Eltana Bagel Cafe

Hello food blog world! I am just now wrapping up a long fall quarter of grad school and teaching. My tunnel vision of "eat-read-grade-sleep" (not always privileging the "eat" part, unfortunately) is slowly receding, and I am looking forward to a wonderful holiday. Stuart and I are planning trips to both my family home in Nevada (near Lake Tahoe) and his family in Santa Barbara. I can't WAIT to post about my favorite foods, home-cooked and otherwise, in both locations. Only a bit of student grading lies between me and lazing around for three glorious weeks.

Meanwhile, the Seattle food scene is still introducing amazing new finds on a near weekly basis. Last weekend, Stuart and I explored an amazing spot called Eltana Bagel Cafe. They are a small local chain that specializes in wood-fired bagels boiled in honey water. I know, sounds delicious right?! Another feature that makes them unique in that both sides of their bagels are "top" sides - no fighting over who has to eat the boring, flat side of the bagel that missed out on all the sesame seeds!

Their spreads and cream cheeses are also made in-house, and boast some pretty unique flavors. I went with the spice garlic cream cheese (which is truly spicy!) and Stuart tried the sweet fig apricot compote. We bought a few bagels to go, along with a pack of the honey almond cream cheese that we just couldn't resist. Definitely a new favorite cafe, with its light and airy interior and cheerful wood burning oven! Multiple locations make this a must-try causal breakfast in Seattle.

 

  

 

  

 Salt bagel with fig apricot compote (top) and sesame bagel with spicy garlic cream cheese (bottom)