By 
Bagel + Slice opened in May 2022 in Highland Park, a neighborhood that has seen a tremendous change in the last years due to the massive gentrification.
Bradford Kent, a veteran chef originally from San Diego opened Bagel + Slice on the quieter side of York Blvd.
Bradford is also the co-founder of the pizza chain, Blaze Pizza. After spending periods living on the East Coast studying pizza and bagels, he wanted to open a place in LA inspired by the deli his grandfather, whom he never met, used to own.
The main takeaway from Bagel + Slice is its commitment to be good in every aspect: from the food to the employee wages. They use ingredients from farms that practice “regenerative agriculture”, which helps promote sustainability and combats climate change. This means that not only is the food good for you, but it’s also good for the planet. They also implement environmentally-conscious practices such as using ozonated water for cleaning, which is a zero-waste disinfectant that is said to be more effective at destroying bacteria than chlorine.
The shop is so aesthetically pleasing! The outside mural, the high ceilings, the modern decor, the juxtaposition of the subway tiles and the contrast of colors were so striking. Bradford also paid homage to the neighborhood by adding Highland Park to the subway wall tile as if it was a metro stop.
The menu includes freshly made bagels, pizza by the slice, pizza pies, two types of salads and a menu item called pizza bagel, a pizza and a bagel in one.
I couldn’t decide if I wanted a pizza or a bagel, so I ordered the Pizza Bagel with pepperoni, which came to $8.39. They give you a buzzer and once your order is ready, they’ll slide it through the window.
Everything tasted so fresh. The crust of the pizza bagel was toasty, slightly charred and it was the perfect balance of soft and slightly chewy. The cheese was stretchy and full of flavor and the ratio was perfect. The tomato flavor, which was on the mild side, didn’t hit me as much as the cheese. Looking back, I probably should have ordered a pizza slice and a bagel to get a deeper appreciation. The pepperoni was ok. It was good, but it didn’t blow me away. Nonetheless, I had fun eating this hybrid combination, which was the first item that caught my attention after seeing it on their Instagram.
There was plenty of outdoor seating so I sat outside, where Bradford was chatting with two diners. After that, as he made his way back inside, he thanked me for coming and we started talking. I did not plan on interviewing him right on the spot!
Bradford said that because Highland Park is a gentrified neighborhood, he wanted to make pizza and bagels accessible to everyone. “For $7, you can go to McDonalds, but that’s not going to make you feel good.” Bradford wanted to bring an emotional connection into this restaurant concept.
From the moment I met Brad he kept emphasizing how his business could make a positive impact in the world. He wanted to help other people and make sure everyone had access to meals with high-quality ingredients.
What is the mission of Bagel and Slice?
The mission of Bagel + Slice is solely to do good. It’s that simple. Everything, from the way we treat our employees, to the way that we set our standard for profitability, to our hourly pay, we take into consideration doing good and how we can do better.
Why did you decide to open Bagel + Slice in Highland Park specifically?
I decided to open Bagel + Slice in Highland Park because I live in Eagle Rock, and this is very close to my home. My objective was to build a restaurant/business that I could pass on to my daughters. They’re soon to be 10 and 12 years old. The 12 year old is super anxious to turn 13. She learned somewhere on the internet, that at 13, family members are allowed to work in family-member owned businesses, so that makes me excited to think that I might be able to pass on something that can stay around for many generations to come, in a neighborhood that we love, in a part of Los Angeles that we love.
For someone who’s reading this, what menu item do you recommend?
I wish I could recommend one thing, but because we’re two restaurants in one (bagels and pizzas), I would choose, one, maybe two from each category. One would be the traditional version of bagels and slices. I would get a bagel and cream cheese, untoasted or toasted, your preference. I’m not going to judge. With our homemade cream cheese and our freshly milled wheat that goes into our bagels so you can taste the purity of that product and decide for yourself if it’s something you want to explore deeper.
Then, if that’s something you like, I would eat the Super Fresh, an open-face bagel sandwich with cream cheese, fresh heirloom cherry tomatoes, cucumber, dill and sliced red onions that we soak in a little bit of ice water to take some of the heat out of them. Then, it’s finished with a little bit of black pepper and a house-made pistachio chimichurri that is as satisfying as a bagel lox and cream cheese.
For pizzas, I would say a slice of cheese pizza because, again, if you want to test this out and see what we’re doing, get a slice of cheese so you can taste the sauce, the cheese, the bake, the stretch, the fermentation, and the quality of the crust.
Once we’ve convinced you that our quality is good, then you can dive into something that you traditionally wouldn’t get, and that’s our Vegan Vodka slice. There’s something really special about this pizza. It’s loaded with flavor.
This is not a pizza that’s designed for vegans; It’s designed for anybody, it’s just delicious. The vegan vodka sauce is made with cashew cream, a spicy tomato base and then blended together with a pink sauce. On top of it there’s a bit of vegan cheese, but most of the flavors come from a house-made wild mushroom sausage that we make. It’s like a flavor bomb and it’s super satisfying. Again, it doesn’t matter if you’re vegan or not, and if you’re vegan, you’re going to love it because it’s got nothing weird in it. The sausage is made with intentionality, it’s made to be good. It’s designed to be something delicious.
What are your favorite restaurants in LA?
I love JOY, which is down the street from us in Highland Park. They do such a good job and they spread joy! It’s a great name for the restaurant. I wish I could give other examples, but because I’ve got kids and I work so much, my time is spent between work and my family. My wife cooks at home, because I don’t even have time to cook at home, and when I’m at work I don’t have a chance to go out. The reason I go to JOY is because I like their style of food, which is super simple and very healthy.
After I talked to him, I went back and ordered the Vegan Vodka pizza. He was right – it was an explosion of different favors. Although the vegan vodka sauce was the star of the show, the mushroom sausage added a special punch of flavor that made it very unique.
All in all, I encourage you to pay a visit to Bagel + Slice. If every business owner operated like Bradford does, the world would be a better place. The personal treatment, from how Bradford interacts with the staff, to how he’s willing to chat with anyone that has a question about the menu, earns Bagel + Slice bonus points.
Also, if you love bagels and you want to get a better understanding of Bradford’s impressive knowledge of bagels and his preferred way of eating them, check out his interview with @brooklynbagelblog here.
Bradford was also featured in LA Weekly Magazine!
Instagram @bagelandslice
4751 York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90042
Bagel + Slice also offers weekend bagel specials!
