Pearl's Bagels

+ Decent bagels for a former New-Yorker. - Pricy and not many choices. Poppyseed galore! I ordered online to avoid haste in the morning. Since I’m a bit late, the toasted bagel has cooled down but it is still tasty. The lox is a little bland— overshadowed simply by my juicy tomatoes and cucumber but it’s not the bagel’s fault. I ended up eating it open-face bagel so of vegetables and salmon to better enjoy the lox :) Small space and better for takeaways. Frenchie is cute.

Pretty good bagels and didn’t have to wait long. The lox was super fresh and a lot of cream cheese filling. The egg and ham bagel was also pretty good too. Should stop by if you are in the area!

I asked for Toasted and service could just told me “we don’t toast” but did not. Then came a cold, leathery bagel that definitely could use a little crisp-up. Vegetables were bitter, one cucumber slice is basically skin. Beautiful decor, but surfaces and pillows could use some attention between customers.

Pearl’s is one of my favorite little spots in DC. They use sourdough for their bagels and even though they’re smaller than what I grew up with in New York, they hold their own. The texture hits that sweet spot between chewy and soft and the flavors are always balanced. I had the seasonal sandwich with the thick cut turkey, herb cream cheese, greens and that cranberry situation… unreal. It tasted fresh and intentional, not heavy. The whole shop has this cozy, clean vibe that makes you want to sit for a minute. Loved the fall leaves hanging from the ceiling. If you’re a New Yorker who’s picky about bagels, this place won’t disappoint. It’s not trying to copy NYC; it’s doing its own thing and it works. Perfect for a quiet morning or on-the-go, a good bagel and a warm drink.

I ordered the Frenchie which has ham, Dijon, gruyere cheese (new obsession) - really great and came out fast. Enjoyed my vanilla oat milk latte as well!