A bagel can be a hearty meal or a boring snack. It’s one of the staple breads that has endured in a baking industry where trends change daily. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite bagel spots in Seoul.
1. Everyday Bagels
Everyday Bagel is located in a corner of Yeonhee-dong. They offer a wide variety of bagels, from plain to onion, cinnamon raisin, poppy seed, and more. Another favorite is the Kimchi Cheese Bagel, which combines the spiciness of kimchi seasoning with the savory flavor of black sesame seeds and cheese.
Overall, the Everyday Bagel is considered to be the closest to the original New York bagel flavor. For hours and more information, see Official Instagram Notes.
📍 29, Yeonhee-ro 11-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Korea
2. Elephant Bagel
When it comes to bagels, Elephant Bagel is a holy place. A place that sells out of bagels almost every day, so much so that the store’s opening hours say 8:30 a.m. to while supplies last. The bagels are baked in a massive wood-fired oven, giving them an incredible chewiness.
The signature item is the buttersalt bagel. For more information, see the Here Notes.
📍 176 Seonyu-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, Korea Elephant Bagel
3. SF Bagel
Considered one of the best places to eat in Yeonnam, SF Bagel is a healthy and delicious organic bagel shop. It is made without chemical yeast, using naturally fermented species. Choose from a variety of bagels – plain, fig, jalapeño, onion, honey salt, and more – and pair them with complementary spreads like peanut butter, herb spice, and more!
They have a great selection of desserts, especially bagels, but also banana bread and more, and they have a vegan menu that vegetarians can also enjoy. The official Instagram is Here.
📍 29, Donggyo-ro 46-gil, Yeonnam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, Korea
4. Motherliner Bagel
My mother-in-law’s bagels, which have a pretty funny name: Motherliner Bagels. This is where bagels are made the traditional way, by blanching the dough in boiling water and then baking it in an open fire.
In fact, the owner’s mother-in-law ran a popular bagel shop in New York City for years, and she brought that same approach to Korea to ensure the flavors are as authentic as possible. For an authentic New York bagel, head to Motherliner Bagels. Hours and menus are available at Official website Notes.
📍 1F, Ewha Womans University 5-gil 5, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Korea
5. LocalVillaBagel
Local Villa Bagel in Itaewon is so popular that if you arrive late, the bagels are already sold out. There’s plenty of seating inside for dining, and they have a variety of bagel breads and bagel sandwiches to choose from.
📍 Local Villa Bagel Itaewon: 1F, 158 Itaewon-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
6. London Bagel Museum
The company has also opened new locations in London’s Bagel Museum Ankook and Dosan Park, both of which are known for their long lines for bagels, but the wait is the same at Dosan.
The London Bagel Museum is famous for a reason: it’s decorated with items reminiscent of the city and tantalizes the senses with its wide selection of bagels.
📍 London Bagel Museum Ankuk Branch : 20, Bukchon-ro 4-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul