Signage is now up for Thai Two Cents at 255 Spectrum Avenue in Gaithersburg’s Spectrum Town Center, a sign that a long-anticipated restaurant project is finally moving forward. The new spot will take over the former California Tortilla space, which closed in November 2024 after roughly a decade at that location.
Thai Two Cents is being opened by the same ownership group behind Kiin Imm Thai in Rockville, according to The MoCo Show. That Rockville restaurant has built a following for its menu inspired by traditional Thai street food, and the same outlet reports Kiin Imm Thai was previously recognized by Eater DC as one of the “15 Standout Thai Restaurants Around DC.”
Ing Rumphan, a co-owner of Kiin Imm Thai, opened the Laotian restaurant Eat A Lao in 2024 with his mother, Angkana Rumphan. The family connection gives the Gaithersburg project a link to an existing local restaurant.
What Diners Can Expect on the Menu
Kiin Imm Thai’s menu includes dishes such as fried tofu larb and boat noodle soup, the kind of street-food staples that have helped define the Rockville restaurant’s identity. It’s not yet clear whether Thai Two Cents will mirror that exact menu or offer its own spin, but the shared ownership suggests Gaithersburg diners can expect a similar street-food sensibility once the doors open.
Thai Two Cents would join an existing group of Thai restaurants in Gaithersburg rather than introduce the cuisine to the city: Thai House and Thai Express both list Gaithersburg locations. Across the wider Washington area, the Thai dining scene has also drawn attention for its range of regional cooking. Eater DC’s guide notes a growing focus on lesser-known regional dishes alongside familiar offerings, a context that makes the new restaurant’s promised street-food sensibility especially relevant to diners looking for variety.
No Firm Timeline Yet for Opening
The timeline for Thai Two Cents has already shifted once. Back in July 2025, the report noted the owners were aiming to open by the end of that year, though construction and permits could push things into 2026. As of this week’s update, an updated opening date for Thai Two Cents has not yet been announced, leaving Spectrum Town Center shoppers to watch the storefront for further signs of progress.
The project also arrives as Montgomery County’s retail landscape relies heavily on existing storefronts. Montgomery Planning’s countywide retail assessment counts about 37.7 million square feet of retail space and says nearly three-quarters of it was built before 2000. With the total supply expected to remain roughly stable, the agency identifies reinvestment in established shopping centers as an important opportunity—making the reuse of California Tortilla’s former space part of a broader local pattern.
For now, the signage itself is the clearest indication that the project is still alive and advancing toward a buildout in the former California Tortilla footprint. Gaithersburg residents eager for another Thai option in the area will likely be keeping an eye on the Spectrum Avenue storefront in the months ahead.
Dining and Cooking