What and where? Occupying the former Primrose Hill Butcher’s, this uber-popular newish bagel cafe is the brainchild of Dan Martensen, a fashion and portrait photographer. Martensen initially launched It’s Bagels at Caravan Brewbar just off York Way before opening this crazy-popular shop, bakery and café with head baker Chris Buckley.
What’s the vibe? Queues. Unless you go, as we did, mid-morning midweek – just before the lunchtime rush. Thus, just after 1130am yesterday, we strode in and smugly ordered; by 1145am a dozen people were waiting, a line that might be ten times longer at weekends. Inside there’s counter seating overlooking the kitchen for half a dozen punters, plus three or four bookable tables (all were reserved at lunch on our visit).
And so to business. As well as the freshly baked plain, poppy, sesame, garlic, onion, and cinnamon and raisin, there are salted, pumpernickel and Rainbow (only on weekends) bagels. You can buy them singly (£1.70), 13 for £20 or filled.
There’s a also selection of plain and flavoured ‘schmears’ (cream cheeses) available by the tub; lox, smoked haddock and caviar; as well as traditional NY style ‘salads’ such as tunafish, egg and whitefish.
I’ve never been for lunch before. Where to start? There are around 20 filled bagels listed, although, with multiple additions, anything is possible really. We’d heard that a must-order classic is the BEC (bacon, egg and cheese, £9.50, above) so that was first on the list. Gobbled on a bench on Primrose Hill – where else? – it works spectacularly well with our chosen onion bagel (you can also add ketchup or hot sauce if you wish).
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The top tip? Don’t miss ‘The Works’ (£14, above) in a sesame bun, slathered – and we mean, liberally slathered – with cream cheese, onion, capers, lemon and a generous slab of lox (brined, rather than smoked salmon). There are also monthly specials – our salt beef collab bagel with Secret Sandwich Shop was packed with Swiss cheese, mustard, pickles, red onion and kewpie mayo: in an ‘everything’ seeded bagel this was indeed a flavourbomb.
Anything else we should know? We’ll say it again: just go as off-peak as you possibly can; pre-order too. And don’t forget walk it off up that conveniently placed hill afterwards (before a wee lie-down on it summit).
Filled bagels from £5-14. Opening Hours: Monday – Saturdays: 7am-5pm, Sundays: 8am – 5pm. It’s Bagels is at 65 Regent’s Park Road, London NW1 8XD. Follow @its_bagels.
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Kentishtowner ate as guests of It’s Bagels
