Emily Bridges of Bagel Belly: Reshaping the Copenhagen Breakfast Scene
The global bagel boom is in full swing, and nowhere is that more delightfully surprising than in the heart of Denmark. While bagels are a staple in the U.S., with their roots deeply planted in New York’s culinary heritage, Copenhagen’s food scene—renowned for innovation and quality—had never fully embraced the American bagel. That is, until Emily Bridges arrived on the scene. Emily, the founder of Bagel Belly, sat down with Sam Silverman on BagelFest’s Bagel Buzz Instagram Live series to discuss her incredible journey introducing hand-rolled, kettle-boiled bagels to Copenhagen’s food-forward landscape.
Culinary Roots
Emily, an American dietitian by training, always had a culinary bent, and her affinity for baking only deepened as she traveled and eventually relocated to Denmark. What started as a personal craving soon morphed into a business idea: Copenhagen needed a truly authentic bagel experience.
Initially, Emily took a scrappy, grassroots approach, selling bagels through Instagram and Reddit. As demand increased, she graduated from home baking to renting space at a local brewery and later landed a residency at a well-loved pizza spot, Diamond Slice. She explains, “We’re making it work regardless. You know, there’s a mixer, there’s a pizza oven and it works out really well and it’s great.”
Operating out of a pizza shop hasn’t been without challenges. Tight quarters, hauling kilos of dough up and down stairs, and sharing limited kitchen space required some serious adaptability. But as Emily puts it, “Bagels are so accommodating… we’re super scrappy.” This attitude has been critical to Bagel Belly’s success.
Adapting Authenticity for a New Audience
One key to Bagel Belly’s positive local reception has been Emily’s commitment to authenticity. She hasn’t tried to “Danish-ify” her bagels, instead offering a true American experience. The Danish market’s enthusiastic embrace suggests that the allure of something distinctly American, without compromise or dilution, is precisely what customers craved.
That doesn’t mean adaptation hasn’t been necessary. Ingredient sourcing posed hurdles: diastatic malt (found in many bagel recipes) was hard to find, pushing Emily to substitute with malt syrup—a twist that ended up defining Bagel Belly’s unique character. Flour, too, was a puzzle, eventually solved by locating a local supplier who milled high-protein, Canadian-varietal wheat perfect for the dense, chewy dough of a classic bagel.
Local Tastes
Bagel Belly’s menu leans into breakfast. Open just 8 am to 12 pm, their bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich has become a runaway favorite, alongside the classic bagel with schmear. Emily laughs at the novelty of the offering: “For a lot of Americans, they’re very simple... but it’s something you can't really get around here.”
Still, Emily has pondered incorporating local flavors, especially during holiday seasons. One idea? A schmear inspired by Risalamande, the Danish Christmas dessert of vanilla rice pudding with cherry compote and toasted almonds. Merging this with classic cream cheese could become a new crowd-pleaser, especially for Copenhagen’s adventurous eaters.
Building Community, Near and Far
A major motivation for joining New York’s BagelFest, Emily reflected, is the desire to connect with other bagel-makers. In Denmark, she’s something of a pioneer, often feeling “a little bit isolated.” Events like BagelFest offer not just exposure, but the camaraderie and resource-sharing that only fellow “breadheads” can provide.
Sam echoed the value of this community, pointing out how useful it is to share tips with bagel shop owners across Europe, from Berlin to Poland. The vision: a global community of artisan bakers, united by their love for bagels and their unique challenges.
The Future of Bagel Belly
While Bagel Belly started small, the future is big and bright. Emily dreams of a brick-and-mortar shop (a “living room for the neighborhood”) where locals can gather, enjoy true American-style bagels, and soak in the communal spirit. With demand growing and an expanding team, Bagel Belly’s story is just beginning.
Her advice to other food entrepreneurs? Stay scrappy, stay authentic, and never underestimate the power of love and attention to detail. As Emily says, “It’s love… it’s people that love what they’re doing, and they’re just really paying attention to it. That's it.”
Whether you’re a bagel purist or a culinary adventurer, Bagel Belly’s journey in Copenhagen proves there’s a place—and an appetite—for authentic bagels everywhere. It’s a flavor powered by passion, persistence, and a whole lot of heart.
Check out Bagel Belly’s website and Instagram.
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Catch more Bagel Buzz conversations on Instagram @bagelfest