Photo / Courtesy East Brown Cow
PopUp Bagels has four types of bagels, including everything, plain, poppy, sesame and salt. The bagel shop has rotating flavors of shmears and butters.
July 10, 2025
Friday Food Insider: Bagel chain with Big Apple presence will roll into Portland
Photo / Renee Cordes
PopUp Bagels will be located in the former Nosh Taco location at Canal Plaza in Portland.
PopUp Bagels, a Connecticut-based bagel chain with a New York presence, is bringing the concept to Portland this fall with its first Maine location in an oval-shaped building that has seen a handful of food establishments come and go.
The company has signed a 10-year lease for the 1,350-square-foot space on Canal Plaza that was previously occupied by Nosh Taco, which closed in 2024 after less than a year in business. Another previous tenant is Copper Branch, a Canadian vegan franchise that closed after only three years in the location.
Despite the turnover, the team behind PopUp Bagels believes "there couldn't be a more perfect location for us," Jamie Lissette, a New England franchisee for the brand, said in a news release.
"We love the space and are thrilled to be introducing our award-winning bagels to the downtown Portland food scene," he added.
The company has not given an exact opening date for the restaurant, which instead of slicing or tasting bagels serves them hot from the oven. Customers are encouraged to rip them apart and dip into cream cheese and other toppings instead of spreading them with a knife — which may very well offer the perfect bagel-to-schmear ratio.
News bites
Openings
- The Garden Bar has opened at 173 Ocean St in South Portland's Knightville neighborhood. The cafe, which offers salads, bowls and sweets, opened its first location in Biddeford in 2023.
- Henry's Bagel & Deli opened in Kittery at 445 U.S. Route 1 in the space formerly occupied by Henry VIII Carvery, which closed in February. The cafe offers bagels, sandwiches, salads and soups.
- The Lot is a new food truck park in Biddeford, at 64 Alfred Road.
Events
- Orange Bike Brewing Co.'s Gluten-Free Market & Expo will take place this Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. at 31 Diamond St. in Portland.
- Get your shellfish fix at the Yarmouth Clam Festival from July 18-20.
- The Kneading Conference, in Skowhegan from July 13-25, is touted for "grainiacs and bread buffs."
- Check out the Maine Cheese Festival in Pittsfield on Sept. 14.
Your feedback
What food-related festivals are you hungry to visit this summer? The Mainebiz Food Insider wants to hear from you! Contact Alexis Wells at awells@mainebiz.biz.
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