D.C. bagel shop Call Your Mother to open in Miami
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
The Jet Ski (left) and Grandezza bagel sandos. Photo: Courtesy Call Your Mother
Daniela Moreira and Andrew Dana have long hoped to bring their Washington, D.C., bagel shop to Miami.
- Now, Call Your Mother, a "Jew-ish" bagel shop, is set to open its first Florida location in early December on Miracle Mile.
Why it matters: Miami may be quietly having a bagel renaissance: Out-of-town names like H&H Bagels have landed here, while smaller, local brands, like Neighborhood Bagels, a weekly pop-up, have launched.
Yes, but: There's no competition with the locals: "I'm a big proponent of all shops rise with the tide," Dana told Axios recently.
- "We love [Miami favorite] El Bagel. There's room for multiple shops."
Between the lines: Dana grew up visiting South Florida as a child and for years has been scoping Miami's real estate for an opportunity.
- Opening a shop in Miami feels like "a long time coming." The duo plans to move their family here during the winter months to soak up the culture and community.
The big picture: Call Your Mother quickly garnered a cult following for its creative bagels after opening its flagship shop in 2018 and later opening a few dozen shops across D.C., Maryland, Virginia, Colorado, Illinois and Pennsylvania.
The intrigue: The"Jew-ish" deli identity is a reflection of Dana's upbringing — and what sets it apart from other bagel shops.
- His dad is Jewish, his mom isn't. Moreira, his wife and the shop's chef, is Argentinian and hadn't had a bagel before they launched the concept.
- Plus, they're not trying to do anything "super traditional" with the menu, he said.
What they're saying: "We wanted to approach it from a blank slate," Dana recently told Axios. "Calling it 'Jew-ish' allowed us to be super creative and not have to follow any recipes or quote unquote the old school way."
Case in point: The Thunderbird bagel sando has sausage, egg and cheese — "very relatable," he said — but the maple chicken sausage, spicy honey on a maple salt and pepper bagel showcase the shop's ethos of traditional things with a twist.
- Then there's The Jet Ski, the shop's take on a Philly Cheesesteak, with slow-roasted brisket and chopped pastrami, plus melted cheese on a cheddar bagel.
State of play: The Miami menu will offer the classics and fan favorites, but also include local, seasonal ingredients to set it apart from D.C's, especially in the winter.
The bottom line: "We try to make great food every day and focus on what we call a GFE (great freakin' experience)," Dana said.
- "We hope Miami is half as excited as we are."