Unlike food for thought, food for mouths can be ingested without worrying about whatever crash diet your brain has itself on this week. Keep your noodle slender with today’s Groupon: for $3, you get $6 worth of bagels, breakfast, grilled goodies, and more at Once Upon a Bagel in Highland Park or Once Upon a Grill in Northbrook. Once Upon a Bagel and Once Upon a Grill spin yarns of eggs, sandwiches, soups, and other down-to-earth eats with an emphasis on health-conscious cuisine. Visitors to Once Upon a Bagel can peruse the menu of tempting tooth targets before bagging a bagel or bialy with cream cheese, tomato, and onion ($2.25) or powering up for afternoon poetry slams with a skirt-steak sandwich ($7.95). Once Upon a Grill’s similarly stocked menu helps extend the reach of high-grade gastrostuffs to even more empty-bellied grill-seekers.

Reviews

Yelpers give Once Upon a Bagel a 4.5-star average and give Once Upon a Grill a solid average of four stars. Seven TripAdvisors give Once Upon a Bagel an average of four owl eyes, and three Citysearchers give it an average of 4.5 stars.

• This is one of my favorite delis in the north shore area. They have the best sandwiches and soups. But if you come here you must try the cajun fries, they are to die for!!!! – Brad F., Yelp, Once Upon a Bagel
• Always easy. Always quick. Very consistent. Fair prices an good deli fare. One of my favorite spots for a quick breakfast. Bruce N., Yelp, Once Upon a Grille