There’s something instantly comforting about a fresh bagel, especially one that comes out of the oven still warm. That’s exactly the idea behind PopUp Bagels, the Connecticut-based bagel shop that recently opened its first Alabama location at The Summit in Birmingham. The concept is simple: serve whole, unsliced bagels straight from the oven and let customers experience them the way they were intended—“grip, rip and dip.”

I stopped by on opening day, and even with a steady rain coming down, the excitement around Birmingham’s newest bagel spot was easy to feel. Team members were running out to the parking lot with umbrellas to help customers get inside, and every person I interacted with greeted guests with a smile. Their enthusiasm was contagious.

The bagels themselves live up to the experience. Served hot and fresh, they have the perfect balance of a crisp outside and a warm, fluffy inside. After trying the “grip, rip and dip” method myself, I am convinced it is the best way to eat one.

PopUp Bagels offers five core bagel varieties—plain, salt, poppy seed, sesame seed and everything—along with rotating seasonal flavors and a selection of schmears, including plain cream cheese, scallion cream cheese, brown sugar cinnamon butter and salted butter. The shop also offers additions like smoked salmon, along with coffee, cold brew, lemonade, strawberry lemonade and orange juice.

During my visit, I had to try the limited-edition sweet tea butter, a Southern twist that of course felt perfectly at home in Birmingham. It wasn’t overly sweet, and with the warm bagel, it was a melt-in-your-mouth bite.

Founded in 2020 in Westport, Connecticut, PopUp Bagels has grown quickly across the country, expanding its following with a straightforward approach: make one thing really well and create an experience people want to share. The Birmingham location marks the brand’s first step into Alabama, with future locations planned in Tuscaloosa and beyond.

After one visit, it’s easy to understand the appeal: a hot bagel straight from the oven, a simple approach done well, and a team that makes every customer feel welcome. PopUp Bagels may be new to Birmingham, but the experience already feels like the kind of place people will return to again and again.