Our Mom Eugenia, a family-owned Greek restaurant with three Northern Virginia locations, is planning to open its first Maryland restaurant at Westbard Square in Bethesda. Maryland Newsletters reports that developer Regency Centers has pulled a permit valued at $1.7 million to prepare the space for the restaurant.
According to the restaurant’s website, the Bethesda location will be its first standalone building and will feature a year-round outdoor patio, along with expanded catering, pickup and delivery options. The opening will coincide with the restaurant’s 10-year anniversary and mark a return to Bethesda for namesake chef Eugenia Markesini Hobson, who cooked in the area early in her career.
“Over the years, many of you have been crossing the river to dine with us at one of our three Northern Virginia locations, wishing we were a little closer. Now, it’s our turn to cross the bridge!” the restaurant shared in its announcement.
Our Mom Eugenia opened its first location in Great Falls in December 2016, followed by Mosaic District in Fairfax in August 2020 and Shirlington in Arlington in March 2023. The Bethesda restaurant will become the family’s fourth location.
Eugenia was born and raised on the Greek island of Zakynthos, where she learned Greek cooking from her grandmother. Her sons, Alex and Phil, named the restaurant in her honor. Alex studied advertising and journalism at the University of Maryland in College Park before pursuing a career in technology and business, while Phil played professional basketball in Greece and Italy for nearly 15 years.
The restaurant has announced a fall 2026 opening timeframe, but has not yet shared an exact opening date. Based on the recent permit, it’s likely that the timeline is pushed back a bit.
