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Photograph by Carly Cooper
When viral sensation PopUp Bagels announced its expansion to Atlanta, the hype was major. When it was revealed that the rapidly growing company was staking its claim beside local darling Emerald City Bagels, carbs became even more controversial.
How could developers allow two competing businesses to sit side-by-side along the busiest pedestrian walkway in the city? The answer is different landlords. Noncompete agreements only apply within each building, and a few hundred feet separate the two.
In early February, after PopUp officially opened its doors, lines snaked down the Eastside Trail, with patrons waiting up to two hours for a hot, fresh bagel. In response, Emerald City—which settled in its current digs in 2024—strategically placed signage nearby advertising its bagel sandwiches, something not offered at PopUp.
Photo by Carly Cooper
For their part, PopUp leaders claim their products are different enough to coexist without cannibalizing the Beltline market. The prescribed method for eating said bagels is “grip, rip, and dip”—no slicing necessary. Like traditional New York bagel shops, Emerald City welcomes slicing, toasting, and topping, with more bagel flavors available.
Deanna Halcrow, who owns Emerald City with her daughter Jackie, says she “never wanted to be in a war. We’re just here making bagels and trying to spread bagel love.”
Local business owners like Steven Carse of King of Pops and Billy Kramer of NFA Burger jumped in the discourse on social media, ampiflying their support of Atlanta born-and-bred Emerald City and urging Atlantans to put their money where their mouths are.
“I’m disappointed in [landlords] Asana and JLL for not being better stewards of the community in which they do business,” Kramer says. “Forcing consumers to choose between two niche businesses is not good for anybody.”
Only time will tell whether bagels are a hot enough commodity to keep both dough shops in business. Until then, we let our appetites do the reporting. Here’s how Atlanta’s most talked‑about bagel neighbors compare.
Photo by Carly Cooper
History
Family-owned Emerald City got its start at the Piedmont Park Green Market in 2016. Its first brick-and-mortar launched in East Atlanta Village two years later, with the Beltline spot following. It sells to more than 20 local restaurants and coffee shops and continues to be operated independently.
PopUp started as a pandemic project of founder Adam Goldberg in Westport, Connecticut. With its “Not famous but known” slogan and a variety of celebrity backers like Paul Rudd and Michael Phelps, it gained popularity through TikTok and quickly grew to 13 locations on the East Coast. It’s buoyed by $8 million-plus investments by equity firms.
Photo by Jen Goldberg
Offerings
Emerald City sells 12 bagel varieties from sesame and everything to rosemary sea salt, pretzel, and cinnamon city. Eleven types of cream cheese range from standard (plain or veggie) to unique (green olive or toasted almond fig). Other spreads include peanut butter, avocado smash, and hummus. Breakfast and lunch sandwiches can be customized with a variety of toppings—think arugula, cucumber, Swiss, whitefish salad, bacon, and more. Egg creams, house-made seltzers (lemon basil, anyone?), and seasonal drinks like English rose matcha and lavender vanilla cold brew round out the menu.
PopUp keeps it simple with plain, everything, poppy, salt, and sesame bagels. There’s always plain and scallion cream cheese, plus salted butter. Frequently changing partnerships inform pop-up flavors like Poppi Shirley Temple cream cheese and Wingstop Lemon Pepper Schmear. Pre-packaged smoked salmon comes in 4- and 8-ounces, and bottled drinks are limited to water, Natalie’s Juice, La Colombe cold brew, and drip coffee. It’s important to note that one cannot purchase a single bagel at PopUp—instead, they come in packs of 3, 6, or 12 with a tub or two of schmear.
Our verdict: Emerald City wins for variety; PopUp if you want crazy cream cheese flavors.
Photo by Carly Cooper
Taste and texture
To compare as fairly as possible, I purchased everything, salt, and sesame bagels and a tub of plain cream cheese from each place. Emerald City sells both rosemary sea salt and olive oil sea salt bagels; despite my love of rosemary, I chose the latter.
PopUp’s bagels came out hot and smelled oh-so-fresh. They’re smaller and fluffier with more seeds, clearly made for the camera. The extra seeds covering the everything made the flavor pop (no pun intended). The bagels are also doughier, which makes sense since they’re intended to be ripped by hand.
At Emerald City, I declined toasting but requested slicing. As such, the bagels were served at room temperature. They’re larger and flatter than PopUp’s with a crispier exterior. The sesame tasted grainer, while the salt boasted a richer flavor. The cream cheese felt thicker and less whipped. I also ordered an egg-and-cheese breakfast sandwich, which did come out hot. It was just the right balance of hearty and fresh.
Our verdict: PopUp has the better everything bagel, and their bagels look a little prettier for social media snaps, but Emerald City has a better selection and flavors generally speaking.
Courtesy of Emerald City Bagels
Photograph courtesy of Emerald City Bagels
Ambiance and timing
I visited on a Friday morning—at 9:37 a.m. to be precise—about a week after PopUp’s official opening. A line of five stood outside with a handful more already inside. When the door opened, I was hit with an audible wave of excitement from the loud music, overly welcoming staff, and eager patrons. The staff is efficient—so efficient, in fact, that I barely had time to digest the menu before ordering. I was a bit overwhelmed and overstimulated, but I was also out the door, hot bagels in hand, a mere four minutes after arrival.
Next door at Emerald, serenity hit. It’s a bigger space with casual seating option and less pressure to think fast. (There’s also an automat outside if you prefer a solo interaction.) Inside, I felt free to ask questions and request customizations. I ordered at 9:46 a.m. and received my food 10 minutes later. However, I’m fairly confident that had I not purchased a hot sandwich that required on-the-spot cooking, the food would’ve come faster. I took my time eating in store and chatting with another couple who were conducting their own informal taste test and complaining about the cost of an extra schmear at PopUp.
That’s when owner Halcrow stopped by, just to check in.“I get to make bagels with my daughter every day, so I’ve already won,” she says. Coming from her, that didn’t even sound cheesy!
Our verdict: Emerald City for a warm and welcoming place to dine; PopUp if you’re in a major hurry and there’s no line.
Courtesy of Emerald City Bagels
Price
The minimum order at PopUp is $14 plus tax for three bagels and a schmear. $44 gets you 12 bagels and two schmears. At Emerald City, a single bagel costs $2.50; a baker’s dozen costs $30. My egg, cheese, and tomato sandwich was $9.
Our verdict: More options at Emerald City means more control over your spending.
Overall verdict
Growing up in South Florida, bagels were a regular part of my diet, as well as my culture. I’ve lived in New York (home of the best bagels), visit frequently, and consider myself a somewhat of an expert. Based on my research, when I’m on the Beltline and want a bagel, I will continue to choose Emerald City every time. PopUp has its perks, but it doesn’t offer the taste of home I crave.
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Carly Cooper
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