One of Sydney’s most famous bagel joints has just opened in Surry Hills, which is amazing news for me as both a resident of Surry Hills and a huge bagel fan.
Pitched as ‘authentic New York style bagels’, George St Deli was opened by a passionate mother-daughter duo who wanted to bring something different to the streets of Sydney. You may have already visited its original location in Redfern, and the new location has a very similar offering.
You’ll still find favourites like The Lox Classic (smoked trout, cream cheese, red onion, capers, tomato), The Bec (bacon, egg, swiss cheese, tomato relish) and Pastrami (pastrami, sauerkraut, Russian dressing, swiss cheese). These are served alongside home-baked cookies, pastries and some absolutely delicious coffee.
Taking inspiration from the atmosphere of iconic New York spots like Katz’s Deli and Russ & Daughters, the decor is light and airy, with music from the 50s and 60s softly playing from the speakers. There’s both indoor and outdoor seating, so you can people watch the characters of Surry Hills walk past, or hide from the sun inside the cool interior.
I visited the Surry Hills George St Deli recently and spent a couple of hours working from there at one of the outdoor tables. While I was there I tried The Lox Classic, which was served with crisps, added on some pickles, and grabbed an iced matcha.
The bagel was great, the fillings were generous and fresh. I’d recommend layering a pickle onto each chip as it creates an almost salt-and-vinegar flavour that’s to die for. The iced matcha was also good, more earthy than sweet which was a great pairing with my lunch.
If you’re keen to check out the new George St Deli in Surry Hills, it’s open from 7am every day, until 3pm weekdays and 2pm weekends.
