10 must-try bagel spots in Charlotte

The big picture: Y’all are hungry for good bagels. Our team went out hunting for options in and around Charlotte, and we came up with what we believe is a pretty solid list.

• We discovered bagels in unsuspecting places like Good Wurst and a bagel pop-up with hand-rolled and boiled bagels delivered to your door.

Here are 10 places to check out within a half-hour of Charlotte, listed in no particular order.

Of note: Like barbecue and cheesesteaks, people tend to have strong opinions when it comes to their bagels. If we missed your favorite, let us know at [email protected].

Poppy’s Bagels & More

Poppy’s kettle-broiled bagels are a Charlotte staple and the long-standing choice for many locals.

Order this: Take a dozen blueberry bagels home like our friends at Charlotte magazine do. Or order a classic bacon, egg and cheese sandwich on an Everything bagel. (Full menu here.)

Locations: 2921 Providence Road (original location) and 2201 South Blvd. (South End).

Hours: 7am-3pm daily at Providence Road. 7am-12pm in South End.

Good Wurst

As if Good Wurst wasn’t already one of our favorite spots, they went and added scratch-made Montreal-style bagels for just $1.50 each.

Order this: As the name implies, Good Wurst is known for its bratwursts. If you’re looking for a filling breakfast, get the sausage, egg and cheese on an everything bagel for $7.95. (Full menu here.)

Locations: 3001 Central Ave. (Plaza Midwood), 1222 S Tryon St. (South End) and 4015 Corning Place, Suite E3 (North Charlotte).

Breakfast hours: 8am-8pm Monday-Saturday and 8am-5pm Sunday.

[Related Axios guide: New York-style deli meets European street food at this new Plaza Midwood restaurant]

Local Loaf

The bread shop tucked away on a residential NoDa street carries a wide variety of breads, sweets and heartier meals for takeout only. It has picnic tables outside for diners, too.

Order this: Local Loaf has two bagel options (plain and everything). Order a B.E.C. with tomato and onions on everything ($10). Order ahead here.

Location: 800 E. 35th St. (NoDa).

Breakfast hours: 8-11am Wednesday-Friday and 8-10:30am Saturday-Sunday.

[Related Axios guide: 11 must-try Charlotte bakeries, and what to order at each]

Poppyseeds Bagels

Not to be confused with Poppy’s, Poppyseeds Bagels is a family owned and operated bakery specializing in New York bagels and bialys.

Order this: Options include plain, onion, everything, cinnamon raisin and french toast, among many others. Their flavored cream cheeses and homemade salads were very tempting, so I went with their chicken salad on a plain bagel ($8.25).

Location: 1311 Chestnut Ln. (Matthews), 13645 Providence Road (Weddington) and 5124 Old Charlotte Hwy (Sun Valley).

Hours: 5:30am-5pm daily.

Bagel Bin & Deli

Started by two brothers from Long Island, Bagel Bin offers a wide selection of true, scratch-made New York-style bagels. The shop also uses Boars Head brand cold cuts and brews local coffee.

Order this: The egg sandwich ($4.19). I ordered mine on an everything bagel, and it was everything I needed.

Locations: 16709 Orchard Stone Run, Unit 300 (Ballantyne) and 9815 Sam Furr Road (Huntersville).

Hours: 6am-2pm Monday-Friday and 7am-3pm Saturday (Huntersville) and 7am-12pm Sunday, 6:30am-2pm Monday, closed Tuesday, Wednesday-Friday 6:30am-2pm and 7am-2pm.

Tega Cay Deli

The mom-and-pop deli not only serves delicious NY-style bagels but also a host of other breakfast and lunch items like egg sandwiches, cold cuts, homemade salads, chop salads and paninis.

Order this: The bacon, egg and cheese on an asiago bagel.

Location: 1143 Stonecrest Blvd., Ste. 103 (Fort Mill).

Hours: 7am-3pm Monday, closed Tuesday, 7am-3pm Wednesday-Saturday and 7am-11am Sunday.

Mike’s Deli & Bagels

Find Mike’s is in the unassuming Poplar Concord shopping center in Concord. The shop has an extensive menu with everything from deli meats to sandwiches to pancakes. It gets pretty busy in the mornings as folks come in to get their bagel and coffee fix before work.

Order this: The asiago bagel, one of the most popular flavors.

Location: 5303 Poplar Tent Road (Concord).

Hours: 7am-2pm daily.

BagelGram

A delivery-only “bagelry” based in Stallings soon expanding with a storefront location near Matthews. Its hand-rolled, boiled and baked bagels are a local favorite.

Locations: BagelGram delivers to the Matthews/Stallings/Waxhaw area every Wednesday and Saturday with additional pop-ups throughout the Charlotte area. It’ll have regular hours once its new shop opens in August 2023.

Read more: Popular delivery-only bagel shop to open first Charlotte-area storefront with drive-thru

Crust Punk

You might’ve ordered his bagels from Undercurrent Coffee at Optimist Hall, any of the Nightswim Coffee locations or Central Coffee Co. Jeff McElwee’s Crust Punk bagels are in coffee shops across the Charlotte area and now also sold out of a ghost kitchen in South End.

Order this: Spicy-garlic crunch bagel with roast garlic aioli, jimmy dean sausage, scrambled egg and sharp cheddar.

Location: Pick up at South End Eats at 500 W. Summit Ave.

Read more: Some of Charlotte’s best bagels are made in a South End ghost kitchen. Here’s how to get your hands on them

Bagel Boys

This New York-style bagel shop in Waverly offers 18 flavors and 15 options for spreads.

Order this: The Bae Gal. It’s made with thick crispy bacon, fresh avocado, baby heirloom tomatoes, spinach and an egg served your way.

Location: 7107 Waverly Walk Ave., Ste A2.

Hours: 7am-3pm Tuesday-Saturday and 7am-1pm Sunday.

Even more options:

• Bagel Boat – This shop is 40 minutes from us so we didn’t get there this go around, but we’ve heard it’s excellent if you’re in the Lake Wylie area. (Boat and bagel day anyone?)
• Common Market – CM sources bagels via Poppy’s, but their breakfast sandwich options are among the best.
• Rock Hill Bagels & Deli – Highly rated bagel shop about a half-hour from Charlotte. (Menu here.)
• My Brothers Bagel – If you find yourself in Denver, N.C., be sure to make a stop here.

Editor’s note: This guide was last updated on May 16, 2023 with new bagel spots.