Smögen Appetizers is a fresh take on the traditional bagel and smoked fish offering, with creative combinations prepared for foodies who are always on the hunt for the perfect bite. The foundation of our open-faced sandwiches is a naturally leavened sourdough bagel that undergoes a twenty-five-hour process providing one of lightest, airiest and crispy bagels in the world. Creating the perfect vehicle for some of the wildest bagel toppings around. Smögen Appetizers encourages people to mix it up, exploring all different “halves” we have to offer.

Smögen Appetizing gets its name from a picturesque fishing village in Sweden where one of our founders, Zach Werner’s, Grandma Eleanore was from. Her ancestors smoked fish for hundreds of years and brought that culture and technique with them when they immigrated to America – smoking fish (trout) in the cornfields of Iowa. 

Grandma Eleanore shared stories from her childhood with Zach on Sunday mornings on Miami Beach as they enjoyed bagels and smoked fish that Zach’s Jewish, Brooklynite father brought home from The Rascal House. Zach’s father moved to Miami from Brooklyn as a teenager bringing his love of the schmear with him. 

When Zach moved to Manhattan for college – always on the hunt for the best bagel – he fell in love with the "Appetizing" stores of NYC and was a regular at institutions Russ & Daughters and Barney Greengrass. These stores and others like them popped up in Jewish ghettos around the turn of the century serving food that generally goes with bagels. When Zach moved to Los Angeles, he had to drive to multiple locations on Sundays just to get the bagels, the smoked fish, and various accouterments. He’d be damned if he didn't teach his children how to build the perfect bagel sandwich, which inspired him to open his own appetizing store with a bit of a Cali twist!

While coaching their son’s little league games, Zach brought his vision to restaurateur, Joe Barker (Vintage Wine + Eats, Buvette, Tipsy Cow). The two quickly bonded over their shared love of fish, bagels and good schmear and Smögen Appetizers was born. 

In addition to an innovative menu, Smögen Appetizers will also highlight wine and champagne pairings as the pop-up is located inside of Vintage Wine + Eats with its very own sommelier.