Manda C.
Yelp
For the past 14 weeks I've been working a ridiculous amount of hours and surviving on food from various delivery platforms. Two weeks ago I was mindlessly scrolling through Door Dash, looking for something different, when I saw Starship Bagel for the first time.
I really only ordered because I haven't had a bagel in a while, not because I had high expectations. In fact, I expected very little. The bagel scene in Denton is non existent and besides one place in Flower Mound I've been wanting to try for over a year, but haven't due to my work schedule, there is nothing of note in the mid cities area either. The places that have longer hours or deliver are places like Einstein's or Panera. It was a painful day, many years ago, when I gave up on a good bagel, lol.
So I was shocked, but pleasantly so, when I received my extra toasted onion bagel with schmear from Starship Bagel. It looked and smelled amazing! It had the right texture, taste and chew, bringing back locked away memories from years ago when I lived in New York and enjoyed bagels on the daily.
They also included in the bag a little flyer. I loved the clever packaging of wrapping and cutting in half so you could eat it like a sandwich and keep your hands clean, clever and functional. I ate every last bite of that delicious onion bagel and may have tried to track down every crumb.
I couldn't stop thinking about how they perfectly toasted it, nobody ever toasts enough! I couldn't stop thinking about the perfect ratio of schmear, everyone drowns their bagels to hide it and then I spend forever cleaning up the mess. I couldn't stop thinking about the toppings, so fully covering every bit of the bagel that toasted onion shavings spread about while opening it and with every bite. I couldn't stop thinking about that chew, or how they feature lox on their menu, or the freshness, or the smoothness of that truly whipped schmear!
When I got home, I was still thinking about this bagel place I just discovered and looked them up. I couldn't believe that Lewisville, of all places, was blessed by the bagel gods! We have an honest to goodness small business doing justice to the process of a true bagel that has been expanding their hours over the past 2 months, and presumably their offerings and staff.
At this time, they are closed Monday-Tuesday, open 7am-1pm Wednesday-Friday and 8am-2pm on weekends. Their website makes for easy online ordering for pickup, as well as an email address, and they are on several delivery platforms that I've seen so far. So convenient and smart for a new place I wouldn't have heard of otherwise!
The prices are fantastic! Just $2.50 for a single bagel, $12 for a half dozen, $3.50 for a bagel with schmear. I can't wait to try their lox spread for a $2 upgrade, sounds wonderful. $5 for a bagel with schmear and coffee, $9 for a bagel with lox. How is this guy making a profit?
Speaking of that lox, it's actual Nova lox! That brought back memories- I recognize that taste and it makes me smile! After the first bite, I wished I upgraded from 2 oz to 4 oz, couldn't get enough!
I love that they actually give you the option of light or heavy toasted, sliced or not, sandwich style or left open, this feels like a REAL bagel shop in every sense.
The third time was a bit off compared to the rest, I got a plain bagel with garden vegetable schmear that wasn't sandwich style, heavily toasted as requested, or in a bag with a menu and sticker like the other times. I found the bell pepper skins to be too big and chewy. I still ate that thing though, and frankly with the cream cheese shortage I'm surprised they're able to offer their variety and make it fresh daily. I can only assume the directions weren't followed because they're new/still training staff or were so busy on a Saturday that my order was similar to someone else's. One minor mistake from a brand new business hasn't stopped me from ordering though!
This last time I got another heavily toasted onion bagel with plain schmear to test consistency. I would take a couple of bites here and there while working and 2 days later my employees were still talking about it, telling me how jealous and hungry they were every time they walked by it, asking me if this place is as good as it looks and smells. The answer is yes! I can't wait to visit in person!
You may find the offerings small compared to chains, they currently have 10 bagels and 6 schmears, in addition to the lox spread and Kerrygold butter (which is excellent butter if for some reason you don't appreciate that God gave us schmear for a reason) but I think it's perfect! There's something to be said for executing a small menu perfectly and making everything fresh daily, and they certainly do!
Writing this review has me starving... is it 7am yet??
The way I see it, you can eat a perfect bagel AND support a small business at the same time. So why wouldn't you?
Make sure to support this place- North Texas deserves good bagels!!