As proven by the popularity of fad foods like cronuts and ramen burgers, an innovative idea can take food entrepreneurs a long way. Bantam Bagels is becoming the next big trend. The store’s snacks are the bagel equivalent of donut holes, filled with warm, flavored cream cheese.
Since its opening two weeks ago, the tiny shop located at 238 Bleecker St. has received a large amount of national attention, with features on the Today Show and the Wall Street Journal.
It is a dream come true for co-owners Elyse and Nick Oleksak, whose idea for Bantam Bagels came to him in his sleep one night.
“Nick just woke up in the morning with two ideas,” Elyse said. “There was this one and something about a tater tot food truck. He still has the reminder in his phone to prove it.”
“Usually he has a ton of ideas, and I’m the one who shoots them down,” she said. “But the best ideas are the ones that fill obvious holes, no pun intended.”
Bantam Bagels proved to be a hit when they catered a recent New York Fashion Week event alongside Baked by Melissa’s miniature cupcakes.
“The fancy skinny ladies and socialites were gobbling them up,” Elyse said.
The small size is one of the treat’s most appealing fac- tors. Eating around four bagel holes is the equivalent of eating one full bagel. One bagel hole costs $1.35, or you can purchase six for $6.
“They’re great if you don’t want to indulge in an entire bagel, but just want a couple bites of that flavor,” Steinhardt sophomore Stephanie Manaster said.
The array of flavors also impresses. Among the most popular are the Grandma Jojo, an Italian-spiced ba- gel filled with pesto cream cheese and topped with a marinated tomato slice, and the Bleecker Street, a pizza dough bagel hole filled with a marinara mozzarella cream cheese center and topped with pepperoni.
“We’re also now introducing the Buffalo,” Elyse said. “It tastes just like a chicken wing.”
Sweet options are available as well, including the delicious French toast, a cinnamon nutmeg bagel filled with butter maple syrup cream cheese.
Bantam Bagels also serves cold-brewed coffee by Gorilla Coffee, which makes it an ideal breakfast location.
Bantam Bagels is still in the process of determining their business hours. Although they close at 10 p.m. on week- days, Elyse said they plan to stay open until midnight or 2 a.m. on weekends, depending on how business progresses.
“I think Bantam Bagels has the potential to become something more sustainable than a quickly passing fad or a trend,” Manaster said. “It’s something that seems so obvious, and they’re so good. I think it could definitely last longer than cronuts or ramen burgers.”
A version of this article appeared in the Tuesday Sept. 17 print edition. Chandler West is a contributing writer. Email her at [email protected].