Bagel on Damen Now Open in Ravenswood, Adds Beer

With the opening of its second location, the Bagel on Damen has officially become a chain, offering North Siders New York-style bagels a little closer to home.

The new Ravenswood location, on Damen of course, sits next to the Brown Line "L" stop in chef Eric Aubriot's former Damen Kitchen and Cellar. The clean, bright space owned by Maggie McCoy and Dion Antic (Iggy's, Toast) serves bagels from New York Bagel & Bialy and has about 13 different types of cream cheese on hand, including an artichoke parmesan cream cheese; wasabi cream cheese for an ahi tuna sesame bagel served with daikon radish; and goat cheese cream cheese to be served with pistachio on a beet sandwich, which will be added to the menu soon.

The menu features about a dozen gourmet specialty sandwiches, soups, salads, pizza bagels and deviled eggs. They'll serve cookies and coffee cakes from Leonard's Bakery in Northbrook; Brooklyn's Stumptown coffee; Benjamin tea and Boylan Bottleworks Mash Soda. But unlike the original Wicker Park spot, the new location sells beer, wine and spirits. It'll have 28 individual craft beers from breweries including Three Floyds, Great Lakes, Lagunitas, Dark Horse and Dogfish Head. Each will sell for $1.99 and patrons can mix and match the various beers; a baker's dozen yields a 13th beer, just like the bagels.

Bagel on Damen will also sell small bottles of sparkling and white wine, half-pints of Jameson, Bailey's Irish Cream, vodkas and more to take home to mix with Antic's homemade bloody mary mix, mojito mix, lemonade and mint juleps. Everything is meant to be bought and taken away. "It's the one stop brunch: get bagels, schmears, drinks and go home and watch the Bears game," Antic said.

The overhauled website will be live later this week.