In April 2021, Scott Lefton, co-owner of “Lefty’s Bagels,” told the Jewish Light, “Judging how weekend sales go, we’ll see if we can grow it into weekday sales and then maybe have our own, brick-and-mortar dedicated place.”

It appears Lefton and his partner, Doug Goldenberg, were successful in that endeavor. After announcing in July 2022 that a new storefront location was in the works, it appears these business partners and brothers-in-law are getting very close to St. Louis’ latest bagels store.

“We are anticipating a mid-to-late February opening. Our hours will be Tuesday through Sunday from 7a.m. to 2 p.m.,” said Lefton.

The new “Lefty’s Bagels” will be located at 13359 Olive Blvd. in the Woodchase Shopping Center in Chesterfield. Lefton says he hopes customers will be excited with what they’ll find at the new shop.

“We plan on continuing bagel innovation by creating new varieties and using local ingredients wherever possible,” said Lefton. “Lefty’s will be a truly unique dining experience since everything will be made onsite and from scratch.”

Traditional bagel making

Lefton and Goldenberg, who are both members of Congregation Temple Israel, are adamant that Lefty’s is where bagel traditionalists will come because they plan to honor the traditional way of making New York Style bagels. That means slowly fermenting dough overnight, boiling it in malt water, then baking on burlap-lined bagel boards like they did 100 years ago.

“We are excited to provide the St. Louis community with a quality bagel made in a time-honored traditional way that connects us to our past,” said Lefton.

What to expect

The kitchen concept will be open, so customers will be able to see the boil kettle, the bagel oven and the bagel makers baking fresh bagels and taking them directly out of the oven.

“We will also have much more than just bagels. We are going to a wonderful variety of bagel sandwiches, deli meats and other bakery items such as challah, babkas and black-and-white cookies,” said Lefton.

Patrons will be able to eat at the shop as well as order to-go from the counter. Online ordering, credit card payments, pre-orders, catering, gift cards and loyalty programs will also be available.

The menu

Lefton and Goldenberg are striving to create a New York bagel café atmosphere that will double as a micro-deli. Breakfast and lunch sandwiches will be served, along with premium smoked fish, fresh brewed coffee from Kaldi’s and other specialty beverages.

“We will also be serving the most popular items you would typically see in a Jewish New York-style deli such as corned beef, smoked pastrami, fresh nova lox, smoked whitefish, sable and trout,” said Lefton.

There will be a wide variety of schmears made fresh daily, including plain, low-fat plain, garlic and herb, scallion, Nova Lox, veggie, jalapeño, blueberry and strawberry.

The menu will also have a couple of classic soup and salad options that can be ordered as a side or full portion for those who may want an alternative to a bagel.

When it comes to flavors, fans of Lefty’s know they don’t skimp.

“We love pushing the envelope on bagel flavors,” said Lefton. “We will always carry the classic flavors but be on the lookout for bagels that you may have never seen before.”

The current flavors include plain, poppy, sesame, onion, garlic, tzitzel, everything, salt, cinnamon raisin, chocolate chip, blueberry, whole wheat, and pumpernickel.

Talk with Lefty’s Guys

With all the buzz going on around their new shop, Doug and Scott are going to be talking to the public on Tuesday, January 24th as the featured guests on the monthly “Coffee Talk with SnL” zoom show. The fun begins at 8:30 that morning.

“We are excited to talk with them about their backgrounds, how they became bakers, what motivated them to want their own brick-and-mortar storefront, and what they see for the future of Lefty’s,” said Susan Katzman, of the National Council of Jewish Women and a co-host of the show.

For each person who registers, Doug and Scott will give loyalty points to use for future bagel purchases when the new Lefty’s location opens. And there will even be a drawing for a free half dozen bagels!

Please click here to register for the January Coffee Talk. Questions? Email Alec Rothman at [email protected] or call 314.993.5181.