Photo by Nicole Lopez-Alvar
Audio By Carbonatix
My alarm went off at 6 a.m. Thursday morning, and for once, waking up early felt justified. By the time I arrived at Suniland Shopping Center along U.S. 1 and Southwest 112th Street in Pinecrest around 7 a.m., a line had already formed outside the new H&H Bagels, stretching past the storefront and pouring onto the sidewalk. Blue and white balloons framed the entrance, gently bobbing above a crowd that waited patiently, quietly buzzing with anticipation.
There was no chaos, just quiet excitement. Pinecrest families, early commuters, and longtime bagel devotees (especially those with New York roots) stood peacefully in line, many clearly prepared for the wait. Having covered H&H Bagels’ first Florida opening in Boca Raton back in October 2024, I knew to expect a big turnout. Still, seeing a full-on morning frenzy in Pinecrest felt surreal.
Photo by Nicole Lopez-Alvar
The First Opening of Its Kind in Pinecrest
Pinecrest has never really been a “line outside before sunrise” kind of place. Better yet, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a line form outside a door for a restaurant in my 33 years of living here.
I was born and raised in Pinecrest, and for most of my life, the suburb was defined by its spacious homes (now mega mansions), top-tier schools, and endless youth sports schedules rather than destination dining. It was always beautiful, lush, and calm — sometimes almost too calm. Up until a few years ago, the food scene leaned predictable and more practical than exciting.
But over the past six years, especially since 2020, the neighborhood has slowly evolved. New restaurants have begun to arrive, including a recently opened Mister O1 pizza down the street alongside longtime staples like Sergio’s. Watching dozens of people willingly wake up early and line up for bagels made me wonder if Pinecrest is entering a new era entirely, maybe even a suburban foodie renaissance.
Photo by Nicole Lopez-Alvar
A Modern Bagel Shop With Serious New York Roots
Inside, the space feels nothing like a traditional bagel shop. Instead of a cramped deli counter, H&H Pinecrest opens into a bright, modern interior anchored by a sleek service line reminiscent of a fast-casual favorite like Sweetgreen. Large digital menu boards stretch across the wall, guiding guests to choose a bagel sandwich from the extensive list on the screen or build a fully loaded sandwich or a custom bagel with toppings from the toppings bar. You can also order side containers of cream cheese in small, medium, or large sizes to take home and accompany bagels you can slice and eat at home.
The design feels polished and efficient, built for volume but still inviting. To the right of the ordering counter, rows of bagels stack high, with their perfectly baked crusts tempting you to order way too many (or at least that’s what happened to me).
Seeing the bagels displayed so prominently stopped me in my tracks because these bagels begin their journey in New York City, where the dough is made and kettle-boiled, then par-baked and shipped daily to Miami for finishing in specialized ovens. The result is the chewy crust and dense interior that defines a true New York bagel.
Photo by Nicole Lopez-Alvar
The Cream Cheese Moment
What completely floored me, though, was the luscious and creamy cream cheese.
When I think of cream cheese, I imagine something slightly firm that requires effort to spread (the kind that tears a bagel if you’re not careful). Here, the spreads are impossibly luscious, light, and almost shiny, as if whipped into a cream cheese frosting. Flavors range from classic scallion and lox to strawberry, tofu, spicy scallion, and a limited-edition chocolate-covered strawberry created for February and Valentine’s Day. Each looked silkier and creamier than the last.
Photo by Nicole Lopez-Alvar
What I Ordered (And Why It Matters)
After watching bagels get sliced and fly out of the kitchen for 30 minutes, I finally stepped up to order. I went classic: a Nova with the works and a B.E.C. (bacon, egg, and cheese) plus four bagels to take home — poppy, jalapeño cheddar, cinnamon swirl, and plain. Opening day perks for the first 100-200 guests included a free H&H tote bag and, unexpectedly, a slice of chocolate babka that disappeared faster than I expected.
For cream cheese lovers, this place is dangerous. The Nova arrives generously loaded with that same luscious spread, layered with all the traditional fixings. But what truly stood out wasn’t the toppings — it was the dough itself.
The bagel has that unmistakable New York structure: dense yet still light, with a perfect chew that feels satisfying without being heavy. Each bite pulls slightly before giving way, fresh and pleasantly resistant in the way only a properly made bagel can be. It’s the kind of texture you keep chewing just to experience again. Simply put, it tastes like a real New York bagel.
Photo by Nicole Lopez-Alvar
Is This the Start of a Pinecrest Renaissance?
As the morning continued, the line outside barely shrank. Inside, neighbors ran into one another, turning a simple breakfast stop into a community moment. Phones came out for photos, white paper bags with H&H logos filled quickly, and the steady rhythm of bagels moving from oven to counter never seemed to slow.
For decades, Pinecrest was the place you came home to, not the place you drove to eat. And yet here we were, before sunrise, standing in line for breakfast like it was downtown Manhattan.
Watching the crowd linger long after ordering, it felt clear this opening is about more than bagels. It’s a sign that Pinecrest is finally stepping into its own dining era — still suburban, still serene, but suddenly a little more exciting.
H&H Bagels Pinecrest. 11311 S. Dixie Hwy., Pinecrest; hhbagels.com.
