A bagel brand founded in 2021 by husband and wife Steven and Kirsty Orr as a home-based operation during the Covid lockdown will open its first bricks-and-mortar store in the heart of Belfast city centre later this month.
Bodega Bagels, which graduated to a series of pop-ups before taking up residence at Banana Block in the east of the city in April 2022, later took a unit at the popular Trademarket outdoor market.
But the closure of Trademarket this summer was the catalyst for the couple realise their vision to expand, and now they will open at the former Clements Café unit on Belfast’s Royal Avenue.
“I’ve always had my eye on this part of town, and with the new Ulster University campus opening nearby and life coming back to the area, it felt like the perfect time to bring Bodega Bagels here,” Steven explains.
“We’ve always strived to create an authentic New York-style bagel experience, and we believe our new location, with its red brick and industrial feel, captures that vibe perfectly.”
Firmly established as a favourite spot for authentic freshly baked New York-style bagels and delicious bakes, including the iconic Boulder Cookies, all of Bodega’s bagels and pastries are baked in-house.
A teaser on their opening, posted by the brand on its Instagram and TikTok accounts before the weekend, quickly racked up over 50,000 views, sparking speculation around the location of the new store.
And with the fit out well under way, it’s expected the Royal Avenue store will open in the coming weeks.
It will offer freshly baked bagels, coffee and bakes daily from 8am to 3pm, with plans to extend opening hours in the longer term. Customers will have the option to grab and go, or sit in.
In preparation for the opening, Bodega Bagels (bodegabagels.co.uk) is hiring for six new roles, bringing its total number of staff to 16.
In addition to its new home, the eaterie will continue to serve customers at Banana Block, but will move its baking production to the city centre, enabling further growth in catering services.
“Opening this store is a huge milestone for us”, Steven adds.
“It will allow us to expand not just our retail offerings but also our catering services, which we’ve been lucky to grow in East Belfast.
“Now, being centrally located, we can better serve a wider community, and service growing demand for business and corporate catering.”