Silver and Sons BBQ to open Bethesda location Jan. 24

Westbard Square eatery to offer new menu items, standing counter service and carryout

January 16, 2025 11:30 a.m.

Silver and Sons BBQ – a local food truck and catering company serving barbecue inspired by Jewish and Mediterranean cuisine – is opening its first brick-and-mortar location in Bethesda on Jan. 24., the restaurant announced in a press release Thursday.

The new dining spot at 5362 Westbard Ave. in the Westbard Square development is expected to offer carryout, standing counter space, and new menu items ranging from sandwiches, desserts and sides to pre-prepared carry-out, deli and frozen items.

“This opening represents a culmination of everything we’ve been working toward since launching Silver and Sons Barbecue,” owner and chef Jarrad Silver said in the release. “At Westbard Square, we’ll be able to explore the boundaries of what barbecue can be while honoring its roots. Every dish reflects our commitment to creativity and tradition, from the short rib pastrami and pulled lamb shoulder to the chocolate babka buns.”

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The shop was initially slated to open fall 2024, but after delays with receiving permits from Montgomery County, the opening was pushed until January, Silver told Bethesda Today in December.

The new shop will serve signature items such as short rib pastrami and pastrami-spiced mushrooms or new, shop-exclusive items including sandwiches. Photo credit: Deb Lindsey

At the new shop, diners can order Silver and Sons signature items such as short rib pastrami, pulled lamb shoulder and pastrami-spiced mushrooms, according to the release, or try new, shop-exclusive items including sandwiches featuring options such as brisket steak and cheese, pastrami Reuben and vegetarian falafel.

The pre-prepared carryout and freezer section is also a new addition to the Silver and Sons BBQ operation. From Thursday to Sunday, guests can pick up nightly specials or frozen items including chili, matzo ball soup, chicken pot pie, Shepherd’s pie, cookie dough, rugelach dough and take-and-bake bourekas pastries, according to the release.

On weekends, guests can purchase chocolate babka buns as well, the release said. In addition, the shop will also sell branded merchandise, barbecue sauces and spice blends.

The 800-square-foot shop, located on the shopping center’s ground level and below the Giant Food supermarket, is designed for carryout service but will have a standing counter that can accommodate up to six diners.

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The shop will be open from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

How the business started

Silver, a Bethesda native and Kensington resident, created Silver and Sons BBQ as a “backyard barbecue company” in November 2020. According to the release, Silver worked as a chef at the now-shuttered Washington, D.C., restaurant Birch and Barley.

Silver and Sons BBQ owner and chef Jarrad Silver is a Kensington resident. Photo credit: Deb Lindsey

After the initial launch, the business quickly gained traction and in March 2022, Silver debuted a food truck in the parking lot of Captain’s Market, a seafood market and eatery on MacArthur Boulevard in Cabin John.

More than two years later, Silver and Sons BBQ now operates two food trucks that sell barbecue and brunch options at local breweries, wineries and farmers markets – such as the Bethesda Central Farmers Market at 7600 Arlington Ave. –  plus at pools and events in the area.

In July 2024, Silver and Sons BBQ also moved into a 6,300-square-foot commissary space in Rockville, which is where most of the eatery’s food production for items including challah rolls, sauces and spice mixes takes place. The space also helps support the business’s catering service.

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During holidays, Silver offers a dinner menu for celebrations including Hanukkah, Christmas, Easter, Passover and Rosh Hashanah. In an interview in August 2024, Silver said he looked forward to being able to use the Bethesda storefront as another location for people to pick up catering orders.

The new shop is also located about 3 miles away from the home where Silver grew up and near Bethesda’s Walt Whitman High School, which he attended.

“I’ve always joked about doing something there, and that shopping center has been poised for redevelopment probably since I was born,” Silver said, referring to the Westbard Square shopping center.

Being in Bethesda also means Silver can stay involved with the surrounding community and continue getting help from his parents who still live in Silver’s childhood home.

“They’re going to be right down the street,” Silver said. “My dad is pretty involved in our project. My mom also does stuff with the website, answering emails and schedules. … It’s really fun to kind of bring all these pieces together.”

Silver and Sons BBQ will open its first brick-and-mortar location in Bethesda in late January 2025. Image Credit: Jarrad Silver

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