Viral PopUp Bagels Is Open in Amagansett for the Summer Season

Named Brooklyn Bagelfest’s “Best Bagel” for two years in a row in 2021 and 2022, the viral PopUp Bagels will be in Amagansett Square all summer long, bringing their tiny but mighty bagel out east. 

What started as a small-scale operation in the kitchen of Adam Goldberg, 48, during the pandemic in Westport, Connecticut, has rapidly grown into a bagel empire.

“In the beginning, we were just borrowing kitchens, thus the name ‘PopUp,’ and now we currently have eight permanent locations, three pop-up locations, and two more are set to open,” Goldberg says.

In just over three years, PopUp Bagels has established itself as a major player in the New York City bagel scene. Long queues started to form at their permanent locations after videos of their fresh-out-of-the-oven bagels being torn in half and dunked into a heaping of schmear went viral on TikTok.

Celebrities like Paul Rudd, Michael Phelps, Michael Strahan, and J.J. Watt became investors after a successful funding round in late 2023 led by the New York City-based equity firm Stripes, which funded Erewhon Market, Levain Bakery, and On Running to assist the brand on its growth journey.

With locations all over Connecticut, New York City, and other spots now open in Boston, PopUp Bagels is slowly taking over the East Coast with their classic bagel flavors like Everything, Poppy, Salt, and Sesame and their non-traditional schmears like Vanilla Bourbon Butter in collaboration with The Great Jones Distillery and Iced Coffee Cream Cheese in collaboration with Wandering Bear Cold Brew.

Going back to their pop-up roots, PopUp Bagels has taken over the Amagansett Meeting House for a summer residency since Memorial Day weekend and will continue to do so until Labor Day in September.

This will be the third summer pop-up in the Hamptons for Goldberg, previously having a summer residency at Calissa Hamptons in Water Mill in 2021 and Moby’s in East Hampton in 2023, but Amagansett has a special place in Goldberg’s heart.

“I spent a lot of time in the summers in Amagansett and we always love having a presence in the Hamptons,” Goldberg says. “This winter, we met the Lerner family, and we love what Max is doing with Amagansett Square. It’s a really great fit for us. It’s just a great vibe and good energy.”

Because of the pop-up quality of their summer residency, what you will find in Amagansett is different from what is available at their permanent locations.

“In the Hamptons, the majority of our business is pre-bought, so it’s reserved for pickup and typically sells out several days in advance,” Goldberg explains. “We only sell bagels by the dozen with cream cheese and fish as an option. We don’t have the capacity to have a full walk-in store out there yet, but it’s something we’re looking into for the next season.”

As summer rolls on and the pop-up continues to thrive, Goldberg reflects on the journey from his kitchen to a beloved bagel staple for the Hamptons community. “We’ve had great feedback,” Goldberg says. “I mean, it’s been really wonderful. We’ve been welcomed with open arms, and a lot of our loyal bagel lovers are so excited to see us back, although some wished we stayed a little closer to Southampton, and we’ll work on that for next season.”

PopUp Bagels is located at 4 Amagansett Square in Amagansett. Visit popupbagels.com for more info and to order bagels online.