There’s nothing quite like a fresh bagel in the morning paired with a cup of coffee. Florida isn’t necessarily known for its bagel scene, but St. Pete, and neighboring Tampa and Sarasota have some darn fine institutions slinging good bagels if you know where to look. One of my personal favorite spots is Bella’s Bagels and Cafe. It didn’t fully hit my radar until local artist Merritt Horan Capurro painted a cute mural on the side and posted it on her Instagram.

Bella’s Bagels and Cafe has won several local awards for their bagels, and pastries.The intimate shop also keeps things varied with sweet danishes, special bagel dogs, delicious muffins, fresh juice, and unforgettable cheesecakes.

Muffuletta, cuban sandwiches, and hearty breakfast sandwiches round out the stellar menu at this family-owned gem.

The bagels here are boiled and then baked, so they have that crunchy outside and super soft inside. It lends itself perfectly to a classic bacon egg and cheese sammie, though everything here absolutely hits.

It’s situated in West St. Pete at 7100 Central Ave. Keep up by following the cafe on Facebook, and by visiting its website.

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