A Review of Roland Park Bagel

A classic morning stop on Cold Spring Lane for any hungry student or teacher, Roland Park Bagel is a mere fifteen minutes on foot from Gilman’s glistening campus. The shop is also a five-minute drive from our school. Anton Grib ‘26 was kind enough to drive and taste the bagels alongside me.

The first thing that struck me was the limited parking. However, once I entered the restaurant, the aesthetics were pleasing and the setup was unique. Before ordering, the bagels were presented through a glass display so that I could see every type of bagel the shop had to offer. French toast and blueberry were the flavors that most spoke to my stomach. Anton \  stated, “The French toast bagel will pair well with a sausage, egg, and cheese interior.” Of course, I had to order a bagel with cream cheese, as this is a bagel shop review. So, I ordered a blueberry bagel with cream cheese.  

Once I ordered the bagels, I could not help but admire the many paintings on the walls of our lovely Baltimore City. Surprisingly, the cashier handed us our bagels in vintage baskets, which was stunning for a bagel shop, and we did not have to walk to the counter to claim our dough halos. First up was the sausage, egg, and cheese on the French toast bagel. In addition to having three of the most classic breakfast toppings, the bagel itself was rich, with a touch of cinnamon; the combination was absolutely scrumptious. Reviewing the French toast bagel, Anton stated, “The use of the egg in the actual bagel gives us extra nutrients, a perfect bagel for Greyhound athletes.” 

However, I cannot say the same for the blueberry bagel with cream cheese. For one, there was too much cream cheese, which was far from chilled. I found myself needing to shake my bagel vigorously so most of the cream cheese would fall into the basket. This abundance of cream cheese gave the illusion that there were no blueberries in the blueberry bagel. However, the bagel itself tasted outstanding, so I recommend ordering “a bagel in a bag,” which is three dollars cheaper and lacks warm cream cheese. Ultimately, the crispness of the blueberry bagel could not compensate for the cream cheese catastrophe. 

At the end of the day, Roland Park Bagel is a great place for breakfast or lunch, as long as you do not order the shop’s horrendously warm cream cheese.