My Big Time Love for Big Time Bagels

Photo: Maria Burke

If you’re a Big Time Bagels fan, you probably think this post is long overdue—and you’re not wrong. For months, every visit I made to their bustling tent at the Sunday Kailua farmers market brought something new: a tweak here, a big leap forward there and the occasional step back. But now? I can confidently say they’re serving up the best bagels and bagel sandwiches on the island.

Photo: Maria Burke

Big Time Bagels is the brainchild of chef Khan Meyer, who with partner Audrey Loundsbury has been rolling, boiling and baking bagels out of Downtown’s Hana Kitchens since March 2024. Khan brings fresh, vibrant ingredients to everything he makes. His bagels are about bold pops of flavor and texture, with combos that are unexpected and satisfying.

Old Man & the Sea. Photo: Maria Burke

My go-to order is the Old Man & The Sea ($17). It’s a perfectly balanced stack of scallion cream cheese, lox-style local cured fish from Local I‘a, red onion, capers, pickled ogo, sea asparagus and dill—all on your bagel of choice. This lox-inspired creation might seem like a lot, but trust me, it’s magic: creamy meets briny, with bursts of acid from the pickled ogo, freshness from the dill and tender, delicately cured fish that’s full of flavor without being fishy. Every bite is its own perfect bite. I usually go with the lū‘au everything, but honestly, you can’t go wrong.

SEE ALSO: All Our Favorite Sandwiches in Honolulu

Before locking in my order, I always check the specials. Some of Khan’s best creations live there. Lately, I can’t stop thinking about the El Fuego ($17), a spicy mashup of scallion cream cheese, honey-smoked marlin salad, pickled jalapeños, serrano peppers, onions, tomatoes, EVOO and lemon. It sounds like a wild ride, but there’s a delicious method to the madness.

Ku‘ulei’s Delight. Photo: Maria Burke

Other staples include the Becky ($16), a classic bacon, egg and cheese with option to add on hot honey and ketchup; or Ku‘ulei’s Delight ($17), sweet and savory with prosciutto, honey goat cream cheese, avocado, garlic chili crunch and mayo. This one is an homage to the favorite choice of Little Plum mixologist Ku‘ulei Akuna.

For something more savory, keep an eye out for the chop cheese special—it’s a game-changer when you’re in more of a lunch mood.

Photo: Maria Burke

Kahn’s inspiration for Big Time is food that he would serve to his grandparents, a theme that stuck with him after years of cooking at Koko Head Café. Which means using the best ingredients he can find and testing and tweaking recipes every week. A high-gluten unbromated flour gives his bagels a chewy texture that gets crispy on the outside but retains a toothsome and forgiving texture. Every time I go, I feel like the bagels are better and bigger.

Big Time Bagels is at Aloha Farm Lovers’ Kaka‘ako farmers market on Saturday and Kailua Town farmers market next to Adventist Health Castle on Sunday. Pay them a visit, you won’t regret it.

Multiple locations, @bigtimebagelshi

SEE ALSO: Your Guide to Farmers Markets on O‘ahu

Maria Burke is a former Digital Dining Editor at Frolic Hawai‘i and now a contributor.