The Best Bagels on the Einstein Bros. Menu
Einstein Bros. is one of the best bakery cafe chains famous for its menu of freshly made bagels. It is also loved for its “neighborhood bagel shop” feel, specialty coffees, and breakfast pastries.
Einstein Bros. serves a wide variety of bagels, from classics like garlic and sesame seed to gourmet bagels featuring jalapenos and cheddar. They even have a bagel for dogs! (We won’t get into that today.)
Einstein’s iconic “shmear” comes in sweet and savory flavors, which can be mixed and matched with any bagel.
Their breakfast and lunch sandwiches also feature freshly baked bagels stacked with meat, cheese, veggies, and sauces.
If you’re wondering which bagel on the Einstein Bros. menu reigns supreme, here’s my list of their top 20 bagels ranked from worst to best.
20. Honey Whole Wheat Bagel
If you’re looking to start your day with something sweet, the Honey Whole Wheat Bagel might be just the thing.
It is made with whole wheat flour and sweetened with honey and brown sugar.
It’s just sweet enough to satisfy a sugar craving but not so sweet that it will overpower the shmear of your choice.
Honey almond and plain shmear are two of the most popular pairings for the Honey Whole Wheat Bagel.
This bagel is good and simple, but it doesn’t have the wow factor that many other bagels on this list have, so it came in at number 20 overall.
The Honey Whole Wheat Bagel contains 260 calories.
19. Pumpernickel Bagel
The pumpernickel flavor is a little hard to pin down – it’s a little earthy, sweet, and sour.
This bagel gets its dark hue from rye flour and molasses. It’s also filled with caraway seeds, which, just like pumpernickel, are earthy and slightly sweet.
Its slight tang comes from the sourdough included in the recipe.
Pumpernickel can be a bit divisive – some people love it, and others hate it.
It’s not my favorite type of bagel, but Einstein’s version is pretty good. It’s chewy and dense in a good way, just as pumpernickel bread should be.
When it comes to shmear, both savory and sweet choices go well with this bagel.
If you’re not sure where to start, I’d recommend a plain shmear so you can let the pumpernickel flavors shine through.
The Pumpernickel Bagel contains 270 calories.
18. Green Chile Gourmet Bagel
Next up is the first gourmet bagel on our list: the Green Chile Bagel.
This spicy option features mozzarella cheese, provolone, cheddar, and roasted green chiles.
It’s then topped with grated asiago, parmesan, and romano cheeses.
Green chiles have some kick to them, but all that cheese tames down the spice overall.
If you’re entirely averse to spiciness, though, I would avoid this bagel. If you don’t mind a kick, then this bagel is worth a try.
It’s even better when it’s used as the vessel for the Chorizo Sunrise Signature Breakfast Sandwich.
We’re headed south of the border with this sandwich. It’s made with savory chorizo sausage, smashed avocado, cheddar cheese, eggs, and a jalapeno salsa shmear.
The spicy, cheese-packed Green Chile Bagel compliments the smoky chorizo and fresh avocado smash.
Plus, when toasted, the bagel’s cheeses melt together for a gooey, creamy bite.
The Green Chile Gourmet Bagel contains 390 calories, and the Chorizo Sunrise Signature Breakfast Sandwich has 800 calories.
17. Poppy Seed Bagel
The main allure of poppy seed bagels is their fun, crunchy texture. Each bite brings a burst of earthy flavor from the poppy seeds.
Poppy seeds have a subtle flavor, so Einstein’s Poppy Seed Bagel tastes very similar to a plain bagel but with a crunchy twist.
Popular shmear options for this bagel include plain and honey almond, but savory toppings would also work.
The Poppy Seed Bagel contains 290 calories.
16. Sesame Seed Bagel
Just like the Poppy Seed Bagel, the Sesame Seed Bagel is pretty similar to a plain bagel, except that it’s covered in sesame seeds.
This puppy is covered in sesame seeds from top to bottom, each with a subtly nutty flavor and crunchy texture.
The Avocado Veg Out is a lunch sandwich that automatically comes on a sesame seed bagel unless otherwise specified.
This vegetarian sandwich on the Einstein Bros. menu includes fresh tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, avocado, red onions, and garden veggie shmear.
The mix of a crunchy sesame seed bagel with crispy, fresh veggies makes for a satisfying and healthy lunch meal.
The Sesame Seed Bagel contains 290 calories, and the Avocado Veg Out Sandwich has 420 calories.
15. Spinach Florentine Gourmet Bagel
Next up on the Einstein Bros. bagel menu is the Spinach Florentine Gourmet Bagel.
It is topped with wilted spinach, finished with melted Swiss, and a brushing of garlic butter.
Some customers complain that the spinach on top of the bagel can be a bit soggy and overcooked.
I see where these comments are coming from, but I think the melted cheese and garlic butter cover up the textural issues for the most part.
The garlic butter adds just the right amount of richness to the bagel.
I recommend ordering yours toasted for a perfectly melted Swiss cheese topping.
The Spinach Florentine Gourmet Bagel contains 370 calories.
14. Plain Bagel
Plain bagels will never go out of style. Einstein Bros. version of this breakfast classic has a chewy texture, soft interior, and golden crust.
A plain bagel serves as a blank canvas for whatever toppings or shmears you want to add.
Make it a sweet breakfast by adding strawberry shmear, or keep it savory with onion and chive shmear.
The Bacon, Avocado, & Tomato sandwich automatically comes with a plain bagel to hold it all together.
It features crispy bacon, smashed avocado, sliced tomatoes, and a savory roasted tomato spread.
The simplicity of the plain bagel compliments the fresh, basic ingredients in this sandwich.
The Plain Bagel contains 270 calories, and the Bacon, Avocado, & Tomato Sandwich has 420 calories.
13. Pretzel Bagel
Just like the plain bagel, Einstein’s Pretzel Bagel keeps things simple.
It’s topped with coarse salt grains (as any true soft pretzel should be), and its crust is chewy and dark brown.
The Pretzel Bagel is a lunch twist on a breakfast classic, and it’s a bit more savory than a plain bagel.
Order bacon, egg & cheese on a pretzel roll for a play on the classic breakfast sandwich.
The Pretzel Bagel contains 280 calories.
12. Chocolate Chip Signature Bagel
Einstein’s Chocolate Chip Signature Bagels are filled with generous chunks of chocolate.
These bagels are simple and sweet, making for the perfect vessel for butter or some sweet shmear.
This sweet, chewy bagel is perfectly fine on its own, but order it toasted for the ultimate experience.
The chips become melty, making for the perfect base to put a strawberry shmear on.
Who says you can’t have chocolate-covered strawberries for breakfast? Try the toasted chocolate chip bagel with butter for a rich, slightly salty experience.
The Chocolate Chip Signature Bagel contains 300 calories.
11. Blueberry Signature Bagel
The first thing that stood out to me about Einstein’s Blueberry Signature Bagel is that it contains actual blueberries – no artificial flavors in this one!
The blueberry bagel is fruity, sweet, and bright.
The chunks of blueberry are the perfect size – big enough to taste them but not so big that they mess up the texture of the bagel itself.
The blueberry flavor isn’t overpowering since only natural flavors are used, so you won’t get a sugar rush first thing in the morning.
The Blueberry Signature Bagel contains 290 calories.
10. Cheesy Hash Brown Gourmet Bagel
It doesn’t get more breakfast-y than a bagel topped with hash browns. And that’s where the Cheesy Hash Brown Gourmet Bagel comes in.
The base is a potato bagel, which is topped with shredded crispy potato and six different cheeses.
The six kinds of cheese are mozzarella, provolone, cheddar, parmesan, romano, and asiago (now you can see why “cheesy” is in the bagel’s name).
This bagel has a bunch of different fun textures going on.
The hash browns are crispy and golden brown up top, and the cheeses are gooey and melted once toasted.
In addition, the potato bagel itself is softer than a regular bagel, making the crispy hash brown topping stand out even more.
The All-Nighter Breakfast Egg Sandwich comes on a Cheesy Hash Brown Bagel.
This sandwich is the ultimate hangover cure, with American cheese, crispy bacon, cage-free eggs, and a jalapeno garlic aioli for a little extra spice.
The Cheesy Hash Brown Gourmet Bagel contains 400 calories, and the All-Nighter Breakfast Egg Sandwich has 900 calories.
9. Garlic Bagel
Einstein Bros’ Garlic Bagel lives up to its name – it packs a punch in the garlic department. This bagel is covered in minced garlic and sesame seeds.
These toppings give that super savory, toasty flavor that garlic bagels are known and loved for.
The bagel is so flavorful that only a superficial spreading of butter is needed to round it out.
The texture of the bagel is soft all-around, and the outside has a nice subtle crunch thanks to the garlic and sesame seeds.
The Garlic Bagel contains 280 calories.
8. Jalapeno Cheddar Gourmet Bagel
The Jalapeno Cheddar Gourmet Bagel is one of the more jam-baked bagels on the Einstein Bros. menu.
Each bagel is topped with spicy pickled jalapeno slices and a generous helping of mild cheddar cheese.
The combination of bread and cheese is impossible to mess up, and jalapenos add a little spicy kick without taking away from the cheddar flavor.
The Texas Brisket Egg Sandwich automatically comes on a Jalapeno Cheddar Bagel, and it’s a fan favorite.
This sandwich includes cage-free eggs, smoked beef brisket, cheddar cheese, and smoky chipotle aioli.
If you love steak and eggs, this sandwich is like a Tex-Mex twist on the classic breakfast dish.
If you love an ultra-savory (and kind of spicy) breakfast, look no further.
The Jalapeno Cheddar Gourmet Bagel contains 340 calories, and the Texas Brisket Egg Sandwich has 830 calories.
7. Everything Bagel
Ah, the Everything Bagel. Is there a more beloved bagel?
Just like other everything bagels, Einstein Bros’ version is covered with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, minced garlic, and salt.
Einstein manages to add just the right amount of seeds and seasonings on top of the bagel.
Each bite will give you that satisfying crunch, but you can still taste the actual bagel.
The Garden Avocado Egg Sandwich is served on an Everything Bagel.
This sandwich is made with freshly cracked eggs, avocado, tomato slices, and fresh spinach.
It also features a roasted tomato spread for an extra savory element.
The Everything Bagel contains 280 calories, while the Garden Avocado Egg Sandwich has 500 calories.
6. Onion Bagel
Like its garlic counterpart, this one doesn’t skimp on the outer toppings. The Onion Bagel is one of the best bagels on Einstein’s menu because of its outside alone.
The small onion chips are crispy on the outside with just the tiniest bit of chew once you bite into them.
They have that savory, toasted flavor that all onion bagels should have.
The toastier bits of onion add a little crunch to each bite. If you love the taste of onion rings or savory bread in general, the Onion Bagel is the way to go.
Any of the shmears are a solid option, but I recommend either the garden veggie or onion & chive for the ultimate savory bagel experience.
The Onion Bagel contains 270 calories.
5. Cinnamon Sugar Signature Bagel
Einstein Bros’ Cinnamon Sugar Bagel is sweet, cinnamony, and buttery.
This bagel is sweet without encroaching into dessert territory.
Its cinnamon sugar crust adds some crunch to the bagel, which contrasts nicely with the soft, chewy inside.
The cinnamon is just enough to give a cozy feel to the bagel, especially once it’s toasted.
I would recommend adding butter – the cream cheese is also good with it, but it might be a little too rich for some.
The Cinnamon Sugar Bagel contains 300 calories.
4. Apple Cinnamon Gourmet Bagel
Remember how I said the cinnamon sugar bagel doesn’t encroach into dessert territory? Well, it’s a different story with the Apple Cinnamon Gourmet Bagel.
This bagel literally has a mini apple pie on top!
The topping is made with fire-roasted Fuji apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a cinnamon streusel topping.
It might sound too sugary to pass, but the regular bagel underneath the apple pie scales back the sweetness.
The apples on top are tender and subtly sweet, contrasting nicely with the crunchy streusel topping.
The mixture of cinnamon, brown sugar, and nutmeg makes for a bagel reminiscent of autumn but can be enjoyed at any time of the year.
This bagel is a lot on its own, so I recommend just ordering butter on top.
The Apple Cinnamon Gourmet Bagel contains 450 calories.
3. Six-Cheese Gourmet Bagel
It ain’t easy being this cheesy. This bagel is the cheesiest on our list by far!
It’s topped with mozzarella, provolone, cheddar, asiago, parmesan, and romano.
I know this sounds like a cheese overload, but they all melt together so harmoniously that you’ll forget there are six kinds of cheese in that top layer.
The bagel itself is creamy, even without any toppings. The inside is fluffy, soft, and even better when toasted.
The cheddar, mozzarella, and parmesan are the most prominent flavors in this bagel.
I always order mine with garden veggie cream cheese or butter to let the cheese shine through.
The Six-Cheese Gourmet Bagel contains 370 calories.
2. French Toast Signature Bagel
The runner-up on the Einstein Bros. bagel menu is the French Toast Bagel.
Just like actual French toast, it features cinnamon and vanilla notes throughout.
It’s topped with a cinnamon streusel crunch topping, similar to the apple cinnamon bagel topping.
The crunchy topping perfectly contrasts with the softness inside the bagel.
The vanilla aroma lends just enough sweetness to turn the dough into a dessert-like treat rather than a neutral plain bagel flavor.
This bagel is even more delicious when toasted because it brings out that true French toast flavor and texture.
Order it with butter so the cinnamon streusel and vanilla can shine through!
The French Toast Signature Bagel contains 370 calories.
1. Asiago Cheese Signature Bagel
My absolute favorite bagel on the Einstein Bros. menu is the Asiago Cheese Signature Bagel.
I’m not exaggerating when I say I went through a phase a few years ago and ate at least two Asiago Cheese Bagels per week!
There’s just something about the mix of a fluffy bagel and crispy, chewy cheese that can’t be beaten.
Don’t let its name fool you – this bagel also features parmesan and romano cheeses.
All three of these cheeses are sharp and salty, giving the bagel that prominent cheese flavor.
Some parts of the cheese topping are crispy, and some are chewy, so each bite is slightly different.
I love Einstein’s Asiago Bagel because it’s savory and salty but not overly so– all the flavor you need is right there in the cheese.
The Santa Fe Egg White Sandwich is served on an Asiago bagel. It features turkey sausage, egg whites, cheddar cheese, and jalapeno salsa shmear.
This sandwich has 420 calories, so it’s lighter than many other breakfast sandwiches on Einstein’s menu.
During my aforementioned Asiago bagel phase, I always ordered it with garden veggie shmear.
Give this combo a try, and I promise you won’t regret it!
The Asiago Cheese Signature Bagel contains 300 calories.
Conclusion
Einstein Bros. employees get to the bagel shop at 2 a.m. every morning and bake a new batch every four hours. So no matter what you order, you’re always getting the freshest bagels possible.
Order any shmear with yours or opt for cheese and breakfast meat for the full breakfast sandwich experience.
From a simple yet classic plain bagel to one covered with six different types of cheese, the Einstein Bros. bagel menu has your perfect sweet or savory breakfast.
