Have you ever eaten a bagel that was missing a shiny gold crust and doughy center? You might even ask yourself, “Why is this bagel really dry?” and put extra cream cheese to make it taste a little better. We have all experienced this bagel horror story, but don’t worry! We are going to let you in on a bagel secret: not all bagels taste the same, because they are made differently.

Gasp! Shocking, we know.

There are two main differences: steaming and boiling.

1. Steaming

The bagel example above is a steamed bagel. It is very dry and has a fluffy cake-like texture. Steamed bagels are only baked on one side, and the toppings are applied before the steaming process. This leaves the bagel with sparse and dry toppings. But, we won’t judge you if you like steamed bagels. Everyone has a different preference.

2. Boiling

On the other hand, a boiled bagel is crunchy on the outside and dense on the inside. We bake our bagels on both sides for that extra golden crust. Bonus: We add toppings to our bagels on not just one side, but both. Hello, flavor filled New York bagel!

We are proud to make the best darn New York bagels on the West Coast. Learn more about how we make our New York style bagels in our article, BCB Bagels: 5 Secrets You Didn’t Know. If you haven’t tried our bagels, we invite you to visit one of our three locations. We make delicious bagel sandwiches with fresh toppings. Take a peek at our tasty menu so you know what to order next time you’re in the restaurant.

We hope to see you soon!