Bagels to Make the Big Apple Proud

By Emily Heil
Special to The Washington Post
Sunday, January 28, 2007

New York transplants gripe incessantly about Washington's culinary inferiorities. They say there's no decent Chinese food, the pizza lacks pizazz and the coffee's just awful. And where, oh where, are the good bagels?

It's true that chains and supermarkets dominate the D.C. area's bagel options. But if you do some exploring, you'll find plenty of mom-and-pop shops dishing up tasty hole-in-the-middle goods.

And just what makes a bagel good? Bread guru Mark Furstenberg, founder of local foodie temples Breadline and Marvelous Market, says well-made bagels should have a slightly sweet exterior from the malt syrup used in the water they're boiled in and heavy but soft insides. How do you know you're biting into a great bagel? "First, your teeth break through the crust," he says. "Then you get to a pliable, doughy interior. It's that contrast that's so pleasing."

In and around the capital city, you'll discover bagels made in-house, often from cherished recipes. It might be enough to make even the most skeptical New York nosher admit that the cross street of her new favorite bagel shop isn't Broadway.

Here are eight places where the bagels are fresh -- and homegrown.

Bagels and Baguettes

Isn't it funny how cops always seem to know where the good breakfasts are? Follow members of the U.S. Capitol Police from their headquarters just a few steps away to this high-carb haven. The narrow space makes the always-packed eatery a bit chaotic. But the bagels are worth it, with their manageable size and satisfyingly chewy centers.

Bagels are 77 cents; $7.50 for a baker's dozen. 236 Massachusetts Ave. NE, 202-544-1141.

Bagel City Explosion

Mirrored walls, light-up menu boards and chrome chairs jazz up this strip-mall spot, which has been serving bagels for 30 years. Regulars include families celebrating after soccer games and moms looking to fuel up between errands.

Manager Anna Alvarado says that the bagel recipes have stayed the same over the decades but that today's customers are more curious about ingredients. "People are really health-conscious now, and they want to know they're eating a healthy product," she says. "There's no fat, and the ingredients are all natural -- just like it's always been." Real health nuts opt for the "power bagel," made with seven grains, carrots and honey.

Bagels are 70 cents; 14 for $6.95. 12119 Rockville Pike, Rockville, 301-231-8080.

Bethesda Bagels

Customers are just as likely to be toting diaper bags as briefcases at this bustling veteran of Bethesda Row. The tasty bagels more than make up for the lack of seating and cramped quarters: They're glossy, with insides that are airy but substantial.

Co-owner and Bronx native Steve Fleishman apprenticed himself to a master bagel baker in Queens, N.Y., before leaving a career in real estate to open bagel places in the District in the 1980s.

He says "slow-speed mixing" is the secret to his dough's distinctive texture. "We make 'em by hand," he says. "It's much more labor-intensive, but you're just not going to get the right denseness and chewiness any other way."

Bagels are 85 cents; $9.99 for a baker's dozen. 4819 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda, 301-652-8990, http://www.bethesdabagels.com/.

Brooklyn Bagel Bakery

Owner Moe Houdaigui says his bakers arrive at 2 a.m. to mix the dough for the day's supply of bagels. "We don't use any frozen dough," he boasts. When he bought the place, formerly called Big Dog Bagels, seven years ago, he brought in bagel experts from New York to train the staff. A ravenous crowd -- office workers during the week and neighborhood denizens on weekends -- now gathers to devour them.

Bagels are 79 cents; 12 for $7.90. 2055 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, 703-243-4442.

Georgetown Bagelry

The new awning and spruced-up menu belie the fact that little has changed (including the paint) in years at this takeout spot. Popular among students and workers from nearby businesses looking to score a cheap lunch amid the neighborhood's tonier eateries, it's a reliable source of bagels with flavorful dough. One frequent luncher, though, bemoans that the salt bagels often sell out quickly.

Bagels are 99 cents; $11.50 for a baker's dozen. 3245 M St. NW, 202-965-1011.

Goldberg's New York Bagels

Tucked in the Kosher Mart shopping center off bustling Rockville Pike, Goldberg's is popular among the area's Jewish community. Traditional flavors, such as onion, poppy seed and plain, are favorites here. Owner Dan Keleman says the bagels are made from a 100-year-old recipe brought over from Europe by Polish immigrant Isadore Goldberg. A chain of bagelries was named after Goldberg, but the parent company is no longer around, and the former franchises now operate as independent bagel joints.

"A lot of places take shortcuts," Keleman says. "But bagels have to be boiled, which partially kills the yeast and keeps the bagel from getting too bready."

Bagels are 75 cents; $8 for a baker's dozen. 4824 Boiling Brook Pkwy., Rockville, 301-816-9229.

Pumpernickels Deli

Neighbors surrounding this charming Chevy Chase Circle eatery queue up for the bagels, which are soft but boast a pleasantly brown crust, along with thin-crust pizza slices and hearty hero sandwiches. Though the fare is decidedly New Yawk, the place has a local vibe: Giant chalkboard menus hung from the tin ceiling advertise quirky sandwich names (a Gary Williams before the big game?).

Native New Yorker Brigid Gillette, who bought the place from a cousin in 2000, says her bagels stack up just fine against their Big Apple rivals. "The only difference is in the water," she swears.

Bagels are 75 cents; $9 for a baker's dozen. 5504 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-244-9505, http://www.pumpdeli.com/.

Tysons Corner Bagel Market

The selection of more than 30 bagel flavors here is staggering, although some of the more unconventional options, such as peanut butter or a seasonal pumpkin, would horrify purists. Hungry shoppers have been flocking to this turquoise-tiled bagel spot for about a dozen years, and the place does a brisk catering business for local offices. The bagels are a tad soft, but a light toasting renders them perfectly crisp.

Bagels are 79 cents; $8 for a baker's dozen. 8137 Leesburg Pike, Tysons Corner, 703-448-0080, http://www.tysonsbagelmarket.com/.