Bethesda Bagels

The always busy Bethesda Bagels, located in the heart of Downtown Bethesda as well as Wildwood, is the perfect place to enjoy a delicious bagel. Although there is no seating inside the shop, their amazing food makes up for it. Their spreads, toppings and sandwiches are top-tier, but what sets them apart is the high-quality of their actual bagels. The chewy, light inside combined with a firm crust and excellent flavors throughout left a strong impression. My personal favorite item on the menu was an everything bagel with cream cheese, which costs $3.60, and I definitely recommend not toasting the bagel to preserve most of the original flavor.

Call Your Mother

This so-called “Jew-ish” deli has locations in Bethesda, Pike and Rose and Washington, D.C. The festive ambiance of the food truck with ample seating makes it COVID-19-safe and a fun place to visit. The mouth-watering appearance of the bagels and the array of bagel options, such as the za’atar bagel, make Call Your Mother Deli a personal favorite. However, this deli really shines through with its sandwiches, which are colorful and taste amazing. I ordered “The Royal Palm” which came with cream cheese, lox, cucumbers, tomatoes, capers and onions all on an everything bagel. The freshness of these ingredients mixed with the quality of the bagel added to the enjoyable experience. The sandwiches are pricey and cost around $10.

Georgetown Bagelry

Georgetown Bagelry, located in Chevy Chase, Maryland, offers a relatively cheap and extensive menu with many creative choices, such as a kosher hotdog wrapped in bagel dough. However, that is about all they have going for them. I felt that this restaurant lacked the necessities of a good bagel shop, as their bagels had poor textures and there was a serious lack of flavor in their everything bagel. Additionally, the toppings on the sandwiches were not as fresh as the ones from the other shops. While the menu has potential, I would prefer any of the other places on this list. 

Bullfrog Bagels

Similar to Call Your Mother, one of the locations of this Washington, D.C. chain is a food truck, allowing for a nice outdoor experience. Their bagel sandwiches, such as “House-Smoked Salmon Sandwich,” were delicious and certainly cheaper than Call Your Mother, but while the toppings in the bagel were top-notch, the individual bagels lacked flavor. While my overall experience was positive, I was disappointed that when I came early on a Sunday they were already out of every flavor bagel except for salt. 

Goldberg’s Bagels

Goldberg’s New York Bagels is a great place to pick up your favorite bagel with a convenient location across the street from the Upper School campus. Many of the bagels here have good chewy insides, but the bagels with seeds are a bit bland. Additionally, the extensive menu with toppings including eggs, veggies and lox provide an option for everybody, and the hot egg and cheese bagel sandwich is definitely a winner for me. The prices are very reasonable, as the regular bagel with cream cheese costs around $4, and the sandwiches cost around $7.