Honestly could come here every day. Bagels are NY style done SP well. The cream cheeses looked so good and they had classic and fun flavors. Used real bacon on BEC! Outdoor seating and some indoor as well. And order online. Line moved fast. The black and white cookies were also so good. Total college vibe in there read more

Brandwein's Bagels - Bacon egg and cheese on plain - Bagels Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

See all

Super cute local bagel shop near UNC campus! Stopped here with my family for a quick lunch and the staff were super friendly. Very quick service. Lots of indoor and outdoor seating (though it was raining that day so we opted for indoors). They also have a 15 spot parking lot which we unfortunately missed but there was street parking nearby. I got the hot honey turkey and it was great! I've never seen apples included in a bagel sandwich before so it was very unique and tasty (I love sweet and savory convos). The mustard wasn't too overpowering either. The bagel was tough which I think is how NY bagels usually are? A little hard to chew overall. I really liked the bagel flavor though! read more

Brandwein's Bagels - BLT, the sunny T, hot honey turkey - Bagels Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

I was very impressed with this shop as the line was out the door, but the staff never stopped hustling! I'm sure they're used to it as they draw quite the crowd. I loved the place's aesthetic; it truly captures the feel of a nice, no-frills NYC deli. The pricing felt a little high for the portion size of the breakfast sandwich, but not wildly unreasonable for a popular spot. I ordered the egg, cheese, and sausage on a cheddar jalapeño bagel. I'm admittedly picky when it comes to bagels as my family is from Jersey, so my standards are pretty set. While the bagel was good, it did feel a bit overhyped. As a visitor, I'm not sure what the local competition is like, but I was expecting more of that signature NY-style chewiness. Still, it was a solid option overall and clearly a fan favorite. read more

I heard great stories about Brandwein's bagel sandwiches. I had to get my hands on one. I was in Carrboro for a career fair and decided to come for lunch. Brandwein's has a small parking lot beside the building, but it's usually full. Once inside I received a warm welcome for my first visit. I ordered my sandwich and a coffee. Sitting at the bar gave me a look into the open kitchen. The employees were happy to chat as the lunch hour wound down. I stayed till closing time and took home some fresh bagels. They go well with cream cheese. read more

Brandwein's Bagels - Fresh lunch & coffee - Bagels Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Staff were polite, it took longer than it should to get 2 bagel sandwiches which were ok as far as taste. Their prices are insane. A regular bagel sandwich that I would get at Einstein bagels for less than $8 which is bigger and tastier costs $15.50 here. I couldn't believe when I saw the sandwich that it was over $15. As far as value I give them a zero. read more

Brandwein's Bagels - $15.50 bagel sandwich - Bagels Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

See all

Worth a drive to Chapel Hill anytime! The bagels are delish, they move through the ordering with ease and are kind and welcoming. The food is a fav as well! If you can't get to NY get to a college town and grab some goodness read more

Brandwein's Bagels - Bagels Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Finding a parking spot was a bit challenging. Seating inside was limited as well so most people do pick up instead. Service could've been friendlier. They used Gray Squirrel for the drip coffee so it was pretty decent! It was a late morning and we were going to have lunch with the family shortly after so my partner and I shared their Lox bagel. The bagel itself wasn't soft and chewy but it is still a darn good lox bagel! The toppings were fresh with a good amount of cream cheese- very well balanced. read more

One of the best bagel spots I've been to in quite some time! Locally owned and operated and conveniently placed in one of North Carolina's most prized towns. Chapel Hill is so quaint and beautiful, and what better location than this house one of North Carolina's best bagel spots. I've had a lot of bagels in my lifetime and I must say this is a go. Definitely add this one to your hit list whenever you are in Chap also, I got the chance to meet the owner and his drive for the business, care for his customers and Love for what he does sold me on making sure that I stop by this place anytime we're in the area. read more

Came on a weekend! Service was friendly and quick and the bagel was huge and excellent! Will absolutely come back. Parking limited so may have to search on the street! read more

Brandwein's Bagels - Lox with chive cream cheese - Bagels Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Love this place! I'm a native NYer and while nothing is quite like home, this place comes damn close. We've used them for catering several times and their service is top notch and their food is phenomenal... not just the bagels, they catering options as well. When we have larger scale events my students actually ask for us to cater from here because they love everything we've ever ordered. read more

Came here for breakfast with my wife on her day off. She was raving about the bagels and in particular about the mind-blowing scones. Having lived in NYC for 12 years this felt like it did a great job with the NYC look-and-feel, which I appreciated. The staff was very nice, the bagels were good - not the sort of super-chewy crusty bagels I prefer, but still good. The bialys were particularly good. The coffee was nothing special, very basic drip coffee. I differed with my wife on the scone. My perfect scone (which is from Levain Bakery in NYC) has a delicate, slightly toasted exterior and a soft but not squishy/tacky interior. This scone tasted great but it was more like banana bread that was coated in caramelized banana and toasted. Still good, but it threw me off a bit when I was expecting what I think of as a scone. There was a reasonably well-kept bathroom, decent outdoor seating, and a parking lot. Really the only thing I was disappointed about was the cost - a bagel with butter, salt, pepper, egg and swiss was about $8. I went onto their website and it looks like if you order a #1 (The Egg and Cheese) and sub in swiss you can get what should be the same thing for $6. So I don't really know what's going on there, other than adding egg onto a build-you-own bagel is $3.85, but that's a bit annoying to get dinged $2 for not doing it right. All in all, great place, really enjoyed it, will definitely go back when I'm in the neighborhood. read more

Brandwein's Bagels - Reasonable selection of bagels. Not going overboard. - Bagels Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Brandwein's Bagels is solid. My wife and I have enjoyed their bagel sandwiches from: (1) the shop at the corner of W Rosemary St and N Graham St, (2) the food fridges at UNC Hospitals, and (3) catered events. Brandwein's serves New-York-style bagels "boiled and baked in Chapel Hill," as it says on their storefront. The store opened in August 2020. The business is named after founder and owner Alex Brandwein, who graduated with an MBA from Kenan-Flagler that same year. Brandwein's took over the small brick building formerly occupied by Midway Community Kitchen. The building was renovated. The exterior now sports a bright, white look. It's certainly an upgrade and a cute space for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro community. This place is popular. Limited seating is available inside and out. Outside, the seating is uncovered. Fans were installed outdoors for warm/hot weather. There's no dedicated parking. The closest parking is on N Graham St, south of Rosemary. On that stretch, you have to pay for parking Monday-Saturday, 8am-6pm (otherwise, it's free). Use the ParkMobile app, zone #3612. North of Rosemary, parking on N Graham St and Sunset Dr is free, as is the Carrboro municipal gravel lot at the corner of Rosemary and Sunset. Some of our favorite sandwiches include: #2 The Lox ($12.85) - ACME smoked salmon, plain cream cheese, red onion, tomato, capers, dill, lemon #3 The Reuben ($11.85) - Boar's Head corned beef, melted Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, Brandwein's Russian dressing #6 The BLT ($7.60) - applewood-smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, Duke's mayo These are simply fresh, well-made, filling, and satisfying bagel sandwiches. The bagel flavor and texture is just right, and the ingredients are well proportioned and balanced. Yummy. The service we've experienced has been good. TL;DR version - this is the best bagel shop in Chapel Hill and Carrboro that I know of. read more

See all

Excellent bagels with many choices! Seems to be popular in the neighborhood and we will definitely be back.

This place is always great. I love their bagels. Nice and chewy. Usually I get the lox. Always fantastic. Service always friendly and fast. read more

See all

Yummy bagels with friendly service! We all had something different and all of it was good!

I've been going to Brandweins since they've opened. Consistently excellent quality and service. Staff is friendly and professional. Favorites include; The Lox, Ruben and a variety of a dozen bagels. Also, I really appreciate they support our local community in MANY ways! read more

I always appreciate the opportunity to have gluten free bagels or any gf options. I thought that the bagel was decent for being my gluten free. I think the texture was kinda off sometimes and it was quite dense/doughy and i'm not sure how toasted my bagel was but it didn't seem too toasty. I really did like everything in the bagel though and the cream cheese is great as well. I'm also stupid i think because the bagel must have come with egg and i got double since i didn't realize it already came with egg. read more

Brandwein's Bagels - Bagels Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

This is my go to bagel shop in Chapel Hill! I love lox bagels and although this place doesn't hit the spot like the bagel shops in NYC, it's one of the better places in this area! I appreciated the variety of bagel types and cream cheese flavors. I thought the lox bagel had everything I wanted although I would've hoped for a bit more lox. I came here on a Saturday morning and the line was out the door as expected, but worth the wait. Parking may be a bit of a challenge to find because the parking lot is small but there is street parking nearby. Overall, I wish I had time to visit more often. The location and limited parking make it difficult for me to visit regularly but it's definitely worth a try if you haven't been before! read more

Brandwein's Bagels - #2 - Bagels Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

So delicious and amazing service! The team was so considerate, fast, and friendly as my party of more than 10 showed up. Highly highly recommend!!! read more

I have been a fan of Brandwein's since shortly after they opened and can truly say I love everything about them! Their bagels are so good - I especially love their plain bagel (which to me is the real test for a bagel's flavor!) Their customer service, in store, and through their catering services is top tier. Every person i've interacted within the company is impressive. I recently used their catering services for 3 different meals and found the entire process and all interactions to be positive, helpful and I can tell everyone involved truly cares about their jobs and this company. I highly recommend them for their food - in store, online, and their expansive catering menu - everything being incredible (especially their fruit platters). I cannot say enough good things about them! read more

The best! Yes, you may have to wait during the busiest times. Yes, parking isn't the best. BUT the bagels are awesome and the people are so friendly. The owner sets the tone for the whole place and it is positivity and customer-centric. Delish! read more

Love the gluten free bagels! Best gluten free bagels around. Don't go if you are sensitive to cross contamination though. read more

Brandwein's Bagels - How they store the gluten free bagels - Bagels Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Delicious bagel sandwiches! Perfect after a night at Cat's Cradle. Friendly & fast, we enjoyed a bacon egg n cheese on plain, and a cream cheese & lox on everything. Loved the atmosphere here as well. read more

I can only review the bagel and spread, even though they have a very large selection of bagel sandwiches that you can get. I will have to go back for those. I kept it simple: I wanted to have a nice bagel, and they didn't disappoint. I got a simple onion bagel, with some veggie spread. I was impressed with the veggie spread, because they used real fresh veggies, instead of a lot of spreads, which have dehydrated veggies in them. That really brightened up the spread, and it made the bagel pretty delightful. If you're just getting a bagel and not a sandwich, service is really fast. So grab a few and take them home read more

Brandwein's Bagels - Onion bagel with vegetable spread - Bagels Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Great bagel around the area! Definitely NOT New York style bagels though. I came around 10 am on a Sunday and there were already a lot of people inside. By 11 am, there was a line forming outside. I got an everything bagel with bacon, egg, lettuce, and tomato. The order was finished very fast and we got to eating. The bagel sandwich was pretty small, I was honestly expecting bigger. But it was pretty tasty. The bagel was kind of tough and hard to eat, and the everything bagel tasted a little burnt. Not a taste I prefer. But paired all together, it was good and I was content with the meal! No flavor was too overpowering (except for the burntness), and it felt like a great breakfast. It was a decent bagel, but not worth the trek for me personally. read more

Brandwein's Bagels - Bagels Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

See all

Bagels at this store are really good. Staff is very friendly and service is very fast. Not a lot of seating for the crowd this place pulls in. The cheese spreads are a bit pricey for the portion size read more

Very nice bagel shop with plenty of parking right on Rosemary Street. There are a few benches outside for seating as well. They have a variety of tasty bagels. We got the sesame and the salt. We also got the vegan smerch and not many places have that as an option. read more

I am on a mission to find the best bagels in the RDU area and this place is now in my top 3! I got the lox bagel with jalapeño cream cheese and it was so good! Lately I can barely taste the lox at other places but this place uses really fresh ingredients, and the flavors on everything we ordered were great. The staff are so nice and even drew cute images on me and my friend's orders. The shop is small so there isn't much seating but there are a few places nearby to take your food to go and eat. I will 100% be coming here more often. read more

See all

Not a NY Style bagel as advertised but still a good bagel. I also ordered a sweet tea which was a lil too sweet but not a bad breakfast read more

Brandwein's Bagels - Egg Everything Bagel with bacon and chive cream cheese - Bagels Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Best bagels in Chapel Hill. Always a warm, friendly, happy place. One of the little gems in town. Love that they also offer gluten free bagels (which few do) so i can get them for my wife. read more

Very impressed with how they are able to handle this sophisticated crowd and get everyone moving. Well done! - Place appears small - But, you can really squeeze quite a bit of people inside - Ice Coffee was Excellent! - Great job with the Bagels; - Good Bagels - Don't need to be toasted; - Great Everything Bagels have Salt in the Mix; - Please consider this! - Overall - Great job - Thanks for "Shmearing" plenty of butter on my bagels. Service / Run of the place is awesome! Want to try your Challah! read more

See all

We have been to this bagel shop dozens of times and love it. Love the cream cheeses, the chewy and crisp bagels, and the egg sandwiches. However, noteworthy for this review is their catering. Yesterday they catered my daughter's sorority brunch (for 1200 people). Given the size and the hectic football weekend my expectations were for a cold unremarkable bagel. Boy, did they blow past my expectations. Somehow, they delivered warm delicious bagel sandwiches and the fruit- the fruit was something I would have expected out of a gourmet market. So happy to know they are not just a great little shop but also can offer delicious catered meals that impress. My daughter, who was in charge of picking up The order commented on how warm and helpful they were in the process. Great job, Brandwein's! read more

First time here today, it's a simple unassuming bagel shop. The ambiance is casual and chill. There is inside and outside seating, parking is free. The service was fine, the girls working there were friendly and helpful. Food came out rather quickly. Any bagel shop that has pumpernickel is a win for me, so I got the hot honey Turkey sandwich on a pumpernickel bagel. It was delicious, hot honey wasn't too hot, nice balance with the cold cut meat. Coffee was quite good too. Prices are a tad high, $2.25 just to add bacon which is steep. $10 for the hot honey sandwich. We will come back read more

See all

I'll admit, I'm an interloper. I don't live in NC, and the customs there baffle me. Multiple times (5 or 6 times!), I entered the wrong door to an establishment because the door was open and looked like a front entrance, and this was one of those establishments! There is something about Chapel Hill and Durham wherein there are multiple entrances to a shop or restaurant, and you're expected to immediately know which one is "correct". I saw this in at least 5 establishments and I am mystified. Anyway, that's not the fault of Brandwein's, but they fit into that particular mold here. In New York, we would just lock the door you're not supposed to use to enter, but you do you. I have to admit that in this visit I played a bit of "Play stupid games, win stupid prizes" here. The place claimed to have "New York City style" bagels, and I... just had to know what that meant and if they measured up. The positives: service was friendly and fast. It does appear that the bagels are freshly baked, and the place feels welcoming after you get past the incorrect entrance and figure out where to order. Everyone was very nice. The negatives: I ordered an everything bagel with sun-dried tomato cream cheese. The employee, when I asked for that particular cream cheese, assured me with the words "good choice", so I was excited for my morning snack! They didn't ask whether I wanted it toasted (I didn't, and assumed it wouldn't be, but it was when I received it - but for this very bread-y bagel, toasting was the better option). Friends. My dear, dear friends. I walked out, and took the bagel out of the bag (it was bewilderingly covered in foil AND paper), and I took a bite. The bagel itself was fine, about what I expected, and passable. I'm glad the college kids there have something that's close to a NYC bagel, even if ridiculous snobby people like me don't love them - it's Bagel 101, and I appreciate it. This is a good intro. The cream cheese is what I really need to talk about...it was an abomination. It was somehow sweet?, and not tangy. It tasted like spicy Russian salad dressing - like ketchup mixed with mayo and disappointment. I hate sweet things. I was expecting the intense flavor of sun-dried tomato and instead got smacked with something that's hard to describe if you haven't tried it. That said, maybe THIS is what locals know and love? So I don't want to yuck anyone's yum, but wow this was a cultural misfire for me. read more

It's absolutely packed in here at 9am on a Friday morning in off-season when students aren't even a factor. Plus the line is literally out the door and trailing onto the sidewalk. Those are both great signs! That said, the parking lot has only a dozen spots, and those are likely mostly taken by the dozen employees, so consider just taking whatever spot you see within the block and walk in. I can't imagine getting close to Brandwein's by car when school is in session. My build-a-bagel was $11, for cream cheese, a meat, and cukes. Turns out the cukes are actually pickles. If that had been indicated anywhere I would have opted out, and I picked them all off, sad that those pickles probably added a couple dollars to the exorbitant cost. An $11 bagel is too steep to consider becoming a regular... but maybe an $8 isn't? I'm keeping it at 4 stars, because the standalone jalapeño cheddar bagel is pretty perfect, so they clearly know bagels. If I go back the loss of a star is for my first timer's learning curve. I'll park further away and stick to the suggested menu of egg/cheese bagel for $6 and give them that 5th star. read more

My husband and I ended up being thrilled we stopped here for a much needed breakfast after an early morning flight to Chapel Hill. It was a Saturday morning and the place was packed but the line moved quickly and a table opened up for us right away so we could sit and enjoy the food. I got an egg and cheese with vegan sausage. The person taking orders was super helpful when I asked for some details about the sausage to figure out if it was something I'd enjoy -- I did, very much. My husband got a bacon, sausage, egg. The sandwiches were amazingly delicious with great, flavorful, chewy bagels. It was clearly a super popular place and quite crowded but great for a quick sit and eat, and the food came out unbelievably fast. I wish this place was closer to where we live and not a plane ride away! read more

Brandwein's Bagels - Bacon, sausage, egg on an everything - Bagels Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

See all

Five stars!! Brandwein's was one of the few restaurants open on Christmas Day, and while it seemed like everyone was hunkering down at home when I drove through town, we opened the door to a warm, bustling, and friendly staff. There is a good amount of indoor seating for a bagel place (welcome on a cold day), and the place was decorated with holiday drawings which brought us lots of cheer! Service was 5/5: the person who took our order was helpful and patient as it was our first time there and they have an extremely extensive menu. I love that there's something for everyone here - breakfast, lunch, and salad lovers alike. I got a cup of coffee with oatmilk (5/5, and I'm picky) and built my own bagel sandwich melt on plain bagel with tuna salad and other toppings. The tuna salad was delicious and filling - the sandwich was warm and packed with toppings. My family also ordered an egg sandwich, Reuben, and pimento club. My sister rated the pimento club a 4.5 out of 5 because she wanted more pimento flavor, but she was really happy with it. She'd probably skip the avocado next time too. I'll definitely be back! read more

Brandwein's Bagels - Ordering area - Bagels Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

See all

This is my go to Bagel place and today they were slammed with customers. They were making Carolina blue bagels in honor of the game tonight which was cool. I ordered the everything bagel: toasted, cheddar cheese, egg, and today I tried turkey sausage. I really enjoy the flavors of the turkey sausage. It had a nice taste to it and was not planned at all. And the the bagel was toasted just the way I like it and the bagel was fresh and fluffy. read more

Brandwein's Bagels - Bagel with Turkey sausage - Bagels Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Absolutely fantastic bagels and breakfast sandwiches here! Came in for a quick breakfast in the middle of the week and left very satisfied. Service was quick, too! read more

Brandwein's Bagels - Bacon Egg and Cheese on an everything - Bagels Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

I bought a blueberry bagel with plain cream cheese. The bagel was a little misshaped and the cream cheese tastes a little sour. The consistency is a bit runny as well. The other bagels behind the counter looked better than the one I received, so maybe it was a one off time. The price was fair! The staff are friendly! The counters are a little confusing because one is for pickup and one is for dine in, but they're on opposite sides of the building. I'd come back, but I wouldn't go out of my way to come here. read more

Brandwein's Bagels - Blueberry Bagel - Bagels Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina