Posts Tagged ‘breakfast’

Best Bagels in Washington, DC area?

Posted: March 8, 2025 in Breads and Treats
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As I noted in an earlier FB post, in a sorta do-over, the Washington Post decided to revisit its previous rankings of top bagel places in the Washington DC area. The paper previously ranked Pearls as the number 1 bagel shop. Wow. So it seemed right for them to revisit their clearly erroneous decision after the entire world complained. They said “we overlooked some of the best bagels in town.” So sad. What were they doing?

Anyway they did the do-over and, no surprise, Pearls dropped from number 1 to number 3. First place went to Brooklyn Bagels and second place went to Baked by Yael. Where’s my personal fav Bethesda? Not even in their top 5. Im looking for something sharp to stick in my eye right now.

I visited Baked by Yael, Pearls, Bagel Uprising, Brooklyn, and Bethesda Bagels. Of all of these places, this is the only one I brought home:

It’s not that the rest of the places were bad, just not as good as Bethesda. Anyway, my first stop was Pearls.


Pearls is a cute place and the staff are super friendly. If you can grab one of the few tables, great place for coffee. The bagels are ok, just ok, really designed for a bagel sandwich. That means they are mostly soft and pillowy. There is no discernible difference between Pearls and Bagel Uprising – bagels made for sandwiches. This is not a bagel shop for purists or bagel snobs. The everything bagel was good but the plain bagel was the best.

Baked by Yael was not what I expected. This place really is a bakery, not a bagel shop. Their cakepops looked yummy, but I passed. Ditto the panda toys.

The bagels were flavorful but a bit salty. I did like the flavor. The bagels were underproofed. The everything was overly coated in poppy. This should be illegal:

The bagels came oddly wrapped in tin foil and not cut in half but there it is. I thought all bagel places knew how to use bakery paper and cut a bagel in half. You can see these bagels are underproofed by these pics:

Overall the flavor was elevated, blisters and corn meal only on the bottom, discernible skin with a crunch I liked, but underproofing made them quite dense. I wouldn’t go out of my way for these and I’m a bit confused why the Post thinks they belong in the top 5.

Brooklyn Bagels was respectable enough. The bagels are large but not overly so. There was a thin skin but really no crunch. The flavor just …. neutral, nothing to write home or blog about lol. The toppings don’t really help because they are quite stingy. Here’s the everything bagel:

Here is the Onion bagel (with lox, capers, tomato and red onion):

I do agree with the Post that Brooklyn Bagels is better than Pearls and certainly better than Baked by Yael, but Brooklyn Bagels is absolutely not the best bagel in the DC area. That honor goes to Bethesda Bagels.

This is what a bagel shop should be. Proud display of a wide variety of bagels, stacks of flour bags on the floor and a massive boiling kettle of water with steam making the place feel like a rain forest.

How can you possibly get better than that? The bagels are flavorful, with a crunch skin on the outside, but soft enough on the inside with a nice balance of density and chewiness. Toppings top and bottom are generous. I do think their bagels are too large and they sell a mini bagel that’s too small, but I can deal with that problem.

Chattanooga, Tennessee Bagels?

Posted: November 14, 2024 in Uncategorized
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I’m always intrigued if I get a rare chance to visit a town or city I’ve never been to. This week I had my first chance to visit Chattanooga, Tennessee. It’s a delightful spot on earth with friendly people and the Tennessee River quietly meandering through on its way to the Gulf makes it sublime.

Of course, the first order of business is to scout out the local bagel shops. Well … not many to speak of in the traditional sense and you can be sure I visited all candidates. But in an act of desperation I went to a bakery on my list and …. I surprisingly found a gem!

Niedlov’s Cafe and Bakery is not a Bagel Shop per se, but they do make their own bagels that I found surprising and delicious. But first, to the bakery part. Because it’s not a bagel shop, the bagels are relegated to a few baskets in the corner display.

Needless to say, my expectations were very low.

But in the same case was this delectable creation:

A lemon “cruffin” to-die-for, stuffed with a handmade lemon curd and the whole buttery creation melted in my hands and mouth and made quite the mess on the table and my lap and oh.my.goodness. I’d eat this every single day and each one should be a mandatory birthday present.

Sigh. OK, back to bagels. As usual I ordered one of everything, straight-up, not toasted, plain cream cheese. Disappointingly, this is how they served my bagels:

Sliced horizontally only with a little tub of cream cheese?! I tried not to be insulted, a took a deep breath, silently wondering why they couldn’t give me my schmear and slice it in half and wrap it up in bakery paper like it should be and all that, but I let it go. It’s fine. They did give me a knife. Oddly they questioned me several times whether I wanted it toasted (what?) with my response only a question (the bagels are fresh, right?), but I let that go, too. It is Chattanooga I explained to myself. But, my expectations were in the Tennessee River and headed for the Gulf.

The plain bagel was blistered, the color wasn’t right, and the crumb looked a little over proofed:

But the smell was right there, the skin had a nice thin crunch, and the chewiness was what the world looks for. The taste was amazingly complex, I didn’t detect weird sweeteners or heavy malt (clearly not, look at the color). It was chewy and moist, not dense. The size was just right. Not too big or small. I truly enjoyed this plain bagel! Well done!

But the star of the show was this everything bagel:

What sort of God’s creation is this? Generous seasoning both top and bottom. Your traditional everything seasoning but .. oh my, the aroma says there is something else! I was confused, perhaps my eyesight is worse than I thought. I closely scrutinized, trying to separate out the poppy, sesame, onion flake …. What’s that? I’m not sure but I will give my guess: fennel. Only a small amount. It doesn’t belong here for sure. My brain went into auto reset mode. If my lovely wife was here she’d know for sure. What in the hell is this? The smell however told my brain to STFU and try it. It permeated my senses. My mouth was watering. The aroma was overpowering. What wizardry is going on here?

The same thin crunch on the skin, the same chewiness and moisture. All the same as the plain. But the seasoning. At first I didn’t like it. My brain said throw it out and walk away. But I couldn’t. That fennel addition made me question everything I’ve ever known. It made me stop and appreciate differences. We shouldn’t just accept Brooklyn as the standard. Let’s open the mind for new takes, new twists.

I found something in Chattanooga that has fundamentally changed everything I know about bagels. Chattanooga. God is great, bagels are good, and people are crazy. No one visits Chattanooga but if you’re lucky enough to do so, don’t miss Niedlov’s for the best bagel … and bakery … in town.


Absolute Bagels, New York City

Posted: October 12, 2024 in Uncategorized
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Rumored to be one of the best bagel shops in the world. VERY overrated.

I tried one of each: plain, onion and everything, with plain cream cheese not toasted of course.

The size was just right, the seasonings only ok. The everything bagel a bit over handed on the poppy.

Each seemed underbaked. Fairly light in the hand. A little fluffy. The skin barely discernible, but nice nooks and creases to hold seasonings.

The bite proves the skin was completely unsatisfying – the crunchiness was non-existent. The bite and pull was underwhelming. More like a warm soft pretzel than a real bagel. is this one of those bagels made for sandwiches?

The smell and taste slightly … sour, like baking soda was used in the water instead of malt syrup, as God intended.

They tasted like I was eating pancake batter…

Skip the long line and the long ride to the Upper West Side. Overrated bagel shop now crossed off my list of can’t-go-wrong NYC bagel shops.

Weirddoughs Bagels

Posted: July 19, 2024 in Breads and Treats, Uncategorized
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Warrenton, Virginia

A relatively new bagel shop opened in Warrenton, Virginia!  There is nothing weird about Weirddoughs Bagels and they have now taken over my list as the top bagel shop in our tri-county area (Culpepper, Fauquier and Rappahannock Counties) with an overall rating of 8.4, a well-earned rating that, but for a few minor criticisms, could have been a solid 8.6.

Having moved out of their previous digs on the other side of town (that was very unattractive and inhospitable so I refused to go), they now occupy an adorable little shop on Culpeper Street.  The venue is well-done with both indoor and outdoor seating and is certainly a great place to hang out for a bagel and coffee in the morning.

They make traditional “New York style” bagels, clearly hand-rolled, properly risen, boiled and baked fresh each morning.  As typical, I arrived mid-morning and ordered one each of their everything, onion, asiago and plain bagels, not toasted, with plain cream cheese.

There was a longer-than-expected wait for the bagels in the modestly busy shop but I didn’t let that bug me.  The friendly staff brought it out from the back and politely handed me my order.  The bagels were unusually wrapped in a large wrapping but, once opened, demonstrated a properly cut bagel with a generous smear.  All is as it should be.

The color and texture were sublime, with a nice malty yeasty yummy aroma that spiked my taste buds and expectations even before my first bite.  The bagels are a respectable size – neither too small nor large.

The seasonings on the onion and everything bagels were a bit stingy, but nicely included on both sides of the bagels.

The onion bagel:

The cheese on the asiago on the other hand was generous and even melted through the discernible hole to pool on the bottom in a good way.  

The plain bagel had nice color and texture.

Each of the bagels were properly dense as should be expected.  The thin crunchy skin on the outside was in good shape and not too thin.  The favor profile was superb, with a nice tang.  Their processes are not readily observable because the kitchen is buried behind walls (sadly there was no steaming kettle of water visible) but I venture to guess these bagels begin life with a starter sponge, are made with good high-quality high-gluten flour (14%) and diastatic malt syrup, are hand rolled and allowed to rise in a cool long environment before boiling in water alkalized with baking soda. 

There was a nice pull to the bite – not overly tough. The crumb was slightly dense and moist, indicating to me that they were either under-baked (by about 1 minute) or not allowed to rise sufficiently.  Bagels should be baked at a proper 500ºF for approx. 7 minutes, then rotated and finished at 450 ºF for another 7 to 8 minutes. For the rise, the float test should always be used prior to going all-in.

Overall I truly enjoyed these bagels and am very happy Warrenton has a new shop to celebrate.  I will certainly return and encourage everyone to give them a visit!

Bagels for Sandwiches?

Posted: July 13, 2024 in Breads and Treats, Uncategorized
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I’m astounded by the number of bagel shops that produce a product so far off the standard.  These bagels are more akin to rolls.  I recently surveyed some bagel shops in Ohio and found a uniform consistency of terrible.  Tasteless, no texture, light and airy, and utterly unremarkable.


There is only one bagel shop in Ohio that is rumored to make a competent bagel (Nubeigel) but, alas, it was closed for a Jewish holiday when I got there (a common problem I’ve run into – I need to closely track Jewish holidays before making bagel runs!)

I’ve come to realize that many of these bagel shops are not in the business of selling bagels – they are selling sandwiches.  I get the economics but I won’t allow that as an excuse.  So, I looked into this idea of making a bagel that is more preferable for sandwiches.  If you’ve ever taken a truly classic “NY style” bagel, sliced it and loaded up your sandwich, it doesn’t really go well.  The density and chewiness can really make the eating difficult, and the contents of your sandwich end up unceremoniously in your lap.

One of my favorite companies, King Arthur Baking Company, has to my great consternation published a recipe for bagels better suited to sandwiches.  I’m starting to question the company’s sanity.  Their idea of “Ultimate Sandwich Bagels” makes a few adjustments, such as using standard bread flower to reduce chewiness (less gluten).  The company tries to keep the flavor profile by using a starter (always correct) as well as malt syrup in both the water and the dough (adds too much sweetness in my opinion – use the powder in the dough instead).  They also unconventionally recommend an egg wash to help the toppings stick (there is no need for this at all – the bagel is steaming hot with wet starchy water when you pull it out of the pot – basically Elmer’s glue).

This whole terrible idea only compounds the common problems I find in so-called bagel shops across the country.  Inferior ingredients (crappy flour, malt distribution) and improper techniques (quick rises to save time or worse, poking a hole through a ball of dough instead of rolling it up correctly, or make it today to sell tomorrow) make for bad bagels.  Other shops think they are different and unique in a good way by adding unconventional flours and techniques, but it doesn’t make it good, it only makes them look incompetent.  

I did enjoy a wood-fired bagel out of Portland, Maine a couple weeks ago that was very well done. Forage creates a good bagel in a unique way but using high quality ingredients and traditional craftsmanship. I highly recommend!

Closer to home, I’ve already covered Walker Bakeshop in Sperryville, Virginia, which I highly recommend and scored their bagels an 8.2 out of 10 (the owners were reportedly unhappy with my rating). Just down the street is a cool cafe-style restaurant called Off the Grid in Sperryville, Virginia. They make their own bagels as well and some excellent bagel sandwiches. Overall I found their bagel well done. Good texture and crumb. Great aroma. The everything seasoning was generously applied but mostly sesame – both toasted and straight – and poppy (I couldn’t detect anything else). Not bad at all and I’ll give it a 7.8 out of 10.

If you’re headed this way, be sure to stop there for lunch and check out some of the other cool shops in town.

Next week a relatively new bagel shop is opening in Warrenton, Virginia, called Weirddoughs Bagels. I promised the owner I’d visit and do a review and I’m hoping they don’t dislike me afterwards. The name of the shop has me a bit apprehensive and skeptical – what’s “weird” about their dough? Oh please don’t be unconventional and unique in a bad way!

Bagels in … Texas?

Posted: May 11, 2024 in Uncategorized
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Well, landed in one of my favorite states and decided to see if any transplants here in the Dallas Fort Worth area know how to make a bagel.

First stop, Boil & Bake in Flower Mound. Eh, the sign just says “Bagels” so who knows. A competent effort with good crumb, love the chewiness, and a generous portion of lightly whipped cream cheese. Those good qualities don’t make up for the lack of character in the flavor, but overall a good bagel. The place is not one to hang out in, just a grab and go. I’ll give it a 6 out of 10.

Second stop, Starship Bagel in Lewisville. It’s what you should see when you walk into a bagel shop. A large steaming kettle of water in the back open kitchen. Stacks of flour and salt bags on the floor. A timer in the wall ticking slowly by. Onion bagel with cream cheese. Generous seasonings slightly over baked but not in a bad way. Odd open faced presentation but readily corrected. Good chew and crumb. Flavor profile elevated a bit. This is competent, well done. I’d give it a 6.5 out of 10.

Ok Uber Eats delivery from Shug’s Bagels. A highly rated and recommended shop. This is a good bagel. Nice size (not too big or small), freshly baked (still warm when they got to me) and the aroma is to die for. Garlic with plain. Nice flavor profile, good color from the malt, nice crumb and texture. I’ll give it a 7 out of 10 and call it fair. Will try 2 other places tomorrow, but for now Shug’s is the place to go in Dallas, Texas. Lenore’s is highly rated but they are a secret bagel place and I don’t have the password to get a bagel delivered to me this week – so no review of them this trip.

Bagels in …. Virginia?

Posted: May 11, 2024 in Uncategorized
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Bagel Heaven. After a few years of visiting nearly every bagel shop in Virginia, DC and Maryland, I’ve finally found a local bagel that I call good. I no longer have to have expensive deliveries from NYC.

Now bagels are a personal thing, of course. Trusted reviewers I’ve followed have led me down the primrose path to utterly awful bagels they called the best. I actually discarded 2 dozen bagels I brought home from Norfolk as complete garbage.

Some reviewers like a bagel shop because they make great bagel sandwiches. That’s not my test. The chance I give to every bagel shop is an un-toasted, freshly hand made, plain or onion bagel with cream cheese. If you want to get all fancy and stuff you can indulge in a chive cream cheese. Nothing more.

From there I want to see color, texture, chewiness, crumb, smell and, of course, taste.

So the winner is …. Bethesda Bagels. This family-owned local business has been in our area for the past 40 years yet until this week I haven’t visited any of their now 5 locations since I arrived in this area in 1995.

Following my usual practice, I dropped in mid morning at the convenient Arlington location. I ordered a plain bagel with cream cheese and I sat on the stool by the window and carefully unwrapped my prize. It was very good. I have had a better bagel from various great spots in Connecticut, New York, and Jersey, but not by much. This as good as it gets in our area and I’m so thankful I can finally end my search for a good local bagel shop.

So, I ordered a dozen to go from the very friendly staff there. Cost me about $2 each, well worth every penny. Got those babies home and prepared most for the freezer only to see that they gave me a few extra bagels on top of the dozen I paid for. I can’t wait to make the trip to Arlington again as soon as this batch runs low and the passenger seat is available for my friends of course.

BTW, the Virginia-based runner up is Bodo’s Bagels in Charlottesville. The place is extremely popular for a good reason and the cool family-friendly vibe helps their bagel taste better somehow. I’d probably add a bit more malt syrup as well as some diastatic malt powder, hand roll them a little larger with an overnight cool rise to make them better but I think their huge popularity probably forces them to skip some of those steps and costs. But you should give them a try.