Best Ugly Bagels Wellington

Cafes key icon.
Cafes key icon.

Monday8:00 am – 3:00 pm.

Tuesday8:00 am – 3:00 pm.

Wednesday8:00 am – 3:00 pm.

Thursday8:00 am – 3:00 pm.

Friday8:00 am – 3:00 pm.

Saturday7:00 am – 3:00 pm.

Sunday7:00 am – 3:00 pm.

5 Swan Ln, Te Aro, Wellington

04 803 3563

If you haven’t heard the buzz or seen the photos on Instagram, yes it’s true, extraordinary bagels have emerged in Wellington. Lines out the door, a magnificent oven firing, and sesame seeds on every surface sums up Best Ugly Bagels at its finest. The renowned Auckland bagel originators have made their way down to the capital accompanied by cheery crew and authentic recipes. Located in the lively neighbourhood of Te Aro, they serve what they do best, delicious bagels accompanied with their very own Good Joe Coffee. 

Best Ugly Bagels are manhandled into shape, hand rolled and cut, then placed into their very own custom-made stone oven fuelled by Manuka wood. The technique is inspired from Montreal, where famous chef and owner Al Brown spent two years discovering and falling in love with handmade, wood-fired bagels. Authenticity is key when deciding to create bagels in the same style, taste and texture, proven by Montreal style which differs from New York style due to it's crispy outside, yet chewy inside.

The bagels simmer in honey water to give them a distinctively delicious, slightly sweet flavour. Pulled fresh from the oven it's easy to see the truth in the name– not perfectly circular or perhaps the most visually appealing, but taste trumps beauty here and the result is hands down delicious.

Once they’re golden, they’re sliced and topped with fresh Kiwi ingredients. A must-try is the famous Yodi which includes pastrami, habanero mustard, grilled swiss, and is topped off with a pickle. Open from 7am - 3pm, 7 days, Best Ugly Bagels ensures no one misses out on the experience whether it’s for breakfast, brunch or lunch, and if the line is long, you can grab a four pack of fresh baked bagels to take home instead.

Words by Molly Lewis & Photography by Naomi Haussmann

Information not correct? Report an error

Location

5 Swan Ln, Te Aro, Wellington

Nearby Places

Hanging Ditch

People sitting in the bar.
Place Wellington Wellington City
Bars key icon.

Hanging Ditch, for those who are yet to visit, is Leeds’ Street best little slice of stealth.

Eva's Garage

Customer and his dog sitting outside Eva's Garage.
Place Wellington Wellington City
Cafes key icon. Services key icon.

Who knew you could fit so much into a garage? Wellington’s Eva’s Garage isn’t your average coffee stop, it’s a one-of-a-kind inner-city escape built...

Bicycle Junction

Close up of a woman on a bike.
Place Wellington Wellington City
Cafes key icon. Services key icon.

Catching on to the retro cycles trend, the clever people behind Bicycle Junction's new neighbourhood bikery, describe themselves as “Urban Specialists.”

Pickle and Pie

The cafe space at Pickle and Pie.
Place Wellington Wellington City
Cafes key icon.

After many a lunchtime spent hankering for just a ‘good old sandwich’, Tim Tracey and Mia Freeman decided to take matters into their own hands.

Similar Places

Dragons

Stacks of bamboo steamer baskets with different types of dumplings inside each.
Place Wellington Wellington City
Restaurants key icon.

A name synonymous with yum cha in Wellington, Dragons is an institution in the capital’s Asian dining scene.

Comes & Goes

Coffee brewing equipment on the counter at Comes & Goes café in Petone.
Place Hutt Valley Lower Hutt
Cafes key icon.

This café offers a captivating fusion of Asian and Kiwi delights, an explosion of edible flowers and culinary masterpieces that Wellingtonians are welcoming with open arms.

Beach Road Deli

The brightly lit interior of Beach Road Deli on a sunny day.
Place Kāpiti Coast Kāpiti Coast Editor's Pick
Cafes key icon.

A bright and beachy café offering great coffee and quality kai in the cute seaside town of Paekākāriki.

Joe & Joy

A large glass cabinet at the counter of Joe and Joy cafe.
Place Kāpiti Coast Kāpiti Coast
Restaurants key icon.

Joe & Joy is a husband-wife-run bakery and cafe in the heart of Waikanae village.