Viral Bagel Chain PopUp Bagels Opens First Houston Location This Weekend

The cult-favorite concept known for its hot bagels and signature schmears is making its Houston debut at CityCentre, with opening-day festivities, a limited-edition spicy queso cream cheese

Written By:

Published on June 8, 2026 • 12:38 PM MDT

Houston is about to find out what all the bagel buzz is about.

PopUp Bagels, the Connecticut-born concept with a cult following and a deliberately cheeky motto—“Not Famous, but Known”—will open its first Houston location on Friday, June 12, at 700 Town and Country Blvd., Suite 2640 at CityCentre.

The arrival marks the brand’s Houston debut and its latest move in a fast-growing Texas expansion. After drawing crowds at its first two Dallas-area shops, PopUp Bagels is now planting its flag in the Bayou City, with more than 10 Texas locations planned in the coming years.

A warm poppy seed bagel is pulled apart to reveal its fluffy interior at PopUp Bagels. | Photo by Alex Stein — *A warm poppy seed bagel is pulled apart to reveal its fluffy interior at PopUp Bagels | Photo by Alex Stein*

The concept is intentionally simple: hot, whole bagels served straight from the oven with rotating schmears made for tearing, sharing and dipping. There are no sandwiches here, no overstuffed breakfast builds and no complicated menu gymnastics. Instead, guests are encouraged to “Grip, Rip and Dip” their bagels into cream cheese flavors that rotate between classic and unexpected.

Founded by Adam Goldberg in Westport, Connecticut, PopUp Bagels has grown from a local obsession into a national bagel brand, expanding from New York and Florida to California, Georgia, Tennessee and beyond. Its rise has been fueled by a mix of nostalgia, scarcity and social-media-ready simplicity: bags of hot bagels, tubs of schmear and the kind of carb-fueled enthusiasm that travels well.

PopUp Bagels serves its signature bagels hot from the oven, featuring crisp crusts, soft interiors and classic toppings ranging from sesame and poppy seed to everything seasoning. | Photo by Jen Goldberg — *PopUp Bagels serves its signature bagels hot from the oven featuring crisp crusts soft interiors and classic toppings ranging from sesame and poppy seed to everything seasoning | Photo by Jen Goldberg*

To celebrate the Houston opening, the shop will host an opening-day party from 8 to 11 a.m. Friday with fresh bagels, specialty schmears, a live DJ and exclusive menu items. For opening weekend, Houston guests will also get first dibs on a limited-edition spicy queso cream cheese, a Texas-minded flavor that feels built for the moment.

Half of all opening-day proceeds will benefit the JJ Watt Foundation, which supports after-school athletic opportunities for middle school students in underserved communities.

For a city that knows its way around both breakfast and hype, PopUp Bagels arrives with a simple proposition: hot bagels, bold schmears, and no need to overthink it.700 Town and Country Blvd., Ste. 2640, Houston, popupbagels.com

Megha McSwain Texas Managing Editor

Megha McSwain is the Texas Editor for DiningOut Magazine, managing editorial content for Houston and Dallas. Megha was born in Mumbai, India, and currently resides in Houston. She has a passion for reporting on food, restaurants, chefs, and travel, and has contributed to outlets like Food Network, Eater, InsideHook, Resy, Texas Monthly, and Texas Highways throughout her career. As a trusted member of the local media, Megha also appears as a regular guest on local lifestyle television shows, Great Day Houston on KHOU11, and Texas Today on NBC5.

See Full Bio