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Plans are still moving forward for Allie Boy's Bagelry & Luncheonette, 135 E. National Ave., the forthcoming Walker’s Point venue which promises New York-style bagels and creative noshes. [Read more about the concept here]
The bagelry was expected to open in March. But, despite construction being virtually complete, plans have been delayed due to numerous processes, including city inspections, which are currently being refinagled to align with more stringent safety practices during the COVID-19 epidemic.
"Our first priority right now is really to get our space ready for opening," says Ben Nerenhausen, who owns Allie Boy’s with his wife Staci Lopez. "And we’ve been working daily to make that happen. In some ways, we’ve been really fortunate. We didn’t have a staff to lay-off or a walk-in cooler full of food to figure out what to do with."
But they’re also excited to give folks a first taste of what they have to offer.
As a result, Nerenhausen and Lopez have partnered with Chef Justin Carlisle of Ardent to host a pop-up at Laughing Taco, 1033 S. 1st St., just a few blocks away from their restaurant.
Get a taste
The first pop-up will take place this weekend (on Saturday and Sunday) and will feature two Allie Boy’s specials:
- The Mooney Bagel Sandwich, a "Jersey inspired sandwich" featuring Taylor ham, scrambled eggs, cheese and ketchup on a plain Allie Boy’s Bagel ($9).
- The Allie Boy's Pumpernickel Bagel Hotdog featuring a hotdog made with Carlisle family beef wrapped in Allie Boy's pumpernickel bagel with spicy horseradish mustard ($8).
Additional options will include the The Ardent Burger featuring melted onion, kasuzuke pickles, triple cream cheese and French onion powder ($9), along with tater tots seasoned with herbs, garlic and dried romano cheese ($5).
How to order
Sandwiches are available for pre-order only with pick-up scheduled on Saturday and Sunday (April 4-5) from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Orders must be placed online. To order, enter the date and time you’d like to pick-up your order, and then choose from the available menu items listed.
"This is our first week of doing this. So quantities are in limited supply," says Nerenhausen. "But adjustments will be made as we go along to better meet demand as time goes forward. And we will hopefully be introducing some new exciting things in the coming weeks."
Moving forward, he says they plan to host pop-ups every Saturday and Sunday throughout the month of April. They will also be working hard to get Allie Boy’s up and running, even if it’s only in a carry-out capacity.
"This is an incredibly tough time for everyone," Nerenhausen says. "And as much as we can all hunker down and stay home as much as possible, while really leaning on the powers that be in the government to do all they can to assist, this will blow over. And we’ll get through this collectively as a community."
Follow Allie Boy's Bagelry & Luncheonette on Instagram for updates and a preview of next week's menu.
