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A Bowery poppyseed bagel with lox and schmear
Lox and schmear at Bowery Bagels
Jannie Huang/Official

8 Real-Deal Bagel Shops in Portland

From plump pumpernickel to loaded everything

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Lox and schmear at Bowery Bagels
| Jannie Huang/Official

While there’s no place more synonymous with bagels than New York City, Portland’s bagel scene is no joke, and only getting better each year. Locals and East Coast ex-pats are popping rings of dough in the kettle across town at carts, cafes, and hole-in-the-walls and taking their own stab at the bagel, from vegan jalapeño to straight-out-of-LES pumpernickel. If these bagel bastions prove one thing, it’s that Portlanders don’t have to fly across the country to snag an everything with schmear.

As usual, the spots on this map are organized geographically, not ranked. For more morning fare, check out the Eater brunch and breakfast maps.

A number of Portland restaurants have resumed dine-in service. The level of service offered is indicated on each map point. However, this should not be taken as endorsement for dining in, as there are still safety concerns. For updated information on coronavirus cases in your area, please visit the Oregon Health Authority’s COVID update page. Studies indicate that there is a lower exposure risk when outdoors, but the level of risk involved with patio dining is contingent on restaurants following strict social distancing and other safety guidelines.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

Ben & Esther's Vegetarian Jewish Deli & Bakery

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This Roseway bagel shop has accrued a legion of devotees who love the shop’s salty, gnaw-worthy bagels topped with an array of vegan-friendly options. The vegan bagels can come with dairy-free or traditional cream cheese, schmear in flavors like honey-almond or lemon-dill, and vegan carrot “lox” or “whitefish” made with hearts of palm. Ben & Esther’s is open for takeout.

Bernstein's Bagels

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New Yorkers and locals alike swear by this charming bagel shop with soft, robust, and chewy bagels made fresh throughout the day. Musician and former New Englander Noah Bernstein loads snappy salt, everything, and weekend pumpernickels with a generous shellack of house-made shmears, only improved with a free shake of za’atar. The original location in St. Johns has closed, but the last standing cafe is still kicking — be sure to get there early, because the shop often sells out on the weekends; it’s open for walk-up orders.

Spielman Coffee & Bagels

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Beginning in 2011 as a small father-son coffee roasting operation, Spielman Bagels has expanded to four locations across the city. Unlike many bagel shops in Portland, Spielman uses a sourdough starter in its dough to achieve a unique tang, giving the bagels a traditional crisp exterior with a tart-fluffy interior well complemented by a swipe of cream cheese. The salt and herb bagel has proven to be a customer favorite. The four shops are all open for takeout at the very least, with three locations open for delivery and the Lovejoy location open for weekend indoor dining. The cafes also take online orders.

Bentley's Bagels

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In a tiny brick space in Northwest Portland, a cafe makes small, puck-sized New York bagels: Heavy on the schmear, rippled with boil marks, with a light but substantial chew. The crust on the bagel is almost a crunch in a pleasant way, erring almost on the side of airy without hitting French bread territory. Bentley’s is open for takeout, with some pre-ordered dozens and occasional weekend delivery via email.

Bowery Bagels

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Occupying a tidy, white-tiled space on the edge of the Pearl District, this downtown bagel shop serves a wide variety of bagels. Bagels clock in on the smaller side compared to other Portland establishments, so patrons here tend to gravitate towards breakfast sandwiches like the popular Simon Benson, which includes Tails & Trotters ham, a sunny-side up egg, and American cheese. Bowery is open for takeout and delivery, which can be ordered online.

Kornblatt’s

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Located behind a brick facade and its telltale green awning, Kornblatt’s is a quintessential East Coast-style delicatessen along Portland’s vibrant NW 23rd Avenue. A standout on the menu is the nova lox and cream cheese bagel, which comes piled with glistening slices of brined-then-smoked salmon. If salmon isn’t in the cards, both the house whitefish and the sundried-tomato-and-basil-schmear make for substantial and delicious bagel toppings. Kornblatt’s is open for takeout and delivery.

Henry Higgins Boiled Bagels

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A defining characteristic of New York bagels is that they’re boiled, and Henry Higgins owner Leah Orndoff wanted to make it extremely clear that she’s sticking to the traditional preparation here. With multiple locations stretching across the city, the art-lined cafes serve many a freshly boiled bagel, including popular options like sea salt, everything, poppyseed, and jalapeño. With a loyal legion of followers frequenting each of the brands three locations, one item seen flying out the door with startling consistency is a toasted bagel piled high with thin slices of garnet-hued smoked salmon. Henry Higgins locations are open for takeout and delivery.

Puddletown Bagels

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This bagel slinger is the smallest of all on the list, housed within a food cart. However, its bagels embody the same chewy hallmarks as many of the others on this list. Occupying a space in the Cartlandia food cart pod, regulars tend to reach for pastrami bagel sandwiches or breakfast bagels with bacon, serve on crowd-pleasers like everything or sesame seed bagels. Grabbing a half dozen bagels to go also appears to be a popular choice here. Order for takeout online.

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Ben & Esther's Vegetarian Jewish Deli & Bakery

This Roseway bagel shop has accrued a legion of devotees who love the shop’s salty, gnaw-worthy bagels topped with an array of vegan-friendly options. The vegan bagels can come with dairy-free or traditional cream cheese, schmear in flavors like honey-almond or lemon-dill, and vegan carrot “lox” or “whitefish” made with hearts of palm. Ben & Esther’s is open for takeout.

Bernstein's Bagels

New Yorkers and locals alike swear by this charming bagel shop with soft, robust, and chewy bagels made fresh throughout the day. Musician and former New Englander Noah Bernstein loads snappy salt, everything, and weekend pumpernickels with a generous shellack of house-made shmears, only improved with a free shake of za’atar. The original location in St. Johns has closed, but the last standing cafe is still kicking — be sure to get there early, because the shop often sells out on the weekends; it’s open for walk-up orders.

Spielman Coffee & Bagels

Beginning in 2011 as a small father-son coffee roasting operation, Spielman Bagels has expanded to four locations across the city. Unlike many bagel shops in Portland, Spielman uses a sourdough starter in its dough to achieve a unique tang, giving the bagels a traditional crisp exterior with a tart-fluffy interior well complemented by a swipe of cream cheese. The salt and herb bagel has proven to be a customer favorite. The four shops are all open for takeout at the very least, with three locations open for delivery and the Lovejoy location open for weekend indoor dining. The cafes also take online orders.

Bentley's Bagels

In a tiny brick space in Northwest Portland, a cafe makes small, puck-sized New York bagels: Heavy on the schmear, rippled with boil marks, with a light but substantial chew. The crust on the bagel is almost a crunch in a pleasant way, erring almost on the side of airy without hitting French bread territory. Bentley’s is open for takeout, with some pre-ordered dozens and occasional weekend delivery via email.

Bowery Bagels

Occupying a tidy, white-tiled space on the edge of the Pearl District, this downtown bagel shop serves a wide variety of bagels. Bagels clock in on the smaller side compared to other Portland establishments, so patrons here tend to gravitate towards breakfast sandwiches like the popular Simon Benson, which includes Tails & Trotters ham, a sunny-side up egg, and American cheese. Bowery is open for takeout and delivery, which can be ordered online.

Kornblatt’s

Located behind a brick facade and its telltale green awning, Kornblatt’s is a quintessential East Coast-style delicatessen along Portland’s vibrant NW 23rd Avenue. A standout on the menu is the nova lox and cream cheese bagel, which comes piled with glistening slices of brined-then-smoked salmon. If salmon isn’t in the cards, both the house whitefish and the sundried-tomato-and-basil-schmear make for substantial and delicious bagel toppings. Kornblatt’s is open for takeout and delivery.

Henry Higgins Boiled Bagels

A defining characteristic of New York bagels is that they’re boiled, and Henry Higgins owner Leah Orndoff wanted to make it extremely clear that she’s sticking to the traditional preparation here. With multiple locations stretching across the city, the art-lined cafes serve many a freshly boiled bagel, including popular options like sea salt, everything, poppyseed, and jalapeño. With a loyal legion of followers frequenting each of the brands three locations, one item seen flying out the door with startling consistency is a toasted bagel piled high with thin slices of garnet-hued smoked salmon. Henry Higgins locations are open for takeout and delivery.

Puddletown Bagels

This bagel slinger is the smallest of all on the list, housed within a food cart. However, its bagels embody the same chewy hallmarks as many of the others on this list. Occupying a space in the Cartlandia food cart pod, regulars tend to reach for pastrami bagel sandwiches or breakfast bagels with bacon, serve on crowd-pleasers like everything or sesame seed bagels. Grabbing a half dozen bagels to go also appears to be a popular choice here. Order for takeout online.

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