A new bagel shop, Bagels and Bliss (8151 Delmar), opened its doors earlier this month on a high-profile corner in University City. Owners Giti Fredman and William Goldmeier initially hoped for a quiet start, but word spread quickly, and customers began lining up before the doors even opened. Initially baking 250 bagels a day, the duo quadrupled production within the first week. (Last Friday, 1,000 bagels had been sold by 10:30 a.m.)
Fredman expressed gratitude for the community’s enthusiastic response, which far exceeded her expectations. She reminds customers that the shop is still in its “soft launch” phase, with staff training and demand adjustments ongoing, and appreciates their patience during this period. At the present time, the shop accepts payment by cash, check, or Zelle—no card payments are available just yet. Updates and the official opening date will be announced on social media. Here’s what to know before you go.
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The Offerings
At present, Bagels and Bliss sells half a dozen varieties of kosher bagels (plain, sesame, onion, garlic, salt, poppy, and everything), baked daily on premise. The bagels sell for $2 each (or $4 with a healthy schmear of kosher cream cheese), $10 for a half dozen, and $18 per dozen.
The high demand has already led Fredman and Goldmeier to rethink their original plan. “We originally intended to hand roll the bagels,” Fredman says, “but decided we should invest in a bagel-forming machine to help with production.” In the meantime, it’s possible that that bagels may sell out early, as often happens with popular bagel shops.
As the business gets established, cinnamon buns, cookies, babka buns, and muffins will be added to the menu mix, as will more bagel varieties. Other accompaniments, such as lox and whitefish, tuna, and egg salad are currently sporadically available, but keeping up with bagel demand is the first priority for Fredman and Goldmeier.
Bagels and Bliss’ offerings are similar to New York-style water bagels, with a firm crust and a lighter crumb than some might expect. At present, most of the varieties are sold warm, fresh from the oven.
The shop is fully kosher and operates under the certification of Vaad Hoeir of St. Louis, which ensures that every ingredient (including the water), piece of equipment, and process meets kosher dietary laws. Because both Fredman and Goldmeier follow Orthodox Judaism, the shop closes on Shabbat and Jewish holidays. Customers should plan ahead, Fredman says, as high demand is expected in the days leading up to any holiday. Online ordering is not yet available but will be soon.
The Backstory
“I’m from New Jersey, so I grew up with really good bagels,” Fredman told the St. Louis Jewish Light, which announced Bagels and Bliss last December. While working for a nonprofit in Minneapolis, Fredman hosted challah-baking events and later expanded into bagels, learning through online research and hands-on practice. Fredman eventually began hosting bagel pop-ups before moving to St. Louis, where she launched Just Bake It, which offers baking workshops for corporate events, birthday parties, and other special occasions; she still operates that business today.
Goldmeier, on the other hand, developed his culinary skills while running a kitchen in a yeshiva in Israel, he told the Jewish Light. Upon returning to St. Louis, he worked at Kohn’s Deli, where he gained firsthand experience making bagels. Opening a café had long been a dream of his, but he needed the right partner to bring it to life and found it in Fredman.
Bagels and Bliss opens at 7 a.m. Sunday through Friday and is closed on Saturdays and Jewish holidays.
Other Local Bagel Options
For decades, The Bagel Factory in Creve Coeur was the city’s go-to destination for authentic New York-style water bagels. For many devotees, it was the only place. When it closed in late 2022, a number of new bagel shops emerged to fill the void.
Bagel Union opened in early 2023 in Webster Groves, followed by Lefty’s Bagels in Chesterfield and C&B Boiled Bagels in Wood River. Baked & Boiled, a longtime favorite at the Tower Grove Farmers’ Market, now operates a brick-and-mortar shop in Soulard.
Other options include bagels from Bridge Bread, Daily Bread, Breadsmith (which supplies Protzel’s), and Companion, which provides bagels to several St. Louis cafés, including City Coffee, Kaldi’s, Meshuggah Café, and Shaw’s Coffee.
Meanwhile, Deli Divine offers par-baked bagels sourced from New York, “not boutique or artisanal but a true New York bagel that is chewy and soft,” owner Ben Poremba told SLM, “the closest thing you have to Ess-a Bagel or H&H in New York.”
Local grocery stores such as Schnucks, Dierbergs, Straubs, and Whole Foods also carry par-baked bagels that are finished in store, while several lines of pre-baked and frozen bagels are available as well.
