Ottawa’s new bagel craze goes pop-up

Cassie Broadhurst and Sebastian Giggey are bringing New York-style bagels to the capital city one pop up at a time. 

Born out of the desire to introduce a new type of bagel to Ottawa, the couple has brought Baci’s Bagels to various parts of the city over the past year. Giggey, an Ottawa native, felt that there was room for more than just the classic, Montreal bagel and started working on his New York inspired bagel recipe. 

“I was racking my brain over what could be different,” said Giggey. “I think Ottawa’s big enough that [we] can have another type of bagel.”

While employed as a full time baker, Giggey began workshopping his ideal bagel. He sampled versions of what has now become Baci’s Bagel Co. while working out of the Wild Oat kitchen in the Glebe. 

At the same time, Broadhurst worked as the cafe manager. It was there that the pair met and eventually decided that Baci’s Bagels was worth a shot. 

“He spent probably two years working on the bagel recipe,” she said. “I remember the first time I tried them I was like you’ve got something.” 

A tray of assorted bagels at the most recent Baci’s Bagels pop-up. In general, New York-style bagels differ from Montreal-style bagels. They are larger, have a smaller hole in the centre, exterior crunch and a soft interior texture. [Photo © Sarah Forrest]

For Broadhurst, Baci’s Bagel pop-ups are the first step into what will eventually be a full cafe. The business is built on Broadhurst’s passion for coffee and Giggey’s love for baking. They hope that in the next few years they can expand Baci’s Bagels into a location.

“The goal is to have amazing and delicious coffee and also have our bagels and some sandwiches [at our own place],” she said. “It was originally a five-year dream, but now things are taking off.”

“A lot is depending on the next few months to really gauge how quickly we might be able to make that little dream happen,” said Broadhurst.

As a trial, the couple began rolling out the bagels on a pop-up basis, offering pre-orders to the general public. In the summer of 2025, the couple held their first pop-up on the sidewalk in the Glebe. 

Student and Ottawa resident Melissa Hadcock has been hoping to try out the popular bagels for herself. 

Having followed the business for a while now, “I have to set alarms to get to these pop-ups, it’s that serious,” she said, laughing. “I hope to get my hands on these before I head back home to Hamilton.”

With a handmade sign that still accompanies them to each pop-up and a notebook, the couple launched their business. 

Customers are greeted by a Baci’s Bagels sign as they enter their most recent pop-up. [photo © Sarah Forrest]

“We were like, let’s do this thing, and created a little Instagram page,” Broadhurst said. “We were just going around and asking if anybody wanted bagels, and our very first order page was just in a notebook.”

The pair both work full-time jobs in addition to running the bagel business. With only two sets of hands baking their signature bagels, whipping up their homemade cream cheeses and managing a business, things get busy quickly. 

It wasn’t until Baci’s Bagels got invited to do a pop-up at the Miam Miam General Store that the business blew up. 

“We got into the Miam Miam world [and] they’re all such beautiful humans,” she said, reflecting on how the community spread the word about Baci’s. 

The Miam Miam pop-up changed everything for the business. Broadhurst and Giggey have both harnessed Baci’s Bagels’ community, with the Miam Miam pop-up solidifying just how fundamental strong relationships are to the business. 

“I feel like these small businesses helping a small business is very community-driven,” she said.

In the early stages of the pop-ups, the pair would open pre-orders, but eventually decided the demand was too high for the two of them.

Baci’s Bagels sold out quickly at their last pop-up in mid March. [photo © Sarah Forrest]

At another pop-up with Dominion City, “we turned on our preorders and within eight minutes we hit over 900 bagels,” he said.

Carleton student and Ottawa resident Zan Frederick says the Baci’s Bagels pop-up model and fresh recipe are very appealing as a consumer.

“I’ve lived in Ottawa my whole life, and this is exactly what we needed. We have so many bagel shops but the New York inspired bagel has really switched things up. I would have never thought I’d see a bagel pop-up in Ottawa,” he said.  “All we have here are Montreal bagels, and Baci’s is changing that. I hope they open up their own shop soon so I can get my hands on more of them.”

From Dominion City in the east end to Bread By Us in the west, Baci’s Bagels has become familiar with many burrows in the city, and the pair hopes to continue expanding. 

By bringing something new to Ottawa, Giggey and Broadhurst have developed a new appreciation for how crucial small businesses have been to the nation’s capital over the years. 

“I remember when Ottawa was just Gabriel’s Pizza, and now there’s such a boom in the city,” Giggey said. “[People] are big advocates for trying something different, and millennial business owners are really making Ottawa a cool spot.”

Baci’s Bagels has now launched a consistent pop up every Sunday in April with Bread By Us offering their growing following a more steady experience. 

Customers line up at Bread By Us where Baci’s Bagels held their latest pop-up and will be holding further pop-ups throughout April. [photo © Sarah Forrest]

For Giggey and Broadhurst, connection remains a foundational part of their business. The couple doesn’t see a future where Baci’s Bagels isn’t intertwined with the people who made it: their customers.

“Working with local businesses and finding different ways that we can help them and they can help us, I think that’s always been in our DNA,” Broadhurst said. “It’s really helped these past few months, this kind of pay-it-forward sort of deal, and if we ever have the capacity to help other small businesses and work with interesting people, I think that’s something we want to explore and keep doing.”