THE DAILY BAGEL, ARTISANAL BAKERY, IN MOUNT EDGECOMBE IS SERVING UP WAY MORE THAN BAGELS TO THE GROWING BANDS OF DEVOTEES
Step inside The Daily Bagel, soak up the aroma of a million different flavours of breads, bagels, croissants and muffins, mingled with cheeses, chocolate and who knows what else. It’s seductive – ask those who’re there at 6am as the doors open, for everything hot, heavenly, or healthy. Add to the edibles, that scent of a myriad coffees from Seattle Coffee next door, and you’ve come to the right place.
Brothers-in-law Blaike Terblanche and Warren Broad are well-known co-owners of steaming hot brand, Seattle Coffee, KZN. More like brothers than in-laws, says Blaike, they have very different skill sets, but connect like a snug handshake. Blaike describes himself as the pragmatic numbers man, Warren the passionate, creative one with flair, and together they’ve grown the Seattle brand in KZN. So much so, the only way to guarantee a consistently superior food product offering in the Seattle outlets, was to do it themselves. They’re really fussy like that. They decided to establish their own fully fledged central kitchen alongside Seattle in Mount Edgecombe, and simultaneously, create an entirely unique food brand and outlet in the on-site shop-front space. Something different, something independent. Enter The Daily Bagel, a family driven enterprise, where the two founders are supported by wife and sister, Janine, whose creativity and innovation really adds value; father-in-law Billy, who brings enthusiasm and industry skills to the table; Natasha’s eagle eye on the books; and the entire team who consistently work towards the same goals.
The Daily Bagel, billed as an artisanal bakery, is considerably more than that. It’s a bakery, an eatery, a take away, a little specialist edibles shop, and it offers sensational catering for any event. A kids’ birthday party, from A to Z? Ask The Daily Bagel. You’ll have a party unlike any other. This is a local venue, ready, willing and able to produce something really extraordinary. The doors open at 6am – as all the local cyclists, runners, walkers and dogs, know too. Pick up your coffee at Seattle, and something ultra-healthy – or not – at The Daily Bagel.
Blaike talked about the work they’ve put in to create the perfect menu, with the emphasis on artisanal creativity and healthy food: “We’ve taken nine months to perfect it so as to provide what clients want – including a number of fresh takes on old favourites. Not a day goes by when we aren’t testing something different. Our menu is as wide as it’s broad, with a versatility to suit everyone’s palate. You prefer bagels, fine. I prefer my topping on a croissant, that’s fine too. We’re entirely flexible.
“And we cater for everyone in an authentic and sustainable way as we possibly can. If you want organic oats, we serve them up hot and delicious. We source cheeses and butters, free range and organic products, fresh from local farms; we travel far and wide to find the perfect charcuterie; we’ll give you gluten free, or you can have a shot of our top-of-the-range probiotics in any one of our freshly squeezed juices or smoothies.” The Daily Bagel is wholly committed to being plastic free, and at 95% and climbing, it’s a goal the partners pursue vigorously.
The Daily Bagel is a welcoming, contented kind of space, with a cool, contemporary vibe. The decor and shop fittings contribute to that sense of well-being, and you’ll be as comfortable there if you’ve popped in to take home a homemade pure meat pie, or you’re settling in to tackle a few emails over coffee and an oversized buttery Nutella croissant. From your favourite healthy breakfast, to a delectably different pasta bowl at lunch time, to healthy salads, afternoon tea and a rich chocolatey muffin – you can pick whatever you like off the menu, whenever you like.
There’s a strong sense of the artisan at The Daily Bagel, and you know your healthy snack or meal has been made by hand, from scratch. The pastry has been handmade, rolled out and baked right there, the roast lamb has been roasted in their oven, and the herbs were picked fresh this morning. And it tastes like it.
And for parents … The Daily Bagel has the perfect kiddie play area, designed by Blaike’s wife, Janine, mother of small children so she knows. That means, while the kids play, you can actually keep that delectable bagel with your favourite topping, all to yourself.
“Quirkiness,” says Blaike. “We like that idea. We’re determined to be something different. We have the biggest range of bagels, widest range of croissants … all with some unexpected twist.”
FOR MORE INFO
2 Accord House, 13 Flanders Drive, Mt Edgecombe; 031 502 3336; @thedailybageldbn