After a couple days of soft opening, Ugly Bagel will open hard this Wednesday, Nov. 13, at 65 Arcade Alley downtown. The new “hospitality-driven fast-casual” concept is the brainchild of industry vets Jeff Crabiel and Jake Strang, who have previously worked together in hospitality and culinary at The Westin and the Bobby Hotel.
Rather than obsessing over making the perfectly smooth, shiny and shapely egg-washed bagels, Ugly Bagels embraces the restaurant's name by hand-rolling its bagels to create truly unique treats. Not only will guests be able to watch bagels being created through a “rolling window,” but customers can also avail themselves of a “bagel concierge” who will lead them through the ordering process.
These dedicated team members are an important part of Ugly Bagel’s attitude toward customer service and high-touch interaction with bagel lovers. The concierges will assist with mobile orders and at self-checkout kiosks where technology meets culinary creativity. Personally, I’m excited to see how this will all work, because offering almost unlimited customization options reminds me of standing in the back of the line at Which Wich waiting impatiently while customers continually froze up at the counter when confronted by so many choices.
Grab-and-go is the basis of the service model, but customers can also pick from a plethora of choices, including vegan options and a selection of cream cheese and butter combinations — including “light,” “standard” and “loaded” — to dress up a variety of bagels. The opening menu will also feature signature Ugly Bagel sandwiches and a menu of hot and cold drinks including drip coffee, lattes, teas and hot chocolate. Ugly Bagel will offer a selection of private branded coffee blends, including the balanced Uggy’s Blend, bold El Jefe Brew and decaf Cool Beans.
“Hospitality is our bread and butter,” says co-founder Crabiel in the official opening announcement. “We’ve poured our hearts into Ugly Bagel, and we’re beyond thrilled to see our vision finally come to life. Our goal was to create a fast-casual concept that matches the busy energy of downtown, catering to workers, locals and visitors alike. Partnering with The Arcade is a true honor, and we’re excited to be part of Nashville’s growing bagel revolution. We can't wait to spread joy through life’s simple moments, one bagel at a time.”
It used to be like wandering in the desert — there wasn’t a decent bagel to be found anywhere in town. (While we might debate what makes for a…
Visitors can expect a regular roster of bagel and cream cheese flavors, plus monthly drops of special items. For its opening month, Ugly Bagel will offer gingerbread bagels and cranberry walnut bagels as specials, along with a hot cocoa cream-cheese blend and a sage and onion schmear.
To introduce themselves to downtown, the Ugly Bagel crew will kick off their first “Ugly Hour” promotion. During grand-opening week — from Monday through Sunday, 5 to 7 p.m. — guests can pick up two free bagels while supplies last. Afterward, enjoy a special daily promotion from 5 to 7 p.m., featuring 50 percent off all bagels, spreads and coffee while supplies last. In addition to being generous, this promotion is a way to ensure that the shop makes room for freshly made products daily instead of serving day-old bagels.
The Arcade is just the first in a planned list of locations, including a second Ugly Bagel planned for Wedgewood-Houston. We’ll keep you posted as that opening date approaches.
