Call Your Mother, a beloved bagel shop known for its vibrant pink and teal mobile deli and scrumptious breakfast sandwiches, is set to open a new location in downtown Bethesda by early 2026. On Wednesday morning, co-founder Andrew Dana announced the exciting news to Bethesda Today, sparking enthusiasm among local bagel lovers.
The new shop will take over the space formerly occupied by Hardwood Artisans at 4828 St. Elmo Ave., nestled in the Woodmont Triangle neighborhood. Its prime location at the corner of Norfolk and St. Elmo avenues places it among a friendly cluster of other eateries, including Max’s Best Ice Cream and Kusshi Sushi.
Dana expressed the shop’s long-standing affection for Bethesda in an email, stating, “We’ve always had love for Bethesda. Our Lil’ Trolley made its first stop here … and we felt the love from day one.” He emphasized that a permanent Bethesda location has always been on the company’s mind.
Bethesda blogger Robert Dyer first broke the news about Call Your Mother signing a lease for the St. Elmo location back in late July. Further confirming the move, the Montgomery Newsletter reported on Tuesday that brokerage firm Dochter & Alexander had also verified the lease signing.
The search for the ideal location in Bethesda had its challenges, but Dana remarked that the St. Elmo Avenue spot is “perfect.” With a mix of nostalgia, he added that the space once hosted a Johnny Rockets diner, where he enjoyed many shakes and fries during his younger days.
Dana’s enthusiasm was palpable as he stated, “[We] will be bringing the vibes and the carbs back to Bethesda ASAAAAAP!”
This development comes just six months after Call Your Mother relocated its “Lil’ Deli” mobile deli from its previous site at 8804 Old Georgetown Road to Riverdale in February. The Lil’ Deli had initially been a hit when it opened in a trolley car near Suburban Hospital in July 2020, acting as the bagel chain’s third location and providing a convenient option for residents seeking the delicious offerings of the original shop on Georgia Avenue.
When the trolley first debuted, Washington City Paper shared that it had once been used for tours of Washington, D.C., before transforming into a “bagelmobile.” In September 2023, the trolley was replaced with the now-familiar pink-and-blue trailer known as the Lil’ Deli.
In January, Dana mentioned that the bagel chain had considered moving into a vacant 350-square-foot space at the Bethesda Community Store & Deli adjacent to the Lil Deli at the Old Georgetown site. However, he explained that the renovation costs proved to be prohibitive, leading them to seek a different permanent location.
Reflecting on their time in Bethesda, Dana shared, “We have loved being there, have loved getting to know the neighborhood, but because we couldn’t figure out how to do a permanent location there, it was, unfortunately, time to hitch [the Lil’ Deli] onto a vehicle and on to the next one.”
Founded in 2016 by Dana and Daniela Moreira, Call Your Mother has grown into a cherished bagel chain with six brick-and-mortar locations in D.C. Additionally, a shop in North Bethesda’s Pike & Rose opened its doors in September 2021, alongside five locations in Virginia and four in Colorado. Excitingly, another shop is also on the horizon in Annapolis, adding to the expanding legacy of Call Your Mother.
image source from：bethesdamagazine
