Just as in the Oscar-nominated film from directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, bagels seem to be everywhere all at once lately. This might not be news in New York, where bagels first made their stateside appearance in the late 19th century, but here in L.A., where transplants never fail to criticize us for taking creative liberties with their signature foods (looking at you, New York-style pizza), one can’t help noticing a new crop of bagel bakers across the city.
And while you’re bound to find East Coast-style boiled bagels and even Montreal-inspired wood-fired options, you’ll also run into hybrids that borrow from these techniques and more, topped with Santa Barbara-sourced smoked salmon or seasonal farmers market fruit and vegetables. You’ll even meet bagel makers bold enough to claim their style as West Coast, one that’s still being defined as the scene boils over. Here are 14 L.A. bagel shops, from longtime classics to brand-new entrants, that we can’t get enough of.
