Bristol city centre is nothing short of a haven for places to eat, whether it be sensational street food from around the Harbour or somewhere that's a little more upmarket for a special occasion. Bristol is spoilt for options.
And, not to be forgotten are the small indie eateries that make the perfect destination to grab a bite - perhaps for a walk with friends through the sunny centre or for a quick refuel on your lunch break. One new addition, Little Bagel Co. is hoping to become the all new go-to for such trips.
The bagel bakery, or 'bagelry' as owner Wes Thomposon refers to it, is set to open its doors to a flurry of eager diners in a matter of days. Little Bagel Co. has amassed almost 500 followers on Instagram before the bakery has even served up its goods, so it's fair to say this opening is well anticipated.
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Little Bagel Co.'s all new Queen's Road branch will be its first. Wes has a host of experience within the food industry - having worked with big names such as Boston Tea Party and Extract Coffee Roasters - but this will be the first business that he will be manning on his own.
"I got to the point where, having worked for all of these businesses, that I just wanted to do my own thing," Wes told Bristol Live. "Covid hit, everyone started baking banana bread and I had been to New York the September before and fell in love with bagels so I was like 'I want to teach myself how to make bagels'.
"It was a disaster in the beginning, but I've spent the last two years making bagels and I'm pretty proud of where they're at."
Being from North Devon, Wes moved to Bristol to take over management of Boston Tea Party on Whiteladies Road and now considers it a "second home" after his six years living in the city. Having lived nearby, he says he knows the Triangle really well and appreciated the footfall it receives due to the university and businesses nearby.
"During Covid the Triangle saw lots of businesses that were coming to the end of their tenure leave and it now feels like it's having a bit of a rejuvenation with lots of new indies coming in and some of the big brands coming back, so it's an exciting time to be in the area."
The bagels are hand rolled and fresh every day ,and Little Bagel Co. are going to open with a traditional New York Deli inspired menu on offer; with nine fillings to choose between that cater to meat eaters, veggies and vegans. As well as this, they'll be catering to anyone with a sweet tooth as they promise to bring "American inspired cakes and cookies".
"There will be traditional New York style cookies - warm in the middle and crispy on the outside. We'll have pecan pie and hopefully we'll go down the babka route too," Wes said.
Wes' background in coffee will also allow for what he refers to as a "really sick coffee offering". Little Bagel Co. will be working with an independent Roastery named Fire and Flow, who will be providing them with a signature blend.
Despite saying the bagels are "like his children", there are three particular creations that Wes would deem his favourite. The pastrami offering is "probably his favourite" but he says the 'breakfast bagel' would "sort you right out in the morning", also adding that the "fancy peanut butter and jam bagel" is not to be overlooked.
Little Bagel Co. will be opening on July 6 and will also be delivering via food delivery service 'Food Stuff'. They will be located on 80 Queens Rd, Bristol BS8 1QU.
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