Our 5 Favorite Bagel Shops in Richmond, VA

Bagels are such a subjective food group, aren’t they? While some folks are diehard New York-style bagel fans (bigger, chewy on the inside, crispy on the outside), others prefer a Montreal-style (smaller, sweeter, baked in a wood-fired oven). Then there are some who only want a sourdough bagel and nothing else will do, thank you very much. That said, we love a good bagel (and bagel sandwich), and we were thrilled to do the field research to provide this very important article for you. Here are our 5 favorite bagel shops in Richmond, VA!

Baltik’s Bagel

When a Richmond-based bagel shop can travel to New York to compete in a bagel competition, and win People’s Choice, you know there’s something there. And we agree! Baltik’s Bagel in the Southside has something for everyone, but we really really think you should try one of their Softies, which is an eggy bagel that makes the perfect sandwich bread. We love the River City Sunrise, but you can’t go wrong. Just a heads up, be prepared to wait!

Chewy’s Bagels

When we got a sourdough bagel shop in Carytown, Richmond collectively jumped for joy! Chewy’s Bagels opened in 2022 and has been selling out ever since. Owner Ashley began her baking career in French pastry but moved to bagels to cut back on the sugar content. Chewy’s (named after her adorable Kuchi dog) features slow-fermented, boiled sourdough bagels, made from scratch every morning. They are chewy (duh?) and delicious, and the flavor list is massive! We’re suckers for the sesame, but you’ve got to try some of their specialty flavors, like pepperjack jalapeño!

Cupertino’s NY Bagels

Cupertino’s is probably Richmond’s OG New York-style bagel shop. Opened in 2007 in Glen Allen, Cupertino’s is the result of a family legacy that started in Italy and later moved to New York. For 50 years, Walter Baietti Sr.’s family ran a successful bakery in Little Italy, Bronx, NY. When Walter moved to Richmond, we were all fortunate he decided to share his classic New York-style bagel with us! The Asiago and Cinnamon Raisin bagels haunt our dreams.

Image Credit: Cupertino's Bagels Instagram

Julio’s Bagel Shop

The owner of Julio’s Bagel Shop is also the brain behind Pizza Bones, so we knew going in that this was going to be a winner. Bagels here are made with naturally-leavened dough and freshly milled grain, giving them a sourdough-y taste and texture. Julio’s makes only four kinds of bagels – plain, sesame, everything, and salt. And that’s because they all speak for themselves! We recommend an everything bagel topped with spicy cream cheese and cucumbers – chef’s kiss!

Nate’s Bagels

We are sure you’ve heard of Nate’s Bagels, and for good reason. This New York-style bagel shop has been serving kettle-boiled and stone-baked bagels in the Fan District since 2018. The bagels here are massive, with the perfect crunchy exterior and soft, chewy middle. We adore the Rosemary Sea Salt and Everything bagels with cream cheese, but it’s so hard to pass up a classic Sausage Egg & Cheese bagel sandwich (so, we usually don’t). Nate’s Bagels also opened up a second location in Scott’s Addition!