The Bagel Restaurant and Deli, a decades-old Jewish deli with a citywide fan base, is lining up a North Shore comeback with a new downtown Glenview spot. Owner Marvin Barsky has signed a letter of intent for 1850 Glenview Road and is shooting for a Labor Day weekend opening, pending village approvals. If it happens on that timeline, it will reunite suburban loyalists who have been without a Bagel outpost since the Old Orchard Mall location closed in 2018.
As reported by The Record North Shore, Barsky confirmed the letter of intent and said architects are already working on build-out plans. According to the outlet, a lease is being drafted, restaurant equipment is in storage and ready to go, and Barsky hopes construction can begin in May if the Village of Glenview signs off.
Downtown spot near Metra makes sense
The Bagel is slated for the Cerca mixed-use development at 1850 Glenview Road, which lists pre-leasing beginning in March 2026 and first move-ins in June. The site is a short walk from Glenview’s Metra station, according to the developer’s website, Cerca Glenview. CBS News Chicago also highlighted the planned North Shore return, noting how many suburban customers remember the deli from its Old Orchard years.
Menu, staff and the deli’s history
Barsky told The Record North Shore that the Glenview outpost will stick with The Bagel’s longtime menu of lox platters, matzo ball soup and other Jewish deli staples. The restaurant expects to employ about 35 to 40 people and include a party room with a liquor license.
The Bagel’s story stretches back to 1950, when Elsa and Herman Golenzar opened the original shop, according to the Chicago Jewish Historical Society. The Lakeview location at 3107 N. Broadway remains open for now.
What the comeback means for the North Shore
Owners and customers have framed the Glenview plan as part nostalgia play and part effort to keep Jewish deli traditions alive as the broader restaurant scene shifts. Coverage of the deli landscape in The Nosher notes renewed interest in classic delis even as some suburban spots have shut down, including The Bagel’s Old Orchard Mall outpost in Skokie in 2018 as reported by ABC7 Chicago.
Barsky said he is confident the name alone will bring back longtime regulars and attract new diners, and he and his management team plan to move quickly once permits and lease terms are finalized. Hoodline will follow permit filings and construction updates as the Glenview lease moves toward a hoped for late summer opening.
