Can I find a good Vashon Island bagel at... Caffe Vino Olio

Fresh bagels are just a ferry ride away from Seattle.

May 20, 2024

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 make sure I review any specific bagels (or want to let me know why I’m wrong), you can email me at seanmatthewkeeley@gmail.com.

I decided to take myself on a creative retreat to Vashon Island this past weekend. Staying in a rustic Airbnb in the woods, I split my time between writing non-bagel-related stories, hiking or walking the many trails, and exploring the island. I also spent too much time in the bookstore, saw an owl, had a fantastic falafel sandwich from a Syrian food cart, and picked up some nice homemade soaps at the farmers market. What a delight!

Of course, you knew that I would look around to see if anyone was making bagels on Vashon. Sure enough, I discovered that Caffe Vino Olio makes their own bagels from scratch.

You’d be hard-pressed to visit Vashon and not stop by Caffe Vino Olio. It’s a go-to spot for a coffee and bagel in the morning, and, as the name suggests, the place to stop by in the early evening for a glass of wine. Interesting artwork from local artists line the walls and there are several sections based on whether or not you’re just stopping in for a quick bite or want to relax on the back patio.

Owner James Norton has also expanded his interests into the coffee world, recently launching the coffee roaster Caffe Florita. This comes after two years of testing their blends at cafes such as Vino Olio.

“Vashon Island is not an easy place for a brand, especially a coffee roaster, to make an immediate or lasting impression,” said Norton in a press release. “We were able to do that and over time have improved our roasting process as a result of the customer feedback loop from not only Vino Olio, but the 5 Point Cafe, Mecca Cafe, and other places where our blends have been tested."

Norton also recently appeared on King 5’s New Day Seattle to discuss his coffee blends. While the coffee was the focus of the day, he made sure to punctuate the segment with a mention that Vino Olio serves fresh bagels.

In fact, when you look at the cafe’s social media channels, you get the distinct sense that freshly made bagels are a big selling point and point of pride.

So the question is, how good are these island bagels? Let’s find out…

And if you want to know how I define a good bagel, you can find that here.

Plain bagel ($3.50)
Everything bagel with scallion cream cheese ($7.00)

THE EXPERIENCE

There’s a lot going on inside Caffe Vino Olio and I mean that in a good way. The handful of times I’ve stopped by it’s usually been bustling with customers lined up and locals chatting with one another. It’s a classic feature of PNW island life where tourists and townies co-exist in places like this. I love the setup of the coffee bar in the center of a snug main room that leads into a seating area and patio. Were I spending more time there, I probably would have brought my laptop and camped out for a bit in the back.

UPON FIRST GLANCE

In a unique twist on the usual bagel presentation, they had their bread circles in a jar on the counter. Actually, they just had the everything and salt bagels in there, with the full flavor selection hanging out in the kitchen when you order. They had seven flavors (plain, everything, poppy seed, sesame seed, Maldon salt, onion, and olive oil/salt & pepper) as well as five schmear options (plain, scallion, dill, Nova lox, and Calabrian chili & roasted red pepper).

Scallion cream cheese has been a rare commodity in the PNW so I was thrilled to see it on the menu. I kept things classic with my order, though I kinda wish I’d tried out some of the other flavors as well. Next time.

TOP

The plain bagel was on the slightly smaller side and featured a medium-sized center. The top was a light beige brown and very uniform in terms of texture and feel. There were some ridges and nubs but no blistering or bubbles. It was soft to the touch with whisps of crispness and crinkles.

The everything bagel was similar in terms of size and center. There was a very strong seed hand at work here and I remain a sucker for black sesame seeds. I also noticed a strong garlic and onion smell. The top of the bagel was soft to the touch and very similar to the plain in terms of texture.

BOTTOM

The bottom of the plain bagel was firm and textured but pushed in when I pressed on it. The bottom of the everything bagel was soft but firm, though not knockable. Both bottoms had some whisps of cornmeal, barely enough to be considered a Cornmeal Ring of Doom (CRoD).

INSIDE/BITE

The plain bagel offered a tough rip and the first thing I noted was a somewhat pretzel-y smell from the interior. It was chewy but without any crunch or crispiness. I noted a medium rebound after each bite. Even without any crispy texture, the exterior was sturdy enough to maintain the integrity of the bagel. The interior was fluffy but not airy. As I ate, I continued to get more pretzel flavor than bagel flavor (and for the record this was not presented as a pretzel bagel like The Cottage).

The first thing I noted about the everything bagel with scallion cream cheese was the schmear distribution. It was just about ideal and ensured that I got a solid bit (but not too much) of schmear in every bite. That said, between the everything seasoning and scallion cream cheese, I felt like I should be getting more flavor. There was a little bit of salt in the everything mix but I think it could use a little more to bring the other seasoning out. The crunch of the scallion bits brought some much-needed texture to the bite as the bagel itself was soft.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I have this vision in my head that there is a bagel lurking in a random corner of the Pacific Northwest waiting to be discovered and lifted up to the masses as a must-try. I wanted to love these bagels more than I did. The pretzeliness of the plain and muted flavors of the everything with cream cheese dampened my appreciation of them. That said, the bagels are perfectly fine for a breakfast bite during your day on Vashon Island, and I remain intrigued to try the other flavors.

Is It Good Enough For The Goys?

I am always going to be happy to see freshly made bagels in a place like Vashon Island where it would be so easy to just throw some industrial, pre-packaged ones out there and call it a day. I think there’s a lot of care and enthusiasm put into these bagels and I can’t be mad about that. My guess is that they do pretty well with these on the menu.

Is It Good Enough For Northeastern Jews?

I think you know what I’m gonna say here. However, as noted above, I think you’ll agree that you’d rather roll with one of these bagels and the fresh schmears than some schlocky store-bought version. Give these guys a whirl next time you visit the island (and check out the rest of the menu while you’re there).

BONUS: While taking this photo on a Maury Island hike it occurred to me that it would absolutely silly to live anywhere other than the PNW.

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? Forward the link their way.

Hannah Exner

May 21, 2024

I've had this bagel! My family has a cabin on Vashon so I'm out there often. I agree with your assessment. Not bagels, but did you try the baked goods at Snapdragon? Highly recommend next time you go!

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1 reply by Sean Keeley