I’ve been a bit neglectful in not writing a full post about Captain Cream Cheese – I’ve been a big fan of this little neighborhood gem since it opened back in January. Captain Cream Cheese operates out of the same tiny parking lot hut that houses Mikey’s Late Night Slice, next to Bodega on High Street. There are tables and chairs set out in the parking lot, and now that the weather is warming up it’s a lovely spot to sit and people watch.

Captain Cream Cheese is Zach Henkel (with able assistance from his Girlfriend Lindsay) and he makes about 14 flavors of bagels ranging from plain to the big Italian, a huge bagel with cheese and peppadew peppers. The bagels are ‘hole-less’ which seems to make for a better sandwich. Perhaps not a classic bagel, they have proved popular thus far. As well as bagels and various flavors of cream cheese (of course), they offer bagel sandwiches, soups and sometimes salads. The food is all house made, tasty and most notably great value.

Currently they are offering a spring special of Hocking Hills ramps, either in your sandwich, in a potent cream cheese or with scrambled eggs. Zach is very accommodating to special requests. The sandwich above is an egg sandwich bagel with ramps and red peppers in an everything bagel.

In the evening Zach runs his other business as a pedi-cab and can often be spotted in his captain’s hat pedaling around the Arena District or Short North. For a big order, he might even deliver your bagels (in a limited radius) by pedicab.

More photos on flickr and Columbus Underground Interview with Zach. You can also follow him on twitter @captainbagels


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