Who we are.
Opened in 2022, Inglourious Bagels is a joint venture between Brian Gruber, owner of La Costa’s award-winning Notorious Burgers, and a couple of his close friends – Phil Gunther and Andrew Brewer. A group of people with a passion for food and a special affinity for New York bagels and Jewish delis that is driven by experience, history, and family.
It's all about the food.
We're inspired by Jewish New York bagel bakeries and delicatessens. With over a dozen bagel flavors, a number of flavorful schmears, and a multitude of stacked bagel sandwiches, and Jewish specialties. Coffee and espresso are also prepared on-site with local roasts from Cafe Moto, as well as smoothies, salads, challah, pizza and even a Matzo Ball soup. Everything is made in-house, using premium ingredients, with focus on local and organic when available.
“It’s all about the water,” says Gruber. “We really wanted to capture the great texture and flavor of the bagels that you expect in Brooklyn and Manhattan. I studied the technique and the ingredients, visited some of the best bagel shops, and even learned from a few that were willing to share their secrets. The one thing that was missing was the water.”
As some may have heard, New York water has an almost magical mythos when it comes to food and baking. Experts suggest that this is due to the relative “softness” of the water in the Big Apple, and its mineral and salt content.
“Obviously we couldn’t ship water all the way across the country,” added Gruber. He and his business partners hired a chemist to assay the water from some of the best spots in the city and they formulated a process and a recipe to recreate it.
“We start by distilling our local water to make it pure,” explained Gruber. “Then, we balance the pH, mineralize, and add the necessary salts to replicate New York’s.” The result is a crisp copy of that magical water that they believe adds to both the quality and authenticity of their New York style bagels.
What's in a name?
While we may spell it like a certain movie, the shop’s name is inspired by the real Jewish heroes of Operation Greenup, the real-life story in which Tarantino’s film took inspiration. We also subscribe to the idea of the definition, we're not looking for glory when we make our food, we just want the flavors and the textures to shine - striving for perfection through the imperfection of traditional, hand-made food.