Einstein’s has discontinued the Nova Lox bagel. Some students are furious. The bagel is still advertised, mocking every Lox lover who comes in for a cup of coffee. Emma Silverstien, red onion enthusiast and English tutor, stated they were “pretty sad that Einsteins discontinued their Lox bagel.” When asked why the Lox was such a staple menu item and why this is a tragedy worth reporting on, Emma continued: “It was a great and affordable way to enjoy smoked salmon for those on the go and wanting more protein. It was right below my work, giving me a great space to go for healthier food than the chips and candy bars in the vending machines. I just wish I could find somewhere that I can get it quickly and conveniently.”
Currently, there are three local businesses where CSU students may be able to get their Lox fix. We investigated each one and what we found were great restaurants with unique offerings outside of capers and cream cheese. From river views to fancy booze, Columbus has plenty to offer for the average Lox bagel enjoyer.
- Harvest Coffee Company – $10.90 + tax
The first, and likely closest option for students is Harvest Coffee Company. Their Lox bagel is topped with pickled red onions, fresh dill, classic capers, and cream cheese. Their shop is one part of a larger faith-based outreach group called Harvest Movement.
If you want to feel like your bagel consumption habits are supporting a good cause, Harvest may be the place for you. Other smear options for cream cheese haters include garlic aioli and chipotle aioli. Both are delicious, however despite the spicy modifier, there really isn’t much kick to the chipotle aioli. There is a generous amount of Lox on each bagel, and pickling the red onion adds just the right amount of sour. It helps that they’ll have your bagel done fast so you can quickly return to main or river campus before anyone can steal your parking spot. As far as what makes Harvest’s Lox bagel so special, the manager seemed simultaneously unsure and utterly positive when she stated, “I don’t know. Maybe it’s just made with love.”
Lilly Wing, Harvest Coffee Company’s manager, told us more about the various outreach projects Harvest Movement does when they’re not serving up a good bagel. The group is comprised of people from multiple churches and operates various programs throughout the city such as Redeem Outreach. The Redeem Outreach Team helps women experiencing homelessness, exploitation, and addiction by connecting them to various community resources as well as the Redeem boutique, a place where women can receive clothes and attend bible study. “It’s set up like a boutique, so it looks like they can go shopping. But everything’s free. They can come in, get clothes, hygiene products, new shoes, all kinds of different stuff.” Lilly Wing, Harvest Coffee Company’s manager explained. “We always need volunteers for that.” When discussing how Harvest Movement makes these connections with the community through ministry, we found out that rather than waiting for people to come to them, they were pounding the pavement themselves to find people to help. Harvest Night, hosted the first Friday of every month, gives staff, volunteers, and the larger community an opportunity to come together for fellowship and outreach.
After worship, the Redeem team travels to Victory Drive to spend time with the dancers at the Foxy Lady Lounge and women experiencing homelessness in area motels. Lilly says this is her favorite form of outreach. They give the girls roses, care packages, and simply let them know that they matter. She provided us with an anecdote of a former dancer who wanted to go to nursing school and managed to get the support and connections she needed to do so through Redeem. Another team goes downtown to show similar kindness to the homeless population there. Their philosophy does not seem to drive any preaching or shaming of people. It seems to be about providing a non-judgmental place for people to figure out how to believe in themselves, whether God is involved or not.
Aside from outreach, the prayer room provides students with an opportunity to get some meditative peace and quiet away from the chaos of daily campus life. The space is not only equipped for prayer; there are also plenty of outlets and workspaces in the room where we interviewed Lilly. It may not get as much sun as the lobby of Einstein’s but it’s certainly quieter and cozier. There is some merchandise available for sale if you want to further support their outreach programs. Should you need some volunteer experience on your resume, this is also a great place to look. The 20 percent off for CSU students certainly doesn’t hurt.
- Nonic Brunch – 15.99 + tax
When met with a Lox bagel at a higher price point that is served with some assembly required, one may think that the restaurant serving it is being a bit pretentious. We were assured by head chef Cassidy at Nonic that pretention is in direct opposition with the way they do business.
“I’m originally from New Orleans and I got my culinary degree in New York, so bagels are obviously a big thing there.” The chef said of her seafood and bagel background. She seemed very proud of how both places shaped her career and flavor palette. “It’s something I found comforting going to college, so I knew [the Lox bagel] was something I wanted to add to the brunch menu here.”
The bagel is, as previously mentioned, served deconstructed. Chef Cassidy has a reason for this, and it isn’t foodie clout. “I’m not a fan of too much stuff on my bagel, so that’s why I like to serve it deconstructed…you have your cream cheese spread, you have your capers, tomatoes, onions, and of course the salmon.” Cassidy clarified further that this is meant to give customers control of their favorite flavors and lean into the social, sit-down atmosphere of Nonic. “I like the fact that you can really do it up yourself. I think food is a way of fellowship and getting to know people, especially if you’re interactive with that food. I think that’s something we provide here at Nonic.”
Brunch is served during limited hours Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. This doesn’t make it a great destination for students who need a quick, cheap bite to eat on the go. However, Nonic is known for their dinner service and rooftop bar during regular business hours. Chef Cassidy herself is only 26 years old and pointed out that, in terms of staff and clientele, “everyone is young.” She continued, “We all like to be a part of the community and do things in the community, so that’s one reason you should come. Just local people, kind of the same age and the same generation supporting each other.”
Cassidy described their overall menu as being “Southern-focused with a bit of Asian flair”. She expressed a lot of excitement for the new fall menu items such as a squash puree with their salmon, a veggie risotto for vegan customers, and their classic smash burger for customers new and old who feel like playing it safe.
When asked what Nonic has to offer CSU students specifically, Cassidy said that she encourages customers to view Nonic as a casual dining experience. “I encourage you to treat yourself to a semi-nice restaurant at least once a week. I don’t want this to be like oh it’s my birthday, oh it’s our anniversary, let’s go to Nonic. I want this to be like I want some good food, let’s go to Nonic.”
Nonic seems to have a more philosophical, thoughtful business model about the way they serve food. “I think we offer something different,” says Cassidy. “Here we encourage the art of dining, and that’s an art that’s being lost now.” She went on to say that people are often distracted from the experience of dining by their phones and she wants to get back to a place where restaurants are for being just as present with the people you’re dining with as you are with the food itself. While the other two shops on our list may offer CSU students a great place to grab food in the middle of the school day, Nonic is perfect for catching up with your friends after a long week or grabbing drinks downtown after a long study session. A rooftop bar with an impressive drink menu, locally sourced ingredients, and a moody art deco design make Nonic’s higher price point and limited hours well worth the risk of being seen as a Lox-snob.
- The Seed Coffee + Café – $ 8.50 + tax
Theater, art, and music majors may have an easier time walking down to The Seed from their studios and practice rooms. Despite an intentional high-end design for the shop, the prices are still well within the budget of a college student looking for a little treat. Everything about this café screams millennial: from the plush forest green bench seating to the industrial black and bronze lighting. Still, the marble tabletops and bistro seating help make a low-cost lunch feel as close as locals can get to a luxury coffee shop experience.
This is the newest establishment on our list, so there is not as much to report here on the community involvement and integration side of things. However, we are optimistic that The Seed will become a very popular destination for CSU students and Global Payments employees alike. Nestled between the main TSYS campus and the Corn Center on Front Avenue lies The Seed: the only restaurant on this list with a direct view of the Chattahoochee the moment you step out their door with your Lox bagel.
For the bagel itself, you’ll be receiving all the classic Lox ingredients on a panini pressed, toasted bagel. The portion sizes of the ingredients are smaller but reasonable given the bagel to salmon ratio and the fact that this is the cheapest bagel on our list. This also makes it one of the less messy bagels, which is always nice when you still have to walk to a lecture or a rehearsal after picking up your order. Better still is taking the time between classes to sit at one of the outdoor tables, sip your coffee, and eat your lunch while gazing across the river. You can enjoy the crunch of your everything seasoning and ponder the big questions such as: how could Einstein’s betray us like this? They should have known there were three other great Lox locations to choose from.
When we spoke to the owner, Chris, about how The Seed was planning to lure in the cougar crowd, he noted that they were already running a 15 percent discount in August for returning CSU students. Acknowledging the competition they face with Fountain City and Iron Bank, Chris said, “We’re a bit of a further walk than some of the other shops, but we’re still seeing a bit of traffic from [CSU students] as well.” In reference to the design of the shop, he continued, “We’ve got a great environment, a large patio, probably one of the only places you can sit and eat and look at the river.”
Many coffee shops, including Einstein’s, struggle with balancing a fast-paced lunch service with a relaxing place to eat lunch. The Seed doesn’t seem to be having this issue. “It can be bustling in here, but it can also be relaxing.” Said Chris.
He did not want to take all the credit for the success The Seed has had so far. “We have a great staff,” he stated proudly, “They’re gonna treat everybody with respect and you’ll feel welcome and seen.” It is nice to see a living, breathing, Lox-loving restaurant owner actually giving credit to the employees that make running a business possible.
Some corporate entities would discontinue menu items with no regard for how it will affect the day-to-day lives of employees having to explain to frustrated students why they can no longer experience the joy of a salmon bagel on CSU’s campus. However, it is clear that the end of the Einstein’s Lox bagel may be a blessing in disguise. Continue grabbing your all-nighters and coffee at the chain shop downstairs from the library if that is all you have time to do, but if you miss the Lox bagel as much as we do, you have 3 superior local options to choose from.
