Instead of moving to New York, mother and daughter pair, Bernadette Sheppard and Anna Berlyn, decided to bring NYC-style bagels and lemonade to Redfern by opening the cafe, George St Deli.
Bernadette ate bagels and lemonade most of her lunchtime as a child because of her mum, Colleen, who lived in New York after World War II. The food and drink became a staple in the family that Bernadette passed on to her children when she became a mum.
Anna, who is the youngest of five kids, recalls enjoying batches of toasted bagels regularly with salmon, pastrami, and homemade cream cheese. Thus, when she and her mum planned their move to New York and had been checking Google for information, they soon found themselves shifting gears.
The mother and daughter duo realised that opening an NYC-style bagels shop, inspired by Katz’s Deli and Russ & Daughters, made the most sense, especially since Sydney is experiencing a sandwich obsession phase.
Bernadette, who also runs a real estate company, believes there is a market for American-style deli amidst heaps of Italian cafes in town. Anna said that bagels are in their blood, so opening a shop would make her grandmother mighty proud.
George St Deli opened in late August 2022, offering plain or poppy seed bagels with everything in between. Their most popular variety is the Lox Classic with pastrami, smoked trout, cream cheese, capers, tomatoes and red onion, which perfectly pairs with the homemade lemonade drinks.
For the sweet tooth, George St Deli has sweet bagels filled with Nutella, or peanut butter. The store also serves NYC-style pretzels and Jewish-style babkas for quick bites.
Brews by Will & Co Coffee and tea by Apotheca by Anthia are also on offer.
The cafe reflects a classic New York aesthetic from the 50s and 60s with retro monochromatic decorations.
“In creating the authentic atmosphere of these New York establishments the interiors have been modelled to reflect these iconic delis. As you dine on the mouth-watering bagels, music from the 50s and 60s (think Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and Ella Fitzgerald) fills the space and friendly staff attend to your needs,” the duo said.
Since working at the deli, Bernadette has told her son he can take charge of the real estate business while she focuses on hospitality, as she and Anna are looking to expand George St Deli.
Follow the cafe on Instagram.