Can you find a good bagel in Seattle? A New Yorker does a taste test
People have strong feelings about bagels. Just ask Carrine Fisher, native New Yorker, what makes a good bagel and the first thing she looks for is texture.
“A good bagel is definitely crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside, but not gummy.”
Fisher is particular about her bagels because they’re very much a part of her upbringing, having grown up in Brooklyn and New Jersey.
“I’ve spent a lot of time around bagel culture and my family is Jewish,” Fisher said. “Most family gatherings, at least at some point during the day, there would be bagels out and white fish and cream cheese.”
Fisher is not alone in her bagel reverence. Over the weekend, more than 200 die-hard bagel fans like her took part in Bagel Quest, a blind taste test to judge Seattle’s offerings.
Sarah Leviton started Bagel Quest in 2020 as a way to support local businesses and connect with friends during Covid lockdown. Word spread. Back then, 55 people signed up.
“It was a lot harder for us, because we actually went house to house and dropped them off,” Leviton said. “But we were able to see people from afar.”
Leviton grew up in a half-Jewish family in Massachusetts. She said she didn’t realize how much she took bagels for granted until she moved to Seattle, where, according to her, no good bagels could be found.
Lately, new contenders have arrived on Seattle’s food scene, hoping to win bagel critics over. But are they enough to satisfy the snobs?
I met Fisher at her Wallingford home. Her friend Isolde Raftery watched as Fisher arranged 13 bagel pieces on a board with their identifying numbers. Raftery is KUOW’s online managing editor and a bagel maker herself. She describes what makes a good chew in a bagel.
“You kind of need to wrestle with it, but it can’t be so tough that it’s like this aggressive, painful wrestling match. It needs to be sort of a gentle tussle with the bagel,” Raftery said.
Fisher agreed. She grabbed one of the pieces and squished it.
“It’s soft enough to be able to squeeze it but then it gets its form back,” she said.
With a tub of plain cream cheese on one side and notepad on the other, the tasting began.
Fisher took a bite, giving it a good chew. Her brows wrinkled, as she paused to reflect on the flavor.
“It has the right softness and crispiness, but yeah, it’s a little lacking in flavor. Although it feels like it was baked today,” Fisher said.
On to the next sample.
“I don’t think I like the exterior as much… it’s not as crunchy,” Fisher said.
“It’s also ever so slightly too sweet,” Raftery added.
“Hmmm, good point,” said Fisher.
After 13 bagel samples, Fisher and Raftery ranked the entries. By late afternoon, the voting results were in. Two of their top three choices made the cut; both are pop-ups: Hey Bagel and Bean’s Bagel.
Fisher said Seattle’s bagel journey has come a long way since she moved to Seattle.
“For the first 10 years, I didn’t eat bagels,” she said. “Then a bunch of great places started popping up… I think there’s a lot of transplants in Seattle so surely a lot of people brought their culture and their city’s style of bagel with them.”
And for exacting critics like Fisher, that gives hope for Seattle.
The Top Bagels for 2024, according to Bagel Quest results:
Hey Bagel is a pop-up by Andrew Rubenstein, of Rubenstein Bagels. Check the website for future pop-up dates (next one is March 5 at University Village; you can pre-order).
Also a pop-up. You can pre-order in bulk. Check their Instagram account for pop-up locations.
Wedgwood: 7001 35th Ave NE, Seattle
Portage Bay: 2919 Fuhrman Ave E, Seattle
Rachel's Bagels (Raftery's favorite)
Ballard: 5451 Leary Ave NW, Seattle
Not included in the top 5, but Fisher's favorite:
Old Salt Fish & Bagels
Fremont: 3621 Stone Way N, Seattle
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Ruby de Luna
Reporter
Ruby de Luna is a reporter with a focus on food and how it intersects with health, communities, and culture. She has also reported on health care, and immigrant communities.
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