stocked with over 100 authentic Italian products, plus a great selection of wine. Don’t let the strip-mall location fool you, this is authentic Italian cooking at its best. Locals have been flocking to the restaurant for almost 30 years, since brothers Max and Sabatino Mazziotti started the place. Check out their special wine tasting dinners, or sign up for their annual food and wine tour of Italy.

Pasta Plus
209 Gorman Avenue
Laurel, MD 20707
(301) 498-5100
www.pastaplusrestaurant.com

Excellent food, friendly service, and nice prices have people lining up to dine at the Silver Diner in Laurel. There’s also the fun of the vintage diner experience, with shiny chrome, table jukeboxes, and red leatherette booths. The menu at Silver Diner takes a farm to table focus by using the freshest produce, meats, and eggs produced on regional farms, if possible. Fans rave about the Crab Cakes Benedict, the Guacamole Pepper Jack Burger, the Flatiron Angus Steak, and the Biscuits & Gravy. Silver Diner has plenty of vegetarian options too, with sandwiches, soups, and salads. A wide ranging menu makes the Silver Diner great choice to please a variety of tastes and appetites in Laurel, Maryland!

Visual arts is the name of the game at the Pyramid Atlantic Art Center. Their primary focus is hand printmaking, digital arts, papermaking, and the art of the book. They’re located in the heart of the arts and entertainment district in downtown Silver Spring. A paper mill, print shop, letterpress studio, bindery, and cutting-edge digital studio are contained in their spacious complex. Beginning and intermediate classes are offered at the center in a variety of visual arts, including screen printing, paper making, and book binding. Residencies and apprenticeships are also offered to qualified students, and artists. Check out their community arts store, where you can buy the handiwork of local artists.

Pyramid Atlantic Art Center
924 Ellsworth Drive
Silver Spring, MD 20910