First Look: Masses Bagels’ First Store Is Officially Here

Masses Bagels has been drawing crowds at the Carlton Farmers Market since 2023, with lines winding around the stalls for its wild-fermented bagels topped with whipped quark or smoked rainbow trout. But what was once the market’s worst-kept secret is now Collingwood’s as founders and partners Jack Muir-Rigby and Carmen Newton opened Masses’ first permanent store at the sleepier end of Smith Street this morning.

“It’s surreal,” says Muir-Rigby, whose resume includes time in the Etta kitchen and two years as Hector’s Deli’s head chef.

“The most exciting thing is having everyone come in and experience the full Masses process,” adds Newton, formerly a manager at Market Lane Coffee. “We’ve always wanted an open space where people can see how we shape and bake our bagels – and now they can. It’s a way to bring the market vibe into a more accessible and permanent setting.”

The shop’s design highlights this connection between customers and craft. With an open kitchen separated by a sheer curtain, diners can watch bagels being rolled, shaped on the custom handcrafted rolling table and baked. Inside, there’s a communal table and the shop accommodates 15 guests, but takeaway remains a central focus: there’s a window for coffee and bagels to go.

“We haven’t really set out to create a New York- or Montreal-style bagel,” Muir-Rigby previously told Broadsheet. “It’s more that we wanted to create a bagel that we love eating.”
Every bagel is naturally leavened using a sourdough starter. They’re made using a three-day process that involves activating the starter, fermenting the dough overnight, and portioning and shaping the bagels before boiling and baking them.

Signature wild-fermented bagels are, of course, the star of the show, but the new menu has exciting additions like the rip’n’dip bagel pack – bagels served fresh from the oven with a ramekin of quark flavoured with confit onion and chives. It’s designed for tearing and scooping – an excellent grab-and-go option for busy mornings.

Other menu highlights include the ginger and cardamom sugar bagel, which Muir-Rigby describes as Masses’ version of a doughnut, and seasonal creations that showcase local produce, such as a fresh tomato and cultured butter bagel.

The drink menu is just as thoughtful, featuring a fermented yellow peach and Thai basil soda made in collaboration with Ultra Culture, and Market Lane Coffee paired with How Now milk. “We’ve always been about working with suppliers whose values align with ours,” says Muir-Rigby.

The market stall is on hiatus for now, but plans are already underway to resume and expand it. Currently, the focus is firmly on perfecting the new shop’s offerings and welcoming customers into a space that’s been years in the making.

“We’ve been dreaming of having our own space and, now that it’s here, we’re just so excited to share it with the community,” says Muir-Rigby. “Having a dedicated space makes things so much easier logistically, but more importantly, it lets us do so much more with our menu and the overall customer experience.”

Masses Bagels
5 Smith Street, Collingwood
No phone

Hours:
Wed to Sat 7.30am–2pm

@masses_bagels