Seattle's Sully Eats: The 2025 Review
The farmer's market mainstay just keeps getting better and better.
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I fell victim to one of the classic blunders.
The most famous of which is “Never get involved in a land war in Asia.”
But only slightly less well-known is this: “Never drive into Fremont on a sunny spring Sunday morning.”
And that was before the copious amounts of construction happening in the neighborhood right now, slicing off block-long parking options. It’s as if someone asked, “How many construction projects should we do at the same time in a half-mile radius?” and the answer was, “How many you got?” The result is a mad dash free-for-all, where Seattleites drive like they’re in “Mad Max: Fury Road” to secure anything that resembles a legal parking spot.
Curmudgeonly gripes aside, I was in Fremont because I wanted to swing by Sully Eats, the popular bagel, bialy, and babka business that has become a mainstay at farmer’s markets across town. After initially reviewing them while they were still using Backyard Bagels, they wowed me with their own batches on the Second Schmear.
That was almost a year ago, however, and I was curious to see how things were going, especially since it seemed from social media that they were thriving.
And so, I took five years off my life trying to park in Fremont this past Sunday to see what’s up. Next time I’m taking the bus.
And if you want to know how I define a good bagel, you can find that here.
WHAT I ORDERED
Plain bagel as-is ($3.00)
Everything bagel with scallion and red onion cream cheese ($5.75)
THE EXPERIENCE
The Fremont Sunday Market was bustling when I arrived around 11:00 a.m. I weaved my way through the crowds like a one-man F1 car and located the Sully Eats booth directly across from the DJ and his massive speakers. There was a steady stream of customers lining up for bagels and bialys. I’d hoped to say hello to Samm and Kenny, but the whole crew was cookin’ (literally and figuratively) back there, and I didn’t want to mess with their flow—next time.
Luckily, when it was my turn, there was a lull in the action, so I had a chance to study their wares. I kept finding things that looked interesting. An onion caraway bialy. A jalapeño-cheddar bialy. Various good-looking babkas. I had to stay focused, so I placed my order and watched their grill team go to work, filling what seemed like a non-stop stream of sandwiches.
UPON FIRST GLANCE
I was really digging by the bagels and bialys I saw in the baskets while waiting for my order. I liked the coloring, blistering, and seasoning distribution. I feel like if I walked into a bagel shop and saw these golden brown orbs staring back at me, I’d be pretty excited. I was impressed by the variety as well, from basic flavors to “you have my attention” unique offerings.
TOP
The plain bagel was slightly on the smaller side with a hand-rolled circular shape and a tiny center. The top was golden brown with dark-brown points. It was blistery all over and firm to the touch with a slight crinkle. There were a couple of textural nubs that portended some crispiness ahead.
The everything bagel with scallion and red onion schmear came in a fun pre-sliced presentation in a paper tray. This, too, was slightly smaller, with a round shape. The top was golden brown with plenty of blistering. It was firm to the touch with no crispiness detected. There was a medium seed hand at work, but I could smell the onion and garlic from afar, an auspicious sign.
BOTTOM
The bottom of the plain bagel featured a dark ring running around the center with a light brown ring on the outside. It was very firm to the touch. There was no Cornmeal Ring of Doom (CRoD) present.
The bottom of the everything bagel was firm but not crispy. Ironically, there was a stronger seed hand at work here than on the top, not that I’m complaining. It appeared to be a very onion-forward mix. Again, not complaining. There was no CRoD present.
INSIDE/BITE
The plain bagel offered a tough, crinkly rip, revealing a slight sourdough smell from the inside. The interior was dense but not stale, providing a tough chew in a good way. There was a strong rebound after the bite. The sourdough flavor and texture are evident, making it slightly firmer than a classic New York-style bagel. There were some crispy and crunch bits thanks to those nubs on the exterior.
The everything bagel also offered a dense, chewy bite. However, there was no crunch or crisp present in this one. It was an incredibly flavorful bite, thanks to the onion and garlic punch from the seasoning, coupled with the scallion and red onion schmear. The addition of red onion into this flavor mix was a massive win for me. It’s a wonderful compliment to the scallion and really elevates the schmear. The cream cheese oozed a little bit on each bite, but not so much that it made things too messy. In my last review, I felt like the cream cheese application was a little much, but it felt much more in line this time.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I was impressed with Sully Eats last time, and I think they remain one of the hidden gems of the Seattle bagel scene. What’s cool is that they’re playing to a lot of different audiences at once. If you want the fully loaded sando, you can get that. If you want a bagel with schmear, you can get that. If you're looking to grab a dozen bagels or bialys, you can do that, too. And we haven’t even gotten into their babkas.
I meant to sample their jalapeño cheddar bialy for the jamboree, but that’ll have to wait until next time. In the meantime, if you haven’t tried their bagels yet, keep an eye out for a farmers market appearance near you and give them a go.
Is It Good Enough For The Goys?
What a joy for the goyim to have this bagel option, whether it’s Burien, Ruston, Fremont, or wherever else they set up shop. I just hope they’re being as adventurous as they should be with the flavor combos.
Is It Good Enough For Northeastern Jews?
As far as sourdough bagels go, it’s one of the best in Seattle. I would be more than happy to bring my mother to the Fremont Sunday Market and stop here for a bagel and cream cheese while we pretend to be interested in all the hazarai being sold. I can think of no higher praise.
MY SEATTLE BAGEL RANKINGS SO FAR (6/4/25)
Freshborn Bagels (Ballard) - 1st visit
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) - 1st visit
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
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