If you took an everything bagel and counted all its seeds and then multiplied that by 100, you’d get close to how much we love bagels and bagel sandwiches here at LOUtoday.
No bagel lover goes unloved in Derby City, so here are five local shops to take a bite of next time you need a fix.
🥯 Cold Smoke Bagels, 1001 Logan St.
This classic, Jewish bakery’s menu focuses on smoked and cured salmon, pickled herring, and hot-smoked whitefish sandwiches. Its veggie bagel — with tomato, arugula, and pickled veggies — is a go-to for City Editor Katie.
🥯 Nancy’s Bagels at Payne Street Bakehouse, 225 S. Spring St.
You can get one of several varieties at this shop as well as house made cream cheese, or have these soft-yet-crunchy bagels as the base of a breakfast sandwich — which Payne Street serves all day. We recommend the bacon, egg, and cheese on an everything bagel.
🥯 Heitzman Traditional Bakery & Deli, 3333 Bardstown Rd.
Established in 1891, this bakery offers 13 varieties of bagels that you can get for $1.40 each, or $2.85 with cream cheese. Its sandwich creations include classics like the egg and cheese or — if you’re feeling fancy — you can get a steak, egg, and cheese sandwich.
🥯 Maya Bagel Express, 3029 Poplar Level Rd.
Maya Bagel Express is a family-operated cafe that opened in November 2022. The shop offers 12 different bagel varieties — like salt, sesame, and French toast — as well as six flavors of house made cream cheeses. Also on the menu, you can find eight breakfast sandwiches and nine lunch sandwiches. Pro tip: Try the cheese pizza bagel.
🥯 Bruegger’s Bagels, 119 Breckenridge Ln.
While Bruegger’s is a national chain, it makes the list for the convenience of its location. It’s in the heart of St. Matthews and focuses nearly exclusively on bagel sandwiches with creative ingredients like honey sriracha cream cheese and cheesy hash brown bagels.
