Is there a better breakfast food than bagels? Chewy yet crunchy, the humble bagel is incredibly versatile. The dough itself can be baked plain or with cinnamon raisins, poppy seeds or just about everything. From there, it’s a journey of cream cheeses, schmears and other toppings.
Our city offers some truly wonderful bagel spots that could give even the best New York deli a run for its money. Whatever you’re looking for, these bagels can not be missed.
See also: San Francisco's Best Breakfast Sandwiches To Start Your Day With
View this post on Instagram
151 Townsend St / (415) 543-0900 / Website
Located in effortless proximity to Oracle Park and the Mission Rock waterfront, this cornerstone has been an integral part of the SoMa community since Since 1976 for their high-quality Bagelwiches, Bagel omelets, and classic Bagel Dogs. With a wide variety of flavors and combinations, we recommend sampling their Mediterranean Bagel Omelet, their Hot Pastrami Bagelwich, or any of their fresh bakery items while out strolling by the scenic water.
View this post on Instagram
3170 College Ave., Berkeley / (510) 858-5189 / Website
Alright, so Boichik is technically based in Berkeley, but this spot is far and wide regarded as the best darn bagel spot in the region, the state, and just about the whole country, according to the New York Times. Emily Winston was born and raised in New Jersey, and her family adored NYC's H&H Bagels. When the shop went out of business in 2011, Winston began a five-year journey to perfect a recipe as close to her memories as possible. The result is chewy yet crunchy bagel so delicious, customers don’t mind waiting in line. You can also grab Boichik’s bagels at local grocery stores to recreate the magic at home, but if you haven’t had them fresh, don’t miss your chance.
View this post on Instagram
235 Cortland Ave / (415) 939-7367 / Website
While this local favorite currently lacks a brick and mortar location, Chicken Dog Bagels are worth going on the hunt. As of press time, it’s popping up at Avedano’s Meats in Bernal Heights, and it’s serving fresh hand-rolled and naturally-leavened bagels with organic cream cheese, sustainable fish and homemade jams Saturdays until they sell out. You can place an order ahead of time on Friday, but check the official Instagram for the latest news.
View this post on Instagram
728 Vallejo St / Website
A recent addition to the deliciously authentic North Beach neighborhood, Dago Bagel emerged from a racially contentious interaction the founder Tony Gemignani had, which sparked him to combat such hatred with his resilient love for cooking and his community. Dago Bagel is carefully handmade, greatly affordable, and is undyingly devoted to uplifting positivity and solidarity in North Beach, as profits from each bagel sold goes directly to supporting the SF Italian Athletic Club Foundation to preserve the area's cultural identity.
View this post on Instagram
2535 3rd St / (415) 852-3535 / Website
At the intersection of community and flavor, you’ll find Dogpatch favorite Daily Driver. Part barley, part creamery and part roastery, Daily Driver the bagels here are hand-rolled and wood-fired, creating a unique bagel experience that’s unlike anything you can grab in New York or Montreal. Bagels are dressed with the company's own home-made and organic butter and cream cheese. It’s a small batch outfit that’s ready to feed you fresh-made goods the old fashioned way, each and every day.
View this post on Instagram
3033 MacArthur Blvd, Oakland / (510) 465-1110 / Website
Just as the name implies, this bagel beacon is, in fact, grand. Located within the Food Mill, not only does this no-frills bakery excel at bagels, but they also craft the best quality kosher pastries like their famous challah and hamentashen. Definitely be sure to indulge in their stuffed box sets with lox and the creamiest schmears, available for home delivery so that you don't even have to leave the house.
View this post on Instagram
Hella Bagels is a delivery service launched out founder Blake Hunter's home that has since been a highly coveted hit in his Oakland community. Immediately selling out in his first days, his notable creations are generously sized and come with exclusively inventive schmear flavors that can only be ordered for delivery or found at Berkeley's Hidden Cafe.
View this post on Instagram
3872 24th St / (415) 647-3334 / Website
Recognizeable by its iconic blue exterior, this is a beloved casual shop in the heart of Noe Valley's bustling 24th Street. The service is fast, friendly, and will have you walking out of their sunny storefront with the freshest and chewiest bagels.
View this post on Instagram
5030 Geary Blvd / (415) 752-6000 / Website
Serving New York-style bagels to San Francisco since 1962, House of Bagels on Geary Boulevard has become a neighborhood institution. Everything is baked fresh daily, from bagels to challahs, ryes, cookies and the latest addition: cragels—a mix between a croissant and a bagel. Order a classic bagel with schmear or Nutella, cream cheese and jam, peanut butter and jelly, and more options; or fill up on a bagel sandwich from egg and oven roast turkey, to a tuna melt, a classic Reuben and more.
View this post on Instagram
646 Irving St / (415) 463-6186 / Website
Midnite Bagel is a Sunset District favorite that uniquely specializes in carefully crafting sourdough bagels that are naturally fermented and made from stone-milled flour sourced from the Pacific Northwest, leading to a distinct tang and texture. The flavors, spreads, and desserts offered with their ingenious creations are just as creative, with the most popular bagels being their Buckwheat-Black Sesame, Bialy with onions, as well as their Everything Cookie, and roasted Jalapeno Spread.
View this post on Instagram
3933 24th St / (415) 643-9634 / Website
Another daily bagel spot, Noe Bagel offers customers top-tier schmears from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. seven days a week. Putting its neighborhood right in its name, this fan favorite offers a variety of bagel sandwiches. We recommend the egg, cheese and sausage bagel breakfast; or the lox trim and cream cheese sandwich which reimagines the classic with tomato, cucumber, red onion, sprouts and pickle. You may also order schmears to go in plain, lite or flavored varieties.
View this post on Instagram
1263 Fell St / Website
It might have a silly name, but there's nothing funny about these bagels. The name is actually a portmanteau of the owner-founders last names, being Zack Schwab and James Lok. Schlok’s started as a pop-up, but it’s getting its own brick-and-mortar in NoPa, so you can grab fresh, hand-rolled bagels to go or delicious in-house schmears, lox and more any time you want. Customers can’t stop raving about these bagels, so be sure to check out the permanent location in January of 2022.
View this post on Instagram
2320 Lombard St / (415) 579-5950 / Website
More than just a bagel spot, this family owned-and-operated cafe serves all the coffee house favorites, including Ritual brand blends. We're here to talk about one thing and one thing only, and the breakfast bagel sandwich here comes with bacon, thinly-sliced avocado, egg and cheddar cheese on an everything bagel. That's the self-proclaimed specialty, but you can also get a smoked salmon bagel; a turkey, egg and cheese bagel; an assortment of bagels to go and more.
View this post on Instagram
2049 Irving St / (415) 731-1323 / Website
Open every day of the week from 4 a.m. to 5 p.m., good old Uncle Benny has served delicious, home-made bagels and pastries to hungry Bay area residents since 2009. Donuts are front and center at this store, but the bagels are nothing to skip. The pesto bagel and salmon with cream cheese bagel are popular options if you're craving something savory and filling. The BLT with avocado on the everything bagel is another delicious bite that can’t lose.
View this post on Instagram
Various Locations / Website
With locations all around the city and the Bay Area at large, Wise Son's is serving home-made bagels and breads with all the love of a family-owned business—because that's what it is! This place takes a lot of pride in its hand-picked ingredients, promising that the beef brisket is never administered hormones or antibiotics, and that its pastrami is smoked for nearly seven hours with hickory wood.
Try the lumberjack bagel sandwich with pastrami, Swiss cheese, eggs and maple syrup on a cinnamon raisin bagel or a breading of your choice; or the veggie de-luxe with veggie schmear, salted cucumber, red onion, hippie greens and capers. Orders are available for pick-up and delivery, and they also serves soups, salads, sides and desserts.
Perhaps the west coast may be the new bagel capital thanks to these San Franciso winners!
See also: 10 Local SF Bay Area Coffee Roasters To Know
Photography by: Courtesy of Ozgur Coskun/Getty Images
