Bagel Boss Branches Out
We bloomin love a bagel or five but how many can you realistically nosh in a week? So, imagine our joy to learn that one of Scotland’s tastiest filled bagel companies was branching out! Yup, Bross Bagels founder Larah Bross has opened the doors to the brand’s very first Bross Deli – and Edinburgh’s first ever ‘Jew-ish’ deli of its kind.
The new Bross Deli presents a truly unique concept, taking the brand beyond bagels, to introduce all-day authentic Montreal ‘Jew-ish’ deli culture to the city of Edinburgh. The soft launch – which saw the new venue open its doors on Christmas Eve – has limited opening hours of 9am until 4pm, as well as a limited menu of deli classics with a modern twist, that can be enjoyed as take away or in the brand new 1,200 sq. ft deli and dining space. The new premises features comfy classic diner-style booths, bar seating, a bustling open kitchen and a deli counter, that combine to transport guests straight to the delis that grace the streets of Montreal or New York.
While locals and visitors will have to wait until later in the year for the full evening experience and menu to launch, the Bross team is calling on Edinburgh’s food community to help prepare for the official launch and assist in curating the new Bross Deli final menu.
The formidable force in food, Larah Bross explains; ‘Bross was born in Edinburgh, and we’ve been blown away by our close community of bagel lovers from across the city. Edinburgh, we need you to help us choose. Now is your chance to make like a Masterchef judge and tell us what you love or loathe. We’ll be launching new dishes weekly – it’s your chance to get them before they’re gone, until the final menu is unveiled later in the year. When our morning to evening dining menu then launches, it will be a genuine collection of Edinburgh’s favourite flavourhood deli dishes, served up morning to night.’
When the full menu lands, the deli will showcase a modern take on traditional Jewish cuisine in a unique culture clash of founder Larah’s Jewish-Canadian background, her experience living in New York, and her passion for locally sourced Scottish ingredients. The new venue is designed to create a convivial concept, with a come-one-come-all notion where morning meetings can spark creative conversation, families can dine on deli classics to keep even the fussiest of eaters happy, and friends can gather for cocktails and comfort food in an unashamed celebration of carbs and classic deli deliciousness.
The opening menu will include legions of Bross fans’ favourite hot and cold deli fillings, but diners will now be able to choose their NYC style deli fillings slathered on bagels, rye, or challah bread. The new Bross Deli will also be the first Bross venue to offer a dedicated kids’ menu that will kick off with pizza bagels, challah grilled cheese and Schnitties, but will also be extended following feedback from the city’s toughest critics – the kids.
Locals are being advised to keep a close watch for limited edition dishes, which the Bross team are inviting deli diners to rate and decide whether they will make it on to the final menu. The first special, which will run until Sunday 9th January, is the Bross Challah French Toast with Bacon, or Facon, slathered in pure Canadian Maple Syrup. Edinburgh foodies are being encouraged to try it and help decide whether it will make the final menu.
Larah Bross continues; ‘The menu we’ll be gradually introducing is inspired by my Jewish heritage. Those classic foods I grew up enjoying, given a modern and sometimes Scottish twist. These are foods to warm your soul and for me, there’s nothing more we all need right now as we embark on 2022. Think macaroni like your mama makes, nourish-your-soul Matzah Ball soup, loaded latkes that make hash browns, green with envy, and knishes that taste as good straight from the oven as they do cold from the fridge the next day with a hangover.’
The community curated menu will be unveiled later this season, alongside a series of events, collaborations and pop-ups that will deliver a true sense of food theatre, feasting and fun, all given a ‘Jew-ish’ twist, to create an experience unlike anything seen in Edinburgh before.
Bross Deli will be open daily from 9am until 4pm every day, until the full launch later this year when an evening menu will also be introduced.