Will Charleston Finally Have a Decent Bagel Place?

North Central’s Renzo has been full of surprises since debuting in 2018, from Detroit-style pizzas at happy hour to pita-themed brunches. So what’s the next big happening over on Huger Street? A Sunday bagel service, which the eatery will preview this weekend on Mother’s Day before fully rolling it out a few weeks from now.

The inspiration for this bagel brunch stems from one they had back in August ‘18 just months after opening — guests loved it, so owners Nayda Friere and Erik Hutson had always planned on eventually bringing it back on a more full time basis. Baker Brett Common won’t point to a singular style for his bagels, but he does describe them as “chewy and shiny with a crisp crust.” He went on to say that “they will be naturally leavened using Anson Mills Abruzzi rye and red fife wheat before a long and cool fermentation period.”

Friere and the crew at Renzo hope to gather quality feedback at this Sunday’s preview, which will be full of the classics and their uniquely Renzo counterparts. Look for a bacon breakfast bagel alongside another with Portuguese sardines. Everything bagel enthusiasts can satisfy cravings or test out the cacio e pepe variation with a schmear of bottarga cream cheese.

Wash down the bagels with mostly non-alcoholic drinks — think fresh juices and Second State Coffee — but Renzo will offer bloody Marys and mimosas to stick with the brunch theme. Moving forward, the beverages will expand to include more bubbles with discounts on rotating bottles of grower champagne and sparkling wine from small producers.

The familiar Saturday brunch will not be served this weekend but fear not, as Friere hinted at big plans for Saturdays moving forward. The Mother’s Day hours will be 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. “unless we sell out first,” as the eatery’s Instagram puts it.

• Huger Street Pizzeria Starts Brunch With Bottarga Omelets [ECHS]