I’m Sue Krider, the high-rise real estate authority in DFW. I have lived and worked in Dallas for many years.
I take great pride in keeping my finger on the pulse of so many things in our area, including … food!
Dallas was named Bon Appetit’s Restaurant City of the Year two or three years ago and for good reason. Rock star chefs flock to our area and find hungry audiences of willing diners to help skyrocket their careers.
In Dallas, we love our leisurely brunches. A morning chock full of Eggs Benedict, Bloody Marys, and Mimosas is all the rage. But nowadays, so are … bagels. In fact, there is a bit of a “bagel boom” lately, with a number of grab-and-go opportunities for busy people all over town. With that in mind, I thought I’d give you a few suggestions to ponder … maybe over a gourmet drip coffee and a delicious pumpernickel bagel?
Let’s start with a newbie called Lubbies Bagels. It opened recently in a space at 1160 Peavey Road in East Dallas once a popular seafood restaurant. Owners Andrea and Jen Lubkin have a tiger by the tail, according to a growing list of enthusiastic customers. Since Lubbies is still feeling their way after a low-key opening in August, look for them to expand the menu. The Lubkin sister’s selection of bagels includes salt, poppy seed, cinnamon raisin, sesame seed, garlic, onion, everything, sun-dried tomato, whole wheat, and, yes, pumpernickel. Their tasty schmears come in a limited variety at this point, however, all are rich and beautifully creative — blueberry swirls, jalapeño cheese, scallion, pimento, and carrot hummus. Check out Lubbies on Instagram. They’re open daily 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily.
Shug’s Bagels, located at 3020 Mockingbird Lane and opened in 2020, is a popular bagel shop in the area. It was founded by a guy named Justin Shugrue, who happens to be a native New Yorker and an SMU alumnus (listen to a podcast with him here). The shop offers a wide variety of bagels and classic toppings like lox and various schmears, all of which are made fresh on the premises. Shug’s operates daily from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., making it an idea spot for breakfast and lunch. Additionally, they have after-hours service from Tuesday through Saturday, running from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., which is perfect for hungry SMU college students looking for late-night snacks. It’s worth noting that Shug’s Bagels can get super busy, leading to long lines. However, they provide take out options for those in a hurry, ensuring that customers have convenient choices even during peak hours. This makes it a popular spot not only for SMU students but also for anyone in the area craving delicious bagels and toppings.
Sclafani’s at 6135 Luther Lane in Preston Center is all about New York bagels and sandwiches (that’s what the sign says, anyway). It’s an interesting blend of Italian bread baking, and Jewish bagel techniques. With aromatic, old-school scents and faithful deli staples, the shop has been a hit in the area, especially for Park Cities residents, filling a void for such homemade fare. The restaurant jams, albeit in relaxed and cozy way with an intimate amount of seating. It is also adjacent to plenty of parking. Sclafani’s is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and open Wednesday through Sunday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Starship Bagelat 1520 Elm Street, across from The Joule, positions themselves as “Bagels, Coffee, and Beyond.” Open daily from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., Starship says they mix their dough from scratch in small batches which, they say, allows for better quality control throughout the process. The downtown location offers about a dozen different kinds of bagels. They expand the menu and add egg, French Toast, and everything bagels on weekends. Starship has enjoyed some pretty good reviews in the Dallas press since opening. Starship bagels have a slightly sweet, and tangy flavor, with shiny, crunchy crust and cakey, doughy interior, a point of pride in their shop (as see here on Instagram).
As you might expect in a place like Highland Park Village, Sadelle’s is lovely. Open daily from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. for brunch and lunch, and 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. for dinner, the cuisine is characteristically Park Cities by way of New York City (the original opened in SoHo in 2015) with other locations opened in Paris, Las Vegas, Miami, Riyadh, and more. Their bagel menu is a bit limited, but mouthwatering and among the best in town, served with coffees that are rich and delicious. As for cuisine beyond bagels Sadelle’s is well-known for sliced-to-order salmon and sturgeon, a selection of chopped salads, and other New York classics with inventive, contemporary twists. The ambiance at Sadelle’s is refined and upscale, with a strong emphasis on attention to detail.
Benny’s Bagels at 1901 Skillman Avenue on the edge of Lakewood is a Dallas favorite. It’s a well-known spot to place orders ahead of time for pick-up before that Tuesday morning sales meeting, or grab a rye bagel and a coffee, then stroll the shops in the neighborhood on a Saturday morning.
Beyond the I-635 loop you might consider these options for you and your taste buds to consider if you find yourself in those areas.
Deli-News at 17062 Preston Road in North Dallas is another treat, with a deep array of bagels, pancakes, sandwiches and salads, and many other options. There is also an extensive menu for kids.
Bagel Café 21 at 1920 Coit Road has 21 flavors of bagels, hence the name. A Richardson favorite, the front page of the company website says it all: “We boil, we bake all our bagels fresh daily, because of this we do sell-out from time to time. Please call us ahead to reserve your favorites.” Be sure to get a load of their multicolored rainbow bagels, scrumptious sandwiches, muffins and more.
Bagels are boiled and baked fresh daily in Frisco at Bagelology. Located at 252 West Stonebrook Parkway, it is open Tuesdays through Sundays, 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and closed on Mondays. Bagelology features just over a dozen flavors of bagels, and about the same number of spreads. Gluten-free bagels are also available. Sandwiches include Mama Z’s Turkey, Tam-Tam Sushi, Err Thang in the Kitchen, and Lox in Space, and a variety of breakfast sandwiches. There isn’t much of a web presence for Bagelology so call (214) 407-8949
How about one more? OK, maybe it’s not all about bagels like the others, but here’s a somewhat new place with a cool reputation that’s growing every day. La La Land Kind Café is a sweet little surprise specializing in exquisite organic craft coffees, signature matcha lattes with intriguing, off-the-wall labels like French Toast, Cookies ‘n Dream, Lavender Bloom, Upside Down and Purple Rain, plus organic and organic reserve teas, which can take 5-10 minutes to brew. La Lal Kind Café also serves a delicious variety of toast ranging from avocado, truffle burrata, hot strawberry and others. Locally, there are locations in Dallas, Richardson, and another in Addison, with more in Houston, and California. And be sure to read their inspirational mission statement on the website.
For more information on top high-rise properties in Dallas, and a continuing flow of information about the market, as well as community happenings and special things to see and do, check with me at SueKrider.com now.
Be sure to check my website at www.dallashighrisecondo.com for more.