Go Local – Making Bagels the Manhattan Way

August 31, 2009 | Story by: Lindsey Chester | Categories: Community, Food, Go Local, Restaurants, Shop & Dine

Mo, Sabrina & Rachel Hassemein in their Manhattan Cafe

As a former New Yorker who moved to Cary 11 years ago, I have looked far and wide for a good bagel in the Triangle. Lucky for me, I live near Preston Corners, the location of Manhattan Cafe, owned and operated by Mo Hassamein and his daughters, Rachel and Sabrina. Everything is made from scratch at this family  establishment. Daughter Rachel is the assistant and her sister Sabrina works here while attending nearby Meredith College.

Not only do they make the best bagels in town – crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside – but they have expanded their offerings to include many New York Deli staples including black and white cookies, butter cookies and hamentashen.

Their bakery case makes your mouth water as you wait for your order to be filled. Besides what can be seen in their glass cases, they will take orders for parties and special items like lemon pound cake and prune danish – items not easily found anywhere else.

I asked Mo what made him move from his native New York to come to sell bagels here in Cary and I received the same answer I’ve heard before. They moved down here for a better life.

Mo had owned and operated his own kosher bakery in New York before selling that business and moving on to manage The Rockland Bakery for 8 years in Rockland, NY, one of the largest establishments of its kind, serving New York schools and the Army to name just a few of their customers.

But 3 years ago, his wife Shelley began doing research on her dream house, which ultimately led the family to relocate in Holly Springs.  Not happy to remain idle, Mo decided to get back in the bakery business and  opened his own bagel bakery, Manhattan Cafe, 2 -1/2 years ago at the site of a former Manhattan Bagel.

Its easy to see why their business is so successful. They are giving us transplants what we hunger for – a taste of New York with out the stress.

And they bake it fresh every day.