Beigel Bake - Brick Lane

Beigel Bake is a London institution – the line of people out the door practically all day long testifies to this. A short walk from the Brick Lane Market, it proclaims to be the first to bring bagels to London.

The house specialty is the bagel with salted beef. Sammy, one of the three founders, swears by it. At 78 years old he continues to spend every day in the store, helping out and greeting customers. The smoked salmon with cream cheese is also highly recommended and is the bestseller.

The bakery that produces some 2 000 bagels a day (boiled then baked) is underneath the shop, and you can sneak a peek inside while you wait in line. They also offer traditional Jewish bread, challah, as well as other pastries and loaves, but the bagels are the real reason for their success.

Beigel Bake began as a family business and remains one today. Sammy started it when he moved to London from Israel, and 20 years ago they started opening 24/7. The place has a humble and authentic character that distinguishes it from its trendy neighbours, and has remained largely unchanged since its opening. There are no tables inside, just a small bar that is usually obstructed by the long line of people anyway, so it’s best to take your bagel to go.

The clientele varies from taxi drivers rushing through for a quick lunch, stragglers at dawn looking for some sustenance after a night of partying, and of course the unavoidable tourists – it seems there’s a bagel for everyone here.