El Bagel announced the opening of its second brick and mortar location. Set to open December 1 in Coconut Grove’s CocoWalk, the shop will bring El Bagel’s signature hand-rolled bagels, sandwiches and schmears to the Grove’s growing culinary community.
Founded by Matteson Koche, El Bagel started as a weekend food truck pop-up in the parking lot of Wynwood’s Box Elder in 2016, quickly gaining a cult following with its baked-fresh-daily bagels and piled-high sandwiches. During this time, Koche was working as an Urban Planner for the Coconut Grove Business Improvement District as a liaison between restaurants and the city. In this role, he met Simon Caicedo, now Managing Partner of El Bagel, who was working at a local restaurant and began helping him in the food truck on the weekends, while both worked full time jobs during the week.
In 2020, El Bagel opened its first brick and mortar in Miami’s MiMo district just days before the pandemic shut down restaurants, forcing the team to quickly transition to an online ordering system for pickup only. Bagel connoisseurs continued to support the new spot and despite the pandemic’s challenges, El Bagel persisted and continued to grow. The new 500 square-foot CocoWalk location marks an exciting chapter in El Bagel’s journey, bringing its offerings to the heart of Coconut Grove.
“The opening of the Coconut Grove location is kind of a full circle moment in the story of El Bagel,” says Koche in a statement. “We would roll bagels at 5am in the basement of Ariete, then stroll into the Mayfair for work. I got a first look at what owning a restaurant looked like, and it’s where Simon and I got connected. We cannot wait to bring El Bagel to the neighborhood. The once-Chinese-takeout-spot is a quaint 500sqft, which provides some tough, but fun challenges for the volume we plan to do.”
The menu in the new shop will stay true to the brand’s commitment to quality and flavor, offering an array of bagels, signature sandwiches and rotating drinks. Menu staples include the traditional Bacon, Egg, and Cheese; and the classic Lox Supreme with locally-smoked lox. Inventive creations include the EB Original with scallion cream cheese, roasted jalapeños and thick-cut bacon; and the Pastrami Egg & Cheese with 18-hr smoked pastrami. Those who want a taste of Miami can opt for the King Guava with guava marmalade, cream cheese, papitas and a local fried egg. Latkes and other new items will be on offer exclusively in the Grove. Vegan options are available to accommodate dietary restrictions, and uncut bagels, schmears, salads and fish will also be available for purchase. Beverage offerings will include locally-roasted coffee from Great Circle Coffee.
“We are thrilled to extend a warm welcome to El Bagel as the newest addition to our carefully curated tenant lineup,” said Stuart Biel, Senior Vice President at Federal Realty. “El Bagel’s arrival enriches CocoWalk as a dynamic gathering place, where people can come together, connect, and enjoy a wide selection of dining and entertainment options.”
El Bagel CocoWalk will be located at 3015 Grand Avenue #122, open daily from 8am until 2pm for online and walk-up orders. The shop will be the brand’s second brick and mortar location, with a third storefront planned to open December 2023 in the new Fontainebleau Las Vegas.
