Amici Miei, an Italian restaurant, is moving from Potomac to a smaller space in Rockville, its owner said.
Owner Roberto Deias said the rent was going to increase, making it “impossible to stay” at its Potomac Woods Plaza location, where the restaurant has served lunch and dinner for nearly 13 years.
Amici Miei will close at 1093 Seven Locks Road on Nov. 25, after remaining open for Thanksgiving, Deias said. He hopes to open in the new space—at 6 N. Washington St.—by the end of December, though he said it could be later.
“It’s sad. It’s sad. But the show must go on,” he said. “We have a wonderful clientele and they’re going to follow us.”
Deias said he was trying to make the best of the move. Though the 2,620-square-foot space in Rockville is about 1,000 square feet smaller, he said the staff is going to take the move as an opportunity to redesign the restaurant with a new bar and kitchen.
“I guess it’s going to be cozier,” he said.
He hopes the downtown Rockville location will allow for more lunchtime customers.
Amici Miei will serve the same menu of pizza, homemade pasta, fish, meats, cold cuts and salads, he said. The restaurant changes its menu twice a year. It will introduce several changes when opening in the new space, including dishes from Sardinia, where Deias is from.