Hot and fresh: Bruegger's Bagels now open

Bruegger's Bagels Bakery opened Monday at 109 S.E. Greenville Blvd., in a new shopping center at the former location of Ragazzi's Italian restaurant.

Owner/operator Rich Gallagher said he was drawn to Greenville for the college atmosphere. "This is a great place," he said.

He decided he wanted to open a restaurant at the site, which can be accessed from well-traveled Greenville Boulevard and Evans Street, over a year ago. When Greenville's BrodyCo. development company decided to build the shopping center there, he signed on as the first tenant. Bruegger's is on the Greenville Boulevard end of the shopping center.

The restaurant — which opens early for breakfast and closes at 5 p.m. — specializes in bagels, offering 15 daily varieties with a dozen different varieties of cream cheeses from which to choose. Bagels include Asiago Parmesan, Blueberry, Cinnamon Raisin, Onion, Pumpernickel and Rosemary Olive Oil. A single bagels is 99 cents; a bagel with cream cheese is $2.19.

"We begin baking bagels at about 5 a.m., and bake small batches throughout the day to keep them hot and fresh," Gallagher said.

Breakfast sandwiches include egg and cheese for $2.99; Denver omelet with egg, ham, Swiss cheese, green peppers and red onions for $3.69; and smoked salmon with cream cheese, tomato, red onion and capers on a bagel for $6.39.

Signature sandwiches include supreme club, radishy roast beef and Cuban chicken. Deli sandwiches include turkey, ham, hummus, garden veggie and BLT. Sandwiches are available on bagels or as wraps, ciabatta sandwiches or softwich sandwiches. Sandwiches range in price from $4.59-$6.59.

Tossed salads, from $5.19-$6.59, include chicken Caesar, sesame chicken and mandarin medley, or you may build your own salad with a choice of veggies, meat, cheese and toppings.

Three soups will be offered daily. Cost is $2.79 for a cup.

The Bruegger's Duo, for $6.59, includes a choice of two: half sandwich, half salad or cup of soup.

Cookies, dessert bars and muffins are offered.

Beverages include Green Mountain Coffee Roasters' coffee (including the special fall blend, Pumpkin Spice coffee), Coca-Cola products, juices, hot tea and hot chocolate.

Patrons place their order at a counter.

The restaurant has large windows and walls painted sage green, yellow and orange. There is seating for 56 at tables and couches in the dining room, with additional seating for 12 on a large outdoor patio surrounded by a short brick wall. Gallagher said he plans to add more patio seating when the weather is warmer.

Gallagher has worked with Pitt County Schools Art Education Coordinator Jane Austen Behan to secure art from all six Pitt County high schools to display on the restaurant's gallery-like walls. Behan said "The Perpetual Art Show" exhibit at Bruegger's, framed and installed by Greenville's Framemakers, will change quarterly.

Bruegger's has free wireless Internet. No smoking is allowed in the dining area.

Platters, salads and box lunches are available.

Hours are 6:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays. Call 321-6731.

The Greenville Bruegger's is the 283rd restaurant in the chain. Gallagher said he plans to open two more locations in the region.

Chef's Auction

Area restaurants served up some of their specialties to benefit the March of Dimes at the annual Chefs' Auction Oct. 8 at the Greenville Convention Center.

Organizer Kristen Bond said 36 restaurants participated in the event, which attracted more than 725 patrons. Host chefs were Kevin Brighton and Michael Santos of Chefs 505.

Restaurants and beverage companies set up tables around the perimeter of the Convention Center's main room, and patrons in black-tie attire picked up plates and sampled cuisine from each station.

Patrons voted for their favorite tasting station. The "People's Choice" Award was presented to Kinston's Chef and the Farmer, which served shrimp and grits and white chocolate tarts with fig-lavender jam.

Tasting participants included:

From Greenville — Basil's Restaurant, Beef Barn, Bud Light, Christinne's Seafood Grille and Chophouse, City Hotel and Bistro, Daily Grind Café and Dessertery, Debu Café and Catering, Dolce Vita, Finelli's Café, Ming Dynasty, Moe's Southwest Grill, Sheila's Café and Catering, The Cakery, Tie Breakers Sports Bar & Grill, Tipsy Teapot, Tokyo Japanese, University Chophouse of Greenville, V's in the Village, Village Point Market, Wasabi 88 and Your Perfect Cake.