For three decades, Mitch Shidlofsky has been providing South Florida with delicious bagels, pastrami, egg plates, nova, matzoh ball soup, and more. Shidlofsky still has his original Weston shop, but in 2019, he decided to open an eatery that was a little more elevated. He signed a lease in Fort Lauderdale’s Flagler Village to open Mitch’s Downtown Bagel Cafe-– a restaurant that melds classic New York deli food with modern vibes.
Then, some interesting things happened. A pandemic hit and his successful son, Adam Shidlofsky, decided to come home to Florida from New York City. “At the time I was doing well as a CPA, but I didn’t love it. When I moved home, my dad was opening a restaurant in a young, professional neighborhood. I saw an opportunity to get into the business by helping him utilize tech and social media.” At first, Mitch was hesitant, but then he challenged the younger man. “My dad said if I really wanted to do this, I needed to go make bagels at 4 a.m., so that’s what I did. I was baking bagels on the weekends and working my CPA job during the week. That lasted for about a year until I quit my day job before we opened the store in 2021.” The work paid off. The Fort Lauderdale restaurant was so successful, the father and son team opened a second location in Hallandale in 2024.
Now, Mitch’s Downtown is preparing to grow further by opening two more restaurants in 2026. A Coral Springs location (3334 N. University Drive) is on track to open spring 2026, with the Coral Gables spot (271 Alhambra Circle) opening later in the year.
Both restaurants have a special place in the family’s heart, says Adam. “Coral Springs is where I grew up, so it’s a homecoming for us. And this is our first Miami-Dade location. I’ve been itching to open in Miami. And we’re doing it with that Coral Gables spot.”
Both restaurants will serve the foods Mitch’s Downtown is loved for: knishes, latkes, French toast bites, egg platters, and (of course) bagels. Says Adam of their bagels: “Our bagels are airy on the inside and crispy on the inside. We like a nice crust, with seeds on the top and bottom of the bagel.”
Adam says that Mitch’s Downtown is about food and family. “When you come here, you walk into a family business. We want yo try to bring the food and the vibe of New York. We want to be part of your neighborhood. We treat you like it’s a blessing for us that you walked through those doors.”
