Although bagels might not be the first food that comes to mind when you think of Los Angeles, they’ve definitely made a mark on the city. With so many unique and delicious spots serving everything from classic New York-style to creative West Coast twists, LA is a bagel lover’s dream. Next time you’re craving the perfect bite, here are some of the top bagel spots in LA to try.

Sam’s Bagels  

Sam’s Bagels are a Marlborough favorite, and some of the most flavorful and mouth watering bagels in the city. Their menu favorites include their loaded bagel sandwiches, which include breakfast style sandwiches with egg, cheese and bacon, as well as lunch bagels that feature toppings like chicken and turkey or egg salad. One of the reasons Marlborough   students love Sam’s is because of their customizable and no-fail toppings that can make any plain bagel into the perfect lunch or mid-day snack after a stressful study session. A bagel loaded with cream cheese and smoked salmon from Sam’s will always cheer me up, no matter the occasion. 

Noah’s Bagels

Noah’s Bagels is one of the most popular bagel spots in Los Angeles, including one conveniently located in Larchmont. Noah’s Bagels brings classic New York-style bagels to the West Coast and has expanded to 56 locations throughout California, making it one of the biggest bagel chains in the nation. Their menu offers a large array of gourmet bagels, from classics like the cinnamon raisin bagel to unique flavors like cheesy hash brown bagel and a maple french toast bagel.

Courage Bagels

Unlike Noah’s New York-inspired bagels, Courage Bagels takes inspiration from Montreal, which offers a smaller bagel with a crispy exterior and a soft and chewy interior. The now ultra-popular bagel spot in East Hollywood originally started from the back of a bicycle. Courage Bagels became widely successful for their beautiful presentation and their unconventional toppings, such as salmon roe and sardines.

Calic Bagel

Calic Bagel is one of the most unconventional yet fascinating bagel places in Los Angeles. Known for their stuffed bagels, bagels filled with their signature cream cheese, Calic Bagel is a rich and creamy twist on the classic bagel experience. The bagel derives from Korean garlic cheese bread, and their creations have become a must-try for adventurous food lovers. 

Layla’s Bagels

Though Layla Bagels only opened its first location in early 2023, you can expect long lines of people waiting for a hot bagel at their Ocean Park location in Santa Monica. With over 32,000 followers on Instagram, Layla Bagels is known for its aesthetic bagels topped with colorful produce. Some of their most popular bagel sandwiches include the Pre Jam, which features seasonal fruit such as raspberries or fresh citrus, and the Laika, a bagel loaded with herb cream cheese, smoked salmon, cucumbers, tomatoes, pickled onions and capers.

All these bagel shops are locally renowned for their unique twists on bagels. And we hope that you consider any of these bagel shops to visit whenever you need a little pick-me-up.