New York has captured the hearts and minds of many around the world, including that of Jessica Kurban, Owner of Bissel B. café which offers New-York inspired bagels.
“The idea for Bissel B. was born on a family trip to New York City in 2019. My brother loves visiting New York and has many friends there, so my dad and I decided to join him on this trip,” says Jessica.
“I fell in love with the city, the people, the vibe, and of course the bagels, and when we returned, we struggled to find a place that could fill that craving for the perfect bagel.”
Jessica says she saw the café as an opportunity to recreate those feelings and community spirit in Australia, using her wealth of experience from growing up in the hospitality industry.
“The word bissel is Yiddish for ‘A little bit’, because we wanted to offer something to everyone,” says Jessica. “We chose the Yiddish language because even though our inspiration is New York, we wanted to pay homage to the bagel’s traditional Jewish heritage and credit where it came from.”
Its bagels, whose names are inspired by different areas of New York, are served alongside North Melbourne’s Small Batch Roasting Co coffee beans with its Candyman Espresso Blend popular option among customers.
“For alternate milk drinkers we offer Califia Farms Oat Barista Blend, which is loved for its creaminess and how beautiful it looks as latte art,” says Jessica. “Our signature drink, the Oat Milk Matcha Latte works perfectly with Califia Farms’ oat milk, and the texture is unlike any of the other oat milks we’ve tried – and we’ve tested a lot.”
Jessica says it was the sense of community that café has built, along with its tasty bagels and beverages which has made it a local favourite.
“Even during lockdowns, it was great to provide a place where people could come for a while and enjoy themselves. Even something as simple as giving them a cookie or a complimentary coffee on the house could really brighten someone’s day,” says Jessica.
“It’s been so rewarding to see the connections we’ve made with customers, and even though we’ve grown quicky we’ve managed to maintain a beautiful relationship with all our regulars.”
In 2022, Bissel B.’s community is set to get even bigger with the brand planning to open a new store in Melbourne.
Bissel B.
111 Bridge Road, Richmond, Victoria 3121
Open Monday to Friday 7am – 3pm, Saturday 8am – 3pm, and Sunday 8am – 2pm
This article appears in the December 2021 edition of BeanScene. Subscribe HERE.
