12 best bagel sandwiches in Hong Kong

_{Photo courtesy of R&R Bagels}

1. R&R Bagels

Incredibly popular with lunch-goers looking for an efficient meal, R&R Bagels is one of Hong Kong’s most successful bagel stories. Sited on one of Central’s narrow market alleyways of stall vendors, it may not be the easiest shop to find, but it’s well worth the hunt.

Offering the largest selection of bagels amongst its competitors, sink your teeth into a range of options, from Wholegrain, Cinnamon Raisin, and Onion, to staples like Plain, Sesame, Poppy, and Everything. But the real draw at R&R is their stacked bagel sandwiches. You’ll want to try the more eclectic flavours here, like the Gardener’s Breakfast ($65), topped with a fresh spinach omelette, melted cheddar cheese, ripe tomatoes, pesto, and low-fat cream cheese, and the Hampton ($85), with chicken breast, pesto, camembert cheese, walnuts, sun-dried cranberries, arugula, toasted peppercorns, and cream cheese.

Of course, standard choices like Smoked Salmon Bagel ($85) and Avocado Feta Bagel ($75) are up for grabs, as well as the Vegan Bagel ($75), which comes with a filling of house hummus, smashed avo, arugula, coconut amino sauce, shaved almonds, and chia seeds. And if nothing on the menu catches your fancy (we find that hard to believe), then throw all caution to the wind and go for the build-your-own option. Honestly, just settling with one bagel at R&R is a constant struggle.

R&R Bagels, 28 Li Yuen Street West, Central | (+852) 2178 5168

_{Photo courtesy of Schragels}

2. Schragels

If authentic New York is what your tummy’s calling for, then Schragels has your cravings sorted. They do quite well with their wholesale and delivery bagels in Hong Kong, but on a good—and not too humid—day, we like to make the short climb up to their production kitchen in Sheung Wan to grab us a fresh order of the SchReuben Bagel ($90), a sandwich of beef pastrami, brown mustard, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese, and the SchTurkey Bagel ($90), with honey and pecan schmear, turkey, and sliced apple.

Of course, if your taste buds are travelling all the way to NYC, then the Loxy Lady Bagel ($90) should be the first thing on your mind, complete with scallion schmear, smoked salmon, capers, and red onion. Out of all of the smoked salmon bagels we’ve tasted in Hong Kong so far, Schragels probably has the most genuine one. Now that’s high praise indeed. The unnecessary and added effort in pronouncing their products’ eccentric names, now that we could do without.

Schragels, 17 Po Yan Street, Sheung Wan | (+852) 9730 6727

_{Photo courtesy of @connnieee}

3. Little Cove Espresso

This Sai Kung hideaway is known for their idyllic, minimalistic interior design, as well as their diverse list of coffee, teas, and smoothies. Dibs a spot outside on Little Cove Espresso’s ample alfresco seating and enjoy the slow life with a Smashed Avocado and Feta Bagel ($92) with a side of Turmeric Latte ($36).

Little Cove Espresso, Shop 1 & 2, G/F, Siu Yat Building, Sai Kung Hoi Pong Square, Sai Kung

_{Photo courtesy of @elevateyourtaste}

4. Polygon Café

Third-wave coffee proponent Polygon Café is one of the trendiest spots in Sai Ying Pun for a strong cup of joe—and bagels! The food menu may be on the small side, but they offer some customisation options: first, choose your bagel from Plain or Onion and Chive. Second, top that off with toppings of the Avo Smash Bagel ($75) with avocado, mixed veggies, and pine nuts, or the classic Smoked Salmon Bagel ($82) with cream cheese, capers, smoked salmon, and onion. Grab a bite and swill it down with a cup of their much-extolled Intelligentsia coffee.

Polygon Café, G/F, 14 Second Street, Sai Ying Pun, Western District | (+852) 2915 8878

_{Photo courtesy of @plum.n.bagel}

5. Café Zi

Who can resist a charming, pastel-coloured coffee shop with thoughtful little green touches? Café Zi is a hard one to pass up, luring you in with their industrial-chic aesthetics and enticing you to stay for the bagel sandwiches. Using handcrafted bagels made in Hong Kong by Tuen Mun-based Plum N Bagel, make your choice between the Avobagel ($78), filled with avocado, egg, and cream cheese, the signature Smoked Salmon Bagel ($88), and Pastrami Bagel ($98), with beef pastrami slices, gherkins, tomatoes, rocket, and a powerful combo of Swiss and cream cheese. Café Zi also serves up some mean brews and house-blend smoothies and juices. Not a bad way to spend a few relaxing hours on the weekend.

Café Zi, G/F, 8 Hillwood Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 2778 1628

Photo courtesy of @allyoucandip

6. SP_CE

This cosy, whitewashed nook on the corner of Po Hing Fong boasts an unpronounceable name and a neat selection of two bagel sandwiches on their menu. Classicists will want to try the Smoked Salmon Bagel ($106) with all the fixings, but brekkie lovers might get a taste for the Bacon and Scrambled Egg Bagel ($106) with bacon, scrambled egg, lettuce, and tomato with cream cheese on a toasted bagel.

SP_CE, G/F, 20 Po Hing Fong, Sheung Wan | (+852) 2807 0978

_{Photo courtesy of The Brew Corner}

7. The Brew Corner

Fo Tan in New Territories may not be the first thing you think of when it comes to bagels in Hong Kong, but this industrial and residential neighbourhood does have a grab-and-go spot for coffee and bagels. Several combos of breakfast bagels can be had here, from the vegetarian-friendly duo of Egg, Avocado, and Tomato Bagel ($28) and Mushroom, Egg, Avocado, and Tomato Bagel ($28) to the Bacon, Egg, Avocado, and Tomato Bagel ($28). For a quick bagel fix, it’s an incredible steal.

The Brew Corner, Shop A6, G/F, Valiant Industrial Centre, 2–12 Au Pui Wan Street, Fo Tan | (+852) 6739 5068

_{Photo courtesy of @wildchildcarol}

8. The Brew Job Coffee

This sweet little corner café in West Mong Kok gives us rainy day hideaway vibes. Diners with intrepid, plant-based palates will want to try the Spicy Hummus and Feta Bagel ($70), which comes with homemade spicy hummus, cream cheese, crumbled feta, tomatoes, and rocket. The menu also boasts reliable standby flavours, like the New Yorker Bagel ($70), the Smoked Salmon Supreme Bagel ($70), Avocado and Egg Bagel ($70), a favourite amongst breakfast lovers.

The Brew Job Coffee, G/F, 46 Hoi King Street, Tai Kok Tsui | (+852) 6097 9030

_{Photo courtesy of @ragewlove_}

9. Feather & Bone

Neighbourhood bistro Feather & Bone boasts a grand total of one bagel sandwich on their menu, but it’s a good one. The Whitefish Bagel ($108) is like the mature, sophisticated older brother to our smoked salmon sweetheart, and, well, it does ask for a more refined palate. Its three ingredients—smoked mackerel, celery, and lemon—may not wow the average bagel consumer, but connoisseurs will admit that it has a certain simplistic appeal.

Feather & Bone, locations across Hong Kong

_{Photo courtesy of @feihanphotography}

10. Bagels Alley

As the name might suggest, Bagels Alley requires a little bit of effort to find. Tucked into a basement corner of an arcade building just by bustling Central Market, this grab-and-go spot offers locally-made, hand-rolled New York-style bagels made with low-sugar and preservative-free ingredients. Their Pastrami Bomb Bagel ($70)—with beef pastrami, mustard, gherkins, Swiss cheese, arugula, and cream cheese—is a best-seller, as is the Smoked Salmon Bagel ($70). If the search for Bagels Alley is proving a little too elusive, just follow the bagel-themed mural around Jubilee Street and let your nose do the rest.

Bagels Alley, Shop A1, G/F, Haleson Building, 1 Jubilee Street, Central | (+852) 9793 8401

_{Photo courtesy of Deliveroo}

11. Bagel Factory

As the only Deliveroo-exclusive bagel shop in Hong Kong, Bagel Factory is also one of the most creative when it comes to their bagel sandwich toppings. Treat yo’self to an extravagant bagel lunch spread with a tropical Piggy Bagel ($78), with marinated pulled pork, grilled pineapple, tomato, rocket, and mayonnaise, an Italian-inspired Parma Ham Bagel ($88) that looks and tastes as good as it sounds, and the Chicken Schnitzel Bagel ($78), with a slab of breaded chicken breast, tomato salsa, and rocket salad on a poppyseed bagel. You could be eating a different bagel a day from Bagel Factory and still have fresh choices for the following week.