Popular new food venue set to open in Totnes town centre

A popular family-run Devon bagel business is set to expand this month as Harman Bagels prepares to open a new shop in Totnes.

Taking over the former Taguchi-Ya restaurant, Harman Bagels, previously known as The Hutong Bagel Co., was founded in spring 2017 by George, Jack and Emma Harman. The business originally operated as The Hutong Cafe in Plymouth, before a major refurbishment in 2020 marked a turning point.

Drawing on a memorable trip to New York City – where the founders first tasted a salmon lox bagel – the trio decided to focus fully on bagels. They established a bakery at a second site in Stonehouse, Plymouth, and began developing what they describe as a distinctly British bagel.

Rather than replicating a New York or Montreal style, the team set out to create a product rooted in British tastes and local produce, inspired by flavours from their own childhoods.

Since then, Harman Bagels has become a well-known name in Plymouth, with queues regularly forming outside its Cremyll Street premises in Royal William Yard. The shop is known for its freshly baked bagels, creative specials and family-led ethos.

The menu ranges from classic cream cheese and bestselling salt beef to rotating specials. Previous creations have included a Singapore Chilli Crab Bagel made with Devon crab, pickled daikon and carrot, oyster sauce egg patty, pandan leaf mayonnaise and bird’s eye chillies, and a porchetta bagel featuring roast pork, salsa verde and artichoke cream.

All three founders were born and raised in Devon and say Totnes was a natural choice for their second location due to strong personal ties to the town.

George Harman said: “Totnes has always been a really special place for me. I previously worked at The Almond Thief, and my wife Mel worked at the Waterside Pub, which is actually where we met.

"Since then, I’ve spent so much time here with family, and Totnes has always felt like a second home. Bringing Harman Bagels here felt like a really natural step for us, especially as a family-run business that’s all about community.”

Renovation work is underway at the Ticklemore Street premises, with family members helping to transform the space ahead of the opening.

Jack Harman said: “We’d had family dinners in Totnes’ famous Taguchi-Ya restaurant before, and I’d always admired the interiors – especially the big, bright windows that let in so much light. More recently, I was actually having Japanese lessons there when I found out the restaurant was closing.

I reached out to the owners to express my condolences, but also my interest in taking on the lease and creating our own business legacy from the building Taguchi-Ya leaves behind. They couldn’t have been kinder, and before we knew it, the place where we’d shared family meals had become the Totnes home of our family-led business.”

Emma Harman added: “We know and love the Totnes community and have so many friends and family here. When it came to choosing a second location, it had to be somewhere rooted in who we are. We’re so excited to bring our bagels to Totnes and can’t wait to see how they’re received.”

To mark the Totnes launch, Harman Bagels will be giving away free tasters and other promotional items on opening day.

Harman Bagels Totnes will open at 8am on Friday 20 February.