Beloved Bagel Cafe celebrates 20 years of bringing a bite of New York to Las Vegas

For 20 years, it’s been known as “the place” to go for bagels.

Savvas Andrews, owner/operator of The Bagel Cafe, 301 N. Buffalo Drive, said it’s been a fun journey.

What did he envision when he opened?

“Exactly what we have today,” he said, throwing his arms open to embrace the space. “I just wanted to open a family-friendly restaurant where people could go, somewhere unique.”

The location is in close proximity to the Buffalo Drive exit off Summerlin Parkway, so locals need only stop off to grab some bagels. Tourists from all over the U.S., including Hawaii, patronize The Bagel Cafe, too. Some out-of-towners stop in just to buy bagels so they can take them back home.

Andrews said part of the business’ longevity was because he insists on consistency. He said a bagel made 20 years ago would taste the same as one made today.

“People are creatures of habit,” he said. “Once they get a taste, they want to come back and (re-experience) it.”

A recent Friday had the cafe packed. Patron David Kaplan, a northwest resident, said he frequents the cafe two or three times a week.

“The food’s terrible, and the waitresses are ugly,” he joked. “No, the food is awesome, and it’s prepared in a high-caliber manner. It’s consistent, and the place is clean and extremely well-run.”

Michael, a patron who did not want his last name used, said the cafe is convenient, with good service and good food. He is there at least two times a week.

“If someone’s looking for a good bagel, this is the place to come,” he said.

A second location —with the same food but a different name — is the Del Mar Deli at the South Point, 9777 Las Vegas Blvd. South, which opened in 2006. It is run by Andrews’ brother-in-law, Peter Russell.

Back at the Buffalo Drive location, at nearly 6,000 square feet, The Bagel Cafe would seem adequate to handle crowds. But almost without fail, there is a line of people eager to get a table. It’s a testament, Andrews said, to his food.

Most of the recipes are his. He came to the U.S. from Cyprus at age 20 and went to college at Baruch College of the City University of New York. While in college, he worked at Greek restaurants to learn the business from the inside. To open The Bagel Cafe, Andrews relied on his bachelor’s degree in business administration to circumvent the pitfalls another entrepreneur might have encountered.

His biggest lesson, he said, was how to manage people. He has 45 employees. Sometimes, he has to take on their role.

“I like to be the leader. I like to jump in,” he said. “If I have to do the bagels, I do the bagels. If my cook doesn’t show up, I cook on the grill. I’ll even go help my dishwasher.”

He recalled the early days when his three daughters, now 26, 24 and 21, were young. He and his wife of 30 years, Shari, would bring them to work and let them sleep in the office as they tended the business. Shari kept the books.

“They were stressful years; now I enjoy them,” he said. “I enjoy work. I know my customers on a first-name basis. After 20 years, you establish relationships. Like, yesterday, Mayor (Carolyn) Goodman was here. The ‘who is who’ in Vegas, they come here.”

Some of the cafe’s “who is who” patrons are celebrities who have signed pictures that grace one wall of the eatery, including Marty Allen, David Brenner and Celine Dion. Andrews said there were others but no room to put up all the autographed 8-inch by 10-inch glossies.

Andrews said he would like to expand the Buffalo Drive cafe rather than add another location.

“This business is hard to run,” he said. “You have to be here. It takes dedication. I’m always here.”

In the early years, he said he’d arrive at 5 a.m. Now, he starts his day around 7 a.m. and leaves around 4:30 p.m., relying on “good people” to run it in his absence, he said.

“But during the holidays, it’s 14 hours a day,” he said. “From mid-November to the middle of January, I didn’t get one day off. When you have something good like this place, you have to nourish it. You have to embrace it and give your time to it. Otherwise, it will slip away. We’ve been here 20 years. You don’t hear of too many businesses lasting 20 years in Las Vegas.”

The Bagel Cafe is open from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday; 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Visit thebagelcafelv.com or call 702-255-3444.

To reach Summerlin Area View reporter Jan Hogan, email jhogan@viewnews.com or call 702-387-2949.