The Worst Bagel At Einstein Bros: Skip This Classic Flavor

Einstein Bros was founded in 1995, and though the name refers to fictional brothers and not the scientist, the lineup of flavored bagels is very much real. It can be difficult to sort through options when bleary-eyed and hungry in the morning, so a member of our Tasting Table team set out to sample 10 Einstein Bros bagels and rank them so your next early visit can be made a bit easier. Unfortunately, one tried-and-true recipe fell to the bottom of the list.

While a blueberry bagel should be an industry standard, the bagel sampled at Einstein Bros was a disappointment. Visually, the bagel offered small pieces of blueberry that barely helped differentiate the blueberry recipe from the cinnamon raisin bagel. The dense and chewy texture was satisfying, but the taste of the bagel itself failed to meet expectations. Blueberries were sparse, and the earthy flavor of the item seemed to skip over the advertised berry element. While this order would work as a platform for flavorful cream cheese, as a standalone order, the bagel sampled by our writer was likened to something you might pick up from the store instead of an establishment that prides itself on freshly baked goods. 

Our writer wasn't the only sampler who experienced the blueberry bagel as lackluster. One taste tester, a self-described lover of blueberry bagels, wrote that this bagel left much to be desired. When untoasted, the bagel presented a tough texture that was difficult to bite into and chew, much less enjoy. The sparseness of the blueberries was also noted.

Not every customer has described Einstein Bros' blueberry bagel negatively, however. One reviewer of the blueberry-flavored bagel was surprised by the taste and the sweetness of the blueberry, but the bagel sampled was coated in cold cream cheese, a factor that may have made the difference. "Blueberry and plain always hits, absolute morning essential," added another fan of the bagel on TikTok. While the overall review may depend on a customer's commitment to this flavor and the preparation of the bagel itself, this is a bagel that warrants a second thought before placing an order. With so many other flavors to try at Einstein Bros, the blueberry bagel can step aside.