Is this busy Mt Lawley bagel joint worth all the hype?

Many foodies will have certain dishes they’re so obsessed with that they become part of their personality.

Fellow food reviewer Kate Emery, for example, doesn’t skip a beat when asked her favourite meal: chips and aioli all day, every day.

My dad’s love for Portuguese tarts is so widespread that people can’t walk past them in a bakery without buying one for him.

My sister nearly cried the other day when The Re Store were still out of her favourite pickles.

I have another friend whose obsession is bagels, which to be honest, I’d never understood the hype.

That was until I tried new bagel joint Bagel O’s in Mt Lawley and given how much I’ve been raving about it to anyone who will listen, I might just be a bagel person now.

Sandwiched in the narrow shops along Beaufort Street, it has been attracting massive crowds since it opened in November.

Walking in, the store is light and bright and the server who took our order had the most infectious positive energy of anyone I think I’ve ever met.

There are tables inside and some outside though given how popular this spot has become, it could do with a few extra tables in the courtyard area.

Bagels are displayed on the wall for diners to see in the flesh before choosing, with everything from plain, jalapeno parmesan, blueberry to popular TikTok flavour ‘everything’ on offer.

As my bank account will reveal, I’m easily influenced, so went for the latter topping. In ways of fillings, we tried the parm ($17) and the guacabagel ($16), which are on the pricier side for a casual lunch.

Firstly, the bagel itself, was so fresh, chewy and the perfect texture with plenty of the everything seasoning on top (beware though, you’ll be finding poppy seeds on your clothes for the rest of the day). You can spy them being made fresh on site.

The parm was basically your favourite pub parmi packed inside delicious carbs. The chicken was crunchy yet moist, the sauce was thick and rich, and cheese a lovely oozy finish.

My friend tried the veganised version of the guacabagel, which they happily did by swapping the cream cheese for a vegan version.

The cheese tasted as good as the real deal, with the other fillings — pesto, tomato, coriander, roasted peppers, alfalfa sprouts and iceberg lettuce — fresh, well balanced and had a good amount of seasoning.

If you’ve been wondering if this spot is worth the hype, take it from a former bagel denier, it is.