Couple Brings Authentic Chicago-Style Bagels to Texas

K&L Bagels owners insist on traditional hand-rolled, kettle-boiled process for their new Dallas-area shop

Jan. 30, 2026 at 5:23pm

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After moving from Boston to the Dallas area in 2018, Kyriakos and his wife opened K&L Bagels, bringing their decades of experience making authentic Chicago-style bagels the traditional way. Kyriakos rises early each morning to mix dough, roll the bagels by hand, and then boil and bake them, eschewing modern shortcuts in favor of the lengthy but rewarding process.

Why it matters

In an era of mass-produced, machine-made bagels, K&L Bagels is bucking the trend by insisting on the time-honored, labor-intensive process of hand-rolling and kettle-boiling their bagels. This artisanal approach resonates with customers seeking a more authentic, flavorful bagel experience.

The details

Kyriakos grew up making bagels in Chicago and later opened five shops in Boston before moving to Texas in 2018. At K&L Bagels, he wakes up before dawn each day to mix dough, roll the bagels by hand, and then boil them in a giant kettle before baking them to perfection. This lengthy process, which is often shortened through modern technology, is essential to Kyriakos for achieving the proper texture and flavor profile of a traditional Chicago-style bagel.

  • Kyriakos and his wife moved to the Dallas area in 2018.
  • They opened their first K&L Bagels shop in The Colony shortly after arriving in Texas.

The players

Kyriakos

The co-owner of K&L Bagels, who grew up making bagels in Chicago and later opened five shops in Boston before moving to Texas.

K&L Bagels

A bagel shop in the Dallas area that specializes in authentic, hand-rolled and kettle-boiled Chicago-style bagels.

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What they’re saying

“When you do it by hand, the experience is different.”

— Kyriakos, Co-owner, K&L Bagels (advocatemag.com)

The takeaway

K&L Bagels' commitment to traditional, labor-intensive bagel-making techniques in an era of mass production and automation underscores the value that many customers place on authenticity and craftsmanship in their food.