The following is an extended version of the article that appears in our October 2026 issue.
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Sunday Bagel owners Jesse and Julie Roberts
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The Rockaway Combo, with mortadella, Genoa salami, provolone, Duke’s mayo and salsa verde on an oregano everything bagel
Julie Roberts is used to being the person restaurant owners call to coax out their vision. The James Beard Award-winning designer behind Lillian, The Brooklyn, Antonelli’s Deli, Pizzeria Delores, and others near and far has made a name for herself bringing atmospheric dining rooms to life. Her husband, Jesse Roberts, has spent his career in the back of the house, cooking in kitchens ranging from Daniel Rose’s Le Coucou and Leo in New York to Richmond’s Lost Letter. The pair got married at a restaurant, can trace their travels by the dishes they’ve eaten and have centered their lives around these spaces. Now, it’s their turn.
On Sept. 25, after operating their sourdough pop-up, Sunday Bagel, since 2023, the Robertses have introduced a brick-and-mortar shop at 210 W. Marshall St. in Jackson Ward.
“I do restaurant design for a living; this is my dream project,” says Julie, a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University.
For the first time, the vision to interpret was their own: the shifting layout, block letters reading “Bagels” on the storefront, the doggie window, butter-yellow tile, laminate countertops reminiscent of a grandmother’s kitchen, and a refurbished Coca-Cola sign listing the menu.
The shop is where the couple’s experiences converge; it’s also a mirror of who they are. Just as Julie’s style is defined by streamlined simplicity, Jesse’s bagels follow suit.
While the goal was always a permanent space, reaching this point has been an exercise in patience. Earlier this year, one of their investors, Amrit Singh from Fultz & Singh Architects, called to say that a former print-machinery building he had been eyeing for a decade had hit the market. Free from the baggage of a failed business, it featured a brick facade and, most appealingly, a blank interior.
“Because the building was bare, we could do anything we wanted with it,” Julie says. “That was attractive to us. It was a huge opportunity.”
She saw exactly how the counter would curve, while Jesse imagined rolling rounds on his marble-topped baker’s table with natural light cascading down from above. In the space described by the Robertses as a cross between a French wine bar and a New York bodega, they envision hosting dinners in the future and having Jesse tap into his background as a chef.
“It’s the perfect layout for anything,” Jesse says. “I could go in there on a Monday night and do a service, and it still doesn’t feel like a bagel shop. It’s flexible.”
Once they figured out the floor plan, Julie says, “it’s like every decision has been easy, just because I can see it so clearly in my head.” What followed was a long stretch of waiting to secure the necessary permits and approvals. During that time, Singh rallied a group of people to buy the building, beginning to establish their investment team.
“That is why it’s taken so long, but the whole time, the whole lifespan of the business, if we do something, we know we want to do it right,” Julie says.
Everything bagels are one of five varieties baked at Sunday Bagel.
While three years of practice runs may seem like a lengthy lead-up, it’s granted them the invaluable opportunity to develop Sunday Bagel fully. “We’ve done the pop-ups for so long that our business plan was super data-driven,” Julie says. “We weren’t rushing. We were forced not to.”
Before opening, the duo hosted more than a hundred events, packing bagels into tubs and setting up tents at local shops including Field, Giorno Market, Celladora Wines and the former Pamplemousse Gallery, as well as new neighbors Odd Bird and Penny’s Wine Shop.
“You almost have to dedicate years of your life to really figure out, not even the opening restaurant function, but to really figure out the concept, especially when it’s bread,” Julie says.
Through this journey, they have learned how to balance marriage and business. Julie’s grandmother lovingly warned her never to work with her spouse, but the couple have figured out how to divide and conquer. “We know now what lanes we occupy,” Julie says.
The result is a union of what they both cherish: pure, honest form and attention to detail. “The whole brand, even the bagels, is a great product and outcome from really simple input,” Julie says.
The gradual pace has enabled Sunday Bagel to perfect its naturally fermented rounds, which develop their flavor with a distinct, rustic, golden-brown bake; the chewy, crackly crusts are accented with blistered patches and the soft interiors reveal pockets of air bubbles.
The menu includes plain, sesame, everything and oregano everything bagels. Housemade cream cheeses range from plain to salmon and dill, along with zippy pickled pepper, dill pickle and herbaceous scallion, as well as a dairy-free version from Violife for an upcharge. Guests can also order a toasted bagel of choice slathered with Normandy butter and jam. Breaking free from build-your-own culture and a dizzying array of varieties, the pair see power in boundaries; they steer away from substitutions and serve only hot and iced coffee from Recluse Roasting Project.
Single bagels come toasted with any flavor of cream cheese; they also offer bagel sets: two bagels with one cream cheese or three bagels with two cream cheeses (each is enough for two to three bagels).
The sit-down, hot-and-fresh experience is new for Sunday Bagel fans. During pop-ups, the bagels were baked off-site and brought to the location; here, Jesse plans to pull them fresh from the oven throughout the day. Their daily goal is to sell 600 bagels, but they have the capacity for double that amount.
“We love that our product can last on the shelf, but it’s a whole other ballgame when you get it right out of the oven, and that’s what we’re really excited for,” Jesse says.
While they aren’t on the opening menu, freshly prepared open-faced sandwiches will be available before 11 a.m., such as The Union Pool, with smoked salmon, scallion cream cheese, pickled red onions, capers and dill, and The Greenpoint Ave., a weekday-only option featuring fried mortadella, egg, American cheese and Mar Mar mayo. After 11 a.m., find grab-and-go sandwiches like The Rockaway Combo, with mortadella, Genoa salami, provolone, Duke’s mayonnaise and salsa verde on an oregano everything bagel, with a vegetarian option available.
Customer flow is designed to be direct, drawing operational inspiration from their friends at Radio Bakery in New York City. Guests will order at the counter and get their coffee and sandwich in a seamless transaction, while catching a quick peek at the baking process. “Their setup has inspired us a little bit; they have lines for days, and then once you get in there, it’s moving,” Jesse says.
The shift to a permanent residence also comes with a redefinition of the workplace: Sunday Bagel is adopting a no-tipping policy. While menu prices are slightly higher as a result, the decision to offer staff a living wage is deeply personal for Jesse. “I’ve been in their shoes, working for $12 an hour or 90 hours a week. To offer a job that pays enough to live, is 40 hours and has a great environment — that’s very exciting for me. It’s about just making good culture.”
While they plan to continue selling bagels through Yellow Umbrella Provisions and maintain their weekly presence at the Tuesday Birdhouse Farmers Market, the ultimate goal has been to stop moving. Julie says, “We want people to be in our space; we want you to experience the whole brand together.”
As for this moment, Julie says, “It’s time. We’ve been mobile for so long; this deserves a home. I feel so lucky that we’re opening our doors and we already have regulars. We want to prioritize hospitality, do this right. We’re looking at this as being a neighborhood spot — we want to be here forever.”
Sunday Bagel is open Thursday through Monday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. or sellout.
