The inaugural San Diego branch of PopUp Bagels will open later this year in former Breakfast Republic space on Pearl Street in La Jolla, which shuttered in March. The space includes a fully built-out 1,840-square-foot interior and an 800-square-foot outdoor patio situated on a prime corner in the heart of the beachside neighborhood.
The La Jolla storefront marks the beginning of a planned 10-location rollout across San Diego County, led by local franchisees Paul Goodman and Griffin Thall, operating as The Bagel Boyz. The duo announced their partnership with the brand earlier this year and intend to open additional sites in neighborhoods like North Park, Hillcrest, and Pacific Beach in the years ahead. Their local insight and deep ties to the San Diego community were central to the brand's expansion strategy, which emphasizes high-visibility, high-traffic, and community-driven locations.
PopUp Bagels, which launched in Connecticut during the pandemic and quickly earned titles like "Best Bagel in NYC" from multiple outlets, has made waves for flipping traditional bagel service on its head. Instead of slicing and toasting, PopUp serves whole, freshly baked bagels meant to be torn by hand and dunked into rotating schmears - like Hatch Chile, Cheez-It, or Everything seasoning butter. The brand keeps its menu intentionally tight, offering just three types of bagels - plain, sesame, and everything - with a rotating lineup of small-batch spreads that draw lines around the block at locations from New York to Boston.
This marks a key moment for San Diego’s rapidly evolving bagel scene, which has seen a surge in new players, including Marigold Bagels preparing to open in North Park and NYC icon H&H Bagels plotting multiple area locations. PopUp Bagels' arrival injects a fresh take into the mix, backed by national ambitions and major celebrity investors like Paul Rudd, Michael Phelps, and J.J. Watt.
PopUp Bagels, which launched in Connecticut during the pandemic and quickly earned titles like "Best Bagel in NYC" from multiple outlets, has made waves for flipping traditional bagel service on its head. Instead of slicing and toasting, PopUp serves whole, freshly baked bagels meant to be torn by hand and dunked into rotating schmears - like Hatch Chile, Cheez-It, or Everything seasoning butter. The brand keeps its menu intentionally tight, offering just three types of bagels - plain, sesame, and everything - with a rotating lineup of small-batch spreads that draw lines around the block at locations from New York to Boston.
This marks a key moment for San Diego’s rapidly evolving bagel scene, which has seen a surge in new players, including Marigold Bagels preparing to open in North Park and NYC icon H&H Bagels plotting multiple area locations. PopUp Bagels' arrival injects a fresh take into the mix, backed by national ambitions and major celebrity investors like Paul Rudd, Michael Phelps, and J.J. Watt.
PopUp Bagels will open at 637 Pearl Street in San Diego's La Jolla. For more information, visit popupbagels.com.
Originally published on July 2, 2025.
