Masses Bagels has been drawing crowds at the Carlton Farmers Market since 2023, with lines winding around the stalls for its wild-fermented bagels topped with whipped quark or smoked rainbow trout. But now that it has a permanent shopfront, the market’s worst-kept-secret is now Collingwood’s worst-kept secret.

All of the bagels at Masses Collingwood are shaped and baked on site – and the shop’s design highlights that fact. There’s an open kitchen separated by a sheer curtain, so diners can watch bagels being rolled, shaped on the custom handcrafted rolling table and baked. Inside, there’s a communal table and the shop accommodates 15 guests, but takeaway remains a central focus: there’s a window for coffee and bagels to go.

Every bagel at Masses is naturally leavened using a sourdough starter. They’re made using a three-day process that involves activating the starter, fermenting the dough overnight, and portioning and shaping the bagels before boiling and baking them.

Masses’ renowned wild-fermented bagels are, of course, the star of the show, but the shop’s menu has exciting additions like the rip’n’dip bagel pack – bagels served fresh from the oven with a ramekin of quark flavoured with confit onion and chives. It’s designed for tearing and scooping – an excellent grab-and-go option for busy mornings.Other menu highlights include the ginger and cardamom sugar bagel, which Muir-Rigby describes as Masses’ version of a doughnut, and seasonal creations that showcase local produce, such as a fresh tomato and cultured butter bagel.

The drink menu is just as thoughtful, featuring a fermented yellow peach and Thai basil soda made in collaboration with Ultra Culture, and Market Lane Coffee paired with How Now milk.