Bagel shops are popping up schmear, there and everywhere. Not content with the traditional fillings, Aussie bagel makers are using the golden rings like two slices of bread. Along with pastrami and lox, we’re embracing all kinds of flavour combinations, from meatloaf and pesto to schnitzel and Swiss cheese.

Sourdough has long been the carb of choice for Australians, but we’re now slowly but surely coming round to the bagel. Why? It’s all about that irresistible pull of the bread – the soft, slow chewiness that comes from boiling the dough first before baking it in the oven. Malt or honey is behind the bagel’s classic tanned complexion and sweet, roasty flavour.

Brooklyn Boy Bagels, Sydney
Brooklyn Boy Bagels is spreading its sesame seed with a second outpost in Surry Hills, Sydney. The lox ticks all the boxes – a substantial slather of cream cheese, buttery salmon and a briny heap of red onion, capers and dill fronds. Best of all, you can buy the bagels and schmears in bulk, so you’re sorted for breakfast every day of the week.

Bagel O’s, Perth
Perth’s bagel-shaped hole has been filled by Bagel O’s in Mount Lawley. Here, the specialty is giant bagel stacks, which come loxed and loaded with fillings like chicken parma, meatballs and scotch fillet steak. The hard part is getting the whole thing in your mouth.

Hanks Cafe and Bagelry, Melbourne
Hank’s Cafe and Bagelry in Armadale offers a well-rounded selection. Choose from classics like beetroot-cured salmon with fresh herbs and cream cheese, to more out-there creations, like lamb and rosemary meatloaf with pistachio pesto and provolone.

O Bagel, Brisbane
Broadbeach’s beloved bagel joint, O Bagel, has opened its first store in Brisbane. The hand-rolled bagels are fluffy yet firm, and come with an array of fillings, from egg salad to maple bacon and egg. They also sell bagel bundles to take home.

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