Les Bagels de Paris

Having a delicious breakfast with good coffee has not been a problem in the French capital in recent years. Thanks to the large (American) expat community. It is now also bringing another hit—originally European—back to the mother continent. The bagel.

Name Bob’s Bake Shop
Type Bagel shop
Service American
Cuisine Bagels, health food & drinks, patisserie
Decor Hipster wood
Extra Located on an ecological creative site with a large terrace
Price $$

Expats
Paris is currently experiencing a bagel craze. Naturally, this is thanks to all those American expats who have already changed the food scene considerably. Including good coffee and breakfast spots.

But bagels are no strangers in a city with such a large Eastern European Jewish community. It was simply high time the bagel got a modern makeover.

The best Parisian bagel is still baked by an American.

And according to bagel aficionados (including food writer David Lebovitz), the best bagels currently still come from a Californian—well, there you have it. His name is Marc, but his place is called Bob’s Bake Shop. And Bob’s is not only a household name among the hordes of expats.

18th arrondissement
At the ecological small-business site Halle Pajol in the up-and-coming La Chapelle district (18th arrondissement), Bob’s is mainly visited by Parisiens. Locals who watch les bagels being hand-rolled right in front of their eyes. But who also order the holeless bagel variant bialy, Eastern European knishes, babkas and rugelachs, and Mexican wedding cookies at the counter.

The bagel is chewy just as it should be.

But I come for the bagel lox cream cheese. With a pickle and a bowl of coleslaw on the side. Plus a mug of batch brew filter coffee from local roasters Belleville Brûlerie.

Chewy
The bagel is chewy just as it should be, but as you rarely get it outside the well-known bagel regions. Exactly right. And an ideal foundation for a whole day of wandering over the Parisian cobblestones.

Image: Marjan Ippel