Brick Lane • Things to do • Eat & Drink • Bagels
Brick Lane’s bagel trade keeps its own hours, with lights on late and early. The offer stays simple: chewy rounds, quick fillings, eaten standing up or carried down the street. It’s a small ritual with a long memory.
The Originals
Beigel Bake
Beigel Bake is the white-signed 24-hour bakery at 159 Brick Lane. Founded in 1974 by brothers Amnon Cohen and Sammy Minzley, it’s stayed close to what it does well: Jewish-style beigels filled at the counter, with staples like hot salt beef and smoked salmon with cream cheese. There’s also a line of sweet bakes and simple breads for taking away.
Beigel Shop (the yellow one)
The Beigel Shop at 155 Brick Lane is the yellow-signed all-nighter that keeps its own hours and its own pace. It trades on beigels baked through the day and night, with classic fillings like hot salt beef and salmon with cream cheese. The shop is often cited as dating back to 1855, and reopened in June 2024 after a temporary closure earlier that year.
The Contenders
Dirty Bagels
Dirty Bagels began in 2015 as a market pitch and is led by founder Simone Sapienza. It focuses on one main thing: pulled pork—marinated, slow-roasted, then shredded and served in bagels with minimal fuss. The bagels are hand-shaped and baked on wooden planks, with the main London outpost trading at Old Spitalfields Market.