NJ Native’s Popular Bagel Brand Opens First Garden State Location In Westfield

WESTFIELD, NJ — A New Jersey native is bringing his growing bagel brand back home, but this is not your typical neighborhood bagel shop.

PopUp Bagels opens its first New Jersey location Friday at 220 South Ave. W. in Westfield, introducing local customers to a different take on the classic morning staple.

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Founded by Tenafly native Adam Goldberg, PopUp Bagels has built a following around a simple idea: serving hot, whole bagels straight from the oven and letting customers enjoy them by tearing them apart and dipping them into a variety of spreads.

The brand’s signature approach, called “Grip, Rip and Dip,” means customers will not find sliced bagels, toasted bagels or breakfast sandwiches on the menu.

“PopUp Bagels is a truly unique bagel experience,” Leah Kuhn, a spokesperson for PopUp Bagels, said. “Our focus is on simplicity and freshness, serving hot, whole bagels straight from the oven.”

The Westfield location marks the company’s first move into New Jersey as part of a larger expansion throughout the Northeast.

Kuhn said Westfield was selected because of its downtown atmosphere and strong local community.

“When looking for locations, Westfield stood out for its strong sense of community and thriving local food scene,” Kuhn said. “As the brand continues to grow across the Northeast, Westfield felt like a natural fit to bring the Grip, Rip and Dip experience to the Garden State.”

For customers stopping by for the first time, PopUp Bagels offers five varieties: plain, salt, sesame, poppy seed and everything. The company said fresh batches are baked throughout the day, with new bagels coming out of the oven every few minutes.

Kuhn said one of the most popular first orders is an everything bagel paired with scallion schmear.

Unlike many bagel shops where customers choose from a variety of sandwiches, PopUp Bagels focuses on mixing and matching bagels and spreads. The bagels are served in groups of three, allowing customers to try different flavors and schmears.

“One of the things that makes the PopUp experience unique is that our bagels are meant to be shared,” Kuhn said.

The brand started in Connecticut in 2021 as a small backyard window concept and has since expanded into a growing chain with locations across several states.

The company said its growth has come from focusing on one product and creating a different experience around it.

The Westfield opening is part of a larger New Jersey expansion. While specific future locations have not all been announced, PopUp Bagels said 25 locations are planned for the state, including a confirmed location in Tenafly.

To celebrate the opening, the Westfield location is hosting a grand opening event Friday from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. featuring a DJ, merchandise giveaways, hot bagels and a limited-time tiramisu-flavored schmear created in collaboration with Carlo’s Bakery.

The new shop joins Westfield’s downtown dining scene, giving residents another option for their morning bagel run.