Bagel Quest is back (but did it ever really end?)

Life is a series of bagel quests when you think about it.

Welcome to It’s A Shanda, one Northeastern Jew’s quest to find a decent bagel in Seattle (and beyond). If you’re interested in taking this journey with me, make sure you subscribe so you never miss a review. If you want to ensure I review any specific bagels (or want to let me know why I’m wrong), you can email me at seanmatthewkeeley@gmail.com.

Credit: Bagel Quest

As someone who is constantly scouring the city (and beyond) for new bagels to eat, I understand how extensive and time-consuming that endeavor can be.

But what if all of the bagels could come to you?

Sarah Leviton and Dylan Bussone are trying to give Seattle’s schmearheads the chance to sample a wide variety of the city’s bagels with the return of “Bagel Quest.”

Participants can sign up (by Feb. 1) to claim a collection of bagel bites that include Loxsmith, Aaron’s Bagels, Little Market, Hey Bagel, Rachel’s, Grateful Bread, Kelly Cannoli, Bean’s Bagels, Eltana, and Oxbow (with more contenders potentially being added). That’s No. 1, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11, 14, 17, 18, and 23 on my current rankings, so a true range of options.

It’s $20 for your “bagel ticket” and $10 for an optional schmear. On February 17, you’ll be able to pick up the bagels at Leviton and Bussone’s West Seattle home and cast your vote for the best of the best. The winner will be announced later that day.

This year marks the 2nd Bagel Quest as the initial version took place in 2020 thanks to, what else, the pandemic.

“When COVID hit, trapping us inside and leaving me stressed about my inability to return to Massachusetts, I found myself fixating on the absence of quality bagels in Seattle,” Levinton told It’s a Shanda. “That led to an idea: why not explore the local bagel scene? My husband and brother-in-law jumped on board, transforming my quest for familiar bagels into a larger community project. We decided to involve others and support local bagel shops while having some fun during those isolating times.”

The interview continues below for paid subscribers…

They were able to get 55 people to sign up for the original quest (which was won by Loxsmith) but they’ve got their sights set on over 250 participants this year.

Leviton, who originally hails from Central Massachusetts, says that she was inspired by the way the Seattle bagel scene had started to find itself after a rather inauspicious introduction.

“When I arrived in Seattle back in 2016, the bagel scene was abysmal. It was so bad that whenever I visited home, I had to stash bagels in my suitcase, and even for my birthday, my dad would ship them to me,” she said. “By 2019, I noticed some improvement; while the bagels still didn’t quite match the East Coast quality, they were inching closer. Finally, after 7.5 years, there’s been a remarkable transformation in the scene. Competition surged, pushing bagel quality higher, and now, thankfully, I no longer have to ship my bagels over from home.”

While Dylan, who grew up in the Seattle area, didn’t share Sarah’s nostalgic appreciation for Jewish nosheries, he’s since discovered and developed a newfound love for bagels. Now, they both have very specific go-to orders during their deli visits.

Sarah says her go-to order is a “grilled sesame bagel sandwich packed with bacon, egg, and cheese.” Meanwhile, Dylan opts for an “everything bagel sandwich loaded with bacon, egg, peppers, onions, and a touch of hot sauce, skipping the cheese.”

The Bagel Quest will keep things simpler than that, letting the humble bagels speak for themselves (with the help of some locally produced schmears). While one bagel place will be named the victor, Leviton hopes that the contest introduces some of Seattle’s bagels to new audiences and encourages people to keep eating them long after the votes have been tallied.

“What started as a yearning for familiar flavors culminated in a bustling effort to explore and celebrate the diverse offerings of Seattle’s bagel scene, all while bringing our isolated community together in a unique and delicious way.”

Sign up for the Bagel Quest by February 1 here.

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