It wasn’t long ago that Washington’s bagel situation was bleak. Sure, good versions existed—at Bagels and . . . (2019 West St., Annapolis; 410-224-8686), Goldberg’s New York Bagels (9328 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, 240-450-4177; 4824-26 Boiling Brook Pkwy., Rockville, 301-816-9229; 7731 Tuckerman La., Potomac, 240-403-1210), and Bethesda Bagels (4819 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda, 301-652-8990; 1718 Connecticut Ave., NW, 202-299-9399)—but beyond that, the selection mostly made frozen Lender’s seem decent. Happily, things are looking up.
Newcomer Bullfrog Bagels (1341 H St., NE; 202-494-2615) draws snaking lines, and it’s easy to taste why: The small, hand-rolled rounds are soft and chewy inside with a slightly crisp exterior and just enough seasoning (we love the everything and salt varieties). Even better with roasted-jalapeño cream cheese or a heaping of smoky whitefish salad.
One of the unlikelier sources for bagel greatness: 2 Amys (3715 Macomb St., NW; 202-885-5700). Sundays, the pizzeria’s owner, Peter Pastan, makes a batch of golden-crusted beauties—and his own cream cheese.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
