Everything to know about the renovated Bagelheads. New flavors, furniture, drive-thru service

Pensacola is only days away from experiencing the new and improved Bagelheads at 916 E. Gregory St. after a major five-month renovation.

When owners Ben and Leah Fishbein bought the restaurant in 2022 from Rob and Jan Mackey, who founded the restaurant in 1998, they knew that they wanted to help carry the restaurant into its next chapter.

Without touching the beloved bagel recipe, Ben Fishbein is hoping that the changes he did make will improve Bagelheads for decades to come.

Here’s your first look at some of the changes you can expect.

Kettle-boiled bagels

First things first. Let’s talk bagels. Nothing is changing when it comes to the original Bagelheads recipe, but the flavors and methods of preparing them are hopefully going to be an improvement, according to Fishbein.

During the renovation process, he went on a journey to New York City to discover what the gold standard for “the best bagels" actually is.

One of the major distinctions he took away was how the bagels were kettle boiled before baking. So much so, he even brought in a consultant from New York City to help train on the process and invested in the machine. Now, instead of the cake-bake style process that puts the dough directly in the oven, they will be boiled first, which creates a significant difference in flavor, he said.

New flavors for bagels, cream cheese and sandwiches

Now, when you go to select your bagel, starting at $1.95, you will be able to choose from a variety of new flavors of bagels, cream cheese and sandwich combinations. In addition to the traditional flavors, you’ll find new additions such as blueberry cobbler, bacon cheddar, birthday cake and bacon scallion cream cheese.

Fishbein also consulted with experts for some of the sandwich combinations, such as Blake Rushing, owner of Union Public House. One of the creations being the That’s My Jam!, made with a blueberry bagel topped with a crunchy peanut butter and in-house blueberry preserves, plain cream cheese and a marshmallow fluff. Another lunch item he collaborated on being the Not Ya Mamas Bagel Bite, made with a special vodka sauce cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, diced pepperoni and fresh basil on a sun-dried tomato bagel.

Customers will likely also be excited by cream cheese "flights" offering customers a set of Bagelheads bagel bites to dip inside six different flavors of house cream cheese for $9.99.

Although it's not necessarily new, Fishbein said long-time customers will be delighted to see the return of old-time favorite, the Manhattan Monster, made with turkey, roast beef, tomatoes, scallion cream cheese and coleslaw.

By customer request, they are also introducing a line of smaller kids meals including turkey and cheese, ham and cheese, griddled PB&J and a grilled cheese.

Sip, sip, hooray!

In addition to the food additions on the menu, Bagelheads will also be elevating its beverage game. The restaurant will still be using its fan-favorite MacDaddy Coffee roasted by Bagelheads founder Rob Mackey, but will be improving its process for making the beverage and bringing lattes up to coffee-shop standards. It will also be adding a matcha latte option.

Staff are also pressing fresh juices, such as a Green Goddess juice, made with apples, kale, celery, pineapple and lime, and traditional orange.

There will now also be a grab-and-go cooler featuring local small businesses, such as Big Jerk Soda and Sweet Jackson Tea.

Speedier service

Although guests are still welcome to grab a seat and stay awhile, Fishbein said that he also wanted to make sure that there was an option for those that want to grab a quick breakfast or lunch on the run.

In coming weeks, Fishbein said that they will have an outdoor system where an employee will take your order, and you can pull around to the drive-thru to pick it up.

There is also a set pick-up station where after your order is placed, you will be able to go and hear your order called out. It will also be an expedited pick-up station for new DoorDash and UberEats.

Decor refresh

Bagelheads fans will immediately recognize a major shift in décor when stepping into the formerly '90s-styled café. The new shop with a fresh, clean, modern look ties into white and blue tiled countertops, black and white photographs of old Pensacola, and even an old surfboard hanging on the wall as décor. The outside patio area has AstroTurf and fresh white tables. The restrooms are redone with bright-colored backsplashes. The display cases have been replaced with refrigerated ones filled with bowls of cream cheese. The back of the house filled with new equipment.

The changes do not only bring a refresh in interior design to the space, but also help with cleanliness and efficiency, according to Fishbein.

Renovated Bagelheads offers same community experience

Despite the new changes everywhere, some of the restaurant’s long-term employees are hopeful that the community will still have the same positive experience.

Robert McMillan, who has been baking at Bagelheads for 18 years, stands by the bagel recipe that has created regulars he greets by name. But what really makes Bagelheads special is not the fancy décor, but the people that fill it. “My customers,” he will tell you.

“I’ve been waiting, and I love everything,” McMillan said of the renovations. “I’ve got a lot of memories here.”

Manager Gabe Kelly, who has worked at Bagelheads over the course of the past five and half years, said that they are ready to help serve Pensacola and have plenty more positive changes on the way.

“We’re super excited to serve Pensacola. We have really great food, and a lot of people who are really proud to make it. I just hope that people understand that while everything is awesome, we’re not done. We’re going to get even better and we can’t wait to show everyone that,” Kelly said.

So, when is opening day?

Although opening day is in the very near future, follow the Bagelheads Facebook and Instagram pages for real-time updates and information.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Bagelheads reopening in Pensacola post renovation. Here's a first look