A popular NYC bagel shop is coming to New Jersey.
PopUp Bagels was originally started in Connecticut, where owner Adam Goldberg perfected his bagel recipe, selling hot bagels and cream cheese schmears out of his backyard during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The bagels quickly became popular, leading Goldberg to sell them at pop-ups (hence the name) across New York, where they often sold out almost instantly. That growing demand eventually helped him land a brick-and-mortar location in New York.
The business continued to expand—opening several New York locations, then spreading to Connecticut, Massachusetts, Florida, and beyond.
What Makes PopUp Bagels Different
PopUp Bagels specializes in a bagel style that’s a bit outside the regional norm. Their bagels are on the smaller side and served hot and crispy, with fresh batches baked constantly throughout the day. PopUp Bagels doesn’t do sandwiches, and they don’t slice their bagels either. Instead, customers are encouraged to tear pieces of chewy, crispy bagel and dip them into flavored schmears.
Bagel options stick to the classics: plain, everything, poppy seed, sesame, and salt. Schmear choices include plain cream cheese, scallion, and salted butter, with limited-edition schmears offered occasionally. Vegan scallion cream cheese is also available.
PopUp Bagels recommends pre-ordering online, with bagels baked to order for a selected pickup time. Orders require a minimum of a dozen.
PopUp Bagels Is Coming to New Jersey
Now, PopUp Bagels is coming to New Jersey for the first time, with a location set to open in Westfield later this year.
Unlike other states where PopUp Bagels has expanded, New Jersey isn’t exactly short on quality bagels. Excellent shops can be found in nearly every town, offering a wide range of options. Still, PopUp Bagels brings something different. While New Jersey bagels tend to be larger and loaded with Taylor Ham, egg, and cheese, PopUp Bagels focuses on a simpler approach.
And that approach clearly works. It’s what put PopUp Bagels on the map—just look at the lines in New York.
Soon, Westfield will have its own PopUp Bagels, and New Jerseyans will be able to decide for themselves: is it really worth the hype?
Peter Candia is the Food + Drink Editor at New Jersey Digest. A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, Peter found a passion for writing midway through school and never looked back. He is a former line cook, server and bartender at top-rated restaurants in the tri-state area. In addition to food, Peter enjoys politics, music, sports and anything New Jersey.
