Tilly’s Bagel Shop opening in the South Loop

It’s about to get a lot easier to try some of Chicago’s best bagels.

Back in 2021, I picked Tilly’s Bagel Shop’s bagels as the third-best in the city, noting they were “picture-perfect sourdough bagels.” This was even though owner Hannah Tillett was working out of a shared kitchen. To place an order, customers had to pre-order online, stand on a random South Loop corner and wait for Tillett to personally drop them off.

Fortunately, the bagels were more than worth it. The Florida native had worked as a pastry chef in numerous kitchens around the city, including Marisol and Boka, before dedicating herself to mastering the baked good.

Tillett is proud to describe her offerings as Chicago-style bagels. “A lot of people have been asking me what style they are, New York or Montreal,” Tillett said, referring to the two most popular styles of bagels. “But it’s not really any of them. I make sourdough, so it’s a little lighter on the inside. I just decided to start calling them Chicago-style bagels.”

Tillett had planned to open a cart at Dearborn Station, but problems with licensing from the city squashed that idea. She then started serving the bagels at the South Loop Farmers Market. “That really got the word out even more,” Tillet said. “Since then, we were like, let’s find a space.”

Together with her partner, Mike Banaszak, they found a space at 34 E. Balbo Drive. Much of the design was overseen by Banaszak, who is an architect. “Everything has a rounded edge to it,” Tillett said. “There’s a terra-cotta tile counter and raw concrete floors. There’s a bagel wall behind the counter, which you’ll see when you walk in.”

She plans to offer 12 flavors of bagel each day, along with eight kinds of cream cheese. You’ll also find five bagel sandwiches, including a bacon, egg and cheese option, along with one with lox.

For coffee, Tillett went with Sparrow Coffee, a brand that mostly works with fine-dining restaurants. “I worked with them to have our own special coffee blend, which is really exciting,” Tillet said.

Tilly’s Bagel Shop is located at 34 E. Balbo Drive and plans to open Aug. 12.

nkindelsperger@chicagotribune.com

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