Good Luck Bagels has opened at Hong Lim Complex in Chinatown, serving in-house bagels from $3.50, Korean-style dessert bagels, and an 888 Series coffee lineup built on Tiong Hoe Black Pearl espresso.
The shop sits at 531 Upper Cross Street, #02-41, and keeps hours that favour a breakfast-to-lunch crowd: Tuesday to Saturday, 8.30am to 3.30pm. It is not halal-certified. The visit that informed this piece was a media tasting; photos are by Chan Zi Xuan.
Everyday bagels from $3.50
The everyday range is priced to make a bagel a regular stop rather than a treat. The Plain bagel is $3.50. Kopi Boy, a nod to the rotiboy bun, is $3.90. Cinnamon Pecans is $4.50 and has been a standout for early visitors.
Bagels are made in-house. Sacks of Japanese flour sit in the open kitchen, and the crust on the lunch bagels we tried was sesame-studded with a chew that held up under toppings. If you are already mapping Chinatown eats, this is an easy add to a morning circuit around Hong Lim Complex, a few minutes from Chinatown MRT and the wet market downstairs.
Signature open-face lunch bagels
From 11am the shop switches on its Signature Open Face Bagels lunch menu. Eat these fresh. We tried all three. Prices listed are for two halves. You can mix and match two bagel flavours in a set for $2 more.
Crunchy Garden ($12) was the favourite: air-flown candy tomatoes and crisp Japanese cucumber on a toasted bagel with umami spread. The crust stayed intact under the vegetables, and the cucumber actually delivered crunch rather than water.
Smoked Salmon with Lemon ($15) came close behind. House-pickled Australian purple onions in red wine vinegar cut through the fish, with sweet pomegranate on top. The lemon in the name shows up as brightness rather than a squeeze-on-the-side afterthought.
Japanese Grande Tomatoes ($13) keeps the plate simple: large, juicy tomatoes as the main event. The only complaint was the lack of crunch against those chunky tomatoes. If you want texture, Crunchy Garden is the better pick, or mix a half of each for the extra $2.
Korean-style dessert bagels, including one still in the works
The Korean-style loaded dessert bagels are the reason many people will make a special trip. Apple Crumble Cheesecake is $9. Strawberry Pistachio is $10. Double Chocolate Matcha is $12 and was the pick of the sweet side: a thick slab of matcha nama chocolate stuffed into the bagel.
We were also among the first to try the upcoming Kunafa Pistachio Bagel, due to launch in October. Price is still to be confirmed. It is packed with nutty pistachio paste and a whole chewy Dubai-style cookie. It is awkward to eat as a single unit; pull the cookie out first, then go at the bagel.
The 888 Series and the shop itself
Coffee is split between regulars and a specialty lineup called the 888 Series, all built on Tiong Hoe Black Pearl Espresso. Americano is $4.50. Latte is $5.50. The three 888 drinks are $8 each.
Tonic Espresso is finished with fresh Brazilian lime zest and tonic soda. Salted Maple Vanilla Americano comes with maple-infused cream, crushed Biscoff, and Maldon sea salt. Orange Vanilla Bean Mont Blanc was the favourite of the three: fresh orange zest lifting the espresso instead of burying it in cream.
The room is styled like a retro European kitchen: blue-and-white Mediterranean tiles, vintage crockery, a farmhouse sink piled with fresh bagels, and punchy red cabinetry. Branded caps and hand-painted tile coasters sit among the decor. The flour sacks in the open kitchen are not just set dressing; they flag that the bagels are baked on site.
Hong Lim Complex already draws people for the market and the nearby food centres. A bagel stop on level 2 fits a Tuesday-to-Saturday morning before the shop closes at 3.30pm. For more nearby eating, see the Chinatown food guide and a 1-day Chinatown food itinerary that also covers a $30++ dim sum buffet and thrifting in the area.
Practical Details
Where: 531 Upper Cross Street, #02-41, Hong Lim Complex, Singapore 050531
Nearest MRT: Chinatown (NE4/DT19), a short walk via Upper Cross Street. Clarke Quay (NE5) is also nearby.
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 8.30am to 3.30pm. Closed Sunday and Monday. Signature Open Face Bagels from 11am.
Prices: Everyday bagels from $3.50 (Plain $3.50, Kopi Boy $3.90, Cinnamon Pecans $4.50). Open-face lunch bagels $12–$15 for two halves; mix-and-match two flavours for $2 more. Korean-style dessert bagels $9–$12. Kunafa Pistachio Bagel launching October, price TBD. Regular coffee $4.50–$5.50; 888 Series drinks $8.
Notes: Not halal-certified. Bagels made in-house. Media tasting; photographs by Chan Zi Xuan.
Website: Good Luck Bagels on Instagram