One of the best bagel stores in NYC is finally opening in Chicago

PopUp Bagels, the cult-favorite East Coast shop known for its hot bagels, playful schmears and the cheeky motto “Grip, Rip and Dip,” is officially heading to Chicago with a permanent storefront planned for Lincoln Park.

The fast-growing brand announced on Instagram this week that it will make its Midwestern debut at 2321 North Lincoln Avenue, in a space formerly occupied by Crumbl. An exact opening date hasn’t been confirmed yet, but social media hiring posts suggest the shop could arrive as soon as April.

If you’ve somehow missed the PopUp Bagels phenomenon so far, the company does bagels a little differently. Founded in Westport, Connecticut, the brand began as a pandemic-era backyard pop-up where two friends, Adam Goldberg and Jeff Lewis, handed out freshly baked bagels to neighbors and friends. Demand quickly snowballed, eventually turning the hobby into a full-fledged business built around one very specific idea of serving bagels hot, whole and ready to tear.

But unlike most bagel shops, PopUp Bagels doesn’t make sandwiches. Instead, customers order bagels in bundles (typically three, six or 12), grab them fresh from the oven and rip them apart to dip into flavored cream cheeses.

The menu tends to keep things simple on the bagel side (sesame, poppy and everything), but the schmears are where the creativity kicks in. Past flavors have included cacio e pepe, pesto butter and other rotating specials developed through collaborations with local businesses and food brands.

Chicagoans also won’t have to wait for the permanent store to get their first taste. Ahead of the Lincoln Park opening, PopUp Bagels is hosting a two-day pop-up at Guinness Open Gate Brewery in the West Loop this weekend, on March 12 and 13, from 8 to 11 am. The event will feature the shop’s signature hot bagels paired with a limited-edition Guinness Chocolate Stout Cake schmear inspired by the brewery’s iconic stout.

If the lines at other PopUp Bagels locations are any indication, Chicago might want to set those alarms early.