You can now get your mittens on legit New York City bagels in Surry Hills with the opening of Brooklyn Boy Bagels. Created using NYC traditional methods – think kettle-boiling, hand-rolling, long cold fermentation and working with top produce – Brooklyn Boy Bagels are not just close to the real deal – they are the real deal.
Brooklyn-born owner Michael Shafran has been producing the gold tier carbs for more than ten years here in Sydney. You’ve probably tasted them over the years at farmers markets, pop-ups, at the former Circular Quay site or – the current one in Marrickville.
Now, the team has opened their first bagel bar and café on Reservoir Street, seating eight inside and in two weeks, another 12 outside. Safe to say Shafran is pumped.
“This is our first ever purpose-built site we’ve made from scratch. We’ve got coffee from Barrel One Coffee Roasters, a beautiful tiled floor and the kitchen is all together. We can be more creative and experimental, like making seasonal cream cheese. I’m excited to do some cool things.”
Speaking of cool things, each month BB will be doing a monthly “Chef’s Special” collab with a new chef or venue. This month they’ve kicked off with a French dip bagel featuring thin-sliced roast beef, horseradish cream, fried eschalots and a dipping bowl of beef consommé with Darlighurst’s Lenny Briskets.
Next month? “We’re doing a lamb birria bagel with Chico’s Mexican Bar and Grill, whose owners are from California,” says Shafran. “Morgan McGlone (Bar Copains), Adam Wolfers (formerly Yellow) and Michael Rantissi (Kepos Street Kitchen) are on our line-up for the next six months. We want to see how to further elevate the bagel sandwich and work with chefs who inspire us.”
On BB’s opening menu you’ll find a buttermilk fried chicken bagel with American cheese, chipotle mayo and slaw; pastrami Reuben bagel with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and mustard; and pizza bagels. There’s also an OG lox bagel filled with smoked salmon, dill, red onion and capers, plus a vegan version of the same classic hit.
Shafran is also putting a rotating soup line-up on the menu with matzo ball soup in the works. “New England clam chowder will be on too.”
“Sydney doesn’t have a lot of soup places. I want this to be the place to warm people up this winter,” says Shafran.
“After leaving Circular Quay, it’s going to be great to have another central spot where people can come and get a bagel. Plus, I’m a Surry Hills local, so it’s going to be fun to welcome friends and neighbours.”
Sounds pretty banging to us.
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