Can I find a good Seattle bagel at... Rubinstein Bagels in South Lake Union
It took me way too long to review this old standby of the Seattle bagel scene.
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It’s funny that I haven’t reviewed Rubinstein Bagels' South Lake Union location before now since it was the place that initially gave me hope this newsletter would be worthwhile.
You have to return with me to the halcyon days of 2021. I’d recently returned to Seattle. I was pre-ordering Mt. Bagel by the dozen, but my curiosity was piqued about other bagels in town. I’d tried a few, but none had wowed me. It was a visit to the original Rubinstein that showed me there might be some potential for the bagel scene that it’s become.
Of course, a lot has changed since then. Andrew Rubinstein left and started Hey Bagel. Rubinstein Bagels expanded to four locations around the region. And the Seattle bagel scene boomed around them.
The buzz around Rubinstein has also been shifting over that time. I certainly noticed a change after the company's namesake left. The famously affable J. Kenji López-Alt came away from his latest experience unimpressed. And in her Hey Bagel write-up, Seattle Times writer Bethany Jean Clement nuked Rubinstein Bagels’ drop in quality.
I’d noticed a devolution of quality at the Rubinstein Bagels on Capitol Hill by August 2022, when a bagel with lox as well as the once-wonderful duck-fat matzoh ball soup both distinctly underwhelmed. The bagels I tried there last week were not good — a disturbingly uniform dark tan; leathery-crusted; tasting bland, with a gummy chew. They’re delivered daily from a commissary kitchen, the counterperson said, and they are served toasted by default. Toasting a bagel can mask some issues, but it can’t mask sadness.
Woof.
It stood to reason that the bagel I had back in 2021 was not the same one they’re serving now, but it felt like the right time to revisit Rubinstein’s flagship storefront to see for myself and confirm what I think I already know.
And if you want to know how I define a good bagel, you can find that here.
WHAT I ORDERED
Salt bagel as-is ($3.25)
Everything bagel with plain cream cheese ($5.50)
THE EXPERIENCE
I rolled up to Rubinstein on a holiday Monday, so it was pretty quiet. That also meant I got my order quickly. I opted for a salt bagel rather than my usual plain because I wanted to err on the side of a little flavor. I’ve had enough of their bagels at other locations, so I felt it was okay to veer slightly.
It was slightly rainy, but I wanted to take my bagels outside. I ventured across the street to The Spheres and found a covered bench nearby. The din of barks from the nearby dog park was a welcome background noise for my meal.
UPON FIRST GLANCE
I went into the review attempting to set aside preconceived notions and other recent critical viewpoints. I figured if there was anywhere I could still get a good bagel from Rubinstein, it would be here. I have no idea why I thought that, as I’m sure all their bagels come from the same place, but you can’t blame a guy for dreaming, can you? Alas, an initial glance at the salt bagel seemed to bring me back to reality.
TOP
The salt bagel was a good size with a large center. The top was golden to light brown. It featured a wrinkly pattern and some moistness, likely due to the salt application. The top was very firm to the touch, but there was no crinkles or crispiness. Despite the visual texture cues, there was a smoothness to the bagel.
The top of the everything bagel was also a good size, with a larger, skinny center overflowing with cream cheese. It was golden to light brown and featured a solid seed hand. The bagel was very firm to the touch but without any crinkle or crispiness beyond the seasoning.
BOTTOM
The bottom of the salt bagel had dark ridges along each side and slight blistering. It was very firm to the touch but not crispy. A robust Cornmeal Ring of Doom (CRoD) was present.
The bottom of the everything bagel had a stronger seed hand than the top. It was very firm to the touch but didn’t offer any crispiness. The CRoD was present through the seasoning. The cream cheese overflowed from the center on this side as well.
INSIDE/BITE
The plain bagel was cold and offered a tough, slightly crisp rip. The bite was also tough, and there was a medium rebound afterward. The interior was doughy but not airy. While it wasn’t dry, it did feel dense. This was a bite that made you work for it. The flavor was flat, and if not for the salt flakes, I think I would have described it as blank. The salt defintely helped but couldn’t mask all of the bagel’s blandness.
The everything bagel was also cold and ate tough. Even through the cream cheese, I could feel the dryness of the bread. It was a hard chew throughout, and I would echo the gumminess noted by Clement in her review. While I’ve always been a fan of putting salt in the everything mix (AS GOD INTENDED), the big flakes used here overpowered the rest of the seasoning. I didn’t taste anything else. The schmear application was substantial and cold but oozed from the top and bottom with each bite. The cream cheese also had a slight tang, which made each bite less appealing than the one before it.
FINAL THOUGHTS
There was a time when Rubinstein battled for “Best Bagel in Seattle” supremacy. Now, they’re locked in a battle with Blazing Bagels for mediocre local bagel chain market share. It’s an unfortunate shift but an all-too-common one as a bagel company leans into expansion mode.
The problem I think they’ll face is that, unlike in 2021, Seattle now has many better bagels. It also doesn’t help that the guy whose name is on the front of the building is now drawing lines around the corner elsewhere.
Is It Good Enough For The Goys?
The current Rubinstein Bagels is a prime goyim bagel. The company has positioned its stores mostly in work environments and suburban retail hubs, catering to a crowd that isn’t overly concerned with freshness or high quality. When a bagel company becomes successful, there are a few roads it can go down, and Rubinstein has clearly chosen its lane.
Is It Good Enough For Northeastern Jews?
The quick answer is no. You could go here in a pinch, but there are plenty of other bagels around town to consider.
However, the one thing the South Lake Union location has going for it is a dearth of better nearby options. Einstein Bros. is around the corner. O8 Bagel Shop serves Blazing Bagels. There’s Bagelbop in Pike Place Market which, well, no. I suppose you could hoof it over to the Macrina on 1st Ave. The impending arrival of Toasted in South Lake Union and Pioneer Square is good news. Still, it all speaks to how Downtown Seattle remains a potential proving ground for a great bagel.
MY SEATTLE BAGEL RANKINGS SO FAR (2/21/25)
Little Rachel’s (Lake City) - 1st visit
Toasted (U District) - 1st visit
Loxsmith Bagels (West Seattle) - 1st visit
Golden Wheat Bakery (Central District) - 1st visit
Rubinstein Bagels (South Lake Union)
Rubinstein Bagels (Eastlake) - 1st visit
Rachel's Bagels & Burritos (Ballard) - 1st visit, 2nd visit, 3rd visit
Macrina Bakery (Capitol Hill) - 1st visit
Cafe Argento (Capitol Hill) - 1st visit
Eltana (Wallingford) - 1st visit
Westman’s (U District) - 1st visit
Einstein Bros. Bagels (U Village) - 1st visit
Dingfelder’s (Capitol Hill) - 1st visit
Cafe Solstice (U District) - 1st visit
Kelly’s Cannoli (Magnolia) - 1st visit
Bagelbop (Pike Place Market) - 1st visit
You can find my full rankings here.
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