A new dining option in Heber now delivers the flavors of New York to the valley. The Bagel Den opened its doors this past September and has been slinging NY bagels by the dozen ever since.
The vibe when first walking into Heber’s new eatery is warm and inviting, with reclaimed pallet lumber on the walls and a beautiful four-sided LED fireplace featured in the center of the dining room.
“I wanted to create a place that was bright and open for people to come and enjoy,” explains Matt Johnston, owner of The Bagel Den.
Johnston also wanted to bring an East Coast staple to the Heber Valley: the New York-style bagel. To do so, he has fresh dough from Long Island, New York, shipped to his kitchen every week. The dough is then improved upon in-house with fresh flavors, seasonings and mix-ins to give each bagel its signature look and taste.
Thanks to this process, The Bagel Den delivers the Big Apple taste — without the Big Apple price tag.
A Little Something For Everyone
The Bagel Den offers 19 different types of bagels — made fresh every day — and nine homemade cream cheeses.
“We feature the freshest of ingredients that we can get,” says Johnston. “Everything we bring in is in the rawest form possible.” They make their cream cheese spread from scratch, adding in fresh-cooked local bacon, chives and other mouth-watering flavors.
In addition to the classic bagel with cream cheese, The Bagel Den offers a whole host of breakfast and lunch sandwiches. The sandwiches contain imperial-grade meats, which are single-sourced whole meats that contain no preservatives and are not mechanically separated. The quality is simply the closest thing to the farm in terms of freshness and flavor.
If you’re looking for something a little on the East Coast side, the Nova Lox on an everything bagel is as authentic as it gets. The cold smoked salmon paired with red onion, capers and tomato will make you taste buds scream “New York, New York!”
The Bagel Den prides itself on quality and freshness. “We want fresh options for our guests,” says Johnston. And you won’t find them using cost-cutting substitutes or taking shortcuts. “We hand crack every egg that gets served on our breakfast sandwiches.” Even their fruit smoothies have no added sugar or syrups, only pure fruit with no preservatives.
A Place To “Hang”
“We want to become part of the community,” Johnston says with a smile.
To that end, he would like to start an open mic night to promote local musicians of all ages. He will be announcing upcoming events and open mic nights at the restaurant, as well as on Instagram and Facebook. “We have adults ask if they would be able to come, that it is something that they would be interested in coming to support,” says Johnston. The answer, of course, is yes — everyone is welcome.
In keeping with this commitment to adding to the Heber Valley community, Johnston has also been in talks with the art department at Wasatch High School to feature student artists in his restaurant. His idea is to create a permanent, rotating art show that features the local students’ work.
Not Your Average Bagel Shop
Soon, the Bagel Den will have a drive-through with a twist. “Once we get our new registers, our customers can order and pay online, then pick up their order in our drive-up,” explains Johnston. It won’t be traditional, but will definitely make it easier for guests on the go!
The Bagel Den is more than just a drive-through, though. From bagels and schmear to piping hot lattes, Heber Valley residents can find something that suites their fancy at this beautiful and inviting location. “We wanted to create a place for gathering, and a place to begin and end your day,” Johnston says. “I think we have accomplished that.”
