One of Philly’s Best Brings Late-Night Bagels to Center City

Philly Bagels, one of Philadelphia’s best bagel shops, has opened a new takeout store at 1501 Locust St. — and beyond just providing breakfast, it’s a welcome addition to the city’s late-night options on weekends, staying open until 2:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

This is the second Center City location and the fifth overall for the local mini-chain that started in 1996 as South Street Philly Bagels, known for its New York-style bagels and “hot bagels” sign. But the new shop is the only one to stay open late. An employee at another location confirmed the shop’s opening, takeout status, and late-night offerings Wednesday.

Fifth-generation bagel maker Aaron Wagner has been expanding his family business since 2015, starting with Rittenhouse’s Chestnut Street Philly Bagels followed by expansions to Grad Hospital (Fitzwater Street Philly Bagels), East Passyunk Avenue (Passyunk Avenue Philly Bagels), and JFK Boulevard. The company also consolidated its name to Philly Bagels several years ago. Then the Chestnut Street shop closed in late 2021, at which time the Inquirer noted that a takeout-only shop was coming to Locust Street.

Philly Bagels boils its rounds in a kettle before baking them, serving classics like everything and sesame bagels with smoked whitefish salad, bagel sandwiches like BLTs, and specialty items like rainbow bagels with birthday cake-flavored cream cheese.

Unlike the other shops, the new one doesn’t have its own website linked from Philly Bagels’s landing page yet, but per a note from the business, the location at 1501 Locust St. is open Tuesday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Friday and Saturday 10 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.

Update: May 15, 2023, 4:16 p.m.: This article was updated to reflect that Philly Bagels’ Locust Street location is not open Mondays, and is located at 1501 Locust St., as the company shared via a message online.