*Disclaimer: I am not a bagel expert. I did live in the east coast for several years and traveled to New York all the time, but that DID NOT mean I know bagel better than anyone else. In fact, I start to appreciate a good bagel after I moved to Seattle. This crazy hunt for the best bagel in Seattle is done all by myself, so everything is based on my personal taste. If I talk shit about your favorite bagel shop, I am very sorry! *
Bagel is something I didn’t pay too much attention when I lived in DC. I like eating them, but never bother to find the best in town. Until I moved to Seattle and had a really really bad bagel one day, I realized not all bagels are created equal. Now I can’t take good bagels for granted. I decided to find the best bagel in Seattle, before jumping to the conclusion of Seattle is a bagel desert.
I did a bit of research and locked my options to the following 11 stores. Golden Wheat Bakery is unfortunately closed on the Sunday I went to, so I bought bagels from Blazing Bagels, Westman’s Bagel, Standard Bakery, Seattle Bagel Bakery, Eltana, Little Lago, Bagel Oasis, Grateful Bread, Einstein Bros and Three Girl’s Bakery on the same day. I used this chart and this worksheet as my guide to judge. I bought two kinds of bagels from each store – everything and cinnamon raisin, because these two are my favorites. Some stores do not offer cinnamon raisin, so I bought something else. I tasted all the bagels untoasted, without spreads, in their simplest form. Lastly, below are detailed breakdowns of each bagel. If you don’t have that much patience, click here to jump directly to the conclusion.
All right!!! Let’s dive into Seattle bagels.
Everything Bagel
Blazing Bagels
Appearance
Even dark color. Looks very big and fat in size. Generous topping to the sides. A decent size hole in the middle. Perfect round shape. 4.2 oz.
Texture
Pretty soft crust when touching. Bounces right back. Very soft and moist interior.
Taste
You can feel the chewiness right after the first bite. Very nice garlic flavor. Want to eat more. The crust is not hard or crispy but you can feel it’s there. After several bites, you start to feel the bagel sticks on your teeth so I think the inside is a little too wet, but after toasting it’s fine. The flavor is the best among all.
4/5
Westman’s Bagel
Appearance
Darker color but even. Very generous topping to the side. Nice shape with a standard size hole in the middle. A very bagel looking bagel. 4.15 oz.
Texture
The crust is very hard when touching. Bounces right back. The interior is not too soft nor too hard. Feels dense. Very even interior (no air bubbles).
Taste
You can hear the sound of the crust when you bite into it. The inside is soft and chewy without being too wet. I personally would love to taste a bit more garlic flavor. The flavor is a little bit bland. Nice chew.
4/5
Eltana
Appearance
The smallest among all the bagels as it’s a Montreal style bagel. A lot of sesame on the topping. Very uneven color. Topping on both sides. 3.30oz.
Texture
The crust feels hard. Bounces back slowly. Soft and moist interior. Very even and dense looking after cutting (no big air bubbles or anything).
Taste
First impression: very sesame-y and slightly sweet. Does not really feel the chewiness and crust, but definitely not soft and moist like a bread roll. I feel I’m eating a sesame bagel rather than everything and yes it’s too sweet.
3/5
Seattle Bagel Bakery
Appearance
Golden and even color. Standard size. A decent size visible hole. Topping is only on the top. The surface of the bagel looks very smooth. 4.15oz.
Texture
The crust touches great. Bounces right back. The interior is on the drier and denser side.
Taste
Initial taste: sweet? Not enough chewiness, a bit bread like especially when you get into the inner part closest to the hole. Cannot really feel the crust. Also, it sticks on your teeth.
3/5
Three Girl’s Bakery
Appearance
Paler than others. Probably the biggest among all. A small but visible hole in the middle. Does not look fresh? It’s not shiny at all! 4.35oz.
Texture
Bounce back slowly. Very hard crust. After cutting, inside has large air holes. Not soft nor moist.
Taste
Very very tough and stale. I really think it’s a second day (or even worse) bagel. No chewiness, no crust, the sesame on top does not taste fresh too. Totally sticks on your teeth. It’s also probably underbaked.
0/5
Standard Bakery
Appearance
No visible hole in the middle. Looks much higher than its peers. Topping all around the bagel, even on the back. Even color. Looks like it uses whole wheat flour? As the color inside looks darker than others. 3.75 oz.
Texture
Bounce right back. Not hard, not soft. Crispy crust when touching. Inside is soft and moist.
Taste
The chewiness is on point. I can see the bagel bounce back after my first bite. The contrast between outside crust and soft interior is very balanced. Flavor is good too. Although there’s cumin seed involved (which I don’t like), it’s such a small amount that I have to double check to see if it’s actually on the bagel. I was a bit worried because it totally does not look like a good bagel but it actually tastes very good.
4.5/5
Bagel Oasis
Appearance
Uneven color. Has marks of being boiling. It’s probably the one with the least amount of topping. Big hole in the middle. Size is on the bigger side. 4.30oz.
Texture
The crust is very hard on the darker part but okay on the lighter part. Again, uneven. Dense but soft interior.
Taste
The chewiness is there. Nice garlic flavor. The crust is nice and crispy. But after several bites, it starts to taste like a dinner roll. It tastes very much like grocery store bagels.
3.5/5
Grateful Bread
Appearance
Standard size. Golden and shining. A little bit uneven on color, and it does not have a perfect hole nor perfect shape. 5.1oz.
Texture
Bounces right back when touching. The crust is not too hard. Inside is less soft than others but still moist.
Taste
The chewiest one among all. A bit too sweet. Not enough garlic flavor. For some reason, I think it tastes really good but it just does not taste like a bagel. It could be a nice breadstick or dinner roll.
3/5
EINSTEIN BRO
Appearance
Looks bigger than most other bagels. A lot of everything bagel topping covered the entire bagel. It has cumin seeds in the everything seasoning. 3.65oz, bigger appearance while lighter on weight, which could mean less dense and more bread-like instead of the chewy bagel-like.
Texture
Bounce right back. The crust is a little hard when touched. After cutting, I can see a pretty wet and soft interior.
Taste
It’s the only bagel I had a hard time taking a bite because the outside is a bit too dry. There is little chewiness there but not much. I don’t like cumin seeds in everything bagel but it’s a personal preference. Taste exactly like a grocery store bought bagels.
3/5
Little Lago
(Salt and pepper)
Appearance
Looks gigantic. Probably double the size of Eltana. Rustic crust (not smooth) that you can tell it has been boiled. Maldon Salt on top. Big hole in the middle. Even golden color. 4.oz, which is interesting because of its humongous size.
Texture
Bounces back slowly. You can hear the crust breaking. Inside, it feels soft, moist and almost airy. Not sure if it will make the bagel less chewy.
Taste
First initial thought: great baguette! Then I realized I’m doing a bagel taste test. Well, it certainly does not taste like a bagel, but it does taste great. The crust is there and the bread is proofed and baked perfectly. It’s just unfortunate that we’re doing a bagel-off and it’s a bagel-shaped bread.
5/5 as bread, but 2/5 as being a bagel.
Cinnamon Raisin
Blazing Bagels
Appearance
The shiniest one among all. Nice and golden. Standard size, standard hole, and perfect shape. 4.05oz.
Texture
Bounces right back. The outside feels hard and dense when you push down the bagel. The interior feels dense and moist.
Taste
The first bite is amazing as the outside is chewy and inside is soft and moist. Then it went downhill as it stuck on your teeth, but keep in mind I’m eating an untoasted bagel. I think this problem will be solved after toasting. The cinnamon flavor is fantastic.
4/5
Westman’s Bagel
Appearance
Darker on the color. Matte. A bit rustic, not a standard bagel looking bagel. Size is normal. 4oz.
Texture
I can hear the crust breaking when pushing it. Bounces right back. The crust sounds crispy when touching. Have boiling mark on top. The interior does not feel soft. Not the moistest nor the driest.
Taste
I’m really confused if I’ve got the right bagel because I cannot taste the cinnamon flavor at all! I can’t find raisins either. Overall it’s a nice bagel with a crispy crust, soft and chewy (but less chewy than Standard Bakery). I think the filling tastes like chocolate rather than cinnamon? I let my mom eat one and she couldn’t identify the cinnamon either. After toasting, the bagel is too dry for me.
3/5
Eltana
Appearance
Small bagel with a big hole, again Montreal style bagel. Pretty decent shine on top. A bit uneven on the shape. 2.7oz.
Texture
The crust feels very hard. Bounces back slowly. Inside is on the drier end.
Taste
Chewy, sweet, cinnamon-y. A little on the softer side but I like it. You can still tell the crust is still there even with its soft interior. Great flavor.
4/5
Seattle Bagel Bakery
Appearance
The darkest among all. Nice shine on top, perfect round shape and a decent hole in the middle. 3.9oz.
Texture
It feels very soft when touching. Bounces back slowly. Inside, it’s soft and wet. Cannot feel the chewiness.
Taste
There is some unpleasant taste about it (taste like baking soda). A bit rubbery and it sticks on your teeth. The flavor is not good either. You can tell the cinnamon they’re using might not be the best quality.
3/5
Little Lago
(Parmesan Cheese)
Appearance
Giant bagel with perfect shape & hole. Not much shine but hey it’s a cheese bagel. 4.25oz.
Texture
Bounce right back. The crust feels crispy. Inside, it’s soft and moist.
Taste
The parmesan tastes great, but again it tastes like a focaccia or baguette. I would love to eat more of this as a side of dinner or a base for morning breakfast sandwich. Sadly, it’s just not a bagel.
5/5 as bread, 2/5 as a bagel.
Standard Bakery
(Plain)
Appearance
Taller and fatter looking. A perfect round shape with a perfect small hole inside. Golden and shiny. 3.90oz.
Texture
Bounce right back. You can hear the crust cracking when pushing. Just by pushing and touching it, I can already tell it should be a good bagel. The interior (and the bottom) feels soft and moist.
Taste
Very chewy and soft. It is a plain bagel but you can taste the quality of the flour. I somehow doubt if they’ve added whole wheat flour because of the nuttiness I tasted. The crust, the interior bread part, the bottom all come together nicely. It is what a good bagel should taste like.
5/5
Bagel Oasis
Appearance
A bit rough looking. There’s some shine but not very obvious. Not the best shape. Pretty big hole. Uneven color. 4.75oz.
Texture
Probably the hardest crust. I am not sure if they used egg wash because the darker part is harder. Bounces right back. As it’s uneven in shape, inside the smaller side feels drier and less soft while the bigger side feels soft and moist.
Taste
Very crispy crust. A bit hard actually. The flavor is okay. Could have more cinnamon flavor and I didn’t come across any raisin among my first 5 bites. It’s pretty chewy texture-wise.
3.5/5
Grateful Bread
Appearance
Very uneven color. Looks like there are some air bubbles on top of the bagel and they got burnt. Irregular shape. A big hole in the middle. After cutting, looks like the bottom is underbaked. 4.85oz.
Texture
Bounces right back. The crust does not feel chewy. Rather, it feels rubbery. The interior feels dense and tough.
Taste
I think this bagel is massively underbaked. The inside is still a bit raw so certainly there is no chewiness involved. Flavor is pretty good though.
2/5
Einstein Bro
Appearance
Darker on the color. Not much shine and the surface is not smooth. A little irregular in shape. Size is on the bigger side. 4.25oz.
Texture
Bounces back. The crust is rubbery rather than chewy. It feels pretty soft. The interior does not feel very moist.
Taste
Good chew. Inside is a little too dry but overall the texture and flavor are not bad. Taste like the Trader Joe’s Cinnamon Raisin Bagel I usually get (don’t get me wrong, I actually think that one is better than many ones I tasted today)
3.5/5
Conclusion
Is Seattle the best city for bagels? Absolutely not. Is it as bad as angry ex-eastcoasters’ complaints online? Maybe not either. You might not have as many good options, but it could be so much worse. So, based on the limited options we have in Seattle, here is a sum up list:
Best bagel in Seattle – Standard Bakery. The texture, the taste and everything else is spot on. It’s a small bakery so they only have 3 bagel flavors, but they recently committed to selling bagels every day (except Mondays & Tuesdays when they’re closed).
A more approachable and still decent choice- Blazing Bagels. The flavor of both bagels I tried is great, but it’s a bit too wet inside. This problem can be easily solved by toasting the bagels (most people toast bagels anyways, for this post’s sake I didn’t toast any). They have 3 locations and sell their bagels in several grocery stores too. Much more approachable than Standard Bakery.
A more approachable and still decent choice- Blazing Bagels. The flavor of both bagels I tried is great, but it’s a bit too wet inside. This problem can be easily solved by toasting the bagels (most people toast bagels anyways, for this post’s sake I didn’t toast any). They have 3 locations and sell their bagels in several grocery stores too. Much more approachable than Standard Bakery.
Most unfortunate – Little Lago. I don’t want to say anything bad about this friendly neighborhood place and both “bagels” I got here taste great, as bread. I will for sure come back to get more because they taste amazing. Unfortunately, they’re just not bagels.
Hot in town, but not my favorite – Westman’s Bagel. I have been to Westman’s several times before. For some reason, I just don’t love their bagels as much as I hope so. There aren’t major problems with their bagels, but nothing special to me either. To be honest, if they’re not the “HOT & NEW” bagel shop in town, I probably wouldn’t visit so many times.
A different experience – Eltana. Eltana is the only bagel shop doing Montreal style bagels. I like the added sweetness from boiling honey water as long as it’s a sweet bagel. However, if it’s a savory bagel like an everything bagel, it feels a little too sweet.
Okay choices, might not necessarily go back – Bagel Oasis.
That’s about everything I want to say about bagels and I probably won’t eat another bagel for a while. I have to admit it’s one of the hardest posts I’ve ever written. Keep in mind I’m a one person team. All the results are based on my taste and can be biased. Hopefully, I did a fair job and didn’t offend/hurt any local businesses that I genuinely want them to success. I’m gonna start to experiment different bagel recipes and make my own at home very soon, so stay tuned for future bagel recipe reports!
I completely agree, after a couple of years back East, only Standard Bakery’s bagels reach that level locally.
Yasss!!!! I only wish I live closer to them:(
You missed the best!!!!! Rubinstein Bagels are hands down Seattle’s best bagel!!
When I did the Great Seattle Bagel-Off they’re not opened yet:( But I’ve tried theirs now and they’re great!