Salt Beef Bagel
"The Salt Beef Bagel (spelled 'beigel' locally) is a Brick Lane icon: hot salt beef (corned beef brisket) piled high with mustard and pickles inside a dense, chewy boiled bagel. Beigel Bake (the white shop) is open 24/7 and sells them for £6. It's the legendary late-night or early-morning post-pub meal beloved by locals."
Logistics
Affordable
Vibe
Iconic, satisfying
Duration
Quick bite
Best For
Late night
The Backstory
Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe brought bagel-making to London's East End in the late 1800s. Beigel Bake opened in 1974 and has operated 24/7 ever since, serving generations of clubbers, taxi drivers, and locals. The recipe hasn't changed.
Local Secret
"Go to Beigel Bake (the WHITE shop, not the yellow one next door). Ask for 'salt beef with mustard and pickle.' The bagels are boiled, not baked, making them denser than American bagels. Queue moves fast even when long. Perfect at 3am after a night out."