Ever since May of 2020, Allie Boy’s Bagelry & Luncheonette has taken Milwaukee residents on a trip to the East Coast, bringing New York-style bagels to the Midwest.
With locations at 135 E National Ave and 2100 N Farwell Ave, Allie Boy’s specializes in its hand-rolled bagels, which bakers begin to prepare at around 2 to 3 a.m. and bake fresh every day. These bagels can be paired with one of their many options of schmears, including whipped honey butter, pesto and garden veggie, or as the vessel for a delicious bagel sandwich.
The luncheonette was originally supposed to operate primarily as a sit-down experience for customers. But, because of the impact of the pandemic on opening the first location on National Avenue, Allie Boy’s was forced to restructure as a to-go model restaurant to adhere to health and safety restrictions. Despite this, over the past couple of years, the shop has attempted to create that sit-down environment.
Some of the eatery’s many bagel sandwiches include the Egg and Cheese (herbed omelete, American cheese, aged cheddar, salt, pepper and ketchup) and the Veg Head (avocado, raw crunchy veggies, lemon vinaigrette and pesto cream cheese schmear). However, the spot also has an array of “noshes,” as they are named on the menu, such as matzo ball soup and a latke waffle.
Allie Boy’s also has plenty of beverage options to pair with these bagels. Along with regularly changing drink specials, the National and Farwell locations offer various coffee drinks, teas and non-alcoholic beverages. The National location also offers alcoholic beverages.
One thing Allie Boy’s does best is creating opportunities for customization and experimentation. The shop has a bagel of the day and frequently cycles through specials, whether it’s a seasonal or spontaneous addition. This adds an element of surprise to the Allie Boy’s experience, knowing that there will always be something new to try.
The name Allie Boy’s came from co-owner Staci Lopez’s father, Allan, who was given the nickname when the two of them would travel to New York City together. With both the inspiration from her father and her craving for a good bagel in the Milwaukee area, Lopez and her husband, Ben Nerenhausen, decided to “revive the deli movement” and give Milwaukee residents a taste of what a real bagel is like.
I visited Allie Boy’s on a drab Friday morning, hoping the warmth of a bagel and the caffeine from an iced coffee would help lift my spirits on a rainy day. Having been to Allie Boy’s before, I knew what to expect. I scheduled my visit to be pretty soon after they open, which ended up being around 9:30 a.m. I knew I had to get an early start because around 11 a.m., you’ll find the line extending outside the door of both locations.
The smell of fresh-baked bagels and everything bagel seasoning filled the air upon walking in. I was immediately greeted by staff as I browsed the menu for something that sparked my interest.
I decided on the egg and cheese sandwich with bacon on a plain bagel, with an iced vanilla latte to wash it all down.
The coffee was ready before my bagel sandwich, giving me time to truly analyze its flavor without the savory disruption. First, the latte was ice cold, which surprised me, as I am used to a lukewarm iced coffee, as the hot espresso usually melts the ice before it gets to me. The shop uses anodyne beans in their coffee, which made for a brew that was sweet and smooth, and complemented the additional vanilla flavor. As for the vanilla flavoring, it wasn’t overpowering, so it brought a delicate sweetness to the overall experience.
Once my bagel sandwich was ready, my appetite had grown so much that I was truly looking forward to that first bite. The square egg on the sandwich is always a bit of a surprise, as the yellow egg and green herbs make it look a bit sponge-like, which was a little off-putting at first. Don’t let its appearance fool you, as the egg is arguably the foundation of the whole sandwich. The egg patty is made with cream, salt, sugar, MSG, eggs, chives and parsley.
The egg was buttery and had a bouncy texture to it. It added a slight sponginess to the sandwich itself, which didn’t provide much texture-wise, but it contributed an herby and peppery flavor. The bacon—as bacon usually does—added a crunch and a savory smokiness to the sandwich. The two cheeses added depth, with a sharpness and tanginess blending into the already savory flavors of the sandwich.
The bagel, of course, was warm and soft, with a crisp outside. The inside of the bagel was plush and perfectly hot, with the exterior adding a desirable crunch to every bite. While some bagels I’ve had in the past have been too tough, requiring me to rip each piece off, each bite from this Allie Boy’s sandwich came with ease. Although the bagel itself didn’t have a distinct flavor, it was the perfect foundation for a savory breakfast sandwich.
This article was written by Elise Emery. She can be reached at [email protected].
