Poppy & Seed Bagelry

The Verdict

Is it just us, or does the word ‘bagelry’ sound delicious? A purveyor of bagels. It’s the same feeling we get any time we drive past a self-described ‘chippery’. Well hold onto your pretzels, guys, because Balaclava just got a new bagelry, and it’s yeasty as hell.

Melbourne, meet Poppy & Seed.

Fresh from setting up a Melburnian cafe in the heart of Tokyo, Frankie Melbourne Espresso, the idea for this new venture came about when owner Alex Daniels and his partner went to Canada. It was there that humble bagel got them thinking. 

"We tried all the different types in New York and Montreal," says Daniels. "Now let's make a more Melbourne-style bagel."

As business ventures go, opening a bagel shop in Balaclava is like setting up a lemonade stand in the Sahara. Demand’s always gonna be high. And it helps when your bagels taste like these: we’re talking eight different varieties, cooked slow for 18-hours using a traditional boil-and-bake method.

First step: pick your bagel. Plain white, sesame seed, poppy seed, everything seeds (that’s actually what they call it), dark rye, blueberry, cinnamon raisin and a cheeky gluten-free. Next? It’s toppings time. Generally the classics are the way to go, but Poppy & Seed also offer grilled cheese (with or without Vegemite), peanut butter, vegan cream cheese (!!) and pimped-out cream cheese varieties like dill & caper or raspberry & lemon.

Alternatively, you can stuff your bagel with a number of sandwich fillings. Think classic HCT, tuna melt or stacked corn beef with American mustard. Last step: whack on a side of pretzels and gherkins, or even some beer battered chips. The whole shebang should cost around $10 – $15, depending on how big you go.

Let’s talk coffee. Poppy & Seed are running a Carmelo blend from Allpress—it’s got a wicked acidity that balances the bagels nicely. You can also pick up a range of all-natural juices and smoothies (the Jamaican Me Crazy is our personal pick).

There's some construction going on on the street around them currently, but once that's finished Poppy & Seed have ambitions of setting up some outdoor seating too, so you can sit back enjoy that doughy goodness in all its glory.

Check these guys out near Balaclava Station, You can’t miss ‘em—they’re the ones that smell like bagels. 

Image credit: Jenna Fahey-White