Check out the new Surry Hills bagel joint that’s giving New York a run for her money.

There’s always been a lot of chat about New York being the best city in the world. For our money, Sydney has always been better with her glittering harbour, gorgeous beaches and delicious specialty coffee. That being said, there’s no question that New York has been showing us up on the bagel front for some time. But, that’s all about to change because Surry Hills has a new bagel joint that giving the Big Apple a run for her money.

Situated on Reservoir Street in the ever-trendy foodie hotspot of Surry Hills, The Bagel Co is a sun-drenched, hole-in-the-wall eatery with a whole lot of heart. The cafe is the new offering from Barry Klugwant, a third-generation bagel connoisseur. His grandparents founded Glick’s Bakery in the 1960s which basically makes him bagel royalty. Borrowed from said-royalty is a 50-year old secret bagel recipe that has been in his family for generations and, from the time you first step in the door, it’s clear that tradition has never been tastier. 

As you’d expect from someone with bagels in their blood, the menu is well and truly dominated by these carb-tastic treats. They’re doing one thing and they’re doing it better than just about everyone else in the game. They’ve got four bagel combos on the menu or you can design your own by choosing your own bagel, housemade schmear and extras.

We tried the BLT…ish ($13) and the New York Bagel ($13). The BLT…ish is a vegan’s dream, stacked with smoky, housemade vegan bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado and rich vegan cream cheese. However, our number one pick from the menu has got to be the New York Bagel. This dish encapsulates the Big Apple in every bite with pastrami-cured salmon, garlic cream cheese, lettuce, tomato, mustard and avocado.  It’s rich, smooth and flavourful and just so, so succulent. If you’re looking for a little lunchtime desert then you can’t go past their rogalachs ($1.50). If you’re not familiar with these pastries, think part-croissant, part-babka, and all delicious. 

This curated menu and cosy premises allow the team to focus all their energy on the food. Steeped in tradition, almost everything at The Bagel Co is made in-house. They cure their own wild salmon, they flavour their own cream cheese and play their part in churning out over 50,000 bagels per week. They haven’t yet cracked the recipe for the perfect pickles but they’re working on it! Everything they’re serving up is Kosher-certified and there are plenty of great gluten-free and lactose-free options available. 

Find The Bagel Co at 38 Reservoir Street, Surry Hills. They are currently open Monday – Friday from 8am – 2pm and from 10am – 2pm on Sundays. Find out more here.