Tilly Bagel's Perfect Bite

Have you ever heard of a Chicago style bagel? Thanks to Tilly Bagel, now you have — and they might just rival New York’s bagel crown.

In this episode of The Perfect Bite Podcast, host Sarah Perkins sits down with founders Hannah Tillet-Banaszak (pastry chef alum of Top Chef Stephanie Izard's Girl & The Goat and Michelin-starred BOKA) and Mike Banaszak (acclaimed architect turned entrepreneur) to talk about how they turned a pandemic project into one of Chicago’s most buzzed-about food businesses.

Hannah & Mike share:

• How Hannah’s culinary career at Chicago’s top restaurants shaped Tilly Bagel
• The leap from farmer’s markets and bike deliveries to a sold-out South Loop storefront
• What makes a “Chicago-style bagel” different from New York’s
• The challenges of scaling from a side hustle to a growing team of 20+
• Why employee benefits, pay equity, and hospitality culture are core to their mission
• How they prepared to open their second shop in Fulton Market in 2025

This is a story of entrepreneurship, innovation, and love for food — and how a couple with very different career paths built something uniquely Chicago.

Learn more about why Tilly Bagel became such a viral hit after their early days at the farmer’s market and how to sustainably grow a business in this space! 

You can visit Tilly Bagel in Chicago, Illinois in the South Loop and Fulton Market neighborhoods. Beat the rush by ordering ahead online!

You can follow Tilly Bagel on social media @tillybagel. 

Want to watch the entire episode? Head here to our YouTube! 

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You can follow us on social media @perfectbitepod and visit our site www.theperfectbitepod.com.

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