Frequently Asked Questions

What are your hours?

6:30 am - 11:30 am, Wednesday through Saturday, 7:30 am - 12:30 pm on Sunday.

Where are your bagels made?

In-house, on the premise.

Do you boil your bagels?

Yes.

Do you hand roll your bagels?

Yes.

What is schmear?

Schmear is a Yiddish-origin word that most commonly refers to a spreadable topping, especially for bagels. The classic schmear is cream cheese, but it can be many things.

Do you offer gluten-free and dairy-free options?

We have gluten and dairy-friendly options. Since we make all our bagels and schmears in-house, it's impossible for us to guarantee that any product is 100% free of gluten and dairy in such a small space.

Ask about our options when you order.

When will you [have sandwiches, have normal business hours]?

Honestly, when the lines die down. We want to do all the things, but we also don't want you waiting on Islington Street for an hour for a bagel sandwich. There is a natural hype cycle with the opening of any new establishment, and we want to produce the best product within the constraints of time and space. When this initial interest subsides, we can focus on the fun work of building up the menu.

Why do you sell out?

That's the goal. We make a perishable breakfast item that takes three days to prepare. A hundred unsold bagels are hours of labor and food wasted. What time we sell out is what we are optimizing for.

Why aren't you making more bagels?

You should apply to one of our Open Positions!

Do you accept cash?

No. On our first weekend, 0.2% of people tried to pay in cash. Credit cards and Apple Pay speed up the line and make the front-of-house management much more efficient.

Aren't your owners part of the Portsmouth deep state?

The owners have lived in the Little Harbour neighborhood since 2017, and this is their first and only restaurant.

I spoke on your behalf at a town meeting during the permitting process; my performance earned me the naming rights to a sandwich. When will that happen?

Max Rice, bless your heart, it's coming.