Schmucks Bagels

If you're hunting for a bagel in Melbourne that isn't an afterthought, Schmucks Bagels is a name worth knowing. The tagline, "Polski Bagels Seriously", tells you how they approach it: a Polish-leaning bagel café that makes its bagels fresh and fills them with seasonal and local ingredients.

The fillings are where people tend to get animated. Locals rave about the Miso Schmick, the Char Siu Bae and the Salt 'n' Sour, and the lox bagels (the Luv U Lox and Miss U Lox, both with names you'll remember) get plenty of love too. A chicken and avocado bagel and a ham and cheese on sesame have their fans, and we've heard the portions are generous enough that you may not finish one. One regular who comes back every time they're in town put it plainly: the quality is high and the value is hard to beat.

It's also a good one for gluten-free eaters. They do gluten-free bagels, and coeliacs get a warm word of mouth here. People who've tried them say you'd never pick the difference, and that they come out big. Coffee gets a regular mention too, with a few people pleasantly surprised by the latte art.

The staff come up again and again as friendly and quick, which matters if you're grabbing something before a tram or train. One visitor mentioned they even offered free takeaway containers. The café has a cheerful, slightly quirky feel, with trinkets to look at and plenty of seating, and it's wheelchair accessible, including the entrance, seating and toilet. You can dine in, take away, pick up in store or have it delivered, and they also cater events and functions with custom bagel boxes.

They open early, which suits anyone near Southern Cross Station needing breakfast before a long day. It can get busy, and not everyone's taste is the same: one visitor found a chicken avocado bagel fairly average, and another noted tables weren't always cleared between customers. Overall, though, people keep coming back. It's worth checking the hours before you go, as weekends open a little later than weekdays.