Toasted. expanding to South Lake Union, too
Just like that, Toasted. is becoming a bona fide Seattle-area bagel chain
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Last month, we found out that Toasted. would be opening a second location in Bellevue. It turns out that wasn’t the only move co-owners Jaafar Altameemi and Murat Akyüz had cooking.
Just months after finally opening their University District shop, Toasted. is taking its talents to South Lake Union as well.
Plans call for the third (or second, depending on when the Bellevue location opens) shop to open at 901 Dexter Ave. N (formerly Herkimer Coffee) by the end of 2024. That move will complete a compelling food intersection at Dexter and Aloha, including Tacos Chukis, Stone Korean Restaurant, and Lebansese spot tanoor Seattle.
Altameemi said that they plan on having the same menu at the South Lake Union location, including the open-face bagel flight that has “become our signature.”
“We really just want to keep pushing, with respect to the bagel and its history and its culture, to create its own path at this point,” says Altameemi. “Whether it's open-face or emphasis on different types of flavors like Mediterranean or having unique sandwiches. If we emphasize any one of those, I think it can be a really solid point of differentiation. And so far, so good.”
As always, I find myself asking the question “When will Seattle hit peak bagel?” and realizing the answer is “Not anytime soon.” The weeks ahead will presumably see the opening of two new Toasted. shops as well as U Village’s Hey Bagel, and it stands to reason all of them will attract steady lines and brisk business.
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