FOOD NOTE: And now there are two bagel shops coming to West Seattle – Hey Bagel too

(WSB photo: South side of 4448 California building)

Thanks for the avalanche of tips on this: Now there are two bagel shops coming to West Seattle. Late today, the proprietor of Hey Bagel in University Village, Andrew Rubinstein, announced he’s just signed a lease on a new expansion location in West Seattle. He said it’ll be “just north of the Alaska Junction.” We just reached him via email to ask for specifics and he told WSB that it’ll be the almost-done mixed-use building at 4448 California SW. He expects to open the West Seattle shop in May. (The other bagel shop heading this way, as we’ve been reporting, is Royal Bagel, planning a Morgan Junction location.)

Mr. W September 23, 2026 (7:47 pm)

Hey Bagel coming to West Seattle is the best news. I used to drive all the way to U-Village for those tasty sourdough bagels and bialys. Thank you Andrew Rubinstein!!!

Lox my bagel September 24, 2026 (7:02 am)

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Is Andrew Rubinstein the person who started Rubinstein Bagels in One Union Square?
- Mr W September 24, 2026 (2:48 pm)
  
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  It used to be, yes. But it was a partnership with Ethan Stowell’s restaurant group that I think Rubinstein didn’t like and exited. So the real Rubinstein bagels are Hey Bagel, whereas Rubinstein Bagels are now run by Ethan Stowell’s group. You can taste the difference.
- Cassandra September 24, 2026 (3:36 pm)
  
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  Yes.
Bagel lover September 24, 2026 (10:16 am)

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Wish they would toast or schmear bagels for their customers. Kind of lame that they don’t do that if you want to grab one on the run. This is pretty basic, especially coming from the East Coast.
- Wsgal September 24, 2026 (9:57 pm)
  
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  Totally agree. Not everyone is a dip and eat kinda bagel person. I’ll keep driving out of my way for a good schmeared Toast bagel. Happy they are coming. Anyone with a kid at madison or in high school can expect their kids spending to triple monthly.
- N in Seattle September 25, 2026 (2:29 am)
  
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  Hah! In my East Coast experience (grew up in South Jersey, about a mile from the perpetual winner of Philadelphia Magazine’s award for best bagels in the Delaware Valley), respectable bagel shops sold bagels … period. By the half-dozen or (baker’s) dozen, for you to take home and eat as you saw fit.
- M September 25, 2026 (6:49 am)
  
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  The rip and dip concept is ridiculous, but they do have amazing bagels. Since it’s close by, it’ll be easier to grasp some to bring home
- LouAnn October 6, 2026 (11:31 pm)
  
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  Exactly! I used to order bagels for my training classes and have them slice them in half. I didn’t have them toast them because it would have been cold by the time I got to work. But if it was for just me right there, I have to have them toasted with a schmeer.
Cassandra September 24, 2026 (3:37 pm)

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Yes, me too. Or I ordered bagels from NY; they arrive in two days. Very fresh. Now I won’t have to order so much.

Olivia September 23, 2026 (8:18 pm)

This is so exciting, I’ve heard rave reviews about Hey Bagel! Can’t wait to try. Also looking forward to Royal Bagel – so many great options! Welcome to the neighborhood.

In Yeast We Trust September 23, 2026 (8:22 pm)

So excited to have bagel shops—including the best in Seattle—join our community! Welcome!

Brooke September 23, 2026 (8:33 pm)

Wooo hoooo!!!🥳

bagels September 23, 2026 (8:40 pm)

Bring on all the bagels! I cant wait for all the options! WS!

GLH September 23, 2026 (8:46 pm)

Glorious.

Derek September 23, 2026 (8:57 pm)

This is the best news ever!

Rankler September 23, 2026 (9:21 pm)

Hey Bagel’s refusal to slice their bagels is an affront to human dignity

Person September 24, 2026 (1:08 am)

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Yeah, I’m glad I saw that on their website before I stood in line for disappointment.
pleaseslicemybagel September 24, 2026 (9:50 am)

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You should run for city council with these political views.
- WS Res September 24, 2026 (4:36 pm)
  
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  Time for Brett Hamil to introduce “Knifey, the out-of-work bagel knife”!
SlimJim September 24, 2026 (11:40 am)

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Yeah, I know. I don’t own a knife either.
N in Seattle September 25, 2026 (2:33 am)

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Au contraire. Bagels should be sold whole, ready to be cut or torn or just bitten into by the customer.

Keri September 23, 2026 (11:40 pm)

Finally! Bagels in West Seattle. I know we used to have a shop in Admiral Junction… it’s been too long. And rankler, best laugh all day.

bagelsonboard September 24, 2026 (7:01 am)

As famous and tasty as Hey Bagel is, I will share my experience this summer when i DM’d them to ask if they’d consider offering discounts to educators for a bulk order I was contemplating. This is the response I got, which says a lot, considering they’ve recently been voted best bagel on the west coast: We don’t have a policy for educators. We’ve had a big year of giving. So I do have to watch next steps….(Then he suggested I reach out.) His response told me a lot considering there are so many small businesses that value the community contributions of teachers, first responders, military, etc. by giving standard discounts as a gesture to recognize the hard work done.Hey Bagel has a great product but I ultimately chose to direct my business to a bagel shop in a different Western Washington county, where they’ve always offered discounts and where the bagels are of equal and more interesting flavor quality. I will likely go to Hey Bagel when it opens here on our peninsula, but (no pun intended) the interaction left a bad taste in my mouth.

welcometotheneighborhood! September 24, 2026 (2:38 pm)

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So, they gave you an honest, kind, direct response? They are a small business operating on small margins – you (or anyone) are not entitled to a discount. I’m glad they were able to hold their boundaries, and also love seeing that they give back in ways that work for them!
WS Res September 24, 2026 (4:35 pm)

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You asked, they nicely said no, I don’t understand what the problem is, unless you thought you were entitled to a “yes.”
Amy September 24, 2026 (7:10 pm)

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I’m still trying to understand what in their response ‘left a bad taste in your mouth’.
- N in Seattle September 25, 2026 (2:35 am)
  
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  The bad taste came from the bagels that Bagelsonboard bought at that inferior shop.
Steve September 27, 2026 (3:02 pm)

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As an educator, you don’t seem very educated.

Keenan September 24, 2026 (8:30 am)

Great news! We needed a bagel shop in the Junction. We have some great cafes around there but their food items are all pre-packaged from third party vendors which doesn’t cut it for me.

Natinstl September 24, 2026 (9:57 am)

I drive to Wallingford to get my bagels at Eltana. We’ll see if one of these guys wins me over. I just love the size of Eltana bagels and the slight smokiness.

Stephen September 24, 2026 (3:36 pm)

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Eltana’s bagels are Montreal style. Unique.

Pete September 24, 2026 (10:20 am)

This is great news. As a NJ transplant, Seattle has been a bagel desert for most of my 34 years here, with Bagel Oasis being, precisely, an oasis. I tried Hey Bagel a couple months ago, and it was fantastic, though the line was daunting. I’m really happy they’re opening here in WS, I hope they’re opening soon.

Eva September 24, 2026 (2:40 pm)

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He said on Instagram that his plan is to open in May!
- WSB September 24, 2026 (2:47 pm)
  
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  That’s in the story above.
Bagel snob September 24, 2026 (3:51 pm)

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Same! I remember trekking to Bagel Oasis when I first moved to Seattle, and eventually accepting Eltana as a reluctant alternative. I’m loving all the options popping up but Hey Bagel has been by far my favorite — honestly better than most in the NYC/NJ area that I’ve had in recent years. I have been trekking to Udistrict on a weekday to get 2 dozen at a time and freeze them. I know some people hate that they don’t slice bagels but they are so incredibly hot when you buy them, the cream cheese would not spread properly and would melt right out! and toasting a fresh bagel is criminal! The fact that you can count on hot bagels at Hey Bagel is incredible and rare. Hey Bagel aligns with my bagel philosophy and I am so happy they are coming to our neighborhood.
- Pete September 28, 2026 (1:00 pm)
  
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  BINGO on the toasting a fresh bagel….There’s another bagel place on the NE corner of LCW and 125th, it’s only take out, but their bagels are very good and the hot honey cream cheese is incredible. Too far for me to make the trek regularly, but if I have a reason to go north on a Saturday or Sunday, I make it my business to hit that shop in Lake City.
Wsresident September 24, 2026 (10:00 pm)

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Hey Pete, as a fellow NY/NJ gal, I wonder out of curiosity if you’ve had Toast’s bagels? Curious what your take is between the two. I much prefer flavor profile, cut bagel and cream cheese density at toast.
- Pete September 28, 2026 (1:01 pm)
  
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  No, where is Toast’s?

Sliced&Toasted September 24, 2026 (1:36 pm)

To all those OG’s out there, Zatz was THE BEST. Many weekends spent eating fresh bagels and veggie smear in their front window.My 15 YO son will be in the corner adjacent ready to slice and toast your bagels for a small price. Hey Bagel is delish and we’ve conquered the line several times.Welcome to the neighborhood to our new bagel shops. Bring on the competition!

johnny September 24, 2026 (2:33 pm)

We discovered Bloom bagels in Georgetown a couple of years ago and go there every month or two early in the morning to pick up a dozen bagels and a couple containers of their cream cheese shmeres – these are some of the best bagels I have ever had, and I am a lifelong big time bagel eater…. That being said, I am stoked to try both new bagel places coming to West Seattle and will be able to walk to Royal Bagel – nice!

Villagegreen September 25, 2026 (8:03 am)

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Bloom is so good! When I recommend them most people haven’t heard of them. No need to trek all over the city. Just a quick hop over to Georgetown. So excited to try Hey Bagel.

NK September 24, 2026 (3:33 pm)

Natinstl: Totally agree with you that Eltana has the best bagels I have ever had. I love the size and density and smokiness as well. But you are comparing apples and oranges, kind of. Eltana are Montreal bagels (apparently that’s how they do them there— who knew) and a friend of mine who grew up in Montreal would drive to the ends of the earth for them. I get mine in the Cap Hill location on the way to downtown. Yum

Dezi September 24, 2026 (3:52 pm)

I hope Royal Bagel is not sourdough like Hey.

Zipda September 27, 2026 (12:30 pm)

Best Bialys!!!

Mary Chamberlain Heuman September 28, 2026 (8:13 am)

I was introduced to the delight of good bagels by my BFF from. Chicago twenty years ago. I miss Zatz, but am excited to welcome these two shops to our little burgh. I’m intrigued by the Montreal style bagels, sounds like it’s worth a trip to the U district. Thanks for your advice, fellow bage enthusiasts!