Five of the best BARTable bagels in the Bay Area

Photo courtesy of Beauty's Bagel Shop. 

New York, eat your heart out: We think the Bay Area is home to arguably some of the best bagels in the country (and critics agree!). We say “arguably” because when it comes to those circular balls of dough, folks simply love to debate.

Whether you like your bagel dense or doughy, topped with lox or plain ol’ cream cheese, there’s one thing we can all agree on: Bagels are deeply, deeply delicious.

We’ve rounded up our favorite local bagel shops – all accessible by BART – below. Keep reading.

Photo courtesy of Boichik Bagels. 

Boichik Bagels

In less than a decade, Boichik Bagels has become many East Bay residents’ go-to spot for piping hot, fresh-out-of-the-oven bagels. You’ll find all the classics here – sesame, egg, poppy – but also some treats not often seen on the West Coast, including pumpernickel and salt bagels. The shop also sells everything you might need to make a superior bagel sandwich: lox, sable, whitefish salad, and flavored cream cheese, of course.

Photo courtesy of Nick’s Pizza.

Nick’s Pizza

Bagels from a pizza place? You better believe it. And the bagels at Nick’s Pizza are exceptional. Come in the morning for a freshly baked bagel or pastry, then stop by in the evening for Chef Nick Yapor-Cox’s incredibly pizzas with sumptuous sourdough crusts.

Photo courtesy of Daily Driver.

Daily Driver

Daily Driver aims to “create new bagel experiences” for those who visit its Ferry Building and Dogpatch outposts in San Francisco. The bagels are hand-rolled and wood-fired, a unique cooking process that results in crunchy-on-the-outside, chewy-on-the-inside bagels.

Photo courtesy of Beauty's Bagel Shop. 

Beauty’s Bagel Shop

Beauty’s kettle-boiled bagels are made with locally milled flour and cold fermented dough. Chewy, dense, and doughy, these bagels provide the perfect surface for the shmear of your choice. And Beauty’s doesn’t just sell bagels – the shop also makes a mean pastrami Reuben and matzo ball soup. Pro tip: get some latkes (potato pancakes) on the side.  

Photo courtesy of Wise Sons.

Wise Sons

Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen started as a humble restaurant on San Francisco’s 24th Street. It has since expanded to 11 locations and farmers markets, including a storefront in Tokyo. The longtime Jewish eatery is known for its bagels, but it also serves classic and creative Reubens, chicken schnitzel, smoked trout salad, and potato latkes.

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