A local’s review of Beigel Shop, Brick Lane in East London – one of the oldest bakeries in London for wonderful bagels, cakes, pastries and cheap eats overall!
Right in the middle of the busy, colorful Brick Lane in East London, Beigel Shop has been here forever. Since 1855, to be exact.
And it’s no surprise it’s still going strong: they serve some of the best bagels in London.
If you’ve been here before, you know I’m a foodie through and through. I’ve already told you about the best cakes in Chinatown at Chinatown Bakery, and the cutest colorful lattes at Elan Cafe in Soho.
And today, we’re adding another gem to the list: Beigel Shop Brick Lane.
Not to be confused with Beigel Bake, which is just a few doors down (and also great), but Beigel Shop has something special about it.
Even when I lived in North London, I didn’t mind taking the Tube all the way to Shoreditch High Street just to get my bagel fix.
That’s how good they are – so let’s talk about one of the most iconic East London spots!
London’s Beigel Shop Brick Lane Review – The Best Bagels
I was lucky enough to visit Beigel Shop Brick Lane on a weekday afternoon, and there were almost no people in the shop when I arrived.
However, dare to come at weekends, and you’ll see for yourself just how popular this Brick Lane restaurant is – even if it’s a takeaway and there are no seats inside!
The great thing about Beigel Shop Brick Lane is that it’s open 24/7.
If you can’t sleep and are craving some of the utterly best bagels in London, that’s a place you know will always be open.
And, since it’s one of the most affordable restaurants in London, you’ve got one of the best cheap eats in the city at hand.
Even better if you live around East London, to be fair.
The inside of the shop is quite large, yet when you visit Beigel Shop Brick Lane at weekends, you’ll see there is a lot of people waiting to be served.
Like at Chinatown Bakery I mentioned earlier, even if there is a long queue, you are served quite fast.
In about 5/10 minutes tops, you’ll be in and out of the shop, and ready to bite into the best bagels in London.
Beigel Shop Brick Lane Menu
Whether you eat a bit of everything or are looking specifically for vegan food in East London, Beigel Shop Brick Lane has options for you.
On the menu, gherkins, cream cheese, egg mayo, salmon, tuna, and crab mayo make up the bulk of the savory bagels.
You can also get sweet bagels if you’d like, filled with Nutella, peanut butter, or jam.
Beigel Shop Brick Lane: Cakes & Pastries
In addition to serving some of the best bagels in London, Beigel Shop Brick Lane also offers a large range of cakes and pastries.
Since its foundation in 1855, Beigel Shop has continued, as the restaurant states, ‘to provide the historic tastes and traditions of the Jewish East End, mixed with the flavors of an evolving multi-cultural community.
It’s no wonder why you’ve got Jewish roots even as far as the cakes, and even if you get a brownie, you will get the familiar strawberry taste that you can find in some Jewish cakes and pastries.
If you’re not Jewish, that’s something totally new, unexpected, and really good to try – we’re here in one of London’s oldest bakeries, and the taste… the taste is unparalleled.
Beigel Shop Brick Lane: What I Ordered
When visiting Beigel Shop Brick Lane, I inexorably order the same thing, over and over again.
Just like I will order a classic Margherita in an Italian restaurant, or a pho in a Vietnamese restaurant to get a taste of the restaurant’s quality, I always order the most classic bagel when I visit a bagel shop.
So, at Beigel Shop Brick Lane, on my last visit, I ordered what I always get: a bagel with salt beef, mustard, and pickles.
As you can see from the pictures, there are plenty of bagel combinations to try. If you’re into salmon and cream cheese or prefer tuna and mayo, you can have it your way.
One of the most eye-catching items, and a big reason Beigel Shop is one of the most instagrammable spots in London, is the rainbow bagel.
When I visited around 4 pm, they were already sold out: they usually go by noon or early afternoon.
Still, whether you get a rainbow or a classic seeded bagel, the taste stays just as good, maybe even better with the seeds.
On this occasion, we ordered the same bagel. I’m such a foodie and experimental character that I do try lots of different things from restaurants.
However, sometimes, I decide to follow food reviews instead of my instinct, because it is actually sometimes beneficial.
If the food reviews and blogs all say that this particular item is amazing, I have grown to follow them, and try it out.
When I was younger, I wanted to be original and order things no one talked about… and most of the time, I ended up disappointed.
If you’re hunting for the best bagels in London, that’s the lesson: go for the classics first.
Among the many Brick Lane shops, Beigel Shop stands out as a true East London institution.
The salt beef, mustard, and pickle bagel is simple but unforgettable: chewy, rich, and packed with flavor.
Their bagels are still made the traditional way: shaped, proofed, boiled, cooled, and baked on wooden planks, just as they’ve done for over 150 years.
For about £6, you get a generous salt beef bagel made right before your eyes. It’s history, tradition, and pure East London flavor in one bite.
London’s Beigel Shop Brick Lane Review – The Best Bagels
So here you have it, my full review of Beigel Shop Brick Lane.
I love discovering new places to eat around London, from Mayfair to Covent Garden and Canary Wharf, but some street food spots just stay with you, and Beigel Shop is one of them.
If there’s one thing to do when you visit, it’s to go for the classic: salt beef, pickles, and mustard.
It’s simple, timeless, and hands down one of the best bagels in London.