Tipped

It's pronounced buy-gall!

March 05, 2010

Picture the situation. You've just come out of a house party in East London at 5.45am. You live in Stockwell and you've never been to East London before. You're hungry, everywhere is closed, and it's started to rain (Not heavily, but way past the comfort zone of anything more than a light drizzle). Your head is pounding, You're with your Irish buddy on his first visit to London and between you you have about eight pounds, which rules out a cab to anywhere that you can't already see. Oh, and you're lost. You know that Liverpool Street station and the only bus that will take you back is roughly in 'that' direction, so you just keep on walking as the sun starts it's ugly ascent into the heavens. Then suddenly, there comes a light more welcoming than any...

BEIGEL BAKE...

in Brick Lane. Open 24/7, so the sign says. And thank God it's right. At this point a bite to eat and a brief respite from the torrent of the heavens (Yeah thanks for that, God) was a godsend. Beigel Bake was our saviour. The beigels themselves (and they are called beigels, we were informed) were top notch, amazingly cheap (we still had enough for 6 cans of cider from a nearby 24-hour offy), and the lady serving them was surprisingly cheerful for someone up and about at such an ungodly hour. She gave us directions to Liverpool Street station and we bought some plain beigels with us for the journey to soak up the copious amounts of whiskey we had already consumed. We eventually got home just after 7am. Just in time for church.

There is an air of humility about this place. There is nothing pretentious here. If you want that, go to Mayfair, and do not pass 'Go' or collect 200 pounds on the way. If you want a place that is not only deserved of the title of "institution", but probably coined the term, somewhere that is open all hours, welcomes all, where you're always guaranteed a full stomach without necessitating an empty wallet, somewhere that has been around for years and hopefully for years to come because they are good at what they do, then seek this place out if you're ever in the area because it rocks harder than T-Rex.

Keywords: Probably, The, Best, place, on, earth, Carlsberg, don't, do, bakeries

The best bagels in London

December 02, 2009

This is one of London's hidden gems for sure! This place is dirt cheap, fast and great quality. I've even reviewed it on my blog. Read it here:

http://www.youngandpoor.co.uk/2009/11/eat-for-under-a-tenner-brick-lane-beigels/

Keywords: cheap, bagels

Beigel, Beigal, Bagel

August 02, 2008

I know that it's pure heresy to suggest that this East London institution is anything short of perfection -- and don't get me wrong, because I love the cheap prices, I love the ambiance, I love the attitude, great salt beef, and all that -- but I don't think the bagels themselves are that good and that seems kind of important. They're too squishy-bready overall, and there's not enough crispness to the crust for my taste.

I'm a big fan of bagels (or beigels, or beigals) in general, and even though I'm kvetching a bit, I'll still grab a bagel here on occasion. But nearly any random bagel in New York will be better than these. True, you won't get the salt beef in NYC, and, while the salmon at the Beigel Bake is just average, any salmon in NYC will cost a small fortune (get ready for an £8 bagel).

So, I need to explore the other bagel options in London, because I know there is bagel perfection to found out there somewhere, no matter how you spell it.

Keywords: bagel, beigel, beigal, baygull, cheap, salt beef

No beef, no Brick lane!

March 17, 2008

A long, long time ago, when I used to live in East London I was extremely hungry. Nothing special, it's just natural, physical state and everybody starves from time to time...
I was too lazy to prepare a dinner so I went out to grab some fast food. And you know what? No matter how life treats me, I will always remember this day- the day when I came across Brick Lane Beigel Bakery and tasted salt beef Beigel with mustard.... So yep- today I'm here to share with my latest re-obsession which was reborn one week ago! I'm here to celebrate beef Beigel!
What's so special about that? First of all, a roll or sandwich full of fresh, hot beef dripping with mustard and the process of eating itself. A sandwich is soooo massive that it's quite difficult to eat it without mystical concentration. Mustard on your clothes and face is integral part of the fun. The bakery is also the best place to make friends, especially during night time when crowds are queuing and sharing the joy of eating. Similar moments can't be beaten by sophisticated restaurants! The venue sells freshly baked bread, croissants, pastries and doughnuts as well but I haven't tried much else so far. I heard that carrot cake is great but I'll find out next time.
The ladies working there are gorgeous and the prices are really cheap. The bakery is open 24 hours a day so there are no limits- you can get your sandwich whenever you want to!
The only thing I know about London is that Brick Lane means nothing without beef Beigel. See for yourself and bon appetite!

Legendary 24/7 Bagel Bakery!

December 13, 2007

It's just always there and always open and always busy which just goes to show people know when they're onto a good thing.15p for a plain bagel - Incredible value, massively piled-high fillings, you'd be schmuck to go anywhere else! You don't have to be Jewish to love this place. Grab something there at lunchtime, or after work on your way out. Fall out of a bar or club at 3 am, it's open. It's worth the schlep to get there. Shopping in Brick Lane market on the weekend? Grab a bagel. Even if there's a queue out the door, it zips right along. The frenetic activity behind the counter never stops and the freshly-baked bagels just keep coming from the ovens in the back. Salmon & cream cheese bagel? Fantastic! Hot Salt Beef Bagel? Superb! You won't be k'vetshing at the price or the taste - it's to die for!

Keywords: open 24/7, cheap, great value

East London in a paper bag

December 05, 2007

The "institution" tag is deserved as far as I can see - there's nothing in the world like an impromptu salt beef beigel/bagel (delete as you like) eaten straight from the bag out and about on Brick Lane. Perfect-o. And probably even better than that at 4am.

Keywords: bagels, snacks, institution

its just a bagel (beigal) right?

November 04, 2007

This place is a true East London institution - which translates as - on Sundays it has a massive massive queue.

Yeah supposedly its really old and a part of East London Jewish heritage but to me a bagel or beigel is a bagel or beigel - its cheap - cream cheese and smoked salmon for like £1.85 - the actual plus side is that its open pretty much 24hrs .