Fairmount Bagel

Isadore Shlafman, a Jewish immigrant from Poland, founded the original Fairmount Bagel Bakery in 1919, eventually settling at its current location on Fairmount Avenue West. From its humble beginnings, the bakery established a reputation for its distinctive bagel, hand-rolled, boiled in honey water, and then baked in a wood-fired oven. This traditional method, which differs significantly from New York-style bagels, results in a slightly sweeter, denser, and chewier bagel with a crisp crust. The aroma of freshly baked bagels continuously wafts from the bakery, a constant presence in the Mile End neighborhood. Generations of the Shlafman family have continued this legacy, ensuring that the time-honored techniques and secret recipes are passed down, making Fairmount Bagel a beloved institution that has fed Montrealers for over a century.