Update: Cleveland Bagel officially opened its doors recently and the response has been overwhelming so far, to say the least.
Yesterday, for instance, they were all sold out before 9 a.m.
The lesson: do get there early and check their Facebook page before you head out.
The shop opens at 6:30 a.m.
***
(Original story 8/5/16): Up to this point, the boys from Cleveland Bagel Co. (216-395-7723) have been working out of rented space, first at the Cleveland Culinary Launch & Kitchen and currently in a space belonging to Ohio City Pasta. That arrangement has been workable but not ideal, says owner Dan Herbst, who along with partner Geoff Hardman launched the food-based startup in 2013.
“This will be the first time the kitchen will be set up the way I want it to be as opposed to just working in the situation that was offered to us,” he explains.
The new facility (4201 Detroit Ave.) is across the street from the Harp restaurant and will serve as the new home for Cleveland Bagel Co.’s production kitchen. Bigger and better equipment will allow the owners to expand their wholesale business, which currently is around 30 accounts spread across the city. Instead of just a giant pot for boiling the bagels, Herbst says the new 40-gallon tilting kettle will greatly increase efficiency, as will a pair of new ovens.
“We’ll be able to work on other products too, like a really good rye bagel, a pumpernickel bagel, and a fruity breakfast bagel like cinnamon and cranberry,” he says.
But the best part of the equation is the 1,100-square-foot retail space, which will offer up fresh, hot, malty hand-rolled Cleveland-style bagels directly to customers.
“Doing wholesale business, nobody ever really gets the chance to get fresh bagels right out of the oven,” says Herbst, adding that those bagels were baked and delivered hours earlier.
Of course, the shop will offer coffee service, bagel and schmears, and will add a small roster of bagel sandwiches down the road.
“If we keep it simple and focus on quality it will be nice,” he adds.
Herbst says they’ll be baking in the space within weeks and the retail shop will be open this September.
This article appears in Aug 3-9, 2016.
Oy, this is some good nooze, boychik…if this new joint is anything at all like the East Side bagel joints (Corky & Lenny’s off 271, Pincus Bakery next to Jack’s Deli, or Broadway Bagels in Lyndhurst), it means no more shlepping out to East Kishnev (or East Kipnis) for a bagel fix.
But will they also sell lox? (And the yarmul keys needed to open them?)
Chuckles the Clown
Broadway Bagels in Lyndhurst has been closed for at least 10 years, probably closer to 15 years. Get out much, Chuckles?
Corky & Lenny’s is a deli, not a bagel joint. The two best east side bagel shops go unmentioned, and that’s ok, this article isn’t about them, it’s about Cleveland Bagel Company taking a big next step. Congratulations and good luck to them.
If only we could snag a shop that actually makes decent bagels. That would be news worthy.
– Cleveland Bites: One Bagel at a Time –
I’ve seen this bagel compared in a blind taste test to the 4 top NYC bagels, and the results were unanimous in favor of CLE!!
The best bagel in Cleveland has to be Bialy’s
Originally from Jersey where my father drove into Manhattan Saturday mornings to bring home fresh bagels, I was spoiled – and cursed forever in my search for an authentic bagel. When I moved away from NJ, I always compared the local options to NY bagels. Cleveland Bagel lifted the curse with their tough, twisty, chewy, tasty bagel. If you haven’t tried them – you’re missing a great bagel.
Hey, Jimmy, what I said this summer still goes. I live 45 minutes from Lyndhurst…and had no real reason to go there except to buy bagels. I also get out more in any given year, and do more, and have more urban adventures, than most of the people who post here.
So you can still GFYA.
Chuckles the Clown