Cuisine Scene: Bagels
Round, chewy, and so satisfying–the bagel is a king amongst breakfast foods. Whether you like it sweet or savory, smeared with schmear, or sandwiching bacon, egg, and cheese, a bagel makes a meal that will fuel your day in a delicious way. Long Beach is home to a variety of bagel shops, several family-owned, where you can find the freshly baked bagel of your dreams.
O&R BAGELS
O&R Bagels (255 Atlantic Ave) opened in 2024 as the breakfast service at the City Center hotel. By night, the hotel’s cafe is Olive & Rose, the second restaurant from Chef Philip Pretty and his sister Lauren Pretty. Their first, Heritage, was the city’s first Michelin-starred restaurant. By day, beautiful bagel dishes are offered through a window inside the courtyard for both hotel guests and walk-in customers. As one might guess, these bagels are of a quality you would expect of a Michelin-star chef. Try the simple perfection of the Gravlax, with cured salmon, red onions, capers, and dill. Or go all out with the $100 Bagel, which features cream cheese and chives topped with a full ounce of caviar.
EAST COAST BAGEL
Locals love East Coast Bagel (5753 Pacific Coast Hwy), located near the campus of CSU Long Beach. These New York-style bagels are kettle boiled, then baked, and offered in more than two dozen flavors, including premium flavors like super cinnamon and spinach parmesan. Whether you need a dozen bagels for the office or a bagel sandwich for a quick and satisfying breakfast or lunch, East Coast Bagel is a solid choice.
GROUNDS BAKERY & CAFE
This family-owned restaurant has been serving bagels and other baked goods since 1993. With nearly two dozen bagel flavors, from sesame seed to chocolate chip, Grounds Bakery & Cafe’s (6277 E Spring St) creations include the Pepperoni Pizza Bagel, pink bagels for Valentine’s Day, and green for St. Patrick’s. Grounds offers catering for breakfast and lunch, making a great option for groups or meetings. Bagel lovers can enjoy the Bagel and Lox Platter, which serves 8 to 10 people, along with coffee to go, which comes in an easy-to-carry box containing about 10 cups of coffee.
5TH AVE BAGELRY
This downtown shop is conveniently located a few blocks from the Long Beach Convention Center for those in town for an event or conference. 5th Ave Bagelry (247 Pine Ave) offers 29 flavors of bagel with various spreads, and bagel sandwich creations ranging from egg, cheese and sausage to hot pastrami with cheese. This restaurant, open each day at 6AM, also serves a variety of pastries, plus teas with boba, fresh smoothies, and coffee drinks.
CASSIDY'S CORNER CAFE
Cassidy’s Corner Cafe, known for their freshly baked bagels and iced coffee, first opened in Lakewood and soon spread to three locations in Long Beach, including in Bixby Knolls (3846 Atlantic Ave), above Los Altos (5900 E Spring St A) and inside The Hangar food hall at Long Beach Exchange (4150 McGowan St, Unit 7). Sure, you can get a bagel with a delicious spread or a hearty bagel sandwich. But for a special treat, order the 4-pack of cream cheese-filled Bagel Bombz and the 4-2-1 iced coffee, their signature double-brewed vanilla nut with cream and sweetener is so popular they sell it by the half gallon.
