MorningSide Bagels Continues a Delicious North Little Rock Tradition

MorningSide Bagels was a staple for North Little Rock commuters and diners for 11 years before they tragically shut down in 2018. Much to the delight of the community, Robyn Edwards was ready to pick up where Roxanne (the previous owner) left off.
Determined to honor the rich, decade-long history of MorningSide Bagels, Robyn left her marketing career at Baptist Health to take over the shop, hopeful that she would be able to continue the traditions of the establishment for years to come. With a gap of just a few months, MorningSide Bagels opened once again in December 2018 with a menu that most people found familiar and comforting. But the new owner was also determined to add some new flair to the menu.
Aptly named, MorningSide Bagels does specialize in bagels. In fact, Robyn noted that they are the only local restaurant in North Little Rock that makes their bagel dough from scratch. Expect to find everything from the classics (sesame, everything, cinnamon raisin), to the obscure (but equally delicious) like spinach parmesan, cranberry almond, and delightfully purple blueberry bagels. Every one of MorningSide’s 17 flavors of bagels are boiled and baked fresh every morning.

 
But there’s definitely more to this eatery than bagels and schmear. The menu is replete with heartier bagel sandwiches, like the classic “American” toasted bagel sandwich: egg, bacon, and cheese on a fresh bagel. There’s also the super-popular “Lox Bagel Sandwich,” which has fresh slices of lox topped with red onions (they pack quite a bite!) on an everything bagel smothered with cream cheese and capers. All of these toasties are a delicious under-$10 alternative to the fast food order you’re contemplating for your to-go lunch.
Seasonal eats are another new addition to the menu; currently, you’ll be able to enjoy piping hot loaded potato soup, or crustless quiche.
On the sweeter side of things, the varied range of muffins, gooey cinnamon rolls, and scones are the perfect pairing for your piping hot mug of Guillermo’s coffee. A particular favorite: the chocolate muffin is studded with chocolate chips and stuffed with gooey caramel. It can only be described as sinfully decadent. And as the heat of summer approaches, you might opt to trade in that piping hot mug for a tall glass of coffee iced cubes, another customer favorite!

Basically, MorningSide Bagels is just exploding with character, and the revolving flow of customers on a busy Saturday morning will clue in newcomers; they’ve tapped into something quite special. While some take their orders to-go (thank goodness for the super convenient drive-thru), groups of bikers, families, and weekend brunchers stay awhile, long past breakfast. This works just fine for Robyn, who is determined to get the message out there. She says, “Bagels are not just for breakfast.”