Can I find a good Bainbridge Island bagel at... Briny Bagels
Bainbridge Island finally gets a real-deal bagel shop
Welcome to It’s A Shanda, one Northeastern Jew’s quest to find a decent bagel in Seattle (and beyond). Along with free bagel reviews every Sunday, we also offer bonus posts (like this one) each week. If you’re already subscribed, I hope you’ll consider upgrading to a paid subscription! Thank you for reading.
When I think of Bainbridge Island, I tend to think of the Winslow, the downtown area you can walk to from the ferry. For a long time, I just assumed that Winslow was one of several towns on the island. However, I’ve since come to understand the simple yet confusing truth.
Winslow was originally a city on Bainbridge Island until, in 1991, it annexed the rest of the island, at which point the city of Winslow was renamed the city of Bainbridge Island, turning Winslow into a community within Bainbridge Island but also Bainbridge Island itself.
The point is that the island is the city and the city is the island. Within the city (and the island), Bainbridge has several communities, including Rolling Bay, located on the island’s eastern side. Dating back to the 1870s when the area was known as Falk’s Bay, the community takes shape at the intersection of Sunrise Drive NE and NE Valley Road where you’ll find several longstanding businesses, such as Bay Hay & Feed, Rolling Bay Automotive, and the Bud Hawk Post Office.
There’s also a new arrival on NE Valley Road: Briny Bagels. After taking over and refurbishing their space, they opened this past July, sold out in less than an hour on their first day, and haven’t looked back since. Open on Thursdays and Sundays (and Saturdays starting after Thanksgiving), this tiny bagel shop tucked away in a corner of Bainbridge Island has been showcasing some interesting flavors while powering its way through consistent lines and high demand.
I’ve had Briny Bagels circled on my list for a while now and finally found a free Sunday to hop on the ferry and swing by. Let’s see what I found…
And if you want to know how I define a good bagel, you can find that here.
WHAT I ORDERED
Plain bagel as-is ($3)
Everything bagel with black pepper and chive schmear ($4.75)
THE EXPERIENCE
As noted, all of my previous Bainbridge Island experiences have been confined to the Winslow area (including bagels). So I didn’t quite know what to expect when I saw where Briny was on the map. Driving up, I was pleasantly surprised as the quaint “downtown” of Rolling Bay revealed itself. However, I almost couldn’t stop and admire it because I was transfixed by the line outside the bagel shop. I got there around 8:30 a.m. on a Sunday and the line was about 10 people deep outside (with probably 10 more inside).
While I’ve been known to be a real grump about bagel lines, I thought it was great to see here. Every time I think I’ve seen the limits of demand, I am pleasantly surprised to see we are nowhere close to peak bagel. Even in the tiny corner of an island in Puget Sound.
We throw “charming” around so much that it’s lost much of its meaning, but Briny Bagels encapsulates the word. Entering the front door after 10 minutes or so, it was like visiting a cozy cottage. A communal long table and comfy couch complimented the few tiny tables lining the wall. The space is bright and new but already feels lived in, in a good way.
In total, I probably waited about 20 minutes to get to the counter. Once there, I was greeted by an incredibly friendly staff. It seemed like a real family affair behind the counter, though that might also have been the small village vibes. The menu boards boasted unique and bold flavor profiles for both the bagels and schmears. While I got my usuals for the purpose of the review, I made sure to snag some of the other bagel flavors as well out of genuine curiosity.
UPON FIRST GLANCE
The first thing I noticed about Briny Bagels is how much emphasis they put on bold flavors, which goes for bagels (sunflower, salt & vinegar) and schmears (apricot & thyme, kimchi cream cheese). The second thing I noticed was how important the look of those bagels was. You tend to see bagel places focus on one or the other, but not both.
The basics were all accounted for as well, but the variations and elevated flavors certainly stood out. The stacked rack setup behind the counter was a great way to showcase the colorful and varied collection.
TOP
The plain bagel was a good size with a medium-large center. The top featured a dappled brown coloring that veered into golden brown in spots. The top was firm but soft to the touch, pressing inward easily. Between the way parts of the crust split, coupled with the coloring and feel, I was picking up a lot of pretzel-esque qualities.
The everything bagel was also a good size, though the center was filled in by some dough that had expanded during the bake. The coloring appeared to be a solid brown. The top was soft to the touch as well and I noted some of the same pretzel-like qualities. There was a heavy seed hand at work here and there appeared to be a solid balance with the seasoning (including some salt). The mix of white and black sesame seeds was a nice touch.
BOTTOM
The bottom of the plain featured a dark, charred ring in the middle. That made for a very firm and knockable surface that was very crispy to the touch. There was no Cornmeal Ring of Doom (CRoD) present.
The bottom of the everything bagel was firm and featured a solid crust from the seeds. You don’t see such a heavy seed hand on the bottom of the bagel too often but I appreciate it. If you’re gonna make an everything, make an everything, y’know? There was no CRoD present thought it would be hard to tell anyway under all the seasoning.
INSIDE/BITE
Biting into the plain, the bottom of the bagel drove the experience. It was extremely crispy. I enjoyed the flavor that came from the char even though that’s not something you usually find. The bagel had a strong rebound after the bite thanks to a very fluffy interior. That coupled with a thin, crisp exterior made for a light chew. Those pretzel overtones definitely came through as well. The smell and flavor both made me feel like I was eating a damn good soft pretzel.
I ordered the everything bagel with black pepper and chive schmear but it actually might have gone the other way around. The schmear application was intense and robust. To its credit, it wasn’t as oozy as I’d feared, but the sheer amount sent cream cheese in all directions with each bite. I’m always going to err on the side of ample schmear usage, but for me, it was too much, overwhelming the flavor of the bagel. When I removed some of the schmear, I was able to enjoy the seasoning a bit more. While I think the sesame seeds pop visually, I think toasting might have given them some more flavor. The bagel itself ate soft, which works when you have schmear, but I would love to have gotten a little bit of crispness to balance the bite.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I certainly had my nits to pick but I do find myself intrigued by what Briny Bagels is doing. The plain bagel read more pretzel than bagel to me, but you know what? I ate the whole thing. I also got a salt bagel, which I enjoyed even more than the plain thanks to those pretzel-like qualities. The salt and vinegar bagel was also a winner, offering a nice spin on the traditional salt bagel. My preference would be to see a little more balance in the bite, but I’ll be back soon to try out more flavors. Kimchi cream cheese? You have my attention.
Is It Good Enough For The Goys?
If the lines and positive social media comments are any indication, locals are thrilled with Briny Bagels so far. It helps that they’re tapping into the modern trends of big, bold flavors and visual appeal. As word spreads, I think they’ll only get more popular, especially as the hours remain limited. I’m excited to see more people discover them.
Is It Good Enough For Northeastern Jews?
Are you going to visit Briny Bagels and get the traditional bagel experience you’re used to getting in Teaneck or Bed–Stuy? No. But I do hope anyone visiting Seattle who rides the ferry to Bainbridge considers tacking on a stop here. Between the shop’s aesthetics and the uniqueness of the flavors, it’s worth stepping out of your comfort zone for. Also, I have it on good authority that the whitefish salad is a crowdpleaser. And if there’s anything Northeastern Jews can’t refuse, it’s a good whitefish salad.
OUTSIDE SEATTLE BAGEL RANKINGS (11/26/24)
6th Borough Bagels (Olympia)
Atomic Bagels (Port Angeles)
The Bagelry (Bellingham)
Howdy Bagel (Tacoma)
The Cottage Bakery (Edmonds)
Briny Bagels (Bainbridge Island)
Shawn’s Cafe & Bakery (Mercer Island)
Coquette Bake Shop (Bainbridge Island)
Caffe Vino Olio (Vashon Island)
Rubinstein Bagels (Redmond)
Good Bagels Cafe (Anacortes)
Mustard Seed Baking Co. (Stanwood)
San Francisco Street Bakery (Olympia)
Blazing Bagels (Redmond)
Otherside Bagel Co. (Bellingham)
Whidbey Island Bagel Factory (Mt. Vernon)
Woodinville Bagel Bakery (Woodinville)
Whidbey Island Bagel Factory (Clinton)
Big Apple Bagels (Bellevue)
Street Coffee & Bagels (Everett)
You can see my full rankings here.
Thanks for actually reading this far. If you enjoyed my Seattle 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? Forward the link their way.