Inaugural BagelFest West Showcases L.A.'s Bagel Innovation

New York-based festival celebrates West Coast bagel scene with bold flavors and creative reinventions.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 10:54pm

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Los Angeles Today

The inaugural BagelFest West, founded by New York's Bagel Ambassador Sam Silverman, drew over 1,000 bagel enthusiasts to Los Angeles to celebrate the city's evolving bagel scene. Bagel makers from California, Seattle, and Colorado Springs offered innovative takes on the classic bagel, including a Passover-style gefilte fish sandwich and a coffee-infused 'bagel bomb.' Though a Seattle-based shop won the Best Bagel award, L.A. shops like Calic Bagel and Belle's Bagel were recognized for bringing unique Asian flavors and cultural influences to the traditionally East Coast-dominated bagel world.

Why it matters

The success of BagelFest West highlights the growing prominence and creativity of the West Coast bagel scene, which has often been overshadowed by the reputations of East Coast and Montreal bagels. The festival showcased how L.A. bagel makers are putting their own spin on the classic bread, drawing from diverse cultural influences to reinvent the bagel for a new generation of enthusiasts.

The details

BagelFest West featured over 16 bagel shops from across California, Seattle, and Colorado Springs, competing in categories like best bagel, best sandwich, and most creative. Standout offerings included a gefilte fish Hillel sandwich from San Diego's Mission Bagel and a coffee-infused 'bagel bomb' from Uncle Stevey's in El Segundo. While a Seattle-based shop took home the Best Bagel prize, L.A. shops like Calic Bagel and Belle's Bagel were recognized for bringing Asian flavors and cultural flair to their bagel creations.

  • BagelFest West took place on Sunday, April 13, 2026.
  • The original New York BagelFest was founded in 2019 by Sam Silverman.

The players

Sam Silverman

The founder of the original New York BagelFest, who goes by the social media handle 'Bagel Ambassador.' He decided to bring the festival to Los Angeles to celebrate the city's evolving bagel scene.

David Castillo

The general manager of Calic Bagel, known for its viral garlic cream cheese bagels and Asian-inspired stuffed bagels.

J.D. Rocchio

The co-owner of Belle's Bagel in Highland Park, who believes that what makes an 'L.A. bagel' is the self-determined, culturally diverse approach of local bagel makers.

John Park

The co-owner of Rise Bagels, a newer bagel shop in Irvine that won the Best of the West and Most Creative awards at BagelFest West.

Matt Diamond

An L.A. native who flew down from San Francisco to attend BagelFest West, drawn by the love, craftsmanship, and quality ingredients that define the L.A. bagel scene.

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What they’re saying

“The bites that we've seen here today are some of the most innovative and groundbreaking bagel bites that I've ever had.”

— Sam Silverman, Founder, BagelFest

“It was about time that someone actually was able to understand how important bagels are to Los Angeles.”

— David Castillo, General Manager, Calic Bagel

“L.A. really has its own scene and its own thing going. What makes an L.A. bagel an L.A. bagel is we're all very self-determined ... people are pulling from different cultural references, regional references and I'd say if you were to make an L.A. bagel it means you're doing your own thing.”

— J.D. Rocchio, Co-owner, Belle's Bagel

“We wanted a bagel shop that is more representative of what we want to see in terms of elevating bagels to the next level. There's so much talent elevating something that's been such a traditional thing and the fusion, the different types of concepts that are coming, is making this industry ... a lot more fun and exciting to be a part of.”

— John Park, Co-owner, Rise Bagels

“The toppings, the love that goes into them all, is a real thing. [I've] grown up with bagels. It is a part of family, it's part of culture, it's who I am.”

— Matt Diamond

What’s next

BagelFest West is expected to return to Los Angeles next year after the success of the inaugural event.

The takeaway

The growing prominence and creativity of the West Coast bagel scene, particularly in Los Angeles, was on full display at the first-ever BagelFest West. The festival highlighted how local bagel makers are putting their own unique spin on the classic bread, drawing from diverse cultural influences to reinvent the bagel for a new generation of enthusiasts.