Bagel News

Dallas' Starship Bagel makes the cut for 2025 New York Bagelfest

Starship Bagel

A Dallas bagel shop will compete in a national contest to try and win (again): The contest, called New York BagelFest, is an annual bagel competition that takes place in New York in the fall, and this year's competitors will include Starship Bagel, the award-winning Dallas chain.

Starship will be one of 23 bagel purveyors from around the globe participating in the event, which bring together thousands of bagel lovers, bakers, and brands from around the globe in a celebration of all things bagel, with bagels, bagel sandwiches, speakers, games, photo ops, and demonstrations. The event climaxes with contests for Best Bagel, Best Schmear, and People's Choice.

The 2025 event takes place on Sunday November 16 at Citi Field, AKA the home of the New York Mets.

This marks the third year Starship is competing, following 2023 and 2024 — both of which saw them win awards including Best Bagel in 2023 and Best Schmear in 2024.

Starship founder Oren Salomon says they're taking 2025 in stride.

"We look forward to expanding our medal count, hopefully bringing home another gold or two," he says. "Obviously we have our eyes on the top prize. Utopia will be tough to upset. They are a heavy favorite as the most famous and celebrated bagel shop in the world. I was super happy for Jesse and the entire Utopia team when they won last year. We may compete on November 16, but we are friends 365 days a year including at Bagelfest."

Starship Bagel has enoyed a meteoric rise since Salomon opened the first location in Lewisville in 2021. A second location opened in downtown Dallas in 2023, and a third opened in North Dallas in 2024.

They've since racked up national awards such as a James Beard nomination in 2025 and an appearance on Food Network's Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives in June 2025.

The 2025 BagelFest competitors include:

Starship Bagel
Utopia Bagels
St. Viateur Bagel
Ess-a-Bagel Bagel
Bagel Market
Fantzye Bagels
Holey City Bagels
Wheated
Flour Moon Bagels
Craft Bagel Co.
B's Bagels N Butters
Emerald City Bagels
Tilly Bagel Shop
Curley's Bagels
Si Si Bagels
Bagizza
Baltik's Bagels
Potchke
Dutchman's Wood-Fired Bagels
Backyard Bagel Co.
Town Bagel

"I feel confident that we will be competitive in almost every category," Salomon says. "But the more important thing to me is to present our best. If we do our best, I’m happy to live with any result from the judges."

More participants and judges are still to be announced.

Starship Bagel team competing at New York Bagelfest. Facebook

awards bagels

Henderson Avenue News

Dallas bar High Fives will close on Henderson Avenue after 10 years

High Fives/Facebook

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A bar staple on Dallas' Henderson Avenue is closing: High Fives, the bar located at 1804 McMillan Ave., will close in early January, after more than 10 years.

According to a release, the actual closing date will be tied to the Texas Tech Red Raiders' game schedule in January.

"To all our neighbors, the Red Raider faithful, and everyone who has made High Fives their home—we are saying goodbye by raising our hands high for one last High Five," says owner Phil Schanbaum. "This establishment was built on community, spirited rivalry, and countless memories. We are deeply thankful to every single patron and, especially, to all of our incredible staff who were the heart and soul of this place."

The Final Schedule: Playing to Win
High Fives will maintain the following operating hours for December
· Thursdays & Fridays: 8:00 PM – 2:00 AM
· Saturdays: 2:00 PM – 2:00 AM

The final chapter for High Fives will be written alongside the almighty Texas Tech Red Raiders. The bar's ultimate closure is tied directly to the team's success:
· Next Game Day Begins: 11:00 AM on January 1. Doors Open at 10am.
· The Contingency: If the Red Raiders advance past the game on January 1, High Fives will only remain open for subsequent Texas Tech game days until the team's run ends.
· Goal: The hope is to see the Red Raiders through to the national championship.

Looking Forward on Henderson
High Fives’ closure paves the way for the ongoing evolution of Henderson Avenue. The management is supportive of the future for the district.

"To Henderson Avenue, we look forward to further expansion and to making this street even better. We are excited for the neighborhood's renaissance, which will bring new experiences, retail, and dining concepts to the area."

The closure is part of a larger plan to transform the quarter-mile stretch into a vibrant, walkable destination featuring chef-driven restaurants, retail, and office space.