By Cindy Arora
LOS ANGELES — Whether it’s rip-and-dip, stuffed, or elevated into a seasonal showstopper, bagels took a bow at Los Angeles’ inaugural BagelFest West on April 12, at the Audrey Irmas Pavilion at Wilshire Boulevard Temple.
Thousands of bagel makers, purveyors and enthusiasts arrived at the sold-out event to experience the schmear de la schmear of what’s trending in the West Coast’s bagel scene. With bagel trays in hand, attendees circulated the room, where 20 booths, 15 bagel exhibitors and a handful of “bagel adjacent” participants showcased smoked fish, vegan cream cheese, and bagel swag.
“This group [of bagel exhibitors] was selected from scores of applicants, with only 16% making the cut,” said BagelFest founder Sam Silverman. “They were chosen not just for the quality of their food, but for their creativity, character, and contributions to their communities. They are trailblazers dispelling the myth that ‘it’s the water’ that makes bagels great and proving what has always been the truth: it’s the people, the talent and their dedication.”
A schedule of tastings and panel discussions from “The Key to the Perfect Bagel” to “What is an LA Bagel?” rounded out the event.
During the “What is an LA Bagel?” discussion, celebrity chef Eric Greenspan summed up the difference between a California and New York bagel.
“I would say the California bagel is more playful, less traditional,” he said. “There’s an artisanal approach to bagels here.”
The cultural tug-of-war between an East Coast and West Coast bagel was on display, as bagel vendors shared how California’s cultural landscape and food scene inspire menu development.
This could be seen at Bagel Boss from Burbank, CA, which took third place for its Lox Ceviche Sandwich, which came with a side of Tapatio.
In Los Angeles, Calic Bagels merges tradition with the Korean Tangzhong baking method and gives it an LA twist. The end result? Its elote (Mexican corn) bagel.
“It’s honestly so cool what we get to do, we are an LA-style bagel shop, and we get inspired by our community, by the neighborhood we live in,” said Rebecca Reyes, assistant manager at Calic Bagel.
John Park, owner of Rise Bagels in Irvine, CA, won Best of the West and Most Creative for its 7-11-inspired Tokyo Egg Salad bagel, featuring a quail egg topped with house-made Korean chili crisp.
“We wanted to create a California bagel, something that is lighter, crispier … while taking advantage of all of the amazing ingredients we have,” John said. “We were able to do this in a really cool way – bringing fusion to our menu.”
For Mike Rabinowitz, owner of the newly opened Marigold Bagels in San Diego, BagelFest was a wonderful way for him to glean insights from fellow bagel makers.
“I really enjoyed listening to some of the more experienced bagel makers talk about the struggles they went through when they first got started,” he said. “It was really helpful for me to hear the stories and know I am not alone.”
The 2026 BagelFest West Winners include:
Best of the West: Rise Bagels
Best Bagel: Hey Bagel | Seattle
Best Bagel – Yeasted: Boichik Bagels | Los Angeles
Best Sandwich: Belle’s Bagels Delicatessen and Bar | Highland Park, CA
Most Creative: Rise Bagels
Rising Star: (tie) Daniel’s Bagels | Culver City, CA, and Mission Bagel | San Diego
Schmear of the Year: Pueblo Green Chile Cream Cheese from Bella’s Bagels | Colorado Springs, CO
