Rise and shine Niagara-on-the-Lake — it’s bagel time

From the four friends who brought Craig’s Cookies to Queen Street comes a new and unique takeout experience. NOTLERS’ Bagels & Dogs opened for business with a fun menu and vintage signage which pays homage to the former Honest Ed's retail brand in Toronto.

That’s not the only nod to their former Toronto connection — the foursome has also sourced bagels from Gryfe’s a beloved bagel bakery in North Toronto. Get ready to taste bagel perfection without a two-hour drive across the QEW.

One taste and you’ll agree — these bagels are delicious. Not a Montreal bagel and not a New York-style bagel, these are unique, and authentic in their own way. A fluffy interior, thin crisp exterior and the signature savoury sprinkle on top (poppy, sesame or everything). Plus they come hot out of the oven so trust me when I say if you’re coming for two, order three, because you will definitely eat one right out of the bag.

Why decide to open up a second food outlet in town? “As was the case with Craig's Cookies, our goal was to introduce Niagara-on-the-Lake to the flavours we love the most, and Gryfe’s bagels, Nathan’s hot dogs, New York pretzels, and my family’s secret recipe cream cheese” topped the list, said Jason van Veghel-Wood. “They're just a slice of what makes the world a more delicious place to be.”

“I think Niagara-on-the-Lakers have discerning tastes, and they’re foodies,” he explained. “This is an opportunity that we saw as adding something unique to the Queen Street heritage district food scene.”

And “Gryfe’s is legendary,” he added. “If you grew up in Toronto, you know them. They're not a New York-style bagel, they have a fluffy texture in the inside, and it's got the crispy outside”

Van Veghel-Wood lived with his partner Danielle Colicchia in Toronto for more than a decade. “We went to university there and then had a whole life there before we moved here in 2008,” he said. “That was our special treat. Once a month, we would drive up to Gryfe’s, order two dozen bagels and we'd have six of them by the time we got back to our apartment. They were just so good!”

On the day I picked up bagels it was pretty much the same experience — I ate one right out of the bag. It was warm and soft but with an amazing exterior bite and salty seasoning.

So how are we lucky enough to have Gryfe’s here?  “I just called them up and asked, can you wholesale? I want to be able to bake these fresh on site. And they said, no problem, we'll do that for you,” said van Veghel-Wood.

“The woman who works there is a  fantastic person to work with, and we were so excited when we heard that we could do that, because that's one of the hardest parts. There are so many different processes involved with making a great bagel. We knew we couldn't match the best, so that's what we do, go to the best.”   

Gryfe’s Bagel Bakery makes more than 6.5 million bagels a year — that’s more than 18,000 bagels a day. They are consistently listed among the top bagels in Toronto and would hold up against some of the top bagels coming from hotspots like New York and Montreal.

The couple have one more trick up their sleeve - they have introduced the Empress spread to their menu. For anyone from Victoria you may already be familiar with this culinary delight. The Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria, BC serves a high tea which includes the Empress spread. Van Veghel-Wood elaborates, “the recipe has been passed down in my family from my grandmother to my mother to Dani. My grandmother got it in the 50s. She and my grandfather took the train out west to Vancouver and then Victoria, stayed at the Empress (hotel) did high tea, and she really enjoyed that treat. She asked the chef for the recipe and the chef said no, and so she eventually got it off of one of the servers.”

They now sell it as a topping, or in eight-ounce containers. It’s a salty, crunchy, creamy topping that I found myself eating right out of the tub. I’m glad the secret is out and they are sharing it with all of us.

Bon Appetit!

Next week we’re tasting their Nathan's hot dogs! Stay tuned.