I knew that a breakfast shop opened in Farmingdale, but I did not think that they were open…read more
Brand: 4/5
Bagels and Brew Company is a breakfast shop in Farmingdale in a plaza nearby the train tracks. Pertaining to branding, it has a simple logo with a cup of coffee and a bagel with the font having an elegant form. The slightly gray color complements the font with a classy display, while the steam becomes its own physical form. The interior does have that cozy cafe feel, with the floor tiles and the tables having dark shades of gray.
Website: 4/5
It has a simple design with a black-and-white color scheme. You will find images of the menu items available. The Clover section offers online orders, but there are no images accompanying the menu items. I will say that nonetheless, the website has the establishment off to a decent start thus far, because coming upon it, you get a good first impression of what to expect.
Wait Time: 5/5
I read through a single page before my order came incrementally, with the drink prepared first and the course last. So, I will say that the wait time did not experience any delays or issues.
Ambiance: 5/5
It gets quite lively on Sundays with the noon rush. Nonetheless, I experienced no issues with the ambiance. The pop music played smoothly over the radio, never overwhelming you with its volume. Plenty of space exists between the tables, making it easy to walk around, and I had no issue with the seats.
Food: 4/5
I ordered the Loaded Breakfast Fries and the Dirty Main Street Refresher. The Loaded Breakfast Fries has french fries, bits of pork roll, scallions, and a sunny side-up egg, with sharp cheese sauce and spicy aioli layered atop them. This reinvention of the Jersey favorite side-dish, the loaded fries, definitely makes a spectacular presence in this menu, for the aioli gives every part of this dish a standout spiciness. I did think that the cheese sauce overdid it. Nonetheless, every other part of the dish, from the pork roll bits to the scallions, give it a rich taste that could really make your morning worth trudging through. The french fries held their form without becoming too soggy or greasy from the cheese sauce, nor did they have too much crisp.
The Dirty Main Street Refresher has green tea, coconut milk, mango and pineapple flavorings, and an energy shot. The flavorings give it a tangy flavor, complementing well with the green tea, while the coconut milk gives it a warm yet inherently sweet texture. It did have ice, but it did not become too cold to drink.
I can see that the brand maintains relevance with its availability of dirty energy shots. When it comes to food selection, they definitely reflect the Jersey theme, with menu items such as the Jersey Swamp and the Loaded Breakfast Fries. While the website did not do them justice, you at least do get a preview of them on their main website, especially when it describes the eatery as "...where time-honored traditions meet modern culinary creations."
For a meal as complicated as my order, I have to say that the wait time it took fitted the quality, for the Loaded Breakfast Fries had enough heat to prepare it, but not too much to the point it made me wait before eating more. While I cannot say that it satisfied me throughout the day, I did think that the service clearly cared about the food they prepare.
Service: 5/5
I could tell that the staff had a jovial disposition with the customers. Indeed, despite my barely awake whisper, I managed to get my order fulfilled without any issues. The service influenced my first impressions of Bagels and Brew Company in a positive way.
Cost: 4/5
Taking into account all of the factors of Bagels and Brew Company, I will say that they all complement each other well, with room for more potential. Unfortunately, I have to say that while the prices seem high, it does match what I would have gotten had I went to some other eatery, especially with loaded menu items like the ones I ordered. With that being said, I would absolutely like to return to try more menu items.
I would recommend to Bagels and Brew Company to experiment with their logo for next year if the breakfast shop continues to stay around. I would specifically suggest to find out how to use the Jersey buff-and-blue for the new logo to match the Jersey-themed menu items. I would also like to suggest finding a way to make that quote I made from the website into their slogan, whether they change a few of the words or shorten it.
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Rounding the average score between four or five stars, I will ultimately give this eatery five out of five stars, due to the amount of hope and potential I see within Bagels and Brew Company. As someone who visited 100+ eateries in Monmouth and Ocean Counties throughout a single year, I will say that Bagels and Brew Company are off to a good start.
Recommend To...
Anyone looking for a breakfast eatery with Jersey-themed menu items.
