For a dough that can be traced back to at least 1600s Poland, the bagel sure has taken a hot minute to grace our shores and even longer to enter the mainstream in any meaningful way. Sure there have been the odd boiled bagels in pockets of Sydney but today, at long last, you don’t have to travel far to get the goods. We’ve rounded up the best bagels in Sydney so you can get your next lox fix.
If you’re going to do something, do it right. That’s the name of the game at Small Talk, where focaccia and bagels have been hand-stretched daily since 2017. Under the watchful eye of his Romanian grandmother, co-owner and baker Sam Terrey has crafted the perfect bagel as far as he’s concerned. The snappy menu of baked goods and some killer coffee don’t hurt either. Shop 2/355 New Canterbury Road, Dulwich Hill; smalltalkcoffee.com.
What are we, chopped liver? Not exactly but if you’re after a super traditional Ashkenazi-Jewish experience, make sure you order the signature bagel of chopped liver, onions and egg on sweet onion, just one of the seven bagels made at the Bondi Beach outlet daily. 140 Glenayr Avenue, Bondi Beach; loxstockandbarrel.com.au.
If you couldn’t tell from the name, Brooklyn Boy Bagels is a slice of the boroughs plonked into Sydney. With a ‘drive-thru’ in Marrickville, a hole-in-the-wall outlet in Surry Hills and regular stalls at weekend markets across the city, this New York-style bagelry is all about comfort food. Bagels loaded sky-high with lox, onion and cream cheese, matzo ball soup, and bagel sandwiches abound. Locations Marrickville and Surry Hills; brooklynboy.com.au.
Another win for the north shore, Cremorne’s very own Best Bagel Co. inhabits a former bottle shop in an airy plaza off Military Road. The pastel pink signage is all you need to find it, that and the hordes of bagel enthusiasts hanging out the front. Collaborations with hospitality heavyweights is high on the agenda here too, most recently with a Bloody Shiraz Gin cured salmon by James Irvine of Four Pillars Distillery. Shop 24/49 Parraween Street, Cremorne; bestbagel.co.
If there’s a baked good that Iggy’s Bread can’t do well, we haven’t found it. Their croissants are so popular that a whole second space on Macpherson Street in Bronte has been leased to meet demand. But Igor ‘Iggy’ Ivanovic’s bagels are just as worthy, loaded with caraway, garlic, onions, poppy seeds and more, the bagels are worth getting up early for. 131 Macpherson Street, Bronte; instagram.com/iggysbread_downunder.
Annandale village is a constant surprise, but you don’t have to look far to find a brilliant coffee and competitively good bakeries. Humm Coffee Roasters is the latest addition and happily, they’ve brought bagels to fill the void. The usual suspects like lox and reuben bagels feature, but if you’re after something seriously out there grab a double smash cheeseburger bagel or a toad-in-the-hole style bacon, cheese and egg bagel. 62 Booth Street, Annandale; instagram.com/humm.annandale.
The humble bagel takes on a Middle Eastern edge at Rockdale’s Happy Alley. The bagels themselves are supplied by the aforementioned Brooklyn Boy Bagels but it’s what Ali Barakat does that makes this lunch worth travelling for. Spicy sujuk sausage with cheese, and zaatar bagels with fried halloumi, olives and tomato are some of the best on show. 495 Princes Highway, Rockdale; instagram.com/explore/locations/978160158/happy-alley-coffee-bar/.
The north shore is well catered for when it comes to good bagels, thanks in large part to Barrel One Coffee Roasters. Out of their warehouse space in industrial Brookvale the team here are serving traditional bagels with all the good stuff at their Manly, Cromer and Potts Point venues. 22 Orchard Road, Brookvale; barrelonecoffee.com.
Things are done a little differently at this Redfern deli. A little bit fancy. But that doesn’t take away any of the delicious comfort of a chewy, warm, well-made bagel. Take the classic fish numbers, made with smoked ocean trout in lieu of salmon; or tuna salad bagels with house-made mayo and lots of dill. Nice. 82 George Street, Redfern; georgestdeli.com.au.
The limit does not exist when it comes to what you can top a bagel with. At least, that’s the ethos at AnotherPlace in Potts Point. House-made chicken schnitzel that is reminiscent of Korean fried chicken topped with pickled carrots; banana, peanut butter cream cheese, and maple syrup; and prawn patty bao-style bagels are just the beginning. Conventional? No. Delicious? Absolutely. 165 Victoria Street, Potts Point; instagram.com/anotherplace_official.
It’s bold to keep things simple at a Newtown cafe but that’s precisely what the vibes are at Soulmate Coffee. Batch brewed coffee, avo on toast, and some very good house-made bagels are all you need as it turns out and the simple cream cheese and chives is a great way to launch your day. Unit 12/39 Phillip Street, Newtown; soulmatecoffee.com.au.
The Bagel Co is a bit special, and the roots of these bagels grow deep. Made by third generation bagel baker Barry Kluwgant, the Bagel Co. is the evolution of Melbourne-based kosher bakery chain Glick’s which was founded by his grandfather in 1968. The secret to a bagel so good is a long-guarded family trick of steaming the bagels prior to baking. You’ll just have to check it out for yourself. Shop 3-4 / 475 Old, Old South Head Road, Rose Bay; thebagelco.com.au.
With locations popping up all over Sydney, most recently in Marrickville and Manly, Lox in a Box is one of Sydneysiders’ favourite spots for a bagel fix, and it’s easy to see why. They team here aren’t reinventing the wheel for the most part, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. However, a few of their standout signature bagels include a peri peri bagel and a vegan katsu number. Shop 2/96 Glenayr Avenue, North Bondi; loxinabox.com.au
