Oct 5, 2026 - Culture

Utah is about to enter its bagel era

Kim Bojórquez

Person in a blue shirt and black gloves holds a baking tray of freshly baked bagels, sprinkled with sesame and salt, as racks and an oven appear in the background. — A tray of fresh bagels. Photo: Nikos Frazier/Omaha World-Herald via Getty Images

Utah's emerging bagel scene is about to get bigger with the arrival of two national chains.

The big picture: Utah has long been known for being a bagel desert, but Salt Lake City shops like the The Bagel Project and Baby's Bagels have helped change that with their New York-style varieties.

Driving the news: Florida-based Jeff's Bagel Run plans to open in Midvale by the end of the year, while Connecticut's PopUp Bagels recently revealed it's "coming soon" to Holladay.

State of play: Jeff's Bagel Run is betting big on the Beehive State, with plans to open 15 stores in northern Utah.

In a statement, Jeff Perera, co-founder of Jeff's Bagel Run, said he was attracted to the state because of its "passionate food community" and "explosive population growth."

💭 My thought bubble: Salt Lake City is well known for its breakfast sandwich culture, but sometimes a girl just wants a warm bagel and a simple spread.

Add Axios on Google

Utah is about to enter its bagel era

More Salt Lake City stories