It’s Bagels to open second site in London’s Notting Hill

London-based New York-style bagel shop It’s Bagels, which found internet fame, is set to expand into Notting Hill less than a year after its Primrose Hill debut.

Founder Dan Martensen, who is a “born and bred New Yorker”, first launched It’s Bagels as a pop-up and delivery service in 2022 at Caravan Brewbar in Islington before opening his first permanent site in September 2023.

Since then, the bagel brand has attracted hundreds and thousands of views on TikTok as well as daily queues that have led to it being featured in magazines such as Esquire and FT HTSI.

The latest 500 sq ft site on Kensington Park Road will feature a 14-cover café and 16-cover outdoor terrace designed by New York-based GRT Architects, a design studio founded by Tal Schori and Rustam Mehta.

Once it opens on 5 August, it will feature the shop’s signature selection of bagels, including the Works (cream cheese, lox, onion, capers, lemon, tomato) and BEC (bacon, egg and cheese), as well as permanent iterations of its limited-edition flavours, such as the Salt Beef Bagel (pulled salt beef, French’s mustard, house pickles, shaved red onion, kewpie mayo, melted Swiss cheese).

Martensen said: “When we opened last year, we could only hope for a positive response. We knew we loved the product, but to see London embrace us, has been truly amazing. We could not be more excited to open a second location in Notting Hill, a neighbourhood we love.”

Image: Teo Della Torre