Unless you’re part of the busy office crowd at Buona Vista or a die-hard bagel fan, you might’ve yet to hear about The Bagel Bunch. This pocket-sized bagel shop is tucked away on the first floor of The Metropolis, serving up freshly baked bagels that won’t break the bank, plus pretty decent coffee to match. While it tends to get crowded during the weekdays, it’s much quieter on Sundays – perfect for getting a brunch fix after your Rail Corridor walk.
The hole-in-a-wall started as a home-based business back in 2021, specialising in New York-style bagels with Asian-inspired fillings like Korean fried chicken and butter chicken. As news got around, it started running occasional pop-ups at Pinhole Coffee Bar, Cloud and other cafés. Its current store at The Metropolis is its first brick-and-mortar outlet, and despite starting as a purely takeaway concept, an alfresco seating area is now available just outside the unit.
Freshly baked bagels line the counter in three flavours like the O.G (plain), sesame seed and cheddar ($4). Build your own bagel or choose from eight different combinations on the recently refreshed menu. You’re unlikely to go wrong with hearty options like the Classic Breakfast ($7.90) and The Bagel Bunch ($9.90), stuffed with five-spice bacon, eggs and cheese. The Bagel Brunch comes with additional tater tots and the joint’s popular scallion cream cheese.
Other popular picks include the Lox of Love ($13.90) which features a hefty serving of smoked salmon, plum furikake, pickled red onions, tomatoes, and scallion cream cheese. And staying true to its roots, Asian-inspired bagels remain proudly on the menu. Try the Butter Chicken Bonanza ($12.90) which is loaded with grilled spiced chicken, eggs, cream cheese, and raita – a yoghurt-based spread with cucumbers. Craving a bit of spice? The Korean fried chicken bagel ($12.90) should hit the spot with a spicy fried chicken patty and daikon kimchi slaw, finished with cheese and seaweed flakes.