Notes on Seattle's Great Bagel Awakening
A Love Letter to Rising Dough and Rising Expectations
Note: Seattle's bagel scene has expanded faster than proofing dough this year. Each month brings new openings, pop-ups graduating to brick-and-mortar locations, and established spots adding outposts across the city. This is a story about how a city develops its food traditions—and how sometimes, the best cultural shifts announce themselves through papered windows and hand-drawn mascots.
On Finding Your Place
There are certain moments when a city tells you you've made the right choice. For me, it was a May morning, exhausted from moving trucks and box-lifting, when Keenan and I first spotted the opaque windows of our new neighbor-to-be. Through the fog of fatigue, we made out the words "Backyard Bagel (coming Summer 2024)" and both let out spontaneous cheers. After years of watching Seattle's bagel scene evolve from a distance, we'd somehow managed to move directly next to its newest chapter.
The Early Years: A Tale of Two Cities
My bagel standards were set decades ago in Ithaca, NY, where Sunday mornings meant navigating snow-covered streets for still-warm bagels. Through years of city-hopping—from Atlanta to LA, from Charlotte to Kansas City, across the Bay Area, with a brief return to New York that only reinforced those original standards—I carried those bagel memories like a measuring stick, a possibly unhealthy obsession that turned every new city's most promising bagel spot into a hopeful disappointment.
When I first landed in Seattle, I initially joined the chorus of transplants lamenting the local bagel scene. It was a reflexive response, almost a rite of passage—complain about the bagels, grumble about the coffee being too dark-roasted, and wonder if you'd ever find that perfect chewy-to-crust ratio again. But then, something shifted.
Those early pandemic mornings at Old Salt taught me my first lesson about Seattle bagels: this city had stopped apologizing for not being New York and started crafting something unique. Meanwhile, Blazing Bagels showed me another truth: sometimes the straightforward, unfussy option hits better than any artisanal creation. Their Redmond location, tucked away near Marymoor Park, became a regular stop—families and their dogs gathering at outdoor tables before park adventures, learning that "low-brow" wasn't an insult but a different kind of comfort.
The Great Bagel Trot That Wasn’t
Let’s rewind to June 2023. What began as an optimistic seven-mile charity walk through Seattle's bagel landscape turned into an unexpectedly revealing journey through the city's then-limited options. Four of us set out full of hope, our matching yellow "Bagel Trotters" t-shirts marking us as part of this carb-loaded pilgrimage.
What followed instead was 30,000 steps of gradual carb-fueled disillusionment. Grand Central Bakery offered passable bagels that left our taste buds wanting more, while Portage Bay's empty cases stood as silent testimony to the perils of poor timing in the cutthroat world of breakfast breads. By the time we reached Westman's to find just one lonely bagel option remaining, we'd developed a deep appreciation for comfortable walking shoes and a growing skepticism about Seattle's bagel readiness.
The trek ended at Zylberschtein's, where we finally found decent bagels, though the triumph felt hollow after such a long journey. As we nursed our tired feet and contemplated the day's meager bagel haul, the state of Seattle's bagel scene seemed grim indeed. That Summer morning, when the city's bagel shortage felt most acute, marked an unexpected turning point. In the following Spring, that very scene would transform so dramatically that such a bagel desert would become unthinkable. By the time we moved to Fremont a year later, we'd find ourselves in the middle of a full-blown bagel renaissance.
A New Chapter
In the months since that educational Bagel Trot journey, Seattle's bagel scene has expanded with remarkable speed. Now here we were in May 2024, standing in front of our future neighbor's papered windows. Too impatient to wait for their storefront to open, we tracked down Backyard’s original pop up at the Ballard Farmers Market, where Aaron himself handed over bagels fresh from their test kitchen. That first taste, plain bagels with a schmear of cream cheese eaten on a market bench, proved why his modest cart had earned its permanent home.
The city's bagel evolution seems to accelerate monthly. Rachel's has grown from its Ballard origins to a new Lake City location, while TOASTED. brings Middle Eastern influences to the U District. Hey Bagel generates instant sellouts at their pop-ups in Kenmore and Snoqualmie—where Andrew Rubinstein’s return to experimental bagel-making after selling his namesake chain feels like watching an artist rediscover their passion for smaller canvases.
Even established players are evolving in unexpected ways. On Stone Way, Sea Wolf now offers Oxbow bagels alongside their artisanal breads, mere steps from Old Salt's fresh offerings. What could have been competition has instead become another sign of Seattle's growing bagel appetite.
Mapping Seattle's Bagel Geography
Trying to navigate Seattle's current bagel landscape requires something of a field guide. Mt. Bagel maintains its status as the city's most elusive breakfast like the Bigfoot of bagels—often discussed, rarely seen, but always captivating. Their perfectly chewy creations are available only to those who can solve the puzzle of early morning bread drops and online ordering systems. For night owls like me, they remain more urban legend than breakfast option, though the stories of their excellence from bright-eyed early risers grow more tantalizing with each missed opportunity.
Old Salt has trained a loyal following to brave the Fremont Bridge's unpredictable schedule—a feat that proves Seattleites will plan their entire morning commute around good food, especially when said food involves house-cured lox and hand-sliced red onions. Rachel's, meanwhile, has elevated the humble bagel sandwich into something that makes waiting in Seattle rain actually feel reasonable—possibly the highest praise any local food can receive, ranking just above 'worth crossing the 520 bridge during rush hour for.
The old guard holds their own in this artisanal revolution. Blazing Bagels continues serving communities from Redmond to SoDo with the kind of reliability that makes regulars feel like family. Each neighborhood now boasts its own bagel personality: Ballard oscillates between Rachel's creative experimentation and farmers market finds, while Fremont—already home to a Soviet statue, a rocket, and a chocolate factory—has somehow added 'unexpected bagel district' to its charmingly chaotic resume, proving that even Seattle's self-proclaimed Center of the Universe needs a good breakfast.
Rolling Forward
My morning dog walks now follow a predictable pattern: rounding the corner two blocks from home to find the line of twenty-somethings clutching phones and travel mugs outside Backyard Bagel, their early-morning dedication making me question my own life choices. The impossible-to-resist bagel aroma leads to the inevitable 'just one bagel' temptation that somehow turns into two sandwiches and an extra bagel for my equally bagel-obsessed pup at home. In my defense, the dog now recognizes the sound of their paper bags rustling from two blocks away and does that hopeful head tilt that would break stronger wills than mine.
Walking past on weekend mornings, watching the mix of hungover college students and serious bagel enthusiasts comparing notes in line, I can't help but marvel at how quickly Seattle has embraced its bagel revolution. Farmers market stands graduate to storefronts, former skeptics become evangelists, and even the most dedicated New York bagel purists (myself included) find ourselves planning weekend routes around bread schedules. Just last year's disappointing Bagel Trot feels like ancient history—though I still occasionally wear that yellow "Bagel Trotters" shirt to bed, a comfortable reminder of how far we've come.
The morning fog is lifting over Fremont as I write this, and my bagel ambitions keep growing. Mt. Bagel's early morning bread drops taunt my night owl tendencies, and Hey Bagel's pop-ups keep testing my willingness to drive across lake bridges on weekends. Two blocks to Backyard suddenly feels like nothing when you're mapping cross-city bagel pilgrimages. Though maybe I should actually tackle the two-block journey first—my dog is doing that head tilt again.
Finding home in Seattle's rising dough,
Susie
Places mentioned
🥯 Backyard Bagels
Find them at: @backyardbagel • backyardbagel.co • 4310 Fremont Ave N, Seattle, WA
tl;dr: Fremont's newest bagel outpost, offering artisanal creations that have graduated from farmers market favorite to neighborhood mainstay.
Insider tip: Follow their Instagram for updates on seasonal specials and limited-time offerings. Their "PB&J" bagel with peanut butter and seasonal jam is a hidden gem.
🥯 Old Salt Fish and Bagel
Find them at: @oldsaltseattle_ • oldsaltseattle.com • 3621 Stone Way N, Seattle, WA
tl;dr: Fremont mainstay known for their lox preparation and quintessential Seattle bagel experience.
Insider tip: For a true taste of Old Salt's magic, ask for extra lox schmear on your bagel. It's a surcharge, but worth every penny. Their biscuit sandwiches, available on weekends, are a delightful non-bagel option, but often sell out by 10am on weekends.
🥯 Blazing Bagels
Find them at: @blazingbagels • blazingbagels.com • various locations
tl;dr: Seattle's reliable, no-frills bagel chain offering classic flavors and sandwich options across the city.
Insider tip: The Redmond location near Marymoor Park is worth the drive—more parking, shorter lines, and covered outdoor seating with heaters. Don't leave without a bag of their garlic parmesan 'rocket chipz'—a hidden menu MVP that regulars hoard. For a sweet twist, try their French toast bagel with honey walnut cream cheese. Just don't tell your dentist.
🥯 Rachel's Bagels & Burritos
Find them at: @rachels.bagels.and.burritos • rachelsbagels.com • various locations
tl;dr: Seattle's creative bagel experimenters, known for unique flavor combinations and vegan options.
Insider tip: Rachel's "bagelrito" (yes, that's a bagel-burrito hybrid) is the ultimate portable breakfast. Pro move: add avocado and their house-made hot sauce for an extra kick. Lake City location typically has shorter lines than Ballard. Order ahead online and pick up at the side window to skip the queue entirely.
🥯 TOASTED.
Find them at: @toasted.seattle • toastedseattle.com • 4756 15th Ave NE
tl;dr: New U District spot offering Middle Eastern-inspired bagels and spreads, bringing fresh flavors to Seattle's bagel scene.
Insider tip: Their za'atar bagel pairs perfectly with the house-made labne. Best non-peak hours are weekdays after 2pm.
🥯 Hey Bagel
Find them at: @heybagel_wa • heybagel.net • 4609 NE University Village St, Seattle, WA (coming soon)
tl;dr: Pop-ups featuring experimental bagels from Rubinstein's founder, permanent location coming Fall 2024.
Insider tip: Join their mailing list for updates on opening dates and special promotions leading up to the launch. Follow their Instagram closely—pop-up locations are announced just days before and typically sell out within hours.
🥯 Oxbow Bagels at Sea Wolf Bakers
Find them at: @seawolfbakers • seawolfbakers.com • 3617 Stone Way N, Seattle, WA
tl;dr: Artisan bakery collaborating with Oxbow to bring their Oregon-born bagels to Seattle.
Insider tip: Try their "everything" bagel with Oxbow's cultured cream cheese for a tangy, savory combination.
🥯 Mt. Bagel
Find them at: @mt_bagel • mtbagel.com • 801 26th Ave E, Seattle, WA
tl;dr: Seattle's legendary bagel-maker whose perfectly chewy creations inspire early-morning quests and online ordering races.
Insider tip: Their "Everything 2.0" bagel features a unique blend of seasoning that takes the classic everything bagel to new heights. Orders open Thursdays at noon for weekend pickup. Set an alarm—they usually sell out within minutes.