Yes, it was part of a big chain, and yes, it might not top many “best of” lists, but the closing of Bruegger’s Bagels in Ballston last month took another Arlington establishment that made bagels fresh and in-house off the board.
One within walking distance of the ARLnow offices, at that.
The closure also got us thinking: which local spot has the best bagels?
Clearly bagel loyalties run deep, and with hot competition now just over the Arlington border — the Call Your Mother trailer at the Chesterbrook Shopping Center in McLean had a large line on Mother’s Day this past weekend — it’s time to do a heat check on Arlington’s local spots.
Which of the following places has your undying bagel love? Feel free to let us know in the comments if we’ve missed an option.
Photo by Ryan DaRin on Unsplash
A new Bethesda Bagels location opened its doors yesterday (Nov. 6) across from the Rosslyn Metro station.
Located at 1851 N. Moore Street, this is the first location in Arlington for Bethesda Bagels, which has two shops in D.C. to go along with the original in Bethesda, Md., founded in 1982.
About 15 customers showed up for the store’s 6:30 a.m. opening, and “long lines” formed throughout the rainy morning, Danny Fleishman, president of Bethesda Bagels, told ARLnow.
Sandwiched between Nando’s and McDonald’s, Bethesda Bagels offers passersby a glimpse into the bagel-making process with a storefront window near the kitchen. Fleishman said he plans to put a counter by the window for seating.
The menu centers around its two dozen varieties of handmade, New York-style bagels. The shop offers an all-day breakfast menu of egg sandwiches and smoked fish sandwiches and “lunch goodies” including pizza bagels and “bagel dogs.”
For first-time customers, Fleishman recommends the egg sandwiches or the smoked salmon sandwich, which uses smoked fish from Ivy City Smokehouse in D.C.
“Everything we do is homemade and true New York-deli style and is delicious,” he said.
(Updated 3 p.m.) Bethesda Bagels seems to be moving closer to opening its new Rosslyn location.
A sign on the exterior of the storefront at Central Place (1800 N. Lynn Street) indicates that the location is now hiring. The company is looking for a variety of new staff members, including bagel rollers and dough makers, who will mix dough from scratch and hand roll bagels during the day, according to the sign.
The posting also lists a bagel baker position for a night shift.
Owners of Bethesda Bagels previously told ARLnow they were aiming for an August opening. Danny Fleishman, president of Bethesda Bagels, said he currently looking at sometime between Oct. 10-18 for an opening, though that may be subject to change.
The regional chain currently operates stores in both Bethesda and D.C., in Dupont Circle.
Shooting for early October. Fingers crossed!
— Bethesda Bagels (@bethesdabagels) September 17, 2018
Bethesda Bagels is aiming to open a new location later in the year at Rosslyn’s Central Place.
Danny Fleishman, one of the bagel chain’s owners, told ARLnow that they intend to open in five or six months, pending permitting, but are “shooting for August.” The shop will be adjacent to the recently opened Nando’s Peri Peri.
The bagel shop has been around since 1982, and currently has two D.C. locations and one in their namesake town of Bethesda, Md. Closing hours vary among the locations, but all of the current locations open at 6:30 a.m. Monday-Saturday.
At least 25 handmade, New-York style bagel flavors are on offer, from orange cranberry to pumpernickel to more traditional selections like plain and everything bagels.
Bagel schmears include peanut butter and jelly, honey butter, cinnamon butter, and many varieties of cream cheese from blueberry and strawberry to olive and roasted red pepper.
The chain also offers a number of sandwiches and special items, like bagel bites stuffed with hot dogs.
There appears to be one local survivor of a rash of Bruegger’s Bagels closures across the area: its Ballston location.
Almost all of Bruegger’s cafes in the D.C. region closed recently, including in nearby Alexandria. It is a move that could be in part because of the company’s acquisition by Caribou Coffee in August.
On its website, Caribou notes that there will be “Bruegger’s Co-Locations,” which will “bring you the best bagels and coffee, under one roof.”
In Ballston, however, Bruegger’s Bagels is still going strong as a stand-alone business at 818 N. Quincy Street. An employee said this morning that it would be staying open, despite the closures elsewhere.
https://www.twitter.com/texgeo/status/939908547038588928
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Photo courtesy James Mahony
Manhattan Bagel, which has served bagels, coffee and sandwiches to Ballston for more than a decade, will close its doors after this weekend.
The small shop at 4201 Wilson Blvd remained a bustle of activity this morning, when the family who owns the franchise told ARLnow.com that they had “lost the lease” and were closing for good.
According to emails from customers, the bagel shop’s business has continued to thrive despite Dunkin Donuts opening up in the same building, two storefronts over, last summer.
The shop’s last day will be Sunday, April 26. The closest Manhattan Bagel franchise is in Vienna.
Einstein Bros. Bagels is officially opening its first store in the area tomorrow. To celebrate, it’s giving away free bagels for a year to some lucky visitors.
The restaurant will be located in the Crystal Gateway Marriott (1700 Jefferson Davis Hwy) and will open to the public at 6:00 a.m.
“We are excited to present Einstein Bros. Bagels to the Crystal City neighborhood,” said Crystal Gateway Marriott General Manager Sharon Lockwood in a press release. “With over 2,000 guests walking through our lobby each day, we are proud to provide them with a quick and convenient meal.”
The first 100 people in line when the restaurant opens tomorrow will receive coupons for one free breakfast sandwich each week for one year. To be eligible, customers must be at least 18 years old and have a valid photo ID. The coupons are valid only at the new Crystal Gateway location.
