Huff Bagelry | Carnegie

The Verdict

You don’t much around at Huff Bagelry. This family-run joint is modelled on classic New York-style bagel houses, and no-one walks into those expecting hipster fireworks. You walk up the counter, state your order, step to the right and eat your bagel. It’s damn good, and you’re happy to get it.

There are too Huffs in Melbourne. The Carnegie one is probably our favourite—it’s a little more old-school-family-bagel-shop. Service window onto Koornang Rd, lots of stained timber cladding, floral prints on the walls and some cosy basket-cane pendant lights.

The Huff in Mentone is a little slicker (it was designed by the guys at Studio Four, and they don’t get much slicker than that).

Whichever one you pick, you’re guaranteed cheery service and some truly banging bagels. We didn’t think anything could topple 5 & Dime's Jalapeno & Cream Cheese Bagel, but the Garlic Salt & Rosemary (stuffed with smoked salmon, cream cheese and capers) comes damn close.

There’s obviously a LOT of choice at Huffs. That’s what bagel bars are all about. Start with the bread: you can pick from plain, sesame, poppyseed, onion & poppy, rye, cinnamon & raisin, blueberry, even choc chip.

Next, it’s toppings time. Personally, you’ll have to drag us kicking and screaming away from smoked salmon and cream cheese—it simply can’t be beat. But if you must experiment, Huff lets you slather on Nutella and honey, scrambled eggs, kefalograviera cheese, artichokes, chicken schnitz, roast veggies, basically anything you can think of.

Coffee at Huff is the good stuff: beans from Allpress Espresso in Collingwood. There’s nothing better on a Saturday morning in Carnegie than sitting out the front of Huffs, double-shot latte in one hand and still-warm bagel in the other.

It’s the little things...

Image credit: Jenna Fahey-White