Think house-cured and spiced sustainable salmon from New Zealand with juicy tomato, slivers of onion, bursts of salty capers and a generous slathering of herb schmear, encased in a chewy yet crisp-on-the-outside perfect bagel, baked fresh every morning.
This is the classic bagel from Lox in a Box, a new joint that opened up in Manly late 2022. And yes, Northern Beaches locals are very happy about it.
Located one street away from Manly’s main drag, Lox in a Box is the third bagel baby by owners Candy Berger and Gaia Lovell, joining their other Lox delis in Bondi and Coogee. Offering in-house seating, the sunny venue is the biggest of the three stores, with a large open air window that's perfect for people watching.
As well as the classic lox, there's a delicious chicken schnitzel bagel with spicy peri peri sauce, cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce and mayo; and their take on the Reuben, using LP’s beef brisket pastrami, sauerkraut, pickles, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing. Plus, bagels with tuna, panko fish, halloumi and egg, too.
For plant lovers, the veggie bagel looks like the rainbow and comes with whipped schmear, pickled jalapeños, beetroot, red onion, tomato, carrot, shredded greens, pickles and cheddar cheese, and can be made vegan. You can also opt to add a side of vinegary pickles and a handful of salty crinkle-cut crisps – which you absolutely should. Jewish deli goods like Kosher pickles, chopped liver, cucumber salad and hummus are also available, as is good coffee.
Berger and Lovell first opened Lox three years ago as a side hustle to their catering company. Though of course, Covid came, and like many others, their main source of income came to a halt. Lox managed to stay open the whole time, however, and our bellies have been thanking us ever since.
All of the recipes at Lox in a Box have been handed down from Berger’s two grandmas – one of Polish descent and one of German descent – so trust us when we say the ingredients (fresh, sustainable) and flavours are on point.
Dine in, or order takeaway, and enjoy one of the best bites in Manly by the beach. If only the seagulls could go away.