10 Einstein Bros Bagels, Ranked Worst To Best

The Einstein Bros chain may not have any relation to the brilliant physicist, Albert Einstein, but that doesn't mean its bagel recipes aren't genius. Founded in 1995 in Lakewood, Colorado, the cafe's main schtick is bagels made fresh daily. It says the "bakers get up every morning before the sun to fire up the ovens and begin the bagel baking ritual." Then the baking continues on throughout the day — or at least until it closes up shop around 2 p.m. As of 2014, the chain now falls under the JAB Holding company umbrella, along with Panera Bread and Caribou Coffee, but its approach remains the same.

Einstein Bros is well known for making a mean breakfast sandwich and for its deals per dozen – especially on Mondays. But today I'm focusing solely on the bagels themselves to see which one is best. I recently took a trip through the drive-thru to pick up 10 different flavors. The chain separates its bagels into three main categories, including classic, signature, and gourmet, and I ordered a nice sampling of each to eat and rank. As enticing as its double-whipped cream cheese schmear was, I opted to taste each bagel free from any kind of topping. I didn't have them sliced or toasted either. I then judged based on the texture of each bagel, its flavor, and the balance of ingredients. Here's how they fared, from the doughy duds to the hole-in-ones.

We're beginning with the obligatory blueberry bagel. Einstein Bros doesn't deny its patrons of this time-honored flavor, and it even elevates it beyond a classic bagel to signature status. So, it sits in good company amongst other high-profile picks like asiago, chocolate chip, cinnamon sugar, and the pretzel bagel.

I had to be careful not to confuse the blueberry for the cinnamon raisin bagel, which was also included in my bag — those two can be tricky to discern. But in this case, the blueberry stood out thanks to its multi-grain look and much smaller blueberry specks. After trying it, I can say that this is a very average bagel. The texture is perfect — soft yet dense and chewy. The problem is with the taste itself. The bagel has a pronounced earthy flavor and not nearly enough blueberries to go around. Einstein says the bagel "tastes like it's straight from the berry patch!" But in reality, it's difficult to detect any kind of berry flavor in most bites.

It certainly would have been better with a good slathering of strawberry or honey almond schmear. But on its own, the blueberry bagel is not one of Einstein's elite and is closer to a grocery store bagel. In fact, I think I've had better blueberry bagels from the market.

Cinnamon raisin is another classic bagel choice — and it's listed as such on the Einstein menu. However, it's also quite a polarizing flavor. Those who detest those dried-up grapes we like to call raisins can't possibly fathom why this option is available at every bagel joint you set foot into. Others can't get enough.

I would say I land somewhere in the neutral zone of the great cinnamon raisin debate. I can enjoy and appreciate one of the controversial creations every now and then. That being said, though, I don't think I would order one from Einstein's again. Like most of the chain's flavors, this bagel is compact and fairly dry. The cinnamon flavor is also not very prominent. It actually smells stronger than it tastes, and there aren't any deep pockets of cinnamon hiding anywhere. Disappointing to say the least. 

Additionally, the raisins are quite spread out, and even though they are large and keep their chewy texture, they're more sour than they are sweet. The balance simply isn't there, leaving me unimpressed. So even though it was a bit more enjoyable than the blueberry, thanks to the tiny bit of cinnamon that was sprinkled into the recipe, it still landed toward the bottom of my list.

A plain bagel is like a blank canvas merely waiting to be covered in a thick blanket of schmear. Of course, it also makes the best base for lox and capers, peanut butter and banana, or a fully loaded breakfast sandwich. On its own, it's not always the most enticing. But Einstein Bros is doing its best to break that mold.

The chain admits that its plain bagel may be simple, but it's certainly not boring. It falls perfectly between doughy and chewy, like a good bagel ought to, and offers a great natural, fresh-baked taste. It leads with a light yeast flavor accompanied by a hint of sweetness. It's not a bad bagel at all, and I even preferred it over the two disappointing fruity flavors that I tried.

I wouldn't mind eating it unadorned — something I used to do with plain bagels all the time in college, though I wish I'd had Einstein's back then to make the experience a bit more enjoyable. Still, I think it would reach its full potential when toasted and topped with a thin layer of cream cheese, maybe the chain's jalapeño salsa for a savory kick, or honey almond to satisfy a sweet tooth.

So many cheeses, and yet I could hardly taste a single one of them. The six cheese bagel is a gourmet pick from Einstein Bros. This is where the chain gets creative with bagel toppings — of both the sweet and savory variety — and forgoes the hole in the center in order to tack on even more appeal and flavor. The only problem is that it forgot about the flavor piece of the puzzle in this particular bagel.

Dense and as chewy as ever, the bagel base is fine. It's the cheese piled thick on top that's a bit of a letdown. The cheeses of choice include mozzarella, provolone, cheddar, asiago, Parmesan, and Romano. You certainly get that melty cheese texture, especially when it's fresh from the store. But I could really only detect light hints of asiago and Parmesan in bites. The taste is mild overall, with the exception of the fringes, where the cheese was more baked on. It may not be worth the extra dough that comes along with the "gourmet" label. Essentially, what you're getting is a plain bagel with a whisper of cheesiness. So surpasses the plain bagel, which offers nothing in the way of cheesiness or extra interest. But it doesn't quite live up to its promises, and therefore didn't land as one of my favorites.

The Einstein Bros say that better days begin with chocolate, and I can't say I disagree. Chocolate chip pancakes, chocolate chip muffins, and yes, even chocolate chip bagels make mornings better. It's hard to be sad when you're indulging in a hearty helping of carbs and sweet morsels.

This classic bagel leans into that comfort and childlike nostalgia without going overboard. The chocolate chips are well distributed. They're present in most bites, yet the bagel doesn't feel overstuffed. You get the taste of bittersweet chocolate, which elevates rather than tramples the natural yeastiness of the bagel. Just know that it is one of the smaller bagels on the menu, and mine came in a shape that was more oblong than round. So if you're extra hungry, maybe look elsewhere. It also came in a darker color than the rest, which looked almost purple. I almost mistook it for a blueberry bagel.

Even though there are several more enticing options on the Einstein Bros menu, this bagel holds its ground. It has noticeably more flavor than the plain and the six cheese bagels, and falls into the breakfast category of understated indulgence. Just sweet enough to always deserve a spot in your baker's dozen.

This bagel is deceptive. Yes, it's called the "asiago cheese bagel," but there are two additional types of cheese hiding in the recipe, including both Parmesan and Romano. That adds up to three total cheeses, and somehow, even with half the cheese power, this bagel still outshines the chain's six cheese bagel. More is not always better. It's more about the ratios and the character of the cheese taking center stage.

In this one, it's the sharp taste of asiago that hits your palate first — as one would expect in an asiago cheese bagel. It's extra-baked on, so it has an even richer, more complex taste. Then, later on, you get the nutty and salty tangs of Parmesan and Romano that turn things up a notch and give you a stronger overall flavor than what was found in the last few picks. The bagel itself is mostly compact with only a few air pockets.

Of course, I couldn't help but compare some of the Einstein Bros bagels with similar options found at Panera Bread, and the asiago was no exception. The two are similar, but I fear Panera's recipe is a touch tastier. What it has that Einstein doesn't is chunks of cheese baked into the inside of the bagel, rather than just concentrated on top. If the chain can add those in, it would have a far more impressive bagel on its hands.

I've heard tales of the maple French toast bagel from Einstein Bros. Friends have told me it's one of their favorites and different from most other standard bagels. I will admit it's unique. The color alone is one I haven't seen before in a bagel. It has almost a green-ish tint, and it's pimpled with brown bits of streusel.

I was excited to give it a try, and it ended up being good, don't get me wrong. It just wasn't quite as good as I was anticipating. The dough actually seemed extra compact and heavy. I could tell it was laced with a few hints of vanilla, cinnamon, and definitely maple. It tastes as though it had been soaked in a light bath of syrup. What I don't get, though, is a distinct eggy French toast taste. It's more of a maple bagel with a few sprinkles of cinnamon. While I appreciate the crunch and sweetness of cinnamon streusel on top, I wish there were more of it. There's only enough for a light taste and, of course, to make a small mess.

This fresh-baked gourmet bagel cranks things up a notch compared to other Einstein bagels, mostly thanks to its added streusel. Yet it's not special enough to land in one of my top three spots.

There are multiple people out there who claim to be the inventor of the everything bagel. It's quite the controversial topic. But really, all you need to know is that the flavor that was once a New York specialty has now infiltrated bagel shops and cafes across the country, so you're never too far from one of those speckled rounds. Einstein Bros is no exception, and offers its customers one of its fresh-baked bagels topped with its own take on everything bagel seasoning blend. The brand's blend includes sesame and poppy seeds, onion, garlic, and salt. The chain also splits these ingredients into separate bagels, like garlic or poppy seed, if the thought of "everything" is too daunting.

In my opinion, this bagel is one of Einstein's finest. Not to mention, it does the "everything" name proud. It's full of savory taste with dried garlic and onion flakes leading the charge. The saltiness is also in full effect, which I thought made it that much tastier. Others may think it pushes the limit. The bagel itself is high quality with a dense yet soft and springy texture. This is a classic bagel, and it's done very well. There were only two other flavors from the chain that impressed me more.

These last two bagels are labeled as gourmet, but really, I think they belong in a brand new category called Einstein's Reserve Bagels or the Chef's Kiss Collection. They are the creme de la creme of this lineup, starting with the apple cinnamon bagel.

I thought the apple cinnamon would be fairly similar to the chain's earlier maple French toast bagel. The two do share a fairly similar look, to be fair (only this one is missing that strange green hue.) However, this flavor takes things to an entirely different level. It's less of a bagel and more of a dessert — like eating a homemade apple pie for breakfast. The center holds all the goodness with a heap of brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cinnamon crunch streusel. Then, hiding underneath, you'll find a handful of sweet apple chunks that are baked to the perfect consistency, where you still get a subtle crunch. It sounds like a lot, but the sweetness is all neutralized by the doughy bagel, and the warm spices are kept to a minimum, so it doesn't lean too Christmas-y.

If you're looking for a sweet bagel on the Einstein's menu, this is the one to go with. You won't be disappointed. For others who prefer more umami in the morning (like me), there's one other pick that speaks your language.

Breakfast doesn't get much better than this cheddar jalapeño bagel. I could tell simply by looking at it that it was going to be a winner. It came absolutely smothered in orange cheese. Perhaps not as smothered as the six cheese bagel appeared, but the sharper, bolder taste of cheddar made up for the smaller quantity. It also tastes as though it was broiled onto the surface of the bagel, so it's nice and crunchy on the edges.

Then came the jalapeños — the real star of the show. There were five full slices on the bagel, not chopped up into bits, but full slices. They're not pickled either. They're fresh jalapeños that still have a crunch and even the seeds intact, so they're extra spicy. So be warned, it has some heat, but it's balanced out with plenty of cheese and the yeasty bagel, making for a great taste experience.

The cheddar jalapeño wasn't as tightly packed as some of the others I tried. There was even a sizable air pocket in the center. But honestly, this structural quirk did nothing to detract from its overall appeal. It was my favorite Einstein Bros bagel, air pocket and all.

I picked up all 10 bagels at the same time through the drive-thru — just shy of a dozen, so I didn't get the deal. I ordered them all as-is, with no cream cheese, not toasted, and not even sliced. Once I got home, I tried each bagel one by one.

For the most part, the texture was consistent across all of them–it's that daily baking at work. Each bagel shared that dense, chewy consistency and had a naturally rich yeast flavor. Because the base was so solid, the rankings really came down to the flavor add-ins themselves. I looked for flavors that were just sweet or savory enough without going overboard. I wanted a full and balanced taste and bagels that fully embraced their name. It was also important that the bagel stood on its own — something that's elevated by shmear but doesn't necessarily need it. Price, on the other hand, wasn't a factor for me. I'm more than happy to pay a little extra for a bagel that will genuinely make my morning.