What A Bagel

Sometimes you want a bagel without the tough New York crust or the denser Montréal interior. Sometimes you want a bagel that balances malt with sweetness. Sometimes you want a bagel that isn’t stale within 30 minutes of baking.
Just admit it — sometimes you just want a chewy, yeasty, bready Toronto bagel.
Stuck in the shadow of the enduring Montréal bagel craze, What-​a-​bagel remains underrated and underappreciated.

We live in Los Angeles and always come to What a Bagel on our first day in Toronto (and almost every day). Loved their baked treats, bagels and little sandwiches!

Guys. I just love What A Bagel, what can I say? As far as bagel places go, it’s nowhere near the level of St. Viateur or Fairmount in Montréal, so it simply must be measured on a level of its own. The bagel selection is diverse (my personal fave is the good ol’ Everything Bagel, but I’ve been known to enjoy a Pumpernickel or Sesame now and then). Where What A Bagel really shines is in bagel sandwich art. The egg salad, cream cheeses, and other accoutrements are top notch. Personally, I like the chive cream cheese + tomato + salt and pepper combo (keep it simple, y’know?). Whenever my husband and I go up north, there is a mandatory stop at What A Bagel for these bagel sandwiches. Another reason to look forward to summer. Also, their bourekas are deeeelish.
One thing I will say against What A Bagel, which bumps this review from a 4 to a 3, was the recent implementation of their revised Birthday Offer. Previously, you could get a FREE DOZEN bagels on your birthday! Whatt!!! Yes, it’s true. Obviously this WAS too good to be true, as they have now modified it to a free half dozen… with the purchase of a half dozen. Sigh. I mean, I am sure they were getting slammed by that free dozen birthday offer, but it’s just disappointing for us true What A Bagel fans.
Anyway, What A Bagel, I can’t stay away. See you soon.

Food is alright — pricey for what it is. I work nearby so more often then not if I go its to grab something quick before getting back to the office.
Went in and asked for a simple bagel, toasted and buttered with soup. Took me asking someone where my food was 5mins later before they even started getting it together for me. When they did the bagel was not toasted. Asked them to correctly toast and butter it. Was returned to me without butter either on the bagel or even in the bag.
INCOMPETENT to say the least. This is not the first bad experience I have had with them either. They are slow and have a tendency to get even the simplest orders incorrect.
This was the last straw, will not be returning.

Food is alright while employees tend to be hit or miss. This is not a posh Sunday brunch spot but comes with a lot of sides for the boys. My husband always leaves full. Coffee is at the back, you serve youself and eventually youf food comes. It can be up to 10 minutes between plates so forgo edict and eat as soon as your food comes. Bathrooms are upstairs. Their juice is fresh and very, very taste. Also, a free dozen bagels on your birthday, though I have yet to meet someone who picked theirs up.

Almost inedible eggs a few weeks back (after a swim workout when almost anything will do), surly and slow counter staff, counters and tables that never look properly clean.
Avoid during lunch and commuter rush, unless you’re up for a long wait in a lineup that’s painfully disorganized.

3.2***
Probably the most reasonable and hearty lunch you can get in the coveted village, I certainly prefer it over the pretentiously priced Aroma.
As Sara K. mentioned, this place has it all in terms of Jewish baked goods. They also sell some kosher soups, Lox, and such in the refrigerated section. I work around here and it has the best deals for healthy hearty food in the area. I have heard that mashu mashu has some good lunch gyro type specials as well. Note that this place only has a couple tables on the ground floor, a few more on the landing above, but most people dont realize there is an entire lounge-​like area up the stairs for people wanting to relax for a little while longer.
Anyways, if your here for lunch as I frequently am, you get to choose your bagel fresh from the bins and get it subwayed up to your liking. I recommend if your willing to wait a tad longer and are in need of a good feeding, get the omelet with fillings deal. They will present you with a huge omelet (egg whites available) with cooked peppers, onions and mushrooms, a bagel of your choice (ask for it to be toasted with butter). You also get a small house salad, your chce of 2 potato latkes or a generous scoop of cream cheese to spread on your bagel, and a coffee or tea! I usually get the egg white omelet meal and it comes to just under $ 10…it’s enough to share with another bagel perhaps or side salad.
Otherwise, their normal bagel sandwiches are foolproof. The bagels are moist, squishy and warm.

This place is like a crack-​house for carbo-​sluts!
Not just a bagel joint, What A Bagel boasts every stripe of baked goods all offered up self-​serve style, complete with a deli counter to carnivore-​up your bread. Be warned lunch time line-​ups are long and even with two cashiers, it’s a bit of a wait.
Rugulahs, pretzels, cookies, streudel oh my! Any baked goods addict will have a hard time putting down the tongs to stop filling their bags. My gluten free tendencies definitely felt weak up in here, but I managed to grab my friend HER requested coveted giant pretzel and get the hell out before the darkside of gluten got it’s sinister but delicious hands on me!

For relatively cheap bagels at a decent price, What-​a-​Bagel is pretty good. They have more then just bagels, this location in particular has lots of stuff, like cookies. Their bagels are pretty good, they are bready and similar (though much fresher) to the bagged bagel variety you find at your local grocer. They have many different flavors, like sun-​dried tomato (my fav). Unfortunately they do not make a cheese bagel! :-(
The cookies there are by weight, so they are quite pricey, but good. There are tables outside so you can sit and eat (at least in the summertime), but there are also a few parks in the area as well. Great walking area, lots of little shops. There’s street parking and a lot to the north of the store.