West Coast Vs East Coast Bagels: What's The Difference?

The East and West Coast have a rivalry as old as time. Both coasts promise a sea of exciting opportunities to creatives, innovators, and most of all, foodies. While both regions offer some of the best food in the world, comparing the same foods from both coasts will often result in a very different experience.

Take bagels, for example. While we may never be able to answer once and for all which bagel is better, we sure can identify noticeable differences in the hole-y baked good based on where it is served. It can be tough to find an "authentic" bagel shop on the West Coast.

Bagels are more commonly enjoyed on the East Coast — the baked good was introduced to America in the 19th Century when immigrants from Poland arrived in New York City and introduced the Big Apple to this Jewish staple food. Nowadays, you can grab an authentic New-York-Style bagel around practically every corner in the state of New York and the surrounding New England areas. The West Coast was a bit slower to the bagel craze, although certain shops in the Golden State have been known to hold their own against the opposing state's elite standards.

While flavor variations can vary slightly between the two coasts based on recipe and ratio, it is actually the texture that is the biggest difference between East and West Coast bagels. Would you like your bagel boiled or steamed? West Coast bagels are traditionally lighter and chewier than East Coast bagel dough. Some claim that the secret to a thick, crunchy N.