Bakes & Bagels (Thornbury)

If you're after a bagel in Thornbury, Bakes & Bagels on Miller Street is the kind of neighbourhood spot that people keep coming back to. It's a small shopfront with a short run of tables, and it's easy to understand why it fills up on weekends.

The bagels are the main event. Locals rave about the dough, which comes out fresh and properly chewy, and about the fillings, which are built with decent ingredients and don't skimp on size. The pastrami bagel gets plenty of love, as does the beef brisket with northern slaw on an everything bagel. The Reuben has its fans, and so does the salmon and egg. For something a bit different, the Ajvar and feta combination keeps getting mentioned, and there's a vegan version of it too. Vegan options go well beyond a token effort here: one local called the vegan mince on the Vegan Joe the best they'd had. We've also heard the smashed avocado and the haloumi and avo do well for a lighter order, and the brownies are a favourite if you want something sweet alongside your coffee.

Dine-in, takeaway, delivery and catering are all on offer, and breakfast is part of the menu. Coffee is good, and one visitor popped in for a takeaway matcha and left with four bagels after spotting an end-of-day deal. Locals reckon the generous serves are good value for what you get, and the staff are friendly and quick, which helps when the place is busy.

It's also a good one for dog walkers, with outdoor tables that welcome pets and a wall of Polaroids of dogs. There's free street parking nearby, and they take cards and tap payments.

It can get busy on weekends, though tables tend to turn over quickly, and not every filling combination wins everyone over. Opening hours vary through the week and the shop is closed one day, so check before you head in.