Nando's Peri-Peri Opens At Pike & Rose, Raises Money For School

NORTH BETHESDA, MD — Nando’s PERi-PERi, the South-African-Portuguese restaurant known for its spicy flame-grilled chicken, will open at Pike & Rose Monday.

This is Nando’s 42nd restaurant in the U.S., located at 922 Rose Ave., North Bethesda.

Nando's will hold a Grand Opening on Saturday, April 28, and donate 100 percent of sales to support the music program at Walter Johnson High School in North Bethesda.

“This is all about being good neighbors, and Nando’s looks forward to becoming an integral part of the community,” John Fisher, CEO of Nando’s PERi-PERi, said in a statement. “We are proud to support Walter Johnson High School’s stellar music programs.”

Student performers from Walter Johnson High School will make appearances throughout the day at the Saturday grand opening at Nando’s at Pike & Rose, one of the area’s the premier destination for shopping and dining. Attendees can expect to hear from a capella groups and school band performers.

The space features bold African colors and designs, including a striking portrait by South African artist Dion Cupido. The restaurant’s turned wood lights are modeled after prominent buildings found in the Johannesburg skyline, and fashioned by South African designer Thabisa Njo.

Every Nando’s is unique and painstakingly designed, with earthy textures and bright colors that reflect Nando’s sunny African-Portuguese heritage. With thousands of pieces of original works of art that are a constant reminder of where the restaurant came from, Nando’s has become the largest collector of South African contemporary art in the world.

Over the past several years, Nando’s has raised more than $250,000 dollars for public schools and non-profit organizations. It hosted a fundraiser last year for Chance the Rapper’s non-profit, SocialWorks, in Chicago. And earlier this month, Nando’s raised more than $7,000 for the D.C. United soccer team’s charity partner, at the new Nando’s in Rosslyn, VA.

Walter Johnson High School serves more than 2,200 students from parts of Bethesda, North Bethesda, Rockville, Garret Park, and Kensington. The high school boasts a variety of musical groups, both instrumental and choral, including a wind ensemble, a symphonic orchestra, and a choir.

Regular restaurant hours for the new Nando’s are Monday-Thursday 11am to 10pm; Fridays and Saturdays 11am-11pm; and Sundays 11am to 10pm.

Photos via Nando's