Can I find a good Amsterdam bagel at... BagelBoy or Breadwinner
What was I gonna do, go to Amsterdam and NOT try some bagels???
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Secrecy was a significant reason for how Jews originally ended up in Amsterdam, and it also marks their darkest chapter.
It began towards the end of the sixteenth century when Sephardic Jews started migrating from Portugal. Many were conversos (Jews who converted to Catholicism, often forcibly) or crypto-Jews (Jews who appeared to have converted to Christianity but continued practicing Judaism privately). Away from Spain and Portugal, they were able to practice more openly. Beginning in the mid-seventeenth century, they were joined by an influx of Ashkenazi Jews. Comparatively speaking, Jews in Amsterdam enjoyed more everyday freedoms than in other parts of Europe, though they were denied certain roles, such as participation in government. Still, over the years, Dutch Jews have been among the world's most well-known writers, artists, intellectuals, and politicians.
Nazi Germany occupied Amsterdam from 1940 to 1945 (when the Canadian Army liberated the Netherlands, credit due). While around 80% of the city’s 75-80,000 Jews were sent to camps and murdered, the most famous story is that of Anne Frank, who hid alongside her family in a “secret annex” behind a bookcase in the Amsterdam building where her father worked. Anne Frank House remains an important museum dedicated to telling their story and offering exhibition space about all forms of persecution and discrimination.
Through it all, Mokum, Yiddish for “place” or “safe haven,” has become a sentimental nickname for Amsterdam. When you know the history of European Jewry, you can see how the Netherlands’ largest city became a place where Jews could emerge from secrecy and find some form of peace.
In between those two bouts of secrecy, Jews contributed many things to Dutch culture that persist today, including several culinary staples. The tradition of pickling onions (Amsterdamse uitjes) and cucumbers (augurk) started with Amsterdam's Jewish community. The boterkoek (butter cake) originated from Dutch Jews, who often included candied ginger in the original version. Zeeuwse bolus, sweet sticky buns covered in cinnamon and sugar, was something Sephardic Jews brought with them in the 16th century. Sephardic and Ashkenazi traditions mixed, eventually leading to the Gemberbolus (ginger rolls).
One Jewish culinary staple you don’t see mentioned much is the bagel. While it stands to reason that some Ashkenazi Jews must have brought the Polish bread circle with them, there doesn’t seem to be much of a historical connection in Amsterdam.
There is, however, a modern connection. As with so many other places, Amsterdam's bagel scene is booming. When I started looking into which bagels I should try while there, I realized I had a lot of options. Among them were Bagels & Beans, Tony’s NYC Bagels, Flo’s, Bagels Village, and Singel 404.
Because I couldn’t subject my trusted producer (nor myself) to eating too many bagels while traveling to an international city with so much great food, I decided to whittle down my reviews to two places.
First is BagelBoy, a burgeoning local chain currently riding the social media wave to virality and long lines. This bagel shop was mentioned most often by influencers, making me curious to know if the hype was real.
Second was Breadwinner, a small sourdough bagel shop that boasts organic local ingredients and seemed to have great buzz (they’re opening a second shop soon). Also, that’s one of the best bakery names I’ve ever heard.
Between the trendy chain and hole-in-the-wall artisan shop, I hoped to get a sense of where Amsterdam’s bagel scene was truly at. As Seattle and many other cities have learned, quantity doesn’t mean much if the quality isn’t there. Clearly, there’s a demand for bagels here. But is that demand being met with success? Let’s find out (and stick to the end to see some of my overall Amsterdam recommendations).
And if you want to know how I define a good bagel, you can find that here.
BAGELBOY
WHAT I ORDERED
Plain bagel as-is (€3,00)
Sesame bagel as-is (€3,00)
Chive cream cheese (€4,00)
THE EXPERIENCE
I visited the BagelBoy in the De Pijp district and arrived as the Albert Cuyp Market, a massive street market, was in full swing. It was possibly the worst time to visit a trendy bagel shop, which seems to be my modus operandi.
Tragedy almost struck right away as I rolled up around 1:00 p.m. The tiny storefront was packed, and the counterperson announced they would stop taking orders to catch up. I considered bailing, but they started retaking orders after a few minutes, and I stepped back in line.
The menu was simple, with sandwiches and “rip and dip” ordering options. Everyone seemed to be ordering sandwiches, which was what slowed things down. They’d also run out of most bagel flavors (they only offer four), leaving me with sesame and everything. It turns out that, had I waited a few more minutes, I might have missed out altogether, as they announced they were down to single digits on bagels by the time I got my order.
UPON FIRST GLANCE
Based on the extensive number of sandwich orders I’d seen and the counterperson's surprise when I just wanted the bagels on their own, I figured they would be soft and geared towards being sandwich delivery systems, which they appeared to be. Both bagels had a noticeable ridge running across one side of the bagel. I wasn’t sure if that was some kind of signature or just a random thing.
TOP
Both bagels were slightly larger than the norm, with small-medium centers and mostly beige coloring. They were very soft to the touch and featured that aforementioned ridge running across one side. Both had a very heavy seed hand. Some of the sesame seeds appeared toasted, while the everything bagel featured black sesame seeds and salt (AS GOD INTENDED).
BOTTOM
The bottoms of the bagels were both very soft and absolutely caked in seeds and seasoning. Neither had a Cornmeal Ring of Doom (CRoD).
INSIDE/BITE
The sesame bagel offered an incredibly soft rip. It felt like ripping apart soft bread. By the time I took a bite, all of the sensory experiences that told me ‘this is a roll’ were present. This was bread in the form of a bagel. The sesame seed flavor was present and pungent, at least. Inside, there was a pleasant smell, but the fluffy interior was too far on the airy side, making for a chew that was far too soft. There was no real texture to speak of in any bite.
The everything bagel seemed to have been baked slightly longer and offered a little bit of a chew from the firmness of the exterior sides. The middle and interior of the bagel mirrored the sesame in many ways. The everything flavor was intense, and I also detected caraway seed, so credit due on that. This one was more edible than the sesame bagel.
The cream cheese was… fine. Wasn’t bad. Didn’t detract from the experience. But it also didn’t elevate anything. I got some chive flavor but it was somewhat muted.
FINAL THOUGHTS
In my “Are bagels just sandwiches now?” piece, I noted that while BagelBoy inspired many hearty reviews and social media praise, almost all of it was about the sandwich aspects but not the bagel. I think that bears out in my experience. Stripping away the flavors and toppings, there isn’t much there there.
Is It Good Enough For The Goys?
A trendy bagel place that specializes in sandwiches? This is prime goyim bagel stuff. And for the record, there were a lot of Americans in line that day, which is a whole other shanda (though I’m not one to talk since I was also in line).
Is It Good Enough For Northeastern Jews?
While this model seems apt to take over the bagel business, it’s certainly not what I look for when I step into a bagel shop. My guess is that it’s not what my fellow NEJs are looking for, either.
BREADWINNER
WHAT I ORDERED
Plain bagel as-is (€2,90)
Everything bagel with plain cream cheese (€4,75)
THE EXPERIENCE
Tucked on a side street in De Jordaan, just outside Amsterdam’s Negen Straatjes (Nine Streets) district, I found Jon Fairclough’s Breadwinner on a quiet morning. The diminutive shop only had room for a handful of customers, so I stood slightly outside, marveling at its simplicity, centered on a spartan wall full of bagels on spindles.
Also eye-catching? Despite boasting a simple menu focused on the classic flavors, they also do a jalapeño cheddar. Next time…
UPON FIRST GLANCE
They do sourdough bagels at Breadwinner, and they certainly looked sourdough-y. Both bagels boasted unique features that drove home their hand-rolled origins. I felt like I was looking at authentic artisan bagels made with intention.
TOP
The plain bagel was a good size and slightly oblong with a long, skinny center. There was a grainy aspect to the browning on the exterior. Cracks swirled across the top, which was soft but firm to the touch.
The everything bagel was a smidge smaller than the norm but still a good size. It featured a little nub on one side that made it seem like a Q. The bagel had a small center and boasted a coloring that ranged from beige to grainy brown. A solid seed hand was at work with a good mix of seasoning. The top was soft but firm.
BOTTOM
The bottom of the plain bagel was very firm to the touch and somewhat knockable in parts. A golden brown color and craggy crevices peppered the bottom There was no CRoD present.
The bottom of the everything bagel was soft but firm. While it got a little bit of that golden brown coloring, it was mostly beige to light brown. There was a smattering of seasoning, but no CRoD.
INSIDE/BITE
The plain bagel offered a soft but crinkly rip, and I was immediately hit with a strong sourdough smell. The bite was doughy with whisps of crispness. The sourdough flavor was strong and somewhat overpowering. I would have thought I was eating rye bread if I closed my eyes. There were slight hints of malt as well. The interior was fluffy and offered a medium rebound after the bite.
The everything bagel with plain cream cheese was pre-sliced, and thanks to the cold, smooth schmear, it made for a beautiful cross-section. The bagel itself was soft on the chew and lacked much texture. I got some seasoning flavor, but not as much as I wanted. While there was salt (AS GOD INTENDED), it wasn’t enough to make the seeds pop. The bagel ate well enough, but I wanted something, be it textural or flavor-based, to make me want to keep exploring.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I really wanted to like Breadwinner’s bagels, but I have to admit that they weren’t my jam. The plain ate well, but I never quite felt like I was eating a bagel. The intense sourdough flavor just took me completely out of the experience. Some people would want me to have an open mind to make room for bagels with strong sourdough and rye flavors, but I just can’t. I’m all for experimentation and expansion, but I think we have to draw the line somewhere regarding what counts for a bagel experience.
Is It Good Enough For The Goys?
I imagine the goyim will be pulled to BagelBoy, but I hope they also seek out this artisanal shop. Word on the street is that a second store is coming soon, and that’s great. Even if it wasn’t my thing, these are the bagel businesses I want to see thriving.
Is It Good Enough For Northeastern Jews?
You won’t find a bagel experience that feels like the one you’re used to, but if you want to branch out while you’re here, I’d be curious to hear your opinions.
SEAN’S AMSTERDAM RECOMMENDATION
Okay, you’ve heard me prattle on and on about the things I didn’t like, but what would I recommend to anyone planning a visit to Amsterdam? Here are my top picks (remember, I’m vegetarian, so you’re on your own when it comes to soused herring).
Namche - Nepalese-Indian Restaurant. I still think about those momos once a day.
Tjin’s - Surinamese food. Grab one of their broodjes (sandwiches) and people-watch at the market. The tempeh sandwich was one of the best things I ate my entire trip.
Belly Pepper - Make some time for the Turkish breakfast.
Dignita Hoftuin - This cafe, located in the gardens between the National Holocaust Names Memorial and H’ART Museum, is an ideal brunch spot.
Stedelijk Museum - If you’re going to the Van Gogh Museum, your ticket also gets you access to Stedelijk (right next door). Leave the crowds behind and explore the fantastic modern and contemporary art here.
Thanks for actually reading this far. If you enjoyed my bagel review and want to read more of them, make sure you’re subscribed to It’s A Shanda. Know someone in the Greater Seattle Area (or beyond) who would appreciate way-too-detailed reviews of local bagels? Please forward the link their way.
Sounds like I will likely not try the bagels in Amsterdam 😂 but I will certainly check out your other recs! Thanks for sharing :)
In my experience the Dutchiest Dutch opt for krentenbollen and other unfamiliar bready forms, but the bagel is still largely the purview of American expats. The location on Tweede Lauriersstraat looks primed to become another long line on the sidewalk, like those other unwieldy shops in the Negen Straatjes.