Bagels by Soho is a small bagel shop and coffee bar on Holdenhurst Road, a little inland from East Cliff and close to Lansdowne. The founders put the gap they wanted to fill bluntly: "London has bagels on every corner. Bournemouth had none. So we fixed that." What came out of that is a menu built on New York-style bagels and proper specialty coffee, a simple idea carried out with some care.
What's in the bagels
The filled bagels are the centrepiece, running from the Salt Beef and a Reuben to the Lox Deluxe and Halloumi. Vegetarians and vegans get real choices too: The Greek and Halloumi cover the vegetarian side, BBQ Porto and The Beets are vegan, and gluten-free bagels are also on offer. The menu is short rather than sprawling, which suits a shop whose whole idea is doing a small range well.
Coffee and other drinks
The coffee is from Bad Hand Coffee, a specialty roaster in Dorset, and covers the standard flat whites, cappuccinos and lattes as well as matcha and chai lattes, hot chocolate and smoothies. Oat, soya and coconut milk are all on hand, so most dietary preferences are met without fuss.
Practical details
The shop opens seven days a week from 8am to 5pm, and food can be ordered for delivery through Deliveroo as well as eaten in or taken away. It's a compact place geared to a quick, well-made breakfast or lunch rather than a long sit-down meal, which makes it handy if you're exploring East Cliff or on your way to the seafront.
For more options close by, see our food & drink guide, or find out what else is worth doing in the area in our things to do guide.