Let’s face it– there are a lot of things Vancouver is known for, but bagels are not one of them. These four shops have specific focus on quality bagels: whether they’re aiming to replicate the techniques of “Montréal-style”, or instead fuse bagels with flavours from international cuisines. 

1. Siegel’s Bagels, 1883 Cornwall Ave 🥯

Siegel’s, nearby Kits Beach, is a Montréal-style bagelry established in 1990. Their selection of bagel flavours includes all of the classics, plus a rosemary rocksalt variety. They offer breakfast sandwiches for as low as $6.95, and hearty lunch sandwiches starting as $12.95. Siegel’s carries deli items fresh from Montréal each week, including smoked meats, beef salami, and a number of flavoured cream cheeses. To complement your classic bagel, you can also get veggie lox, a side of fries, or some rugolagh to take home. Siegel’s also has a booth in the Granville Island Public Market with a smaller selection of items. At either location, you’ll be sure to receive a freshly baked, thin and slightly sweet bagel, with a crispy exterior and chewy middle.

2. Solly’s Bagelry, 368 W 7th Ave 🥯

“Solly’s offers a wide variety of freshly prepared traditional Jewish bagels, baked goods, delicious soups & sandwiches, and groceries to take home!”. Their bagels are Brooklyn style: boiled and then baked in a stone hearth. Solly’s regular in-house selection includes an all-dressed variety, and there’s always a special flavour of the month. Here you can also get cinnamon buns, babka, doggels, knishes, and traditional baked goods for Jewish holidays. Matzo ball soup, hot meat and bagel sandwiches, hummus, challah, pickles and more are available at the deli counter. Solly’s is known for their copious servings of cream cheese (they schmear both sides!) and their neon purple and yellow sign. They also have a second location in Mount Pleasant, “Up Main”.

3. WA-BAGEL, 666 Burrard St Unit No. B09 🥯

A product of Abure restaurants, which are bringing Japanese ingredients and cuisine to Vancouver, WA-BAGEL is a very unique blend of New York style and Japanese flavours. Their specialty are filled bagels, many of which have a subtly-sweet taste and are made with Koji (an active fermenting ingredient). On the menu are such combinations as sweet potato & black sesame, red bean & cream cheese, mochi matcha, ume bacon, and more. This spot also offers bagel-making classes with their Head Baker Yukiko, so you can learn about the craft– whether baking amateur or pro. As a note, this location has limited hours to grab your baked delicacies. They are open from 8AM to 3PM, Monday-Friday only. 

4. Mount Royal Bagels, 701 Queensbury Ave 🥯

Located on the North Shore since 2000, Mount Royal Bagels is a small brick-and-mortar that also supplies 6-packs of some of their flavours to nearby grocery stores. Their bagels are Montréal-style, with a nice chewy interior. Mount Royal Bagels has a classic selection of bagel varieties, and their own flavoured cream cheeses. Their honey-vanilla cream cheese is especially popular, and is also sold in containers for home use. Lastly, they also sell coffee drinks and their own brand of Edelweiss granola. Make sure to arrive early, before they sell out of their small batch of the day!