A D.C.-based bagel shop and Jewish deli is expanding its footprint to Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square neighborhood.
Call Your Mother, owned by chef Daniela Moreira and “chief doughboi” Andrew Dana, is set to open in the former Metropolitan Bakery space at 262 S. 18th St., according to an Instagram post.
Metropolitan Bakery closed its Rittenhouse Square location in March after more than 32 years in business.
“I felt that Andrew and his wife really reflected similar values to Metropolitan Bakery. I feel so great, especially after spending time with Andrew. This place is in the best hands imaginable,” Metropolitan Bakery owner Wendy Born said in the post.
The space marks a full-circle moment for Dana, who became a longtime fan and repeat customer through a friend who lived just two blocks from the former bakery.
“The first thing I felt when I heard this was closing was heartache,” he said in the post. “We understand we’ll never be Metropolitan Bakery, but we promise we’ll do our best to serve great food with a smile and to be a staple in the community.”
This news follows their February announcement of a first-ever Philadelphia location coming to Fishtown this spring or summer.
Call Your Mother started at farmers markets in Washington, D.C., before opening its flagship shop in Park View in fall 2018. Nearly a decade later, with more than 20 locations, the deli operates in D.C., Maryland, Virginia and Colorado and will soon expand to Illinois and Pennsylvania, according to the website.
The duo blend the best of both worlds on the menu. Dana, who is Jewish, brings classic fare and a sense of nostalgia, while Moreira, from Argentina and trained at some of the country’s finest restaurants, takes those familiar flavors and “cranks them up.”
“We don’t take ourselves too seriously, but we’re serious about bagels. With a *chef’s kiss* of honey, they’re somewhere between a classic NY-style bagel and the sweeter, Montreal-style bagels from our friends up North,” the website reads.
Menu highlights include the best-selling “Sun City,” with bacon, pastrami, sausage or no meat, bodega-style egg, American and cheddar cheeses, and spicy honey on an everything bagel; the “Jetski,” a brisket and pastrami cheesesteak on a cheddar bagel; and the “Royal Palm,” with smoked salmon, plain cream cheese, cucumber, tomato, red onion and capers on an everything bagel.”
They also serve cinnamon babka muffins, potato latkes and black-and-white cookies, alongside coffee. Call Your Mother serves Jojo’s medium roast as its main coffee. It’s specially crafted for the drip process and made from washed beans sourced from Chiapas, Mexico.
Everything is made in-house, with ingredients also sourced from partners Z&Z, Logan’s Sausage and Liberty Delights.
Call Your Mother has not yet announced opening dates for its Fishtown and Rittenhouse Square locations, but the website teases, “See you soon-ISH.” Visit the website and follow along on Instagram and Facebook for the latest updates.
