Steven and Kirsty Orr, outside the new Bodega Bagels store and bakery, now open on Royal Avenue, Belfast
Popular homegrown bagel brand, Bodega Bagels recently opened its first bricks-and-mortar store in the heart of Belfast city centre!
From humble beginnings as a small at-home lockdown project, Bodega Bagels quickly graduated to a series of pop-ups before taking up residence at Banana Block in the east of the city in April 2022.
A unit at the popular Trademarket outdoor market followed that summer, helping the brand to build a loyal customer base, and expand its outside catering operations.
The brainchild of husband and wife team, Steven and Kirsty Orr, plans for a standalone store and bakery have been in the couple’s sights since the early days, but the closure of Trademarket this summer was the catalyst to realise their vision.
Kirsty and Steven Orr with daughter, Ella outside the new Bodega Bagels store and bakery, now open on Royal Avenue, Belfast.
One day, walking through the city centre, Steven who grew up in Ballymena and attended Ballymena Academy, spotted the vacant former Clements Café unit on Royal Avenue and quickly put the wheels in motion.
“Since the beginning, I’ve always had my eye on this part of town. With the new Ulster University campus opening nearby and life coming back to the area, it felt like the perfect time to bring Bodega Bagels here,” he explains.
“We’ve always strived to create an authentic New York-style bagel experience, and we believe our new location, with its red brick and industrial feel, captures that vibe perfectly.”
Firmly established as Belfast’s favourite spot for authentic, freshly baked New York-style bagels and delicious bakes including the iconic Boulder Cookies, all of Bodega’s bagels and pastries are baked in-house.
Excitement for the launch was palpable last month when the young couple posted a teaser on the brand’s Instagram and TikTok accounts, quickly racking up thousands of views. Hard work followed to get the fit out completed on time for doors opening on Royal Avenue.
The new city centre store offers freshly baked bagels, coffee and bakes daily from 8am to 3pm, with plans to extend opening hours in the longer term. Customers have the option to grab and go, or sit in, with an extensive seating area.
The new launch has also seen Bodega Bagels recruiting for six new roles, bringing their total number of staff to 16. In addition to their new home, Bodega Bagels will continue to serve customers at Banana Block, though they will move their baking production to the city-centre location, enabling further growth in catering services, particularly with local businesses and offices nearby.
“Opening this store is a huge milestone for us”, explains Steven.
“It will allow us to expand not just our retail offerings but also our catering services, which we’ve been lucky to grow in East Belfast. Now, being centrally located, we can better serve a wider community, and service growing demand for business and corporate catering.”
To find out more, follow Bodega Bagels on Instagram at @BodegaBagelsBelfast or visit bodegabagels.co.uk