Tali's Bagel's & Schmear
About us
Tali's Bagels & Schmear started as a pandemic hobby when we, Talia & Kelly Bongolan-Schwartz, ran out of our freezer stash of New York bagels. We started feeding friends, selling on Instagram, and eventually entered the Farmers Market circuit in January 2022. The response was overwhelming, and in the summer of 2023, we opened our first brick and mortar location in Ward Centre. One year later, Tali’s Bagels landed in Kailua with our second shop. What started as a two-man job has grown to include a full kitchen team in Chinatown, two shop teams in Ward and Kailua, and two farmers market teams in Diamond Head (KCC) and Aiea (Pearlridge).
In July of 2023, we opened our very first storefront location in Ward Village where we serve classics like BEC (bacon, egg, and cheese), tuna and egg salad sandwiches, and exclusive center-cut sliced lox (you can't get it anywhere else on island!) flown in from Acme Seafood in Brooklyn, NY. We also offer unique sandwiches such as the Aww Zhuga Zhuga (pulled chicken breast slathered in a Yemenite spicy cilantro sauce) and the Televegan - masabacha (chunky hummus) with roasted eggplant and arugula.
Mission Statement:
Our mission is two-fold: to bring comfort food to the Jews of Hawaii and to bring Jewish food to the local community. On Oahu, everyone has had a bagel, but most people haven't had an authentic bagel experience. Our goal is to provide customers with a taste of New York while providing education about the Jewish origins of this iconic food. Our process is based in tradition, but many of our flavors are inspired by local dishes; therefore, local production is our top priority. Whenever possible, we source our ingredients locally, from flour to produce, and even packaging. At Tali's Bagels & Schmear, we aim to feed you something you've never tried before, and something you're sure to come back for.