Get ready to roll, Denver! On October 4, a new bagel shop recently debuted on the local bagel culture scene. This is not just any bagel shop; it’s a haven for enthusiasts who love opportunities to try innovative flavor options and newbies who want to ease into the culture through its traditional offerings. Bringing a unique twist on the conventional, Odell’s Bagel aims to be among other local artisan bagel shops that put Denver on the map as one of the best cities for bagel lovers.
We are excited to learn more about the owner, Chef and artisan baker Miles Odell, who has found a way to merge his heritage and experience working in Michelin-rated restaurants in Japan into a harmonious blend of flavors to add something new to our breakfast and lunch lists. Check out this edition of “Meet the Chef” to learn more about Odell’s Bagel.
303 Magazine: The bagel culture scene seems to be very big on tradition in bagel making. What inspired you to blend traditional bagel making with your culinary experiences in Japan?
Chef Miles Odell: It all comes down to expressing myself authentically. Odell’s Bagel’s menu is a culmination of my nostalgic childhood memories of eating East Coast bagels, my transformative experiences as a chef in Japan, and my love for Colorado. It tells the story of who I am, what I value, and why I cook.
303: Additionally, tell us more about your house-smoked meat process that pays homage to your Jewish roots. We understand pastrami will be a big game player come late this year or around early 2025.
MO: Pastrami is something I’m really passionate about. I love making it. All made in-house, our pastrami goes through a two-week curing process before we smoke and steam it. Then, it’s hard-sliced to order.
303: From what we have learned through some quick study research, there almost appears to be this big debate going on about what state makes the best and most traditional bagels or, which state is setting a trend through the exploration of different flavors. How do you think your unique bagel offerings not only represent Denver but will place it on the map by elevating the local bagel culture?
MO: Exactly! Bagel culture is so regional. Since we don’t lean heavily into the East Coast or West Coast style, we are carving out this new lane for Denver-style bagel.
We hand-roll each and every bagel, which is a time-intensive labor of love. Because we hand-roll each bagel, no two are the same. We love the uniqueness this adds to every order. Then, each bagel undergoes a 48-hour-long fermentation, which adds extra flavor. A typical fermentation period is 24 hours, and most bagels are machine-rolled. Not prescribing to a super traditional recipe tells the community that Denver is deserving of our own bagel traditions – that we’re creating our own bagel culture to take pride in.
303: As you introduce newbies to the bagel scene, what is the key result for the experience that you hope a visit to Odell’s Bagel will give them?
MO: An ingredient-driven, technique-driven, Denver-style bagel. We hope that guests can taste the added flavor that comes with a hand-rolled, long-fermented bagel topped with our hand-sliced lox or pastrami. Hand-slicing is a huge part of our program that makes all the difference; most of the time, lox and pastrami are machine-sliced. Beyond what we make in-house (which is a lot!), our team has spent countless hours tasting through samples of each ingredient we put on the menu –– from the lox and bacon down to the eggs, rye, and flour –– to put out the highest quality product we can. We make as much in-house as possible, such as our seasonal jams, mustards, pickles, rye bread (of course) and house-whipped cream cheeses.
303: Finally, with different neighborhood options, what led you to choose the Highland neighborhood for your bagel shop?
MO: The Highlands neighborhood has always been special to us. Last summer we really got to know the community by participating in the Highlands Farmers Market as a vendor with our pop-up stand, Keepsake, which served Japanese breakfast sandos and bento boxes. This was my first solo endeavor at the time. The neighborhood welcomed us in and showed endless support over those few months. When opening Odell’s Bagel, we felt as if it was only right that we give back to the community that helped us get to where we are today by opening our shop on that very block where it all started.
303: Most cities have that one restaurant or artisan bakery shop that locals or those traveling to the city say is a “must try” when you are there. How does Odell’s Bagel add to the richness of the bagel culture not only for those who live within the neighborhood but also for those who live in other areas and travel to Denver either to work, shop, attend an event or visit family? For them, what makes Odell’s the new, and possibly the favorite, bagel shop to stop at when they are in Denver?
MO: At Odell’s Bagel, our philosophy is to respect the bakers and generational traditions that have made bagel culture what it is today while drawing influences from my personal journey. We hope to add to the fabric of Denver’s growing bagel scene and help plant our city’s flag in the sand in the national landscape of bagel culture. Our style is not too East Coast or West Coast influenced, rather, we’re taking influences from all over (including my upbringing in Jersey and career in Japan) and prioritizing the highest-quality ingredients and the best techniques to make a “Denver bagel.” We hope that this resonates with locals and tourists alike. The goal is for folks to know that if they come to our shop, they’ll get a true taste of Denver’s bagel scene.
Odell’s Bagel is located at 3200 Irving St., Denver. Its hours are Tuesday – Wednesday Closed, Thursday – Monday from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. or until sold out.
All photos by Jeff Fierberg
Editor’s Note: Updated 11/12/24 to reflect accurate menu details.