PopUp Bagels
PopUp Bagels, the buzzy bagel brand known for its hot, whole bagels and generous schmears, opened its first Alabama location at The Summit in late summer, bringing its simple-but-fun approach to breakfast to Birmingham.
The brand’s signature “Grip, Rip, and Dip” approach is exactly what it sounds like: Bagels arrive hot and whole, ready to be torn into pieces and dunked into a cup of schmear. No knife required. It’s a setup that feels particularly well-suited to families, where everyone can grab a bagel, share a few spreads, and sample a little bit of everything.
The menu keeps it simple. Bagels come in five varieties: plain, everything, poppy seed, salt and sesame. Rather than ordering individual bagels, customers choose from bundles such as three bagels with one schmear, six bagels with one schmear, or a dozen bagels with two schmears. Larger quantities are available, too, making the format convenient for feeding a crowd. The schmears invite a little experimentation. Classic choices include plain and scallion cream cheese, along with salted butter and brown sugar-cinnamon butter. PopUp Bagels also rotates limited-time flavors, so there is often something new to try. Recent offerings like jalapeño popper cream cheese and Mike’s Hot Honey Butter keep the taste-testing exciting. Smoked salmon is available as an add-on, and the drink menu includes hot drip coffee, La Colombe cold brew, Natalie’s orange juice and lemonade, Saint James iced teas, and PopUp Bagels water.
PopUp Bagels
The concept grew out of a local bagel operation founded by Adam Goldberg in Westport, Connecticut, and has since expanded into locations across the country. The brand says its focus is on the basics: crisp exteriors, soft centers, carefully made dough, and fresh baking throughout the day. There are no breakfast sandwiches on the menu—the bagel itself is the star.
PopUp Bagels gives Birmingham families another easy option for a weekend breakfast, a grab-and-go treat before shopping, or a box of bagels to bring home and share. And with the brand’s emphasis on hot bagels, communal boxes and dip-worthy schmears, breakfast just got a little more hands-on and a lot more fun.
PopUp Bagels is located at 329 Summit Boulevard. Hours are Monday-Thursday 7 a.m.-3 p.m. and Friday-Sunday 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Pre-ordering is available at popupbagels.com.