Bangkok's 5 best bagel houses

The story: Two breakdancing buddies from Singapore, Jerome and Jereborne Lam, decided their city needed proper bagels in 2014. Jerome had trained at Les Amis and Pollen, serious fine dining joints. Jereborne was living in the sky as a Singapore Airlines flight attendant. Their combined powers obviously went towards bagels. They built Singapore’s first speciality bagel shop from scratch, experimenting with flavours nobody thought belonged on a bagel. Fast forward to 2024 and they’ve landed in Saladaeng with Bangkok exclusive creations.

The space: ‘Refined ratchet’ is how they describe it and we’re pretty sure that means the bread and their industrial cool space that’s made for neighbourhood hangs. The hip hop culture they bonded over back in their breakdancing days shows up in everything, from the attitude to the playlist to every corner of the shop.

What to eat: Bangkok’s signature move is the Pig Fly, a four strip pork jowl beast with double cheese, a runny egg and ponzu chilli jam. The classic pick is the Luxe, salmon on cream cheese with lemon, pickled cucumber, capers and tomatoes. And if khao soi bagel, a collab with Ong Tong Khao Soi, is on the menu when you visit, snap it up immediately. Coffee’s solid all round. There are cold-pressed juices and smoothies for the healthy lot.

The bagels: Dense, chewy, New York style. They bake multiple times daily and when they’re out, they’re out. No backup frozen supply here.

Find it: 39 Soi Yommarat, Saladaeng. Daily 8am to 4pm, last order 3.30pm. Parking across the street.

The story: The Roast crew launched this as a sister brand in 2021, right in the middle of the pandemic when everyone needed comfort food badly. They’ve been doing high quality brunch since 2011 so when they decided to tackle Montreal style bagels, they went all in on the traditional method, hand rolled and honey poached.

The space: Light, bright and full of Thonglor bougie energy.

What to eat: The Monty’s does smoked salmon, seasonal tomato, cream cheese, red onion, dill and caper. Tomato obsessives need guac and tomato or to ma to to mah to for big juicy chunks, never wimpy sad bits. Good morning is the one when you actually need feeding, eggs, American cheese, jalapeño onion, tomato bell pepper, sour cream and hot sauce. Pizza bagels include pepperoni with fior di latte and spicy tomato sauce or mushroom truffle with caramelised onion fior di latte and truffle cream.

The bagels: Montreal style means smaller, sweeter and denser than New York joints. Hand rolled, poached in honey water then baked with a sourdough base.

Find it: The Commons Thonglor, third floor and Asia Hotel Ratchathewi. Thonglor opens 8am to 5.30pm weekdays, 8am to 8pm weekends.

The story: Benjamin Lee, an Australian ex-finance guy, started roasting coffee in Singapore in 2011. Eric Chan joined as a barista in 2012 and together they built something special. By 2018, Singapore was getting too expensive and too competitive. They tested Manila and Malaysia, but didn’t settle there. Then they found Bangkok and that abandoned 150-year-old boat repair shop in Bang Rak, which became the flagship. Now they have multiple locations across the city, each adapted to its neighbourhood, but that OG spot is still the one to hit. The whole thing is as much about food as coffee. They roast weekly, source locally and throw Thai ingredients into Aussie-style dishes.

The space: The original Bang Rak location in that converted boat repair shop has brushed concrete, distressed brick and an oil stain on the wall from its past life. Multiple locations mean you’re never far from a fix, but this one has the history baked into the bones.

What to eat: Get the smoked salmon bagel. Sesame base, house smoked lox, herbed cream cheese, dill, pickled onions. It’s the one.

The bagels: New York-style sourdough with a three day rise.

Find it: Charoen Krung is the mothership, but Sukhumvit 22 and One Bangkok are equally mobbed. Find your nearest location on their page. Generally 7am to 10pm, but best to check before you pop by.

The story: March 2020. Siblings Sherry and Volk Jensiriwanch were college seniors in New York, one studying Baking and Pastry Arts at the Culinary Institute of America and the other Design at Pratt. When COVID hit, they flew home, spent 14 days in quarantine and came out with a plan to bring proper New York bagels to Bangkok. They started with a tiny space in Ari in June 2020, keeping everything simple and focused. Now they have multiple locations across Thailand from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Phuket and Ayutthaya, but the Ari original still has that bootstrap energy.

The space: It’s cosy and minimalist. Simple decor, everything tidy.

What to eat: Caprese is light and fresh, mozzarella with cherry tomatoes and basil. Bacon egg and cheddar if you want something meaty and filling. Jalapeño cheddar bagel has a great kick that works so well with their savoury cream cheese you don’t need anything else.

The bagels: Classic boiled and baked New York technique.

Find it: 40/12 Pradiphat Soi 13, Ari. Open Tue to Sun 9am to 2pm. Also at 3/5 Sala Daeng 2 Alley, Silom.

The story: March 2011. Eric Seldin and Tri Kanchanadul wanted real New York bagels and couldn’t find them so they started baking. Food chemist Brock Kuhlman joined and brought Jewish deli traditions, putting liver and onions, smoked salmon and tongue on the menu. For over a decade they’ve been hand-rolling, kettle-boiling and baking proper New York bagels since back when Bangkok’s bagel scene was just finding its feet. The night crew rolls in at 9pm and finishes at 4am, curing and smoking meats in house.

The space: Classic deli setup, New York style.

What to eat: Lox stock and bagel is the move, smoked salmon and cream cheese. Smoked chicken bacon and avocado if you want something meatier. There’s also an American breakfast plate, but ‘skip the pancakes and waffles’. They’ll convince you that bagels and corned beef hash are the better match. ‘No bagel, no breakfast yeah’, as they say.

The bagels: Hand-rolled, kettle-boiled, New York style. Sea salt poppy seed cinnamon raisin and everything. Homemade cream cheese schmears in multiple flavours.

Find it: 518/3 Maneeya Centre, Phloen Chit Rd, Chidlom. Open Mon to Fri 7.30am to 5.30pm, weekends 8.30am to 5.30pm. Other locations include Sukhumvit 33, EmSphere, One Bangkok and Promsri 1.