CT Eatery Wins 'Best Of The Fest' At NYC BagelFest

Forget those New York bagels you dreamed of shoving in your face. There's a new king of dough in town and it's located in Connecticut.

Olmo Bagels recently came in first at the NYC BagelFest.
Photo Credit: *Michael Cordone for Olmo Bagels/*

An assortment of bagels.
Photo Credit: *Michael Cordone for Olmo Bagels*

Spicy scallion schmear.
Photo Credit: *Olmo Bagel via Cara Hutchinson*

Kathy Reakes

10/31/2023 12:00 p.m.

Olmo Bagels in New Haven has walked away with not only bragging rights but with a chest full of love for the city they are made in with the big win of "Best Of The Fest" at the 2023 NYC BagelFest.

But that's not all the upstart little bagel shop brought home from the annual competition that really crowns the king of bagels.

They also brought home "Best Beyond the Boroughs," and "Best Schmear," said Olmo chef and owner Craig Hutchinson.

"The fest was like the Comic-Con of bagels with more than 2000 people and all the famous, really iconic leaders in the bagel world," Hutchinson said.

Open in 2018, Olmo, which means Elm Tree, was originally a high-end sit-down restaurant featuring local farms and a seasonal menu, Hutchinson said.

Hutchinson said when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, they quickly pivoted the restaurant into a bagel shop knowing that New Haven was a bagel desert.

As the line grew longer, the pivot back to a sit-down restaurant just didn't make sense, and it was the birth of the Olmo bagel shop.

Since then, the shop has been working hard to make sure they serve the best of the best by keeping the types of bagels available to only eight with daily specials available, Hutchinson said.

They also offer seven different schmears with seasonal specials. The current schmear is the award-winner made from yuzu kosho, a condiment made with yuzu and Carolina reaper chili peppers from the local farmer's market.

But Hutchinson doesn't consider himself a bagel guy and points to his "superior" staff as helping the shop rise to the top.

As the line grows longer each day as the word gets out about their win and the "great" bagels, Hutchinson has one thing that is really important to him.

And that pivots back to becoming a New Haven icon itself. He doesn't plan on expanding and looks forward to a great future right where he is at the bagel shop that started in the basement.

The shop is located at 93 Whitney Ave., New Haven.

For information, call 203-624-3373.

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