Bagelfelds Bagels in Phoenix

Bagels were brought to New York City by Jewish immigrants in the late 19th century, and over time, their reputation has achieved a kind of cult status. While debatable, many agree that the texture, appearance, and taste differ vastly from what you will find with commercial bagels. As an example, the crust should be shiny and a bit crunchy, and the inside chewy yet firm to the bite. There is a certain allure to the New York-style bagels, and to produce a bagel recognized as authentic outside of the tri-state area is a culinary gold standard. Excitingly, that is exactly the buzz that Bagelfeld’s bagels have achieved in a very short period.Charlie Blonkenfeld, a private chef who is Brooklyn-born and Arizona-raised, had the idea of starting a bagel business in the heart of the COVID shut down. Interestingly, the inspiration came from an ad for a job at a bagel shop in Connecticut, as Blonkenfeld was considering the possible option of moving states. Ultimately, he stayed in Arizona but couldn’t shake the bagel idea. Memories of enjoying bagels while visiting family in Brooklyn were synonymous with Blonkenfeld’s childhood. He decided to branch out and try a new business, as he explains, “My whole attitude was ‘I am ok if I fail.’ I won’t be embarrassed if it is not making sense. At that point in my life, I had nothing to lose.”

Like many chef entrepreneurs, Blonkenfeld started cooking out of a rented kitchen space, selling his bagels at the Downtown Phoenix Farmer’s Market and Uptown Farmer’s Market. At the end of 2020, Blonkenfeld took on his first wholesale client, Stoop Kid, whose owner Steven McMillen has remained a loyal customer. News of Blonkenfeld’s delicious bagels spread quickly.

As Bagelfeld’s popularity grew, Blonkenfeld found he needed to hire a few employees to keep up with the demand. Then came a pivotal moment, where he knew there was no turning back. “I realized my employees were depending on me to succeed. For instance, one employee bought a car because they were making money from my bagel business. At this point, I knew I had a lot to lose.”

Operating out of a rented kitchen space was no longer a viable option to keep up with sales. In the spring of 2022, Blonkenfeld made the move to a production and retail space on Thomas Road and 29th Place. Tuesday through Sunday, Bagelfeld’s offers a variety of options including plain, salt, everything, sesame, asiago, and poppyseed bagels alongside specialty choices like fennel and raisin, which are available on weekends only.

The bagels are wildly popular and the schmears take it to a level “11”. I won’t criticize you for liking plain schmear, but please do yourself a favor and try one of the flavored options, like salmon, honey brown butter, spicy pepper and garlic, and my favorite, lemon and herb with parsley, chive, and dill. Blonkenfeld also offers a few sandwiches such as a traditional Nova Lox with plain schmear, tomato, cucumber, red onion, and capers, and the Bacon and Stuff with candied bacon, pickled onions and peppers, chopped cucumber, and a dash of horseradish.

Blonkenfeld’s bagels available at a few select coffee shops as well, namely Window Coffee Bar, Ollie Vaughn’s, and Blue House Coffee, who also supplies the cold brew for the bagel retail operation on Thomas. In addition, those in the East Valley will be thrilled to know that you can find Bagelfeld’s bagels at Air Guitar in Gilbert, whose co-owner Kris DeMarco says, “Bagelfeld’s bagels are hands down some of the best bagels I have had…they rival some of my favorites from New York City. And don’t forget to try the honey brown butter schmear!”

What does the future have in store for Charlie Blonkenfeld and Bagelfeld’s? Possibly another Valley location. Blonkenfeld explains, “The building I am in now is practice; I have a vision for a certain design and layout to the kitchen to make it more efficient that I can’t do in the current building. I want to see a building constructed from the ground up and have a good idea what it would look like, with the right equipment to fit our needs, like the right oven and the right mixer.” In the meantime, we will just have to take what we can get, which are some pretty tasty New York-style bagels in the heart of the Sonoran Desert.