By the time we arrived at 158 Pickett Street Café in South Portland, only about a dozen bagels were left in the shop at noontime. The big Sunday bagel brigade at 158 was winding down just as it had at  their neighbor and one-partner, Scratch Baking.

the charming cafe bake shop at 158

Still this establishment is basically a restaurant/café as well as a bake shop where you can sit down for breakfast eggs and bagels or lunchtime fare.

The scruffy outdoor seating area

The kitchen is also fairly slow, and our order of salmon bagel took nearly 30 minutes to arrive.  But it was well worth it: Spread on a lightly toasted bagel was cream cheese, layered with slices of smoked salmon and red onion and joined with capers, pickled cucumbers, dill and snipped chives.  Now that’s what I would call the ultimate bagel sandwich.

The ultimate breakfast/brunch bagel

158 Pickett Street Cafe and Bake shop, 158 Pickett St., South Portland, 207-799-8998