HOME > Chowhound > Washington DC & Baltimore >


Boston Hound moving to NoVA -- Show me the Bagels!

Hounds, my husband and I are moving to the Fairfax area at the end of July. Any decent bagel places around? Not chains, the real thing! TIA.

  1. Click to Upload a photo (10 MB limit)
  1. Trixie: There are some decent bagels around here, actually. Maybe not Kupel's or Rosenfeld's, but not bad at all. They are:

    Bagel Buddies in Fair Lakes
    Main Street Bagel Deli in Fairfax

    Welcome to the neighborhood!

    4 Replies
    1. re: Bob W

      also just moving into the area, by way of a two year stint in Denver, origionally from Boston - I can't believe how long its been since I've head Kupel's or Rosenfelds... wow you just brought me back

      1. re: LiveCJ

        Best bagels are in Frederick, MD, which admittedly is a bit of a hike from DC. Market Bagels on N.Market Street near Carroll Creek has excellent bagels. The family that owns it is from Long Island and has all their flour and ingredints shipped down from NY. Good lox and schmears, too.

      2. re: Bob W

        If you find any bagels in this area as good as those in either Boston or NYC, please post it here so the rest of us can enjoy them too. Been here 25 years, and still looking.

        1. re: Potomac Bob

          not in NoVA, but there is a pretty damn good bagel place on light street in Federal Hill in Baltimore, I think its called Sam's

      3. There is a Wegmans grocery store is Fairfax that bakes its own bread and bagels. Never had any so I can't comment personally, but it would be a place to try and I've heard good things.

        1. Welcome to the 'hood, Trixie!

          IMHO, there is only one decent bagel place in all of the DC metro area, and that's Brooklyn Bagel Bakery on Wilson Boulevard in Arlington. However, Chutzpah Deli in the Fairfax Town Center (Route 50 and West Ox Road) brings their bagels down from NYC, so that's worth checking out.

          6 Replies
          1. re: FoodieGrrl

            Brooklyn Bagel is THE place. Luckily, we live close, but Fairfax is kind of far.

            BTW, what was your favorite bagel place in Boston? I know we want to keep this to DC/B-More/NOVA, but that might help us understand what your expectations are.

            1. re: GyroBall

              I adore Katz's bagels in Chelsea. A distant 2nd is Bagels by US in Arlington center. The dough is from H&H in NYC.

            2. re: FoodieGrrl

              I read that about Chutzpah and was so excited but I was disappointed. I would go to Einstein, despite being a chain, over that for bagels. Not to say it's a bad place but I wouldn't go for bagels.

              1. re: chowser

                I'm with you on part of that, chowser. We like Chutzpah but I wouldn't go there for a bagel. Their bagels are fine as an accompaniment for breakfast but in that's area I'd definitely go to Bagel Buddies if I just wanted a bagel or two. Einstein's doesn't do it for me.

                1. re: Bob W

                  I'll have to check out Bagel Buddies next time I'm over there. It's a drive for me and all we have near us is Einstein and Chesapeake (not even that near). Einstein is better than Chesapeake and they've supported community fundraisers so we go there. Is Bagel Buddies in that huge strip mall w/ Target, Toys R Us, Home Goods, etc.? I remember seeing a bagel place there.

                  1. re: chowser

                    Yes, it's in the little strip of stores at the far end of Fair Lakes, near the Bloom market. The owner is an ex-New Yorker. It's a family operation. Good bialys too.

                    Where are you coming from? Main St Bagel Deli in Fairfax might be closer to you and is also worth checking out.

            3. I prefer Captial Bagel Bakery-store front says Bagel Shop (I think) it is in Alexandria, VA in a shopping center with Giant, Washington Sports Club, and other random places:

              Capital Bagel Bakery
              (703) 379-6462
              3610 King St
              Alexandria, VA 22302

              1. I would not recommend Brooklyn Bagels...
                They are hardly comparable to what you could get in NYC. They are pretty tasteless to me.

                I will have to check out the Capital Bagel Bakery in Alexandria as noted.