Popup Bagels celebrated its much-anticipated grand opening Sunday at 338 Columbus Avenue (at West 76th Street), and Upper West Siders flocked to the small but lively space – so much so that the store closed about 90 minutes early after running out of dough.
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“Closing [at] 2:30 today. Out of dough!” the brand shared with its nearly 85,000 Instagram followers on Sunday. “Thanks for an epic opening day, see you all tomorrow at 7am.”
Monday wasn’t much different, with folks lining up outside the shop in anticipation of trying the bagels that have seemingly taken over social media.
Popup Bagels started in Adam Goldberg’s Connecticut home and has grown to ten locations in New York City, Connecticut and Palm Beach in less than four years. Among the catalysts for the brand’s exponential growth was a testimonial from Danny Meyer and investment from celebrities like Michael Strahan, Paul Rudd and J.J. Watt.
“I am not one to say anything is the best version of it I’ve had in my life,” Meyer told The New York Times. “But [Popup] is definitely top three.”
So, what exactly sets Popup Bagels apart from the bagel shops that dot almost every corner of the city? The bagels are smaller than what you may be used to and are served piping hot, straight out of the oven. The menu is simple: five types of bagels (plain, everything, sesame, poppy and salt), and a rotating offering of schmears like scallion cream cheese, pesto butter, chocolate chip cannoli cream cheese, brown sugar butter and more. Popup also offers smoked salmon, smoked whitefish and trout roe.
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Unlike your typical bagel shop, these bagels are designed to be eaten whole (as opposed to sliced) and dipped in the schmear – or as Popup says, “Grip, rip, and dip!” You won’t find any bagel sandwiches here.
We tried sesame, everything and poppy bagels with scallion cream cheese. The bagels are crispy on the outside with a light, fluffy interior, a combination that creates a unique level of chewiness with each bite. I was walking out the door with a bag of hot bagels less than a minute after they came out of the oven.
Popup is also planning to open a new Upper East Side location at 1457 Third Ave. (between 82nd and 83rd streets) in the coming months.
Bagels are available for preorder by the dozen. To place an order or learn more, visit the website here.
there’s a 3 bagel minimum when you order. wish you told me that before I went over!
I’m an Absolute apologist, but this intrigues me.
Until they retired, Independently owned Lenny’s on Broadway & West 98th Street, made THE BEST BAGLES EVER .