One of Toronto's top-rated bagel places expanding with new location

After a dozen years in business, the Penullar family is bringing its beloved Montreal-style bagels to a new area of the city. Owners of Bagels on Fire, the family has built an ardent fanbase with its spot-on takes on tradition.

"In the Philippines, there's no bagels," laughs Hazel Penullar, who, in 2013, opened Bagels on Fire with her husband, Julio. "When I first came here, I thought it was a donut."

Still, after perfecting bagel-making at a local spot, the duo developed a passion for Montreal's subtly sweet, distinctively chewy version of the traditional Jewish bread.

"We saw that there weren't a lot of bagel shops that sell Montreal-style bagels in Toronto," explains Penullar. "In 2013, we opened our first location in the Beaches, on Queen Street East."

Drawn to the location's wood-fired oven, chummy atmosphere and broad selection of hand-rolled flavours— from perennially popular Everything to Salted Rosemary — reams of customers soon made the spot a success.

Today, the team runs the original location along with one on Queen Street West and a café concept in The Well. A fourth location will be opening this summer in Liberty Village.

"I've always really loved Liberty Village because it's a residential area plus a mix of office space," says Vada Penullar, the Penullars' daughter and operating manager for the company.

"We'd heard from many people in the area who wished we had a location nearby — so opening here felt like a natural next step," she adds.

Despite a lack of wood-fired oven, the new café will offer the same tempting array of fresh-baked bagels as the team's other locations. Bagel sandwiches, seasoned cream cheeses, and a slew of pastries and desserts will also be available.

In addition to cookies and muffins, the team sells knishes and delicate, rugelach-adjacent puffs sweetened with chocolate or cinnamon sugar. "Those are the types of pastries they also offer in Montreal. We wanted to stay as traditional as possible," she explains.

Hints of the family's Filipino roots pop up in unique offerings like coconut bagels and a creamy, peach-flecked parfait that, says Vada, her mom "has been making since we were very little."

As at The Well, the Bagels on Fire Café in Liberty Village will also boast an enhanced drinks menu, including matcha beverages, refreshers and coffees — from cold brew to espresso-fortified pick-me-ups — all made from Detour beans.

Beyond the menu, much of Bagels on Fire's appeal lies in its roots. "People know it's family owned," says Vada. "They've seen us grow throughout the years. They're really proud of us. They've seen all the process and all the hard work that both my parents have done."

What else is in store for Bagels on Fire? "We definitely plan on opening more locations, within Toronto and maybe beyond," says Vada.

Bagels on Fire Café Liberty Village will welcome diners this summer.