Modern Bagels. Elevated Café Culture.
New York Roots.
Crafted with intention. Rooted in design. Built for the world.
Our Beginning
Formerly known as NYC BAGEL Sarajevo, LE.SAL + CO. started as a simple idea: to bring the clean, elevated café culture we fell in love with in New York to the rest of the world.
Founded by two creatives with roots in New York and a home in Sarajevo, we set out to create a space that feels modern yet warm, a café that blends urban energy with quiet confidence.
What began as NYC BAGEL became LE.SAL + CO. - a brand shaped by thoughtful design, intentional baking, and the belief that everyday rituals should feel special.
LE.SAL + CO. has been featured in regional and international media.
Our Philosophy
Made simple. Made well.
We believe good things bring people together.
Great food, excellent coffee, thoughtful design, and genuine human connection.
Simple pleasures that make everyday life a little better.
We believe in doing the simple things exceptionally well. From our five-ingredient,
slow-fermented bagels to the atmosphere we create and the people we welcome.
Because how you make someone feel matters just as much as what you serve.
Our Craft
New York–style bagels are our foundation but we reinterpret them through a contemporary lens.
Boiled. Baked. Better.
Slow-fermented dough. Five simple ingredients. Zero additives. A modern take on classic New York craft. Freshly baked. Perfectly dense. Balanced in flavor. Paired with specialty coffee and a menu that highlights comfort with a touch of sophistication.
Food that feels familiar. Spaces that feel inspiring.
Meet the Founders
A Brooklyn beginning. A Sarajevo success story. Two creatives blending craft, culture, and community to build something meaningful.
LE.SAL + CO. is more than a café - it’s a story of flavor, creativity, and culture.
Founded by Meli and David, a dynamic couple with roots in both New York City and Bosnia & Herzegovina, the brand began with a simple idea: bring the real New York bagel experience to places that never knew they needed it.
Meli, an award-winning designer and art director, and David, a born-and-raised New Yorker whose family has been part of the bagel tradition for decades (his great-great-grandfather ran a bagel shop in Borough Park, Brooklyn), combined their talents to build a café that feels like home, wherever you are.
Their first location opened in Sarajevo in 2023. A city unfamiliar with bagels quickly fell in love with the craft, the clean flavors, and the modern, minimal aesthetic reminiscent of a stylish Brooklyn brunch spot. LE.SAL + CO. became a gathering point for travelers, creatives, families, locals, and entrepreneurs — united by a shared appreciation for something thoughtful, fresh, and different.
We are a clean-label brand. Our bagels are made fresh every morning using only five simple ingredients - no additives, no preservatives, and no added sugar. Ever.
Every coffee is prepared with care. And every decision is guided by a commitment to community, consistency, and intention.
This is not fast food.
This is modern café culture — crafted with soul.
With a concept built on real customer love and a growing community, Meli and David are now inviting others to join their journey.
Their vision: a global network of LE.SAL + CO. cafés that stay true to the original recipe - one part tradition, one part design, all heart.
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