Hand-Rolled Bagels Get Boiled Before Baking At These 7 Washington Bagel Shops
A good bagel goes swimming before it ever touches an oven. That quick dip in boiling water sets the outer skin, so the bagel bakes up glossy and chewy instead of soft and puffy like a dinner roll.
Bagel bakers have done it this way for generations.
Plenty of bakeries skip the pot and use steam instead. I understand why, since it saves time.
Still, true bagel fans can spot the shortcut in one bite, and they are rarely quiet about it.
Across Washington, a few dedicated shops still roll their dough by hand and drop each ring into the water. One opens only three mornings a week.
Another sells out nearly every day. A third took its name from a joke about New York City.
I love that this old craft is thriving from the Olympic Peninsula to the Eastside. So which pot-to-oven bagel is closest to your kitchen table?
1. Atomic Bagels
Port Angeles bagel lovers get exactly three mornings a week to make their move. Atomic Bagels opens Friday through Sunday, from 8 AM until 1 PM, and then the ovens rest.
That short window makes the trip feel like a small weekend event. Plan your Olympic Peninsula Saturday around it, and you won’t be sorry.
The bagels here start as sourdough, which gives the dough a gentle tang. Each one gets rolled by hand before it heads into the pot.
Yes, they’re boiled the New York way. That step is what builds the chewy bite and the glossy crust a bagel fan hopes for.
Fresh sourdough bagels had been missing from Port Angeles for a while. Their return to downtown has been a happy bit of local news.
Next comes the fun part, the schmear. Cream cheese spreads rotate here, so the flavor on the counter may change from one visit to the next.
Grab a coffee to go with it. The shop keeps things laid-back, built for a quick stop rather than a long sit-down brunch.
Takeout works great if you’re headed toward Olympic National Park or the waterfront. A bagel in a paper bag makes fine trail fuel, after all.
Parking is free, with both a lot and street spots nearby. That leaves more of your morning for chewing, which is the whole point.
Address: 121 1/2 W 1st St, Port Angeles, WA 98362
2. Good Bagels Cafe
Anacortes is famous as the ferry gateway to the San Juan Islands. Smart travelers know the bagel stop on Commercial Avenue matters just as much.
Good Bagels Cafe does the whole job under one roof. Dough gets mixed with premium local flour, then hand-rolled, carefully boiled, topped, and baked.
That’s a lot of steps for one ring of bread. The effort shows up in the chew.
Breakfast sandwiches are a big draw here. Think thick-cut bacon and eggs stacked inside a fresh bagel, with good strong coffee on the side.
Feeding a group? The Bagel & Lox Box makes a tidy option for a family picnic or an island-bound crew.
Your four-legged sidekick can come too, since dogs are allowed inside. Free Wi-Fi helps if you need to check a ferry schedule.
Doors open at 7 AM and close at 2 PM, seven days a week. Sunday mornings get the busiest, so go early if lines aren’t your thing.
Thursday and Friday afternoons tend to be calmer. That’s a nice tip for anyone who likes elbow room with breakfast.
Delivery and pickup are options too. Still, a bagel this fresh deserves to be eaten close to the oven.
Address: 2001 Commercial Ave, Anacortes, WA 98221
3. Howdy Bagel
Howdy, partner, and please get here early. This Tacoma bakery sells out of bagels nearly every day.
The name is pure friendliness, and so is the room. Dedicated owners filled the space with hand-picked decor that gives it plenty of personality.
Behind the counter, bagels get rolled by hand and boiled before baking. Many come out fresh and still warm when they reach your plate.
For anyone raised on East Coast bagels, that combo can be hard to find. Steamed shortcuts don’t fool picky eaters, and this kitchen skips them.
Sandwiches are hearty here. The Sausage Egg and Cheese and the Bacon Egg and Cheese cover the classic breakfast route nicely.
Prefer something lighter? The Avo Boast is a vegetarian pick, and lox fillings come with a balanced, flavorful touch.
Plain bagels with cream cheese are on the menu too. Sometimes the simplest order shows off the texture best.
Hours run Wednesday through Saturday, 8 AM to 3 PM. Fridays and Saturdays get the most traffic, and a line often forms.
The wait leads to a pretty good reward, though. Just remember that once the trays are empty, they’re empty.
Free street parking sits along South Tacoma Way. Swing by midweek if you want the best shot at a full bagel case.
Address: 5421 S Tacoma Way, Tacoma, WA 98409
4. Rubinstein Bagels South Lake Union
A fireplace in a bagel shop sounds like a dream for a drizzly Seattle morning. The South Lake Union location has one, and it sets a chic, relaxed mood.
The bagels earn the attention, though. They’re hand-rolled throughout the day using locally sourced ingredients.
The brand leans on organic, high-protein flour from Eastern Washington. A sourdough culture and a long ferment give the dough its gentle tang.
Next, each batch gets kettle boiled and baked on a stone hearth. The result balances crunch and chew in a way steamed bagels can’t match.
Thick schmear is part of the deal here. Nobody wants a bagel that looks like it got a light dusting of cream cheese.
Lox fans have choices. Go for the Open Face Lox or the Lox Platter if you want the full smoked salmon spread.
Plant-based eaters aren’t left out. The Bagel & Schmear Box comes in a vegan version, and so does the Avocado Toast.
Want something heartier? The Sausage Egg & Cheese handles that job, and espresso keeps your morning moving.
Hours run 7 AM to 2 PM daily, which makes weekend brunch easy. It’s a handy stop before a stroll through downtown.
Street parking includes free and paid spots. Delivery and takeout work too, if your couch is calling.
Address: 2121 6th Ave, Seattle, WA 98121
5. Rubinstein Bagels
Redmond is famous for tech campuses, but its bagel game deserves a mention too. On Cleveland Street, Rubinstein brings its hand-rolled formula to the Eastside.
The room is spacious with an industrial feel. Better yet, you can see a park from inside, which beats staring at a parking lot.
The bagels follow the same playbook as the Seattle shops. That means hand-rolling, a kettle boil, and a bake that leaves them chewy.
The style is pure New York. Eastside transplants from the East Coast may recognize that familiar pull when they bite down.
Signature sandwiches give you plenty of reasons to come back. Add a good cup of coffee, and breakfast is handled.
Keeping it classic? The Bagel & Schmear Box is a smart pick for sharing with coworkers or family.
Saturday mornings bring the biggest crowd. Weekday mornings run quieter, which is great news if you work remotely nearby.
Hours stay steady at 7 AM to 2 PM, seven days a week. That consistency makes it easy to work into a weekend errand run.
Free street parking is available. Delivery and takeout are options too, though a park view is hard to pack in a bag.
Friendly service and an easygoing atmosphere suit a slow morning. It’s a calm spot to linger over a second bagel.
Address: 16050 Cleveland St Unit 130, Redmond, WA 98052
6. Rubinstein Bagels Eastlake
Weekday warriors, this one is for you. The Eastlake shop opens Monday through Friday only, from 7 AM to 2 PM.
That schedule fits the neighborhood’s commuter rhythm nicely. Grab breakfast on the way in, or sneak out for an early lunch.
The bagels here are hand-rolled and slow-fermented. Like their sibling shops, they take a kettle boil before baking.
Slow fermentation gives the dough time to build flavor. The boil then locks in that chewy, glossy finish.
Rubinstein describes its style as unapologetically Northwest. Bold schmears carry that attitude right onto the bagel.
House pickles show up on the menu too. A crunchy pickle next to a bagel sandwich is a surprisingly perfect pairing.
The lineup is dynamic for a bagel shop. Sandwiches lean craveable, so choosing just one could take a minute.
Service moves quickly, which matters on a busy weekday. You won’t miss your meeting over a breakfast order.
Free street parking helps if you drive in. Delivery and takeout are available for anyone stuck at a desk.
Eastlake sits close to Lake Union, so a short stroll afterward is easy. Pack a bagel and enjoy the water on your break.
Weekend visitors aren’t out of luck, though. The South Lake Union and Redmond shops pick up the slack on Saturdays and Sundays.
Address: 1150 Eastlake Ave E, Seattle, WA 98109
7. 6th Borough Bagels
New York City has five boroughs, so the name of this Olympia shop is a cheeky promotion. 6th Borough Bagels claims a spot in the Big Apple family from Washington’s capital.
The bagels back up the joke. They’re hand-made in true NYC style, boiled first and baked second.
That sets this shop apart in Olympia. It’s known as the only hand-made, boiled bagel in town.
Expect the chewy bite that New Yorkers brag about. Your jaw gets a little workout, which is exactly how it should be.
The shop calls its approach artisanal, and the craft backs it up. Pair your bagel with coffee and enjoy a slower morning.
Washington has plenty of bagel options these days. Few can boast a name this bold, though.
Timing matters here. The shop is closed Mondays, open 7:30 AM to 2 PM Tuesday through Friday, and 8 AM to 2 PM on weekends.
Saturday and Sunday mornings draw the biggest crowds. Tuesday through Thursday tends to be much calmer.
Parking is simple, with a free lot and free street spots. Harrison Avenue is easy to reach from downtown Olympia and the west side.
Dine in if you have time, or take a bag home. Delivery is another option for lazy Sunday plans.
It makes a fun stop on a day trip to the Capitol Campus. A bagel break between sightseeing and the waterfront sounds about right.
Address: 1617 Harrison Ave NW, Olympia, WA 98502