Where to find Melbourne’s best bagels, sorted by neighbourhood, opening hours and what regulars actually order.
Melbourne Runs on Bagels, Not Just Coffee
Ask a Melburnian where to get a decent flat white and you will get twelve different answers, all delivered with total confidence. Ask the same question about bagels and something interesting happens: the answers start clustering around suburb. Fitzroy people swear by their local. Richmond people will not cross the river for anyone. Carlton has its own loyal queue on a Sunday morning, and the CBD lunch crowd has very firm opinions about which laneway does the best toastie-style bagel before 2 pm.
That suburb loyalty is really the story of Melbourne’s bagel scene. It is not one dominant style copied across the city. It is dozens of small operators, each doing their own version of the boil-then-bake method, each building a regular crowd that will defend their shop to the death over a flat white. This guide pulls together the spots locals actually queue for, organised by where you will find them, so you are not driving across town for a bagel when there is a brilliant one five minutes from where you already are.
A quick note on how this list works. Every shop below is a genuine bricks-and-mortar bagel shop or cafe trading in Melbourne, pulled together from public review data, customer feedback and on-the-ground reputation. Ratings and review counts shift over time, so treat the numbers here as a guide to consistency rather than gospel. What matters more is the pattern: shops that show up again and again in conversation, across different suburbs, among people who have no reason to agree with each other.
The CBD and Inner-City Crew
If you work in the city, you have probably already picked a side. The Melbourne CBD has a surprising density of bagel shops tucked into laneways and side streets, which makes sense given the lunchtime foot traffic and the fact that a good bagel travels well back to a desk.
1. It’s Bagel, Queen Street and Exhibition Street
It’s Bagel has built a strong following with a bagel that locals describe as having a notably shiny, well-baked crust and a filling-to-bread ratio that does not skimp. There are two locations close together, one a dedicated bagel shop on Queen Street and a second sandwich-format outlet on Exhibition Street, which gives city workers two shots at getting one without much of a detour.
2. Bagelhut, Queen Street and Little Lonsdale Street
Bagelhut runs two CBD locations and has built its reputation on the breakfast bagel done properly. The bacon, in particular, comes up again and again in customer feedback as being cooked exactly right rather than thrown on as an afterthought. Fillings are generous without falling apart in your hands, which is harder to pull off than it sounds.
3. Schmucks Bagels, Collins Street and Guests Lane
Schmucks opens early, which matters if you are after a pre-work bagel rather than a lunch one. Both CBD locations open at 6:30 am. The texture is the standout feature here, frequently described as airy on the inside with enough chew to hold its shape, which is the textural sweet spot most bagel obsessives are chasing. There is also a wide flavour range on offer, so it is a good option if you are bringing someone who is fussy about toppings.
4. Brown Bagels, Equitable Place
Tucked into a CBD laneway, Brown Bagels has built a loyal following on friendly counter service as much as the bagels themselves. It is a small operation, the kind of place that remembers regulars, and it opens at 7 am on weekdays for the early commuter crowd.
Fitzroy: Melbourne’s Unofficial Bagel Capital
If any single suburb has the strongest claim to being Melbourne’s bagel heartland, it is Fitzroy. Smith Street and the surrounding grid host several of the most talked-about shops in the city, and the density here means you genuinely can do a short bagel crawl if you are feeling ambitious.
5. Masses Bagels, Smith Street
Masses has carved out a reputation that goes beyond the bagel itself. Staff are consistently described as friendly, the bake is fresh, and the matcha soda has become something of a sleeper hit alongside the food. It sits in the $20-40 price bracket, reflecting a slightly more elevated cafe experience than a quick grab-and-go shop, and it opens later than most, from 8 am on weekdays.
6. Schmucks Bagels, Fitzroy
Fitzroy is also home to one of Schmucks’ two locations, reinforcing the suburb’s status as a genuine bagel hub. Same early 6:30 am opening, same emphasis on that chewy-yet-airy texture that keeps people coming back.
7. Mile End Bagels, Johnston Street
Mile End has built a cult following in Melbourne, and the Johnston Street original is where it started. Reviews consistently mention a lighter style of bagel that does not sit heavy, which makes it an easier everyday option rather than something you save for a big weekend breakfast. Expect a queue on weekend mornings, particularly around the 8 am opening.
8. Bagels Baby, Derby Street, Collingwood
Just over the Fitzroy border in Collingwood, Bagels Baby sits at the more premium end of the price scale, between $20 and $40. The drawcard here is texture, with reviewers consistently pointing to a notably fluffy result that pairs well with the more generous fillings on the menu.
Richmond and the Inner East
Richmond has quietly become a serious bagel destination, helped along by the suburb’s strong cafe culture and the kind of weekend brunch crowd that will happily wait fifteen minutes for the right order.
9. Bissel B., Bridge Road
Bissel B. has built its name on freshness, with customers regularly highlighting the quality of the ingredients alongside a coffee program strong enough to be a destination in its own right. It is an easy pairing: good bagel, good coffee, no need to go anywhere else for either.
10. Mile End Bagels, Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn
Technically Hawthorn rather than Richmond, but close enough geographically to fit the inner-east bracket. This Mile End outpost trades on speed as much as quality, with reviewers regularly noting how efficient the service is even when the shop is busy, which is no small feat for a place doing made-to-order fillings.
11. Bricklane Bagels, Clarendon Street, South Melbourne
A short hop from Richmond proper, Bricklane has built its reputation around the open-faced bagel format, which suits people who want to actually see and customise what they are eating rather than biting blind into a closed sandwich. Portions run generous, and the cafe setting makes it an easy spot to linger over a second coffee.
Brunswick, Carlton and the North
Melbourne’s north has its own distinct bagel culture, shaped heavily by the area’s long-standing Jewish community and deli tradition, alongside a newer wave of cafe-style operators.
12. Bagels & Co, Sydney Road, Brunswick
Sydney Road is one of Melbourne’s great eating strips, and Bagels & Co holds its own on a street with no shortage of competition. Customer service comes up almost as often as the food in reviews, which suggests a shop that has its operations dialled in alongside the bake itself.
13. Take Two Bagels, Lygon Street, Carlton
Lygon Street is better known for Italian food than bagels, which makes Take Two something of an outlier success story. The standout order, by a wide margin, is the smoked salmon bagel loaded with dill, cream cheese and capers, a combination that comes up repeatedly in customer feedback as close to definitive.
14. Bakes & Bagels, Thornbury and Thomastown
Running two locations further north, Bakes & Bagels has built a reputation as a genuine neighbourhood favourite rather than a destination spot, which is arguably the highest compliment a suburban bagel shop can earn. The coffee gets almost as much praise as the bagels themselves, making both locations solid options for a relaxed weekend morning that does not require a CBD trip.
15. 3013 Bagels, Stephen Street, Docklands
Docklands is not the first suburb most people associate with destination food, but 3013 Bagels has carved out a niche there with a fresh daily bake and an interior that gets called out almost as often as the food. A good option if you are working in or around the precinct and do not want to trek into the CBD proper.
West and South: Ascot Vale and Armadale
Bagel culture has spread well beyond the inner north and east, and two suburban shops in particular are worth a special trip if you are not already nearby.
16. Bang On Bagels, Union Road, Ascot Vale
Bang On has become the go-to in Melbourne’s west, with a soft texture and a filling ratio that reviewers consistently describe as well-judged rather than overloaded or skimpy. It is the kind of shop that has turned a quiet stretch of Union Road into a genuine Sunday morning destination.
17. Hank’s Bagelry, Beatty Avenue, Armadale
Over on the other side of the city, Hank’s has built a loyal local following in Armadale. Reviews lean heavily on the word fantastic when describing the service, and the coffee program is strong enough that it functions as a proper neighbourhood cafe rather than just a bagel counter.
Quick Comparison: Melbourne Bagel Shops at a Glance
If you are short on time, here is the full list side by side. Use it to find the closest decent bagel to wherever you happen to be standing.
| Bagel Shop | Suburb | Rating | Known For |
| Masses Bagels | Fitzroy | 4.8 (209) | Matcha soda, fresh daily bake |
| It’s Bagel | Melbourne CBD | 4.8 (1.5K) | Shiny crust, generous fillings |
| Bagels & Co | Brunswick | 4.8 (315) | Classic deli-style fillings |
| Bagelhut | CBD (two sites) | 4.8-5.0 | Bacon and egg breakfast bagels |
| Schmucks Bagels | CBD and Fitzroy | 4.6-4.7 | Airy, chewy texture, big variety |
| Bricklane Bagels | South Melbourne | 4.7 (336) | Open-faced, generous portions |
| Mile End Bagels | Fitzroy and Hawthorn | 4.5-4.8 | Light, not-too-heavy texture |
| Bakes & Bagels | Thornbury and Thomastown | 4.7-4.8 | Coffee and bagel combo |
| Brown Bagels | CBD laneway | 4.6 (318) | Friendly counter service |
| Hank’s Bagelry | Armadale | 4.5 (220) | Suburban favourite, great coffee |
| Bang On Bagels | Ascot Vale | 4.5 (224) | Soft texture, decent filling ratio |
| Take Two Bagels | Carlton | 4.4 (414) | Smoked salmon and caper bagel |
| Bagels Baby | Collingwood | 4.3 (251) | Fluffy texture, premium fillings |
| Bissel B. | Richmond | 4.3 (452) | Fresh ingredients, good coffee pairing |
| 3013 Bagels | Docklands | 4.5 (184) | Interior design, fresh bake |
Early Risers: Where to Go Before 7:30 am
Not everyone has the luxury of a leisurely brunch. If you need a bagel on the way to an early shift, these are the shops that will actually be open.
| Shop | Opens | Suburb |
| Schmucks Bagels (both sites) | 6:30 am | CBD and Fitzroy |
| Bagelhut – Queen St | 7:00 am | CBD |
| Brown Bagels | 7:00 am | CBD laneway |
| It’s Bagel (both sites) | 7:30 am | CBD |
| Take Two Bagels | 7:30 am | Carlton |
| Bang On Bagels | 7:30 am | Ascot Vale |
| 3013 Bagels | 7:30 am | Docklands |
What Actually Makes a Good Melbourne Bagel
Reading through enough customer feedback across enough Melbourne bagel shops, a few patterns repeat often enough to be worth calling out. They are useful if you are trying to work out what you personally are after, since not everyone wants the same thing from a bagel.
- Crust and chew over softness alone. The shops that get talked about most are rarely the softest. A proper boiled-and-baked bagel should have some resistance, a slightly shiny crust and a chewy bite, not the texture of a soft bread roll.
- Filling ratio matters more than filling variety. A shop with three reliable fillings done generously will usually beat a shop with twelve options that skimp on each one. Several of the most praised shops on this list are praised specifically for not being stingy.
- Freshness windows are real. Bagels degrade quickly once they cool, and the best shops bake in small batches throughout the morning rather than one large batch at opening. This is part of why queues form at specific times rather than spreading evenly across the morning.
- Coffee pairing is not an afterthought. A surprising number of the shops above are praised as much for their coffee as their bagels. In Melbourne, a bagel shop without a decent coffee program is leaving money on the table.
Dietary Notes and Ordering Tips
A handful of the shops above cater specifically to gluten-free and vegetarian diners, though availability and daily stock can vary, so it is worth calling ahead if you have specific requirements rather than assuming. Cream cheese-based fillings are near universal across the list, smoked salmon is the most commonly praised premium option, and bacon and egg combinations dominate the breakfast end of the menu.
If you are planning a weekend visit to any of the more popular spots, particularly Mile End, It’s Bagel or Schmucks, arriving close to opening is the most reliable way to avoid a long wait and to get first pick of the day’s fillings before anything sells out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Melbourne suburb has the most bagel shops?
Fitzroy has the strongest claim, with multiple well-regarded shops within walking distance of each other along and around Smith Street and Johnston Street. The inner north generally, including Brunswick and Collingwood, also has a strong concentration.
Where can I get a bagel early in the morning in Melbourne?
Schmucks Bagels opens earliest among the shops on this list, trading from 6:30 am at both its CBD and Fitzroy locations. Bagelhut on Queen Street and Brown Bagels both open from 7 am if Schmucks is out of your way.
What is the most popular bagel filling in Melbourne?
Smoked salmon with cream cheese, dill and capers comes up repeatedly across shops as the standout order, with Take Two Bagels on Lygon Street particularly known for this combination. Bacon and egg breakfast bagels are the other consistently popular choice, especially at Bagelhut.
Are there good bagel options outside the inner city?
Yes. Bang On Bagels in Ascot Vale and Hank’s Bagelry in Armadale both have strong local followings well away from the CBD and inner north, and Bakes & Bagels runs two locations further out in Thornbury and Thomastown.
Do Melbourne bagel shops cater to gluten-free or vegetarian diets?
A number of shops on this list offer gluten-free and vegetarian options, though stock and daily availability can vary between locations. It is worth phoning ahead or checking a shop’s current menu before making a special trip if you have specific dietary needs.
What is the difference between a Montreal-style and New York-style bagel?
Montreal-style bagels are typically boiled in honey-sweetened water and baked in a wood-fired oven, giving a slightly sweeter flavour and a denser, chewier texture. New York-style bagels are boiled in plain water and oven-baked, producing a softer interior and a thicker, more substantial bagel overall. Melbourne’s bagel scene includes shops working in both traditions, alongside plenty doing their own hybrid approach.
Opening hours, addresses and prices are subject to change. Always check directly with the venue before visiting, particularly for early morning openings or public holidays.
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At OzKiwilife, Debashrita Majhi contributes fresh perspectives on lifestyle, technology, entertainment, and online culture. His writing style combines clarity, creativity, and real-world insights to connect with readers from different backgrounds. He is passionate about digital media, content marketing, and building valuable online resources that help people stay informed in a fast-changing world.
