Don’t tell anyone in Dallas, but on opening day at 10 a.m. at Texas’ second PopUp Bagels, customers could walk in without waiting in line.
The ingredients for an upbeat opening on Henderson Avenue were in place: Employees bopped to “Uptown Funk” and “Hollaback Girl” while customers yelled over the music, chatting and watching bagels come out of the oven and unloaded into metal bins.
Morgan Hahn, field training manager, tossed a bagel in the air, catching it in a small paper bag. He did a victory shimmy while “Boogie Shoes” blared.
“We do two things well: hot bagels and an awesome vibe,” Hahn said. He’s been at the opening of 21 PopUp Bagels nationwide so far.
The restaurant keeps bagels “super simple,” he said. Customers pick from the five kettle-boiled bagel options: plain, everything, poppy seed, salt and sesame. They can buy a tub of schmear in flavors like scallion, plain and vegan cream cheese. The company rotates in a new schmear every week, and it lasts for about two weeks. Specials available now in Texas are Grillo’s hot pickle butter; and a spicy and umami cream cheese infused with Truff-brand hot sauce.
Know before you go: PopUp doesn’t cut its bagels in half. Its motto is “grip, rip and dip,” meaning customers tear open their bagels and drag them through cream cheese or butter, no knife needed. (Napkins: Those are definitely needed.)
It’s likely that lines will form on Saturdays and Sundays, as those are PopUp’s most popular days, employees said.
PopUp’s most devoted fans know to get there early. On opening day in East Dallas, a line formed before doors opened at 7 a.m. but died down during a summer rain storm.
The next PopUp opening in North Texas will be in the Dallas suburb of McKinney.
PopUp Bagels are at 2323 N. Henderson Ave. and 5450 W. Lovers Lane, both in Dallas.