NEW YORK — North Texas' Starship Bagel is continuing to boldly go where no other Texas bakery has gone before.
Earlier this year, the celebrated local bagel business, which owner Oren Salomon debuted with a storefront in Lewisville in 2021, expanded by opening a second location -- this one in Downtown Dallas.
Immediately after opening, that new spot quickly became the talk of the city. But the hits just kept on coming from there.
In June, Starship Bagel was the only Texas company to make Bon Appetit magazine's list of "The Very Best Bagels in the US (outside of New York)" and, in September, the shop announced that it would be the lone Texas representative at this weekend's 4th annual New York BagelFest.
And now comes some more news worth beaming over: Starship Bagel absolutely dominated this year's BagelFest, placing in five separate competitions at the food fest -- and winning first place in the coveted Best Bagel competition.
BagelFest has a stated mission to "unite the bagel community, and create a platform to showcase the best of the bagel world, from the tireless proprietors and industry professionals, to the most passionate bagel enthusiasts, and everyone -- and every bagel -- in between."
This year, the festival and competition hosted more than 30 acclaimed bagel shops from across the country as part of its festivities.
Against such stout competition, and right in the heart of America's most renowned bagel city, Starship Bagel took home the following awards at New York BagelFest 2023:
- Best Bagel (1st place)
- Rising Star (1st place)
- Best Newcomer (2nd place)
- Best Outside The Boroughs (3rd place)
- Best Showmanship (3rd place)
Reached for comment about his company's big wins this weekend, the Brooklyn-born, Dallas-dwelling Salomon had trouble putting all of his emotions into cohesive thoughts.
"This started in my kitchen," he said after composing himself. "I was just making bagels for myself. I served them to my friends, and they put money on the table and forced me to become their bagel guy and deliver bagels to them the next week. Every step of the way, I have been encouraged, supported and assisted. There are so many people I need to thank."
Added Salomon: "This is a confirmation that you should always support and encourage your friends in their creative endeavors."
