Can I get a good Seattle bagel at... Salmonberry Goods
Farm-to-table bagels? We've reached peak Pacific Northwest noshery.
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.
So much about the Seattle bagel scene has changed in recent years. The proliferation of brick-and-mortar bagel shops has collapsed the space between you and the nearest schmear. We’ve seen a pop-up boom, making it critical to monitor social media and newsletters for the next bagel drop.
An underrated area where bagels have really started to thrive is at farmers markets. Zylberschtein's, Aaron’s Bagels, Bean’s Bagels, and others have become mainstays at the market, while plenty of bakeries and stands are also throwing their hat in the bagel-selling ring.
One such burgeoning bagel maker is Salmonberry Goods.
The brainchild of Seattle natives Alex Johnstone and David Rothstein, the company started in 2015 as a small farm-to-table bakery focused on a “new baking tradition of adapting classic techniques to hyperlocalism as a creative constraint.” That’s a lot of words but I think it means they wanted to connect people to local farmers.
Their offerings were wide and varied, including pastries, sourdough bread, homestyle kombucha, sauces, and more, all made from ingredients sourced in Washington State.
When Seattle shut down farmers markets at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Johnstone and Rothstein launched a Community Support Agriculture (CSA) subscription that allowed locals to order items from their favorite farm stands for delivery. They’ve kept the CSA going in the year since and also make appearances at the Ballard and University District farmers markets.
While they made a name for themselves thanks to some very interesting pastries, including a sought-after Walla Walla onion cookie “that might be the best snickerdoodle ever,” bagels seem to have been a natural progression. They’ve already had a series of very successful pop-ups where fans have waited patiently in line for a chance at one of their very fancy-looking bagel sandwiches.
There’s certainly a lot to like about what Salmonberry Goods is doing. But at the end of the day, we need to know how good the bagels are.
Let’s find out.
And if you want to know how I define a good bagel, you can find that here.
WHAT I ORDERED
Plain bagel as-is
Poppyseed & sesame seed bagel with cheese and chive cream cheese
THE EXPERIENCE
I was alerted to the existence of Salmonberry Goods by reader Lisa a few weeks back (always appreciated). Based on the long line in photos from their most recent pop-up, I figured I needed to act fast.
Stopping by their booth at the Ballard Farmers Market first thing in the morning, I was greeted by a line that confirmed my suspicions. The Salmonberry Goods guys have this thing down, with two tables full of beautiful breads, pastries, and other fun-looking foodstuffs. Naturally, the line ambled as curious customers asked questions about their processes and ingredients.
In the middle of everything were the bagels. Two options: plain and “black-and-white” (half-poppyseed, half-sesame seed), either as singles or in a sleeve of four. There were also three schmear options (plain, cheese & chive, roasted carrot). Single bagels cost $4(!) but you could get four for $12 to put things more in line with local prices.
UPON FIRST GLANCE
At first blush, I thought that the bagels looked pretty solid. I liked the color on the plain and I think the “black and white” bagel aesthetic is pretty fun. I immediately wondered why I hadn’t seen it more often. You’re telling me you wouldn’t buy a “black and white bagel/cookie” combo?
I’m always a little wary of bagels in plastic sleeves (given their whole thing, I’m going to guess that’s some kind of biodegradable plastic alternative) but the single bagels were prepped in paper sleeves. The schmears veered into the fancy realm, far from my beloved and basic scallion cream cheese. I figured I’d take a whirl on the cheese and chive one.
TOP
The top of the plain bagel was a deep brown and was as crispy as you think it was. All around the top and side of the bagel, any touch was met with some serious crinkles that portended a crunch ahead. I liked the little sprinkle of salt on top to give the bagel a little boost. Overall, a very rugged-looking bagel that was so firm as to be “knockable” on the top and side, which you don’t see very often.
As mentioned, the other bagel was half-poppyseed and half-sesame seed. There was a very heavy seed hand at play here and each side was practically crusted (in a good way). That may have impacted the bake a little as the bagel itself was dark brown but not as much as the plain. There was also a slight crisp but again not as much as the other one. It was also a slighter, flatter bagel. One thing I really appreciated is that I could smell the toasted sesame seeds, always a nice touch.
BOTTOM
Whereas the tops of both bagels were crispy and firm, the bottoms were both very soft. There was a stark demarcation line on both bagels where they switched from firm to soft, presumably because of how they were cooked. On both bagels, the interior of the hole was a little soggy, so there seemed to be a bit of unevenness on the bake.
INSIDE/BITE
The plain bagel offered an extremely tough rip in a way I appreciated. The bite was indeed very crispy thanks to the crunchy top and sides. While I sensed the softness of the bottom, having so much texture elsewhere helped balance everything out. There was a slight rebound after the bite, but not all the way. Those salt sprinkles did indeed go a long way to help elevate the flavor as well.
It’s important to note they do a sourdough bagel and they might just do the sourdoughiest bagel in all of Seattle. The interior offers a very strong sourdough taste and smell. While I did enjoy each bite of the well-rounded bagel, I did find myself wishing it was more traditional, as the sourdough took me out of the experience.
The black-and-white bagel offered a very tough bite in a good way. I made sure to get both sides on my first bite and I was pretty happy with the flavors. This bagel was indeed softer than the plain, though it did offer crispy spots from time to time. It was a chewier bagel for sure and it ate well, maintaining the toppings throughout.
As for the cheese and chive cream cheese, I didn’t mind the flavor at first but as I kept eating I found that the cheesiness wasn’t quite doing it for me. It wasn’t overpowering but I just don’t think it was my preferred flavor profile. I’d be curious to try out the plain next time.
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you told me Salmonberry Goods was engineered in a lab to appeal to Pacific Northwest farmers market shoppers and pop-up customers, I would believe you. They’ve got the whole schtick down pat. They’ve also identified a crucial aspect of the modern bagel scene in making sure those sandwiches sing and get shared on social media.
As for the bagels themselves, I’m a big fan of the crispiness and the eatability (though the soggy centers need a fix). I like the idea of going back to the farmers market, getting one of their bagels, and chomping on it as I peruse all of the candles, body oils, and soaps.
I get that sourdough is their thing but I have a feeling they could also make a really good traditional bagel as well and I’d be interested to see it. As for the cream cheese, I appreciate the bold takes but I don’t think those flavors are quite my tempo. Still, one of the better bagels in town for sure.
Is It Good Enough For The Goys?
Did you see those fancy bagel sandwiches up there adorned with edible flowers and sprigs of herbs? The goyim love this stuff. Can’t get enough. They love sprigs!
Is It Good Enough For Northeastern Jews?
It’s an interesting question because there’s a lot to like here, but I also think bagel traditionalists are going to scoff at some of the choices. I’d tell anyone to give them a shot and see how you feel. Like I said, I’m not the biggest fan of sourdough bagels, but I also ate the whole thing, so…
MY SEATTLE BAGEL RANKINGS SO FAR (1/22/24)
OUTSIDE SEATTLE BAGEL RANKINGS (1/2/24)
The Bagelry (Bellingham)
Howdy Bagel (Tacoma)
Coquette Bake Shop (Bainbridge Island)
Good Bagels Cafe (Anacortes)
Otherside Bagel Co. (Bellingham)
Whidbey Island Bagel Factory (Mt. Vernon, Whidbey Island)
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.
yo! Salmonberry dudes here! Love this analysis and breakdown, identified some areas we’re actively trying to improve on. Thanks for the good vibes and we’d be stoked to set you up with another round of bagels soon, don’t be a stranger 🧡
Sprigs! Flowers! Good call on that. Def seems like the farmer's market is the right place to be for them.