Breakfast in Lake Geneva, WI: Bagels by the Lake

For breakfast in Lake Geneva, head to Gotham Bagels at 300 Wrigley Dr. at Harbor Shores on Lake Geneva. We’re open every day from 7 am to 2 pm, with hand-rolled, kettle-boiled New York bagels baked fresh daily, breakfast sandwiches, deli fish and Chicago-roasted coffee. Order at the counter, or order ahead online and skip the line.

Whether you’re up early for the Shore Path, feeding a lake house full of family, or catering a Saturday morning meeting, here’s how to do breakfast in Lake Geneva the New York way.

Where can I get breakfast in Lake Geneva?

Our Lake Geneva shop is at 300 Wrigley Dr., Unit B, at Harbor Shores on Lake Geneva. A few things worth knowing before you go:

• Hours: daily, 7 am to 2 pm. We’re closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, and open our regular 7 am to 2 pm on Christmas Eve.
• No reservations. Walk in and order at the counter, or order online for pickup.
• Phone: (262) 581-6349.

Lake Geneva shares its menu with our four Chicago shops, so if you know Gotham from the Gold Coast or Lakeview, you’ll find the same sandwiches here. The whole lineup is on the Chicago & Lake Geneva menu.

What should I order for breakfast?

If it’s your first visit, start with the classics:

If you want…	Order this
The New York standard	Bacon, Egg & Cheddar: thick-cut bacon, a fried egg and aged cheddar (turkey bacon on request)
Something with a kick	Spicy Sausage, Egg & Cheddar: spicy Italian sausage, fried egg, aged cheddar
A lakeside lox moment	Brighton Beach: Atlantic cold-smoked salmon, cream cheese, heirloom tomato, red onion, arugula and capers
Go big	The Rocky’s Deli: thick-cut bacon, fried egg, aged cheddar, a potato latke and spicy ketchup
Keep it simple	A bagel with house-whipped cream cheese

Pick your bagel from 14 flavors, including plain, sesame, everything, egg everything, asiago, pumpernickel and cinnamon raisin. Our cream cheeses are whipped in house, from plain and scallion to veggie, smoked salmon and maple cinnamon, with vegan plain and vegan scallion too. This time of year we also make seasonal flavors like pumpkin pie.

For coffee, we pour Passion House Coffee Roasters, roasted in Chicago: hot coffee, cold brew, lattes, cappuccinos and a sweet cream cold brew.

Can I order breakfast ahead and pick it up?

Yes, and on a busy summer or holiday weekend it’s the smart move. Online ordering opens when the shop opens, and you can schedule an order up to 60 days ahead. Order from the dock, the hotel or the lake house, pick a time, and it’s ready when you walk in. At checkout you can choose pickup or delivery; enter your address to see whether you’re inside the delivery zone.

Feeding a full house? A New York Dozen is 13 bagels (a baker’s dozen), and we suggest three 8 oz containers of cream cheese per dozen. Add a half pound of lox, which comes with arugula, heirloom tomato, red onion and capers, and you’ve got a weekend brunch that sets itself out.

Where can I eat a bagel breakfast by the lake?

Lake Geneva makes a pretty good dining room. Two easy ideas:

Walk the Shore Path. The Geneva Lake shoreline is about 21 miles around, and the public Geneva Lake Shore Path runs close to 26 miles. VISIT Lake Geneva calls the paved stretch near the Lake Geneva Public Library downtown the easiest place to walk, about a mile in either direction. Grab a breakfast sandwich and a coffee, then go. Two house rules from the path’s keepers: it’s for daylight hours only, and bikes, skates and skateboards aren’t allowed. Much of it crosses private lawns, so stay on the path.

Picnic at Big Foot Beach. Big Foot Beach State Park sits on the shore of the lake with a swimming beach, picnic areas and a playground. You’ll need a Wisconsin state park vehicle admission sticker to drive in.

How do I keep a bagel picnic fresh?

Bagels travel well. Cream cheese, lox and egg sandwiches need a little more care. The FDA’s guidance on eating outdoors boils down to a few habits:

• Pack a cooler. Keep cold food at 40°F or below, in a cooler with ice or frozen gel packs.
• Mind the clock. Don’t leave perishables out more than two hours, or more than one hour on a hot day.
• Use two coolers. Put drinks in one and food in the other, so the food isn’t hit with warm air every time someone grabs a seltzer.

Our tip: bring the bagels and the spreads separately, and schmear on the spot. Nobody likes a soggy bagel.

Can Gotham cater breakfast in Lake Geneva?

Yes. Our Lake Geneva shop caters from the same platter menu as our Chicago shops, which makes it an easy call for a wedding-weekend brunch, an office meeting, a team retreat or a houseful of guests.

• Sandwich Platter: nine sandwiches, wrapped and sliced in half. Serves 9.
• Bagel and Cream Cheese Platter: you pick three bagel and cream cheese combos and we make three of each. Serves 9.
• Bagel and deli platters: every one comes with a NY Dozen® and serves 13. The Riverside Park Platter brings a pound of lox, two 8 oz spreads, arugula, heirloom tomato, cucumber, red onion, capers and our pickles.
• Hot pans and coffee: half pans of scrambled eggs or bacon serve 12, and a Box of Coffee serves 10.

The rule of thumb is one bagel or one sandwich per person. Our how much should I order guide does the math for your headcount, and the full platter lineup is on our catering page. You can schedule catering online up to 60 days ahead with no call required; for big orders, order at least a day ahead so we can bake for you. Have a specific request? Our catering specialists are at lakegeneva@gothambagels.com.

Why a New York bagel in Wisconsin?

Gotham started in Madison in 2006, when a New Yorker couldn’t find a real bagel in the Midwest and decided to make his own. We’re still local and family-owned, and we still do it the slow way: every bagel is rolled by hand, boiled in a kettle and baked in a deck oven, never steamed, never machine-rolled. That’s where the chewy crust and dense, tender middle come from.

Ready for breakfast by the lake?

Stop by 300 Wrigley Dr. any day from 7 am to 2 pm, or order ahead online and we’ll have it ready. Planning a crowd? Start with the catering guide and schedule it whenever suits you. Coffee’s on.