Held at the Audrey Irmas Pavilion and drawing more than 1,000 attendees from across the culinary and hospitality industries, BagelFest West brought together top bakers from across the country for a series of tastings, panels, and judged competitions. According to organizers, only a small percentage of applicants were selected to compete, with entries evaluated on everything from texture and flavor to originality and technical execution. The event, an expansion of the New York-based BagelFest brand, aimed to showcase how bagel culture is evolving beyond its East Coast roots.
San Diego’s presence was impossible to ignore. Pacific Beach-based Mission Bagel, which recently opened its first brick-and-mortar location after building a loyal following as a food truck, took home a top honor as a Rising Star, awarded to standout bagel shops less than two years old. The recognition marks a rapid ascent for the operation, which was founded by Gabe Rubin and has quickly become one of the most talked-about new additions to the local food scene.
Mission Bagel also earned second place in the Best Sandwich category for its Gefilte Fish Hillel Bagel Sandwich, a bold, nostalgic creation that layers traditional Jewish deli flavors with a modern presentation. The sandwich features slices of gefilte fish paired with a creamy schmear, sweet Sephardic charoset, and beet horseradish, offering a complex combination of sweet, savory, and sharp flavors that stood out among competitors.
Encinitas-based New Wave Bagel also made a strong showing, reinforcing the depth of talent emerging from North County. The shop, founded by experienced bakers Cheryl Storms and Matt Cardwell, both of whom previously worked at San Diego's acclaimed Wayfarer Bread in Bird Rock, has built a reputation around naturally fermented sourdough bagels that take a distinctly California approach to the traditionally East Coast staple.
New Wave secured second place in the Rising Star category and continued its momentum with additional awards, including second place for Schmear of the Year and a top-three finish in Most Creative. Its standout entry, a Brown Butter Salted Honey bagel paired with lemon meringue cream cheese, exemplifies the shop’s willingness to push boundaries, blending pastry-level creativity with classic bagel techniques.
The recognition for both Mission Bagel and New Wave Bagel underscores a broader transformation underway in San Diego. For years, the city’s bagel offerings were often criticized as lagging behind major food hubs like New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Even local bakers have acknowledged that San Diego has historically trailed national trends by several years, particularly when it comes to bread and fermentation-driven baking.
That narrative is now shifting. A wave of new and emerging bagel shops - including recent openings, pop-ups, and bakery expansions - has begun redefining expectations. Some, like Mission Bagel, focus on New York-inspired techniques, emphasizing dense interiors and crisp crusts achieved through traditional boiling and baking methods. Others, like New Wave, are embracing sourdough fermentation, resulting in more complex flavors and textures that reflect California’s broader baking culture.
Industry observers note that this diversity of approaches is part of what is fueling San Diego’s rise. Rather than attempting to replicate East Coast bagels exactly, local bakers are increasingly putting their own stamp on the category, incorporating seasonal ingredients, experimental flavor combinations, and techniques drawn from fine dining and artisan baking.
The results were evident at BagelFest West, where judges and attendees alike were exposed to a wide spectrum of interpretations. From classic builds to inventive creations that blur the line between bagels and plated dishes, the competition highlighted how far the category has evolved. San Diego’s strong performance suggests that the region is not just participating in that evolution, but actively shaping it.
Beyond the awards themselves, the event’s broader impact may be even more significant. BagelFest West’s expansion into Los Angeles, and its ability to attract national attention, reflects growing interest in West Coast bagel culture as a whole. Within that context, San Diego’s success positions the city as a legitimate destination for bagel enthusiasts, rather than an afterthought.
For operators like Mission Bagel and New Wave Bagel, the recognition comes at a pivotal moment. Both are in growth phases, with Mission Bagel establishing its Pacific Beach storefront and New Wave continuing to build out its permanent Leucadia location while expanding its footprint through pop-ups. Awards from a high-profile event like BagelFest West not only validate their work but also introduce them to a broader audience.
More broadly, the wins reinforce a simple but increasingly hard-to-ignore conclusion: San Diego’s bagel scene has arrived. What was once considered a culinary gap is now becoming a point of pride, driven by a new generation of bakers focused on craft, experimentation, and community. As momentum continues to build, the city’s role in shaping the future of bagels on the West Coast—and potentially beyond—appears to be just getting started.
Originally published on April 13, 2026.
