Bagel Chalet opens in Merrick

The name implies bagels, but the menu says so much more.

“It’s a bagel store with a lot of deli menu on it — a lot of salads and sandwiches,” said co-owner Nikolaos Paraskevopoulos, of the newly opened Bagel Chalet in Merrick. The shop, which offers an all-day menu, turns out more than 20 bagel varieties, from classics like poppy and sesame to more unusual finds, like super egg onion and sunflower seeds. 

“Our bagels are not hand rolled, but we have a good recipe," he said of the shop that he runs with Ted Mastakouris. "Is it better than the next guy? Probably not. But we try to keep it consistent. We’re not doing anything new, we aren’t reinventing the wheel. It’s just hard work, patience and dedication.”

Beyond bagels, it offers a full menu of salads (with greens, fish, pasta, and vegetable bases), starting at $8.99 a pound, cold cut, smoked fish and egg sandwiches, starting at $2.50, panini, like the Mesa Lovers (grilled chicken, Pepper Jack cheese, grilled green and red peppers and chipotle mayo on ciabatta), $8.99, flat breads, including the Bourbon Lovers (Cajun chicken breast, maple bacon, Monterey Jack cheese and red onions with red pepper vinaigrette), $8.99, and 20 grab-and-go wrap variations, such as the Express Buffalo Wrap (Buffalo chicken strips with shredded carrots, lettuce and blue cheese), $8.99. 

The menu also offers up made-to-order acai bowls, $10.99, and oatmeal, starting at $3.99, plus sweet treats like cookies, muffins and scones for $3.50.

Bagel Chalet 2.0 is Paraskevopoulos’ second location. The original Bagel Chalet opened in Commack in 1981, but Paraskevopoulos took over in 2005 after working for Town Bagel in Plainview for 16 years.

Bagel Chalet, at 2037 Merrick Rd. in Merrick, is open daily; Mondays to Saturdays from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sundays from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. More info: 516-378-3300; bagelchalet.com